I'm currently set to roll out NVQ's targetting call centre activities and I am keen to understand how well they can be intergrated into the development plans of individual employees. Is anyone using them in the appraisal process or grading and progression structure? Are there any benefits to morale or performance?
James Finn
5 Responses
Call Handling – VNQs
I work for Derbyshire Constabulary and I have been delivering a 5 day course for our new call centre. This included customer care, teambuilding, communications and telephone skills.
We intend to follow up this training with an NVQ in telephone skills.
The investment in staff and a national qualification has improved staff moral and given them an opportunity for personal development and enhanced future job prospects.
if you would like any further information please let me know
NVQs as a Training needs plan.
I am using the NVQ system (not in a call centre environment) as an extended training needs analysis. If you allow the process to be candidate driven then once they are used to the NVQ requirements they will start to challenge their own skills and knowledge. It can be used to highlight weaknesses within a candidates training/skills and gives an ideal opportunity to provide support.
Used as a morale booster it is superb. I have examples of candidiates who have had no positive feedback from thier line managers for a long time. The NVQ ensures that every time a unit is signed off someone is saying to these people ‘Well done you are doing a good job’.
I have managers who are saying that candidiates are starting to challenge the way things are done and who are also providing solutions.
If used properly the NVQ system, in my opinion, can provide all that candidates and employers want. If not used properly it can be a very unhappy experience.
I cannot comment on appraisal, regrading or progression.
Feel free to contact me.
using vq’s for personal development
we are using SVQ’s in advice to help develop personal development. One of the key units is a personal development uni,t which is begun first and finished last, to show development over a period of time. We are also planning to integrate cpd into our VQ and training and learning programmes. Used all together, it should improve self development for the individual, but also for the organisation as good practice comes to the fore.
NVQs for Call Centre Staff
We’ve piloted Customer Service NVQ 3 for front line staff, some of whom do call centre work. We looked at the Call Centre NVQ and don’t think it quite suits our operators. The two staff who have done the NVQ are being considered for development to supervisor level. The NVQ can fit with call centre performance monitoring systems and we used it in our development plans (similar to appraisal). Staff gained from it – informal evaluation shows it motivated them, but this is only sustained if they are encouraged to put their new skills & understanding into practice. Which is why it can work well with coaching and monitoring in performance management systems! Be warned though. The biggest benefits accrue through the process, rather than certificate achievement, so do integrate it with current good training systems, or people may not see how it connects.
We’re just starting as well.
James
Here at Teltrend in Basingstoke, we are just starting to use NVQs as part of the on-going training for our customer service engineers. So far we have only registered our intent, but I would like to find our other people’s results.
My wife has recently completed NVQs in School Admin (Level 2) and Customer Service (Level 3) and this has helped raise her profile at work.
Let me know your thoughts
Regards, Mike Tozer