Call Center Quality Assurance Guidelines

Have you ever called a company and felt frustrated by the low-quality customer service you received? Or maybe you’ve had the opposite experience: A friendly, helpful agent resolved your issue quickly and efficiently. What makes the difference?

In large part, it comes down to quality assurance (QA). QA is a behind-the-scenes process that ensures call centers are delivering the level of service that customers should expect from your brand. But what exactly is QA, and how does it work? Learn how understanding QA can help you improve your call center performance, along with actionable steps to raise your QA score.

What Is Quality Assurance?

Quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) are two sides of the same coin in quality management, but they approach things differently.

QA is the proactive big picture. It’s about setting up the entire system to prevent defects from happening in the first place. This involves developing clear processes, training staff properly and constantly evaluating how well things are going. Think of QA as designing a building with strong materials and a solid foundation.

QC, on the other hand, is the reactive inspector. It focuses on catching issues in the finished product itself. This involves testing, inspecting and identifying anything that doesn’t meet quality standards. Think of QC as the final walkthrough of a building, checking for cracks, leaks or uneven floors.

Here’s the key difference: QA is about preventing problems, while QC is about finding them. They work together to ensure a high-quality end product.

Importance of Quality Assurance in a Call Center

In a call center, quality assurance serves as a critical measuring tool. It objectively evaluates customer interactions, revealing areas where your service aligns or falls short of customer expectations and industry standards. By implementing robust call center QA process focused on continuous improvement, you can facilitate a more positive customer experience and catch pain points as they appear.

Happier callers are more likely to remain loyal, leading to increased revenue and a competitive edge for your organization. Prioritizing QA is a strategic investment in your call center’s overall success.

Improving Your QA Score

A high QA score is a badge of honor for the call center. It signifies exceptional customer service that is consistent with industry standards and your own organization’s commitment to excellence. But how do you go about raising your score?

Here are key strategies to start improving your QA score:

• Determine the best consumer interaction strategy for your services: Every service is unique. Analyze your offerings and identify the most effective communication style (e.g., direct and informative for technical support, empathetic and solution-oriented for complaints).
• Define your company’s purpose: What is your mission statement? What values guide your interactions? A clear purpose sets the tone for the call’s quality.
• Clearly describe your target audience: Understanding your customer demographic allows for tailored communication that resonates.
• Develop your approach: Craft a clear call flow that guides agents through each interaction stage, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
• Set goals informed by QA criteria: Break down your QA scoring rubric into measurable goals. This helps agents understand what’s expected and provides a roadmap for improvement.
• Train your employees: Equip your agents with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in customer interactions. This includes product knowledge, communication techniques and conflict resolution strategies.
• Develop a call review process: Establish a system for reviewing call recordings. This allows for constructive feedback and targeted coaching for individual agents.
• Assign QA reviews: Consider who will conduct the call reviews. Options include managers, dedicated QA specialists, agents themselves (self-review) or peer review.
• Develop a systematic call monitoring process: Structure your call monitoring so it’s efficient and provides valuable insights. Rotate agents through the monitoring and evaluation schedule to ensure fairness and learning opportunities.
• Automate the QA process with helpful software: Leverage technology to streamline call reviews. Platforms can automate scoring based on pre-defined parameters, saving time and ensuring consistent evaluations.

By following these strategies, you can create an environment that fosters call center QA excellence and consistently delivers exceptional customer service.

Understanding the QA Scorecard

Ever wondered what goes into your center QA score? It’s not just about resolving customer issues. A well-rounded QA scorecard considers several key areas:

•  Agent soft skills: This assesses how effectively agents interact with callers. It covers aspects like communication clarity, empathy, patience and professionalism.
• Call flow: Call flow evaluates adherence to established call protocols. Did the agent greet the caller properly? Did they follow the correct sequence for issue identification and resolution?
• Call management: Measure how well agents control the conversation. Did they actively listen to the caller? Did they maintain a positive tone and manage the call duration effectively?
• Verification: Verification ensures thoroughness. Did the agent confirm all necessary details before concluding the call? Did they clearly explain any follow-up steps?
• Resolution: This measures the quality of the call’s conclusion. Did the agent find a solution that satisfied the customer? Evaluating resolution is a crucial part of the QA process.

Understanding these elements and their importance in your QA scorecard empowers you to identify specific areas for improvement. By focusing on key call moments and techniques, you can elevate customer interactions and more precisely target weak spots to improve your call center quality assurance score.

Creating a QA Scorecard

How can you assess the quality of your contact center calls? Test from beginning to end, checking in at critical points along the way:

• Are all access numbers working? Both toll and toll-free numbers?
• Do all calls connect? Is there an answer delay?
• Is the IVR navigation set up correctly? Does the IVR voice recognition work?
• Is the call quality good for the agent? Can the agent call back and send an SMS to the customer?

Once you’ve determined the quality of calls to and from the contact center, craft your own scorecard to take control of your QA improvement. Take the following steps to ensure you evaluate customer conversations objectively:

•  Assign rating categories: Break down your customer service goals (e.g., empathy, resolution time) into clear, measurable categories for evaluation.
• Prioritize: Not all goals are created equal. Assign higher weights to categories that hold greater importance for your specific service.
• Scale up: Choose a rating scale that works for you. Numeric scores (1-5) or descriptive levels (Needs Improvement, Meets Standards, Exceeds Expectations) are both effective options.

By creating a customized scorecard, you maintain objectivity in your evaluations and directly tie call center QA performance to company-specific goals. It’s a practical way to build up strengths and pinpoint weaknesses in your QA processes.

Increase Your Call Center’s Quality Assurance With CSG

High QA scores aren’t just a mark of pride – they translate directly to customer satisfaction. By better understanding your audience and empowering your agents, you can turn your quality assurance program into a positive reflection of your brand.

CSG offers award-winning software solutions designed to streamline call reviews, reduce bill confusion and empower your team to consistently deliver exceptional service. End-to-end contact center testing, including IVR navigation and inbound and outbound connectivity, ensures your message is being heard in one of your most important communication channels.