Call monitoring is most effective when supervisors look for and train to the right behaviors. Here’s where to focus.
Immediate coaching — with practical tips agents can use immediately — on these key areas of outbound calls will improve performance quickly, says coaching expert Mike Ricciardelli.
- List management. Make sure agents organize by company (or a pattern that makes good business sense), rather than by person. Contacts and organizations change. The name seldom does.
- Resourcefulness. Does the agent just ask for the person listed — or does the agent confirm the contact name or title? Knowing to go a step beyond at this point is key to success in cold calling.
- Transitions. Make sure agents make customers and prospects comfortable immediately with the right kind of transition questions or sentences (not just scripts). They need to use questions that get more than “yes’ or “no” answers.
- Software management. While their mouths move, watch that agents skillfully use the CRM tools at their hands. Following an old process can hurt productivity and accuracy.
- Quality. Adherence to processes and procedures ensures a good job. The right tone and attitude ensure a great job. Check that agents have an upbeat attitude and maintain a positive approach to each call.
