Introduction

Even with the best call center agents, a business might still struggle to improve customer service quality if there is no supervisor to ensure everything is on the right track. That’s why many corporations have started to offer better, more competitive salaries to their call quality analysts.

Are you actively applying for a call quality analyst position at the moment? Then, you have come to the right place. We will explain what is expected of the role and how to hone your skillsets for all the upcoming challenges.

What Does A Call Quality Analyst Do?

They monitor calls and recommend resolutions to existing issues (Image source: Flickr). 

Also known as a quality assurance (QA) analyst, this person ensures efficient, positive customer interactions within the call center. They act as the bridge between customer experience and agent performance, responsible for: 

Monitoring Calls

Call quality analysts listen to a statistically significant sample of calls from all agents and across different call types to get a representative picture of overall performance. Their assessment is based on specific criteria, such as: 

  • Customer complaints: What are the areas where customer experience needs improvement?
  • New agents: How are the new hires performing during their initial training?
  • Complex issues: How do the agents handle challenging situations?

Assessing Agents’ Performance

Various elements of the agent-customer interaction are evaluated to identify areas of strength and weaknesses, paving the way for constructive feedback. 

Most of the time, the analysis for every chosen call will be based on predefined evaluation forms or scoring rubrics to avoid inconsistency or subjectivity. Virtual centers like StringeeX also make it easy for supervisors/analysts to review each interaction's details and final result. 

Below is a further breakdown of the assessment:

Professionalism

Analysts observe how the agent presents themselves, including their use of language, tone, and overall demeanor. Are they polite and considerate? Do they show respect for the customer?

Communication Skills

Both verbal and nonverbal communication are thoroughly analyzed. To receive a high score, the agent must be able to listen actively, explain information using easy-to-understand terms, and know when to ask important clarifying questions. 

Knowledge and Accuracy

Providing accurate information to the customer is one of the most important responsibilities of a call center agent. The analysts assess whether these agents understand the company policies, products, and other related procedures. 

Customer Service

Does the agent empathize and build rapport with the customer throughout the interaction? Can they demonstrate genuine care and concern for the customer’s current situation? These are the questions an analyst must address. 

Usually, a call quality analyst is expected to focus on internal call center operations and agent performance. Nevertheless, by monitoring the current trends in the industry, they can recommend more updated appropriate resolutions for better customer service.

First, the analyst actively researches relevant reports and news articles from industry associations. These resources often feature case studies, best practice guides, benchmark data, etc., showcasing how leading call centers innovate and address customer needs.

After gathering the information and identifying key trends, the analyst will communicate their findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders within the call center, such as team leads/managers, customer service representatives, or executive leadership.

Based on the identified trends, the analyst should be able to: 

  • Have an overview of successful strategies other call centers have used to help agents improve their communication and problem-solving skills.
  • Highlight potential opportunities for improvement.
  • Provide insights to inform decisions about adopting new strategies.

Technological Responsibilities 

Though not directly involved in software development or implementation, call quality analysts still play a crucial advisory role here. 

To begin, analysts observe and experience firsthand how current technologies impact customer service quality. They then pinpoint why the existing systems might be hindering performance or fail to meet the evolving needs of customers and agents. Some examples: 

  • A complex IVR system that frustrates customers or hinders self-service options.
  • A clunky CRM system that slows down call resolution due to difficult navigation.
  • Call recording software with poor quality or transcription errors, preventing accurate evaluation.

From here, analysts might suggest potential solutions for these issues, either by upgrading the current technologies or implementing another software alternative. 

What Qualities Should A Business Look For In A Call Quality Analyst?

Keen attention to detail and a goal-oriented mindset are crucial (Image source: Pexels). 

A Fast Learner

The call center landscape never stops evolving, with new technologies and practices emerging every minute. 

You must be able to quickly grasp new concepts and feel comfortable learning and implementing them effectively in your daily assessments. Plus, companies expect you to be open-minded to regular changes in call center protocols and overall service delivery strategies. 

Keen Attention To Detail

As mentioned, a call quality analyst relies heavily on detailed observations and analysis when assessing agent performance. 

Hence, it is important to note every small detail during the agent-customer interaction, from adherence to company protocols down to the agent’s tone and choice of vocabulary. Only then can you provide constructive feedback and highlight areas requiring improvement.

Great Coaching & Verbal Communication

A big part of an analyst’s role involves exchanging information with agents after the evaluations. That’s why the feedback must be clear, concise, and easy to understand so agents can grasp their weaknesses and take the best course of action. 

Furthermore, analysts sometimes have to work with other stakeholders or departments within the call center, including supervisors, IT personnel, management, etc. That means they might need to negotiate and advocate for new technologies or changes drawn from their analysis - which calls for clear and persuasive communication.

Goal-Oriented Mindset

Whether analyzing data, identifying trends, or leveraging insights to make informed decisions, an analyst must focus on achieving measurable results related to the ultimate goal. Every proposal regarding future changes and improvements has to be grounded in factual data and evidence. 

Most importantly, a quality analyst should not be afraid to adapt their approach according to the ongoing data analysis and even feedback from other agents. That ensures all their efforts remain on the right track toward the original objectives. 

How To Perform Better As A Call Quality Analyst

Align your strategies with the company’s overall vision (Image source: IconScout). 

Understand The Company’s Mission

With a clear understanding of the company's mission, you will find it easier to prioritize your work and set relevant objectives that contribute to the company's goals. That is definitely much better than spending weeks (or even months) on irrelevant metrics! 

To further understand what the company is looking for: 

  • Attend company meetings or presentations where the company's mission and vision are thoroughly discussed. This information provides valuable insights into the bigger picture, and you will see how your role as a quality analyst contributes to those goals.
  • Seek opportunities to talk to supervisors or managers who can share their own understanding of the company's mission and how it applies to their work. 
  • Observe the overall company culture and how it reflects the stated goals.

Avoid Hyper-Focusing On The Negatives In Your Feedback Delivery

Focusing solely on the negatives might discourage and even demotivate the agents, keeping them from further learning. 

Not to mention, if you only point out what they did wrong without offering any actionable tips, it will leave the agents feeling lost and unsure how to address the issues. And the worst part: rebuilding their trust and rapport with you would be difficult after that.

Thus, we suggest a more balanced approach where both strengths and areas for improvement are highlighted. After all, positive reinforcement has been proven effective in motivating people to strive for better performance. 

Tailor Your Coaching To Each Agent If Possible

Tailor your coaching to each agent (Image source: Freerange Stock). 

One-size-fits-all coaching often proves ineffective since different agents have unique strengths/ weaknesses, learning styles, and even preferred approaches. 

Instead, the best strategy is to address the specific needs of each individual for a more targeted development. Not only will the agents become more motivated and engaged in the learning process, but they also feel more comfortable asking you questions or seeking clarification.

Customer Experience Should Still Be The Center

We all understand the importance of predefined metrics in quality analysis. Nevertheless, that shouldn’t be your excuse to shift the focus away from the customers and overlook the human elements! Remember that they are humans; not every behavior is predictable or played out exactly like the metrics indicate. 

Hyper-focusing on evaluation forms sometimes results in oversimplified interpretations, which might lead to hasty and even inaccurate follow-up decisions. In the worst-case scenario, it gives way to a culture where meeting numerical targets is prioritized over building genuine customer relationships. 

The Analysis Should Be Constant And Ongoing

Given how customer expectations keep evolving, infrequent analysis will leave the company unaware of all these changes and unable to provide the best possible service.

That’s why your evaluation must be constant and up to date. From there, you can recommend relevant changes regarding call center practices or agent training, ensuring they remain competitive in the industry.

Conclusion

A call quality analyst is the backbone of every call center. Therefore, the responsibilities you have to shoulder should by no means be underestimated.

We hope this article is a good start for your journey. Write to us if you need more advice.