Managing performance

1. Managing Performance

2. Performance Measures and Benchmarking
They are indispensable to any well-run call center to
eliminate criticism of call centers on common
themes such as non-expert operators, poor training
of agents incapable to process customers’ requests
effectively, operators working from a script, etc.

3. Benchmarking
Typically associated with strategic management,
presuposes the evaluation of business processes in
relation to best practice and helps to develop plans
with the aim of increasing performance levels.

4. Performance
The most conspicuous performance measures include:
1. The mean conversation time or Average Talk Time (ATT)
2. The time of delay a caller may experience waiting, or
average handling time (AHT)
3. The number of calls answered within the limited period
or Service Level (SL)
4. The number of calls per hour the operator handles.
5. The number of calls with the customer’s problem
completely solved.

5. How to Communicate Performance Feedback?
Documentation is a tool for remembering significant
performance and is essentially “silent feedback”. It
cannot produce behavioral change until the manager
talks with the employee about the performance and
works with the individual to improve or sustain the
performance.

6. Feedback
Motivates if it is effective (reward for good work,
impetus to use a new procedure or an incentive to
stop unwanted behavior)
Improper feedback is a contributor to incompetence.
Feedback is a way of helping employees consider
changing their behavior.
It provides feedback to both managers and
employees

7. Types of Feedback
Maintenance (keep up the good work)
Improvement (change is needed)
All official documentation should be shared with the
employee. But not all feedback needs to be this
formal, nor does it have to be written down. Talking
is the better approach.

8. Guidelines
Feedback is most useful when it is specific and
descriptive, not evaluative. Describe specifically what
the person did rather than making a judgment or
broad generalization.
Effective feedback is aimed at behavior under the
employee’s control.
Effective feedback is well timed (it should be delayed
only when necessary)
Effective feedback is constructive.
Effective feedback is appropriate to employee’s
needs.

9. Potential Pitfalls
Managers may avoid giving feedback for any of the
following reasons:
1. They don’t believe feedback is useful or necessary.
2. They feel they are not competent to judge others
3. They anticipate a negative reaction by the employee.
4. They don’t often give positive feedback.
Employees may avoid opportunities for feedback or not
listen to and accept feedback for these reasons:
1. They don’t trust the manager’s motivation
2. The feedback is not clear
3. They don’t respect the manager’s judgement
4. The feedback doesn’t agree with the employee’s opinion

10. Quiz
1. Which of the following best describes performance
management?
a. A process focused primarily on the annual
performance review.
b. A strategy that assures organizatioal success by
reinforcing organizational expectations with
individuals through variations in pay delivery.
c. A managerial process that consists of planning,
managing, improving appraising and rewarding
performance.

11. 2. To determine what the organization wants to be,
which of the following should be examined?
a. Vision
b. Mission
c. Culture
d. Strategy

12. 3. Managers and/or supervisors should provide
continuous performance feedback during which step
in the performance management process?
1. Plan
2. Act
3. Monitor
4. Review

13. 4. Performance reviews should generally be based on
which of the following?
a. Manager opinions
b. Employee self appraisal
c. Perceptions of other employees
d. Actual events and observations

14. 5. What are the three purposes of measurement?
a. Alignment, adaptation and achievement
a. Assistance, applicability and appropriation

15. 6. Improve return on investment is an example of what
type of performance objective?
a. Financial
b. Operational
c. Qualitative

16. 7. Which of the following is most commonly found at
the top of the list of factors that motivate employee
performance?
a. Benefits
b. Compensation
c. Work Environment
d. Clear Objectives