CallCentreVoice Topic Classifying Call Center recruits

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Carlo Garrido on 6/9/2004 04:10:26.
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Carlo Garrido
Chief Operations Officer
XCSI

1 posts
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Classifying Call Center recruits  [6/9/2004 04:10:26]

I am in the process of making a report on call center recruitment (focusing mainly on outsourced call center operations). and im running a survey on it. your valuable inputs would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

survey question:

If you were to "label" CSR job applicants according to qualification levels 1,2,3 (1 -top priority, 2 - medium priority 3 - not qualified) could you please enumerate the competencies/qualifications of each level?

example:

(for an outsourced technical support call center in India or Philippines)

1 - college degree in I.T. related field
- excellent English oral / written communication skills
- good technical skills, has knowledge on basic PC troubleshooting
- no distinguishing local accent

2 - college degree / level
- good English oral / written communication skills
- average technical skills, but highly trainable

3 - no college experience
- average English oral / written communication skills
- minimal technical skills and knowledge
- not trainable / poor comprehension skills



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Dylan O'Sullivan
CC Operations Design Specialist
Financial Services

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Dubious evaluation criteria  [6/9/2004 11:14:26]

3 - no college experience
- average English oral / written communication skills
- minimal technical skills and knowledge
- not trainable / poor comprehension skills


I think you need to be careful with your preconceptions around the value of a formal education. I chose to leave after achieving just 7 GSCE and spent the next 6 years travelling the world and teaching SCUBA. I realise that you may be focusing on the situation in India, but in general I have not found a necessary correlation between education and common sense, aptitude, and ability.

I have held (and currently do) senior management positions for major global financial service providers, I hold the benchmark practitioner qualifications for project management and consultancy, my critical reasoning scores are in the top 1 percentile nationally against all grades and industries, I am able to write in HTML and Java. I speak 2 languages fluently and have a working knowledge of a further 3.

On the other hand, I know several graduates who fit the assessment you cited.

- no distinguishing local accent
I also wonder about the "no distinguishable local accent" criteria. I think call centres are to focus on the idea that the basic objection to global outsourcing is cultural - the main objection is around quality.
In the UK the Scottish accent is said to be the preferred, I know many excellent contact centre agents in the UK who have international accents and backgrounds. No one here is suggesting that they should modify their speech patterns to eradicate this.

- not trainable / poor comprehension skills
Just because someone has not had the privilege to be offered a college education it in no way implies that they do not have the ability to learn! There is many a degree student who couldn’t change a plug let alone talk someone through a PC restore.

IMHO you need to find an open and appropriate way to judge the skills and potential of recruits - competency based interviews, Myers Briggs, etc are typical examples.

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John Clark
Architect and Guru
CallCentreVoice

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Accents...  [6/9/2004 11:25:37]

"In the UK the Scottish accent is said to be the preferred"

Ah, I've a soft spot for the Newcastle accent myself... but hey, it's all about variety.

John

PS. Degrees suck. University of life, mate ;-)

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Carlo Garrido
Chief Operations Officer
XCSI

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dubious evaluation criteria  [13/9/2004 10:49:31]

Thanks for the input Dylan. actually the metrics i have posted is just an example (submitted to me by an outsourced call center in singapore).
. I used to not have a degree myself (finally decided to finish my college after working for 5 years) but has held top management positions in companies world wide. No issues on education for me, just a survey. thanks

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Carlo Garrido
Chief Operations Officer
XCSI

3 posts
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...  [13/9/2004 10:51:28]

ooops! india not singapore, sorry

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