7 Principles of Quality Management in the Contact Center

As a business, you strive to provide the best products, services, and support to your customers. What you measure to define success may differ, but the need to manage quality is part of that success.

Contact center leaders look to quality management and quality control software like speech analytics, call recording, and the like to determine where and how to improve and deliver more to customers. Such systems help managers identify corrective actions and areas for improvement. 

Across industries, businesses invest in the following 7 principles of quality management to help guide their work towards optimal efficiency and returns. 

What is a Quality Management System?

A Quality Management System (QMS) is a collection of business processes to help businesses consistently meet customer requirements and enhance satisfaction. A QMS includes goals, policies, processes, information and resources a company needs to implement it. The system is broken down into seven principles. Most companies follow the ISO9001, which are the QMS requirements applicable to most industries. By creating processes to meet these requirements, a contact center creates an environment where agents are more likely to meet or exceed customer expectations and performance.

7 principles of a QMS and why they’re important

All 7 principles of the QMS framework play a role in the success of your contact center.

Let’s break down each principle to understand how your implementation of a quality management system can positively impact customer outcomes.

1. Customer Focus: Meet customer requirements and exceed expectations.
   By focusing on your customers, meeting their requirements, and exceeding their expectations, you increase customer value, satisfaction, and loyalty. This generally results in repeat business. By retaining customers and improving customer satisfaction, you have the opportunity to improve revenue and market share.
2. Leadership: Create conditions where people are engaged in meeting business objectives.
   If your agents are aligned on the mission, vision and processes, and receive consistent communication from management, they are more likely to deliver results.
3. Engagement of people: Hire competent people and empower them to deliver value.
   Recognizing good work, empowering your agents, and consistently developing skills, fosters an atmosphere of trust and success. Having empowered agents leads to better interactions with customers and helps fulfill the #1 principle (see above) on the QMS list.
4. Process approach: Develop processes that are aligned and efficient.
   Optimize your team’s output with a focus on processes that maximize resources. A process approach creates clear paths to meet desired outcomes.
5. Improvement: Strive for continuous improvement in performance.
   With the willingness to enhance processes, execution, customer satisfaction, and more, you are able to make the necessary changes across your business to deliver better results.
6. Evidence-based decision making: Make decisions based on the evaluation of data and information.
   Evidence-based decision making goes hand-in-hand with improvement. When you utilize data and information, you are able to make smart decisions to improve agent performance, customer service, contact center processes, and more.
7. Relationship management: Manage relationships with interested parties to optimize performance.
   An organization is more likely to be successful if relationships with outside vendors and partners are prioritized.

Quality management software options for contact centers

Quality management software can be an invaluable asset in helping contact centers improve customer service quality and agent performance. Quality assurance (QA) tools and quality monitoring software enable contact centers to record, analyze, and report on calls, emails, web chat interactions, and other customer service activities.

Quality management solutions can provide a variety of features that help enhance the quality of customer service. For example, some features can include:

• Automated quality assurance (QA) scoring and feedback to ensure quality standards are met. 
• Advanced analytics for analyzing customer service data and trends. 
• Reporting capabilities to provide visibility into quality issues so they can be quickly addressed. 

Additionally, quality management software can provide contact centers with the ability to quickly identify and address quality issues, ensure compliance with quality standards, track employee performance, and more. It can also be used to track customer experience metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) scores, and contact resolution times to help identify areas of improvement in customer service quality. By leveraging quality management solutions, you are better equipped to improve customer service quality and overall satisfaction. 

When selecting quality management software for your contact center, consider the features and capabilities that best suit the needs of your business. While quality management software can provide many benefits, it’s important to remember that quality assurance is only as effective as its implementation. The right quality management solution combined with an effective quality assurance program can help contact centers improve customer service quality, increase agent productivity, and reduce costs. 

By leveraging quality management solutions, you can take quality assurance to the next level and ensure your customer service teams are providing quality service that meets business goals and customer expectations.

How can you implement QMS at scale?

Quality management software is available to help you implement a quality control framework at scale in your contact center. When you opt for a cloud based solution, you’re able to scale its benefits as you grow.

For example, our own SpeechIQ tool can track quality and compliance, delivering metrics to provide valuable customer insights. Speech analytics can help you understand the work of your employees and guide your feedback and improvement by recording and analyzing every call looking for nitty gritty indicators of success in sentiment, keywords, and beyond. 

This process approach optimizes your ability to respond to, or mitigate, issues.

In the past, contact centers relied on someone listening to each call and personally analyzing interactions. With software like SpeechIQ, the AI does a lot of the analysis for you, allowing you to monitor and assess more agents, and make more holistic improvements.

Because you have access to all call recordings, you can determine what is working during customer interactions and what needs to be refined. Review agents’ performance and provide additional training for continuous improvement. You can empower your agents by providing the information they need to be successful.

With the reporting tools available with quality management software, you can make evidence-based decisions. Besides reviewing agent performance, you can use the information to better understand your customers’ pain points. This can help you think through product messaging or frequently asked questions to help turn some of those contact center calls into self-service opportunities. 

By implementing a quality management system, and investing in a scalable cloud solution equipped with AI functionality, you can create a more productive work environment, driving towards consistently happy customers.

What role does quality management play in a contact center’s success?

Call center quality management is a linchpin in determining the success of a contact center. It plays an instrumental role in shaping every facet of operations, from customer interactions to agent performance and overall customer satisfaction.

At its core, call center quality management is the compass that guides your center toward delivering consistent and exceptional customer experiences. By implementing robust quality monitoring processes, centers can evaluate interactions for adherence to predefined standards, ensuring each customer engagement aligns with the brand’s values and expectations.

Call center quality management acts as a catalyst for agent performance improvement. Regular monitoring, feedback, and coaching sessions allow supervisors to provide specific insights on areas for enhancement. This enables agents to refine their skills, address weaknesses, and consistently deliver high-caliber service, ultimately fostering professional growth and boosting confidence.

Customer satisfaction is intricately intertwined with call center quality management. When interactions align with quality standards, customers experience seamless and effective service. This results in higher satisfaction rates, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals, all contributing to the contact center’s success.

Furthermore, call center quality management is a proactive strategy for identifying and addressing systemic issues. By analyzing trends and patterns in monitored interactions, you can pinpoint recurring challenges and take proactive measures to rectify them. This approach minimizes service disruptions, enhances efficiency, and fortifies your center’s reputation for reliability.

Ultimately, call center quality management makes up the DNA of a contact center’s success. It upholds consistency, cultivates agent excellence, enhances customer satisfaction, and fuels continuous improvement. As a driving force behind operational excellence, quality management empowers contact centers to not only meet but exceed customer expectations, positioning them as industry leaders and ensuring sustained growth.

How can specialized software improve contact center quality management?

Call center quality management software emerges as a transformative tool in enhancing every facet of quality management within a contact center. Its integration brings a host of benefits that not only streamline processes but also elevate the overall quality of customer interactions and agent performance.

Perhaps most importantly, call center quality management software provides a centralized platform for managing quality initiatives. This includes monitoring interactions, evaluating performance, and storing data for analysis. The consolidated approach fosters efficiency, enabling supervisors to track agent progress and performance trends easily.

Real-time monitoring becomes a reality with this software. Supervisors can observe live interactions, allowing for immediate feedback and coaching. This instant intervention ensures that agents receive timely guidance, leading to on-the-spot improvements and enriched customer interactions.

Data-driven insights are a hallmark of quality management software. Robust analytics tools help decipher patterns and trends in interactions, enabling centers to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This empowers centers to make informed decisions and implement targeted training to enhance overall quality.

Workflow automation is a game-changer. Effective call center quality management software can automate processes such as call sampling, evaluation distribution, and reporting, reducing manual tasks and freeing up valuable time for supervisors. This automation saves time, reduces the chances of errors, and ensures consistency in quality management practices.

Enhancing transparency and collaboration is another forte. Agents can access their performance metrics and evaluations, fostering ownership of their development. Managers can provide feedback and recommendations directly within the software, promoting ongoing improvement.

Moreover, call center quality management software bolsters compliance efforts. Supervisors can track adherence to regulatory standards and industry-specific requirements, ensuring that interactions meet the necessary benchmarks.In summary, call center quality management software revolutionizes quality management by centralizing processes, enabling real-time monitoring, providing data-driven insights, automating workflows, and enhancing transparency. Its integration empowers contact centers to elevate agent performance and deliver consistently outstanding customer experiences, positioning them for long-term success in a competitive landscape.

What strategies are effective for successful contact center management?

Effective contact center management necessitates a strategic blend of approaches prioritizing seamless operations, agent development, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement. The following strategies are pivotal:

1. Comprehensive training: Equip agents with product knowledge, communication skills, conflict resolution, and customer-centric approaches, empowering them to handle diverse scenarios.
2. Quality monitoring: Effective contact center management should implement robust processes to evaluate interactions against standards. Regularly review agent performance through call evaluations for consistent service quality and alignment with goals.
3. Performance analytics: Leverage data for insights into agent performance and interactions. Analyze trends, identify improvement areas, and track key indicators for data-driven decisions.
4. Agent empowerment: Foster a culture of empowerment, boosting agent morale and enhancing customer satisfaction through quicker issue resolution.
5. Ongoing feedback: Provide regular feedback through personalized coaching for a contact center management style that fosters continuous learning and growth.
6. Technology integration: Integrate AI-powered chatbots and communication platforms for streamlined processes and enhanced interactions.
7. Flexible scheduling: Offer options for work–life balance, empowering agents and reducing burnout.
8. Customer-centric approach: Prioritize customer satisfaction by actively listening, empathizing, and providing personalized solutions.
9. Continuous improvement: Embrace a culture of continuous enhancement by reviewing processes, gathering agent feedback, and implementing changes.

In summary, excellent contact center management demands a multifaceted approach. Focusing on training, quality monitoring, data-driven decisions, agent empowerment, technology integration, flexibility, customer-centricity, and continuous improvement creates an environment where agents thrive, customers are delighted, and your organization achieves sustained success.

How does quality management impact the effectiveness of a contact center?

Contact center quality management is a cornerstone that significantly influences the effectiveness of an operation. It encompasses a range of practices aimed at monitoring, evaluating, and improving customer interactions, ultimately leading to a cascade of positive outcomes.

First, contact center quality management ensures consistent service delivery. By establishing predefined quality standards, supervisors can monitor interactions to ensure agents adhere to these benchmarks. This consistency fosters predictability in customer experiences, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Second, quality management identifies areas for improvement. Regular monitoring and evaluation of interactions reveal patterns, trends, and weaknesses. These insights enable contact centers to implement targeted training programs, addressing agent weaknesses and enhancing their skills, thereby boosting overall performance.

Furthermore, contact center quality management plays a pivotal role in agent development. Constructive feedback provided through evaluations and coaching sessions helps agents understand their strengths and areas needing improvement. This feedback loop cultivates a continuous learning culture, leading to agents who are better equipped to handle various customer scenarios.

Enhanced customer experience is a direct outcome of effective quality management. As agents consistently deliver high-quality interactions, customers receive personalized and accurate assistance, reducing frustration and increasing satisfaction. This, in turn, positively impacts customer retention and advocacy.

Quality management also feeds into data-driven decision-making. Insights gathered from interactions can inform strategic adjustments and process improvements. By identifying pain points and areas with room for enhancement, contact centers can optimize operations for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

In conclusion, contact center quality management is a megaphone that amplifies the effectiveness of operations. By placing quality management at the core, you can lay the foundation for an operation that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations while fostering long-term success.

How does quality management contribute to effective contact center operations?

Quality management in contact centers is pivotal in shaping effective operations by fostering consistency, agent development, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement. Here’s how quality management contributes to the effectiveness of your contact center operations:

1. Consistent service delivery: Quality management establishes service standards, aligning interactions with your desired levels. This reliability builds trust and loyalty.
2. Agent performance: Regular monitoring assesses excellence and improvement areas, allowing tailored training and enhanced skills.
3. Continuous learning: Feedback is a cornerstone of quality management in contact centers. Agents receive constructive feedback through evaluations and coaching sessions, enabling them to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This feedback loop nurtures a culture of continuous learning, leading to more adept and confident agents.
4. Enhanced experience: High-quality interactions lead to personalized assistance, reducing frustration and promoting satisfaction, retention, and advocacy.
5. Process improvement: Quality management identifies inefficiencies, guiding process enhancements for smoother operations and resource utilization.
6. Data-driven insights: Quality management in contact centers provides a rich source of data. Analyzing interaction trends and patterns enables contact centers to make informed decisions. This data-driven approach supports strategic adjustments and optimizations.
7. Empowered agents: Access to feedback empowers agents, driving accountability, motivation, and proactive skill enhancement.
8. Goal alignment: Predefined quality standards align with the center’s goals and values. Quality management ensures interactions reflect these objectives, reinforcing the center’s mission and vision.

In summary, quality management in contact centers is pivotal. It ensures service consistency, boosts agent performance, cultivates learning, enhances experiences, drives process improvement, offers data insights, empowers agents, and aligns operations with goals. Prioritizing quality management establishes a foundation for exceptional service and enduring success.

What role does a quality manager play in a contact center environment?

In a call center, a quality manager is a key figure dedicated to elevating customer service and operations. This role focuses on aligning interactions with quality benchmarks while nurturing continuous improvement.

1. Quality oversight: A quality manager meticulously monitors customer interactions, evaluating them against established standards. This process guarantees consistency in call center service delivery, aligning every conversation with the desired level of excellence.
2. Performance evaluation: Regular assessment of agent performance is a cornerstone of the quality manager’s role. The manager guides agents toward enhanced skills and better overall performance by analyzing interactions and identifying strengths and areas needing refinement.
3. Feedback and coaching: A quality manager provides constructive feedback to agents based on their evaluations. This feedback loop is vital in nurturing a culture of continuous learning, as it empowers agents to refine their approach and continually elevate their capabilities.
4. Training and development: Quality managers are pivotal in designing and implementing agent training programs. By identifying trends and common issues, they can tailor training initiatives to address specific areas for improvement, thus fostering agent growth.
5. Process improvement: Quality managers identify process inefficiencies and bottlenecks in their call centers through data-driven insights gleaned from interactions. They collaborate with other departments to implement strategic adjustments that enhance overall efficiency.
6. Collaboration: Quality managers act as a bridge between agents and leadership. They collaborate with supervisors and team leaders to ensure that feedback is consistently communicated and acted upon.
7. Quality culture champion: Beyond metrics and evaluations, quality managers cultivate a culture of quality consciousness. They inspire agents to take pride in their work, emphasizing the importance of delivering exceptional customer experiences.
8. Data utilization: Quality managers utilize interaction data to create meaningful reports and presentations for leadership. These insights drive data-backed decision-making and strategic planning.

In summary, a call center quality manager oversees interactions, evaluates performance, shapes training, drives improvements, fosters excellence, and utilizes data for strategic decisions. This role ensures consistent, exceptional service and ongoing enhancement.