Contact center provider Afni’s strategic goals address two of the biggest obstacles call centers face: high attrition and low employee engagement. Studies have shown that the biggest influence on employee engagement and satisfaction is the front-line supervisor—a position that is known as the coach at Afni. To make its coaches as effective as possible, the company created the Afni Coaching Model (ACM).
ACM is a behavioral-based strategy for coaching that has become fundamental to development at all levels of the organization. All coaches, management, and support staff are immersed in the ACM methodology. Training begins with a series of self-study computer-based trainings (CBTs) that introduce the model’s concepts. Once participants have a baseline of knowledge, they attend a workshop where they practice what they have learned in a classroom environment with both hypothetical and real-life scenarios. After training, participants apply their new skills in the real world and receive regular observation and feedback from their managers. Though the model itself never changes, the approach to training and the tools that are supplied to participants are evaluated and changed regularly to meet evolving business needs. Supplemental training also is offered to address performance gaps.
ACM Certification
Coaches are expected to adhere to the ACM methodology. The Operations manager inspects coaching sessions regularly, and coaches are given prescriptions for improvement themselves via the ACM process. When coaches demonstrate mastery of the coaching model, they can apply for certification. To be certified, coaches must meet three criteria:
- They can identify problem behaviors and root causes of that behavior.
- They can hold a coaching session that successfully changes behavior.
- Coaching sessions and changing behaviors result in improved team performance.
When coaches are certified in ACM, they receive public recognition from company leaders and are awarded a distinctive employee badge. The ACM Certification process has been instrumental in the internal career advancement of more than 90 percent of Afni’s directors and managers.
Results
Over the last three years, Afni has seen attrition decrease by 17 percent. Employee engagement has seen a 12 percent gain over the same time period. Key call center metrics continue to rise, as well. First Call Resolution scores, for example, rose 4 percent in 2013. Afni’s coaches’ ability to connect with their agents and improve performance is a key factor in these gains.
