JOB PROFILE CONTACT CENTRE QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST

Transcription

1 JOB PROFILE CONTACT CENTRE QUALITY ASSURANCE SPECIALIST OVERVIEW It s about you Do you enjoy working in a highly structured environment where it is critical that appropriate procedures are followed? Are you detail-oriented and an effective listener? Are you able to identify when standards have not been met? Are you able to effectively provide feedback to managers regarding the effectiveness of their employees? Are you able to work independently and manage your time effectively to meet deadlines and targets? If so, Quality Assurance Specialist may be a satisfying and rewarding role for you. What is quality assurance? Quality assurance involves monitoring and analyzing the interactions between contact centre representatives and clients to ensure representatives are performing to standard and to enable managers to provide feedback to the representatives regarding their performance, and identify any training or coaching that may be required. What is the role of (job)? Quality Assurance Specialists are responsible for helping ensure the quality assurance and control activities of sales and services provided to customers over the phone and internet, supporting the long term achievement of objectives of the phone and internet channel business. This involves testing the quality and consistency of the control framework, ensuring that contact centre representatives are performing within the prescribed limits (both risk-based and customer service-based), providing quality, consistent and objective feedback to leaders and managers regarding representatives performance (and in some contact centres to representatives directly), and identifying gaps in training and/or process issues. 1 P age

2 OVERVIEW, CONTINUED Work context for this role The main purpose of the Quality Assurance Specialist role is to ensure the quality and control activities of the contact centre. In some contact centres, Quality Assurance Specialists may have the ability to work remotely as they can monitor recorded calls, or see recorded contact centre computer interactions, from any location. Quality Assurance Specialists may also listen in live, or monitor on-line chat programs which are now being offered by organizations that invite clients to chat live with a client services representative. Quality Assurance Specialists may work from a target list for quality assurance as defined by the organization. For example, the organization may wish to monitor a designated number of calls from each customer service agent, or target a specific number of calls regarding each of their product/service lines provided to clients, and will provide a system for enabling Quality Assurance Specialists to meet that target. At times, they may be required to work overtime to support the needs of the business. For example, during peak RRSP season in an investment firm. In a smaller contact centre, the Quality Assurance Specialist role may be combined with another role. In some organizations, as compliance and process divisions have typically written procedures for quality assurance, quality assurance may be a function of their jobs as opposed to a standalone role. In organizations with high levels of specialized support/products, there may be Quality Assurance Specialists for various functions such as automated processes QA, data entry QA and functionality QA, which have more specialization in IT and process fields. This profile focuses on contact centre call process Quality Assurance. Quality Assurance Specialists are often full time employees. Areas of focus Quality Assurance Specialists focus on supporting management by ensuring that quality and control procedures are followed to ensure risk-based and customer-based standards are met. For example, before processing a transaction such as a wire payment a riskbased activity, the Quality Assurance Specialist completes an evaluation form to ensure the representative followed the proper steps. In some contact centres, the Quality Assurance Specialist also completes an evaluation of the customer service provided while in other centres, the representatives manager may complete this evaluation. 2 P age

3 QUALIFICATIONS Qualifications for this role Knowledge requirements: Quality Assurance Specialists require specific knowledge of: Technical Skills: The products and services offered by the organization as well as established sales and service standards Trends in industry, quality assurance and control activities and business trends in terms of quality assurance and control activities The various legislative and regulatory requirements (e.g. Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada)). Typically the organization will provide training at regular periods for these regulatory requirements as well as on the job training guides to assist with regulatory requirements. For example, transactions over $10,000 are monitored and must be reported to Customs Officers when being brought into, or being transferred out of Canada and financial organizations must report such transactions to FINTRAC. Quality Assurance Specialists require specific technical skills: Soft Skills: Computer skills (e.g., Keyboarding skills, proficiency in MS Office applications, spreadsheet proficiency, the systems and software the organization uses) Time management and prioritization skills to be able to work independently, manage workload and meet the required deadlines and targets Quality Assurance Specialists require specific soft skills: Detail orientation to identify the areas where representatives are and are not meeting the established standards around call quality and control, or internet based application response quality and control Communication Skills (written, verbal, active listening) to evaluate the quality of each recorded call and provide objective and constructive feedback Interpersonal skills/interpersonal understanding to deliver the feedback effectively to contact centre managers Teamwork and collaboration to work effectively with a team of Quality Assurance Specialists and ensure consistency in how recorded calls are evaluated and feedback provided Applicable Experience: 2 years related working experience. Experience in Financial Services industry is preferable. Experience in the role of the representative (e.g., CSR) is strongly desired as the incumbent is then familiar with the processes they are evaluating and in a better position to understand role challenges and provide constructive feedback to contact centre managers Continued on next page 3 P age

4 QUALIFICATIONS, CONTINUED Qualifications for this role, continued Education, Certifications, Designations and Licenses: Positions typically require: Other Training: Post-secondary education (College or University), or, secondary school education with knowledge and experience in contact centre operations and the role of the representative. Additional certifications may include: If working in the investment fund industry, industry related courses (i.e., IFIC (Investment Funds Institute of Canada) operations, sales and Canadian Securities Course (CSC) via the Canadian Securities Institute)) would be considered strong assets but not a requirement Professional Associations may include: n/a 4 P age

5 DUTIES Main duties The main duties of the Quality Assurance Specialist: Assess representatives telephone based or online interactions with customers Key Activities: Review recorded calls with clients and ensure that proper steps were taken regarding completing the call objective(s), documenting all required information and completing administrative tasks required Provide objective assessment regarding representatives compliance of process, and adherence to procedures for calls with customers Complete the required evaluation forms where required; the evaluation form is typically a checklist provided to the Quality Assurance Specialist which covers key areas built into call processes such as: compliance, risk management, client service and business development opportunity. Utilize effective listening skills to assess quality and customer service and where there are gaps in performance, identify if there are any systematic shortcomings in performance and provides feedback to contact center managers regarding process improvement suggestions Ensure that contact centre representatives are proactively promoting their organization s services and/or products when there is opportunity to do so and maximizing on client opportunities (i.e., up selling prompts are being used in conversations, or refers clients to appropriate specialists) Provide feedback with accurate details to leaders and managers through monitoring practices. Review recorded computer responses by representatives including the text/writing in a client and representative online chat in those organizations that offer online internet applications for clients. Similar to call quality assurance, there is a procedure that representatives follow, which the Quality Assurance Specialist will review for completion. Achieve pre-determined performance targets on a monthly basis Key Activities: Review required targets and productivity measures for calls; such as time on each call, wait time for clients, appropriate service levels provided, sales targets achieved and number of calls received. Prioritize work and manage time effectively to meet targets for reviewing calls Monitor progress on a regular basis to track performance against targets Assess if any gaps in performance are due to factors outside of the representatives control such as unclear processes, product confusion, or higher than normal call volumes and provides this feedback to either contact center managers / leaders, or, directly to process teams. Work with product teams to gain understanding of quality assurance and resource requirements when new products / services are being introduced to market Assist in the development of test scenarios / training exercises and testing data for training for new products, or where performance gaps are identified 5 P age

6 DUTIES, CONTINUED Main duties, continued Complete call-tracking documentation on each call Key Activities: Accurately and objectively record the required information into the appropriate documentation based on each call (or, online interaction in some organizations) Cross-check information to ensure that call data have been entered correctly; reports errors to contact centre managers for correction and required steps for correction In some organizations a more senior QA Specialist may review and reconcile trades/ transactions/claims/reversals/transfers and ensures processed correctly Representative Job titles Depending on the organization you work for, Quality Assurance Specialists may hold various job titles: Quality Assurance Analyst/Consultant Business Unit Quality Assurance Specialist Surveillance Officer Test Analyst/Technical Services Analyst/Advisor Call Center Specialist Customer Experience Advisor 6 P age

7 CAREER PATH Moving into the role To move into a Quality Assurance Specialist role, you need to have good interpersonal and communication skills. You should be a team player that seeks to investigate issues and improve team processes and performance. You need to be able to provide objective and constructive feedback to managers and leaders regarding the quality of the representative calls in accordance with organizational policies and procedures, and regulatory and legislative requirements. In some contact centres, QA Specialists may provide feedback directly with representatives and identify skill or knowledge gaps. Experienced QA analysts will also be able to identify potential process improvements for call procedures, or systematic problems in calls that can be improved by working with contact centre managers/leaders to provide better training. Progression beyond the role As you gain experience in the Quality Assurance Specialist role, you may move into the following areas. Audit Workforce management Supervisory/first-time manager Compliance Process (e.g., writing processes) Six sigma training 7 P age

8 CAREER IMPACTS External environmental factors impacting the role As technology for interfacing with clients is changing, clients expect to be served not only on the phone, but also online. Thus, there is a potential for QA Specialists to also review online interaction in addition to phone calls. Some Quality Assurance Specialists now review and online chat for quality as well. Demand The demand for this type of role has been steady and it is anticipated that there will always be a need for this type of role particularly as organizations rely more heavily on contact centres for providing sales and services to their clients. Most calls are in English, and some are in French. However, there is a small demand for QA Specialists in other languages who can review multi-lingual services provided. Compensation Compensation typically would consist of base salary or hourly wage. A relatively low bonus structure may also be included. Some QA Specialists may work on contract and be compensated based upon number of calls for which they perform quality assurance. 8 P age