CIAC CALL CENTER MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

CIAC CALL CENTER MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES CIAC-Certified Operations Manager (CCOM) These competencies represent the knowledge, skill, and behavioral requirements for professionals pursuing certification as a CIAC Certified Operations Manager (CCOM). They are applicable to persons whose primary job role is day-to-day management of contact center operations. This role typically is responsible for tactical management of the center, administering the contact center budget, and managing customer care staff. CIAC Certification as an Operations Manager requires a minimum of one year of experience in a contact center in an operational management role. The competencies for the Operations Manager designation are a subset of the competencies for the Strategic Leader designation. If additional context is desired around a specific competency, refer to the related competency for the Strategic Leader designation. The Call Center Management Competencies have four competency domains People Management; Operations Management; Customer Relationship Management; and Leadership and Business Management. CIAC Certification assesses competence in each domain. Knowledge and skill competency is assessed with scenario-based assessments using a variety of multiple choice questions and a Work Product Assignment. The behavioral competencies are assessed with a 360 Review. I. Competency Domain - PEOPLE MANAGEMENT Identify Requirements and Execute Staffing Plan 1. Define the roles and responsibilities required to implement an effective (call center) organizational structure and strategy 2. Develop, implement, and manage short-term staffing and organizational planning utilizing an appropriate workforce mix (three months to one year) 3. Implement and manage succession plans 4. Apply the principles and best practices of recruiting, interviewing, and hiring Create and implement a recruiting plan Recruit a diverse workforce Conduct effective, legally-sound interviews Select required personnel 5. Identify factors that contribute to (and distract from) retention Implement retention strategies Identify Training Requirements; Develop and Implement Training Plans for Performance Improvement 1. Create ongoing development opportunities Provide necessary tools and resources to support individual development Establish and apply principles of mentoring and coaching 2. Identify job training and development needs to meet future demands (job needs assessment) 3. Identify direct reports strengths and development needs (individual/incumbent needs assessment) 4. Implement and support a training strategy including delivery methods, facilitators, courseware, and instructional design/development 5. Implement and support an orientation program (to the organization, job, team, and call center environment) 6. Identify areas for self-development; implement self improvement plan

2 Monitor and Manage Individual and Team Performance 1. Implement an effective and legally-sound monitoring and coaching program 2. Constructively address poor performance while adhering to corporate and union disciplinary guidelines 3. Conduct effective performance reviews understanding behavioral styles Collaboratively establish performance objectives and work standards Discuss employees strengths and weaknesses Document performance review 4. Develop, implement, and administer compensation plans within guidelines and that recognize and reward excellence 5. Create and sustain an environment that motivates high performance, recognizes and rewards excellence of individuals and teams, and results in employee commitment Implement and administer incentive plans Effectively Manage Human Resources 1. Build, manage, and utilize the benefits of diversity in the workforce 2. Identify and address issues related to managing contracted and temporary staff within legal guidelines and organizational policy 3. Ensure all employee decisions meet legal requirements as dictated by organizational policy, government regulation, and internal procedures 4. Identify and address issues related to managing remote staff 5. Identify and address key privacy related issues as dictated by organizational policy, government regulation, and moral/ethical considerations 6. Implement career and skill path models 7. Create and administer employee satisfaction surveys Identify and implement appropriate action items based on survey results Track and manage organization-wide satisfaction data to gauge and improve relative call center issues and image 8. Identify and implement principles of conflict resolution 9. Identify and implement empowerment opportunities Provide the skills, authority, support, and protection for employees to make decisions formerly made by management Identify and address obstacles to empowerment Develop the trust and support of others in the call center and throughout the organization Create and Lead Teams 1. Develop and align team goals with organizational objectives 2. Lead cross-functional teams 3. Identify and implement strategies for building team effectiveness Model and instill team building skills (e.g., conflict resolution, role clarification, effective communication, goal setting) 4. Leverage expertise and build collaborative relationships inside the call center and organization

3 II. Competency Domain - OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE DELIVERY Establish and Achieve Service Level and Quality Objectives 1. Develop and execute tactics to meet service level agreements Utilize service provider assessment instrument(s) to manage vendors 2. Develop tactics to meet service level, response time, and quality targets Maintain service to agreed performance levels and quality standards 3. Demonstrate working knowledge of key performance indicators (not all inclusive): 4 Average Call Value 4 Scheduled Staff to Actual 4 Customer Satisfaction 4 Adherence to Schedule 4 Service Level 4 Average Handling Time 4 Percent Abandoned 4 Productive vs. Non-Productive 4 Cost Per Call 4 Average Speed of Answer (ASA) 4 Errors and Rework/First Call Resolution 4 Occupancy 4 Forecasted Call Load vs. Actual 4. Develop and implement mechanism(s) to track and report key performance indicator data Manage the call center to established key performance indicators Identify problems in meeting key performance indicators; resolve them to the satisfaction of customers and call center business objectives 5. Forecast workload using statistical techniques Optimize staff and schedule requirements Develop and implement tactics to ensure contact activities meet customer and call center requirements 6. Schedule staff to meet forecasted workload Ensure adherence to schedule 7. Identify and apply principles and methods of quality and process improvement Align Technologies and Processes to Ensure Effective Service Delivery 1. Optimize the call center s investment in technologies Implement call center technologies 2. Identify key customer-related processes 3. Implement approved new technologies and applications Ensure minimal impact to the call center and customers Ensure successful integration of new technologies and applications with legacy systems Leverage system integration opportunities to maximize service delivery 4. Develop a call distribution strategy and rationale Implement established call distribution strategy

4 FACILITIES SITE SELECTION, DESIGN and MANAGEMENT Facilities Site Selection, Design and Management 1. Test and execute, as applicable, disaster recovery strategy and contingency plan 2. Maintain a healthy, safe, and secure work environment Assess and address workplace ergonomic issues and considerations Assure adherence to ergonomic requirements Monitor the health, safety and security of the work environment Assure adherence to health and safety requirements and regulations 3. Assure adherence to disability requirements and regulations III. Competency Domain - CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT Manage Internal and External Customer Relationships 1. Identify the dynamics and economics of customer acquisition, retention, value, and access. Align call center customers with the organization s customer segmentation Identify and quantify customer expectations and related business drivers Identify the fundamental components of delivering a positive customer experiences 2. Evaluate the effectiveness of service delivery and the impact on customer satisfaction Measure customer satisfaction Identify key contributors to customer satisfaction and areas of poor service through root cause analysis Monitor, test, and track customer accessibility 3. Implement an operational model best suited to meet customer needs and requirements of the organization 4. Implement strategies that align human resources, business processes, and technologies to create positive customer experiences 5. Establish plans and methodologies to communicate to call center staff the benefits of providing positive and meaningful customer experiences 6. Develop relationships across the organization to determine the objectives and needs of customers, and to establish appropriate customer relationship strategies Build networks of people (internal and external) to support customer relationships and experiences Maintain relationships with cross-functional colleagues to support customer relationships and experiences Collect and disseminate business and market intelligence to appropriate stakeholders 7. Deploy technology solutions to gather and disseminate customer intelligence/information and feedback

5 IV. Competency Domain - LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Apply Key Leadership Practices, Principles, Values and Vision 1. Align day-to-day activities with the call center vision Communicate the call center vision to internal audiences Model the organization s core values, principles, and philosophies Determine community relations initiatives and implement appropriate programs and activities 2. Align day-to-day activities with the call center mission Communicate the call center mission and role to internal audiences 3. Implement strategies to accomplish the call center mission and organizational objectives 4. Identify ways that the call center adds value 5. Act as a conduit for information flow from customers and employees to the organization s senior management Apply Key Business Management Practices and Principles 1. Implement a strategic business plan Develop and implement an annual operating plan Translate call center goals into project plans Manage project plans to ensure timely delivery of outcomes 2. Compile market research and/or competitive intelligence 3. Develop and implement a communications plan for call center initiatives 4. Implement methodologies to improve operational results Demonstrate Knowledge of the Call Center Business Environment 1. Describe the role of the call center 2. Identify and adhere to applicable regulatory and legal requirements 3. Implement actions in response to evolving regulatory and legal requirements 4. Demonstrate an understanding of call center terminology Apply Key Financial Practices and Principles 1. Develop an annual operating budget for the call center Negotiate approval of a call center budget Manage a call center budget in accordance with variance reports 2. Demonstrate working knowledge of key financial concepts: Buy versus lease Depreciation schedules of fixed assets Profit center versus cost center Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Sales (ROS), Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return on Investment (ROI), Cost/Benefit Analysis (Ratio) 3. Interpret organization s financial statements Establish and Manage Successful Contractual Relationships 1. Manage contractual relationships Measure quality of contractual relationships Utilize data to manage contractual relationships 2. Determine which and when issues need to be escalated and proper channels for escalation

6 CALL CENTER MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES Behavioral competence is assessed with a 360 Review. I. Goal Oriented Characteristics Achievement: 1. Takes calculated risks to achieve unprecedented outcomes 2. Seeks to exceed the performance of others and continuously raises self-imposed performance requirements 3. Seeks significant increases in the attainment of call center objectives and takes personal responsibility for outcomes 4. Demonstrates a definite sense of direction and purpose Initiative: 1. Acts to position the call center with internal customers by building relationships and by positioning future call center products and services to support customer needs 2. Is visible and accessible to internal customers 3. Makes extra efforts to ensure long-term internal customer success 4. Takes self-directed action to remove barriers to effectively and efficiently achieve quality work results Concern for Continuous Improvement: 1. Leverages existing systems to improve customer processes 2. Provides requirements for new systems to improve customer processes 3. Monitors ongoing customer satisfaction 4. Continually raises the standard of quality in the work of self and others 5. Plans and monitors actions/tactics to ensure effective and efficient use of resources to make the greatest impact on call center objectives II. Helping/ Service Characteristics Customer Service: 1. Develops and implements plans to position products/services relative to customer needs 2. Aligns call center processes with internal customer business processes 3. Acts as an internal advocate for external customers 4. Takes appropriate action to bring problems to final resolution regardless of recognition or ownership 5. Builds networks to support customer relationships 6. Determines realistic customer expectations and needs to improve customer satisfaction Interpersonal Understanding: 1. Demonstrates and acts on an understanding of the collective concerns of individuals in the organization 2. Demonstrates and acts on an understanding the personal interests, concerns, motivations, and needs of customers 3. Seeks to understand the motivations of influential people within the organization 4. Reads and understands verbal and non-verbal behavior and responds appropriately

7 III. Leading Others Characteristics Team Leadership: 1. Solicits the input of others and leverages expertise through collaborative relationships 2. Promotes a spirit of cooperation between team members 3. Clarifies and communicates roles and expectations of team members Developing Others: 1. Creates a continuous learning environment that fosters development opportunities 2. Identifies job development needs to meet future demands 3. Contributes to individual's, team, and corporate knowledge 4. Provides routine coaching and mentoring for development VI. Thinking/Problem Solving Characteristics Analytical/Problem Solving: 1. Effectively analyzes causal (cause and effect) relationships 2. Continually implements a structured process of collecting and analyzing information 3. Develops models to conduct comparisons among alternative scenarios using multiple variables (e.g., product demand, price, competition, margins) 4. Organizes the parts of a problem, situation, etc., in a systematic way 5. Demonstrates an understanding of how the parts of a problem are related and interact in order to create an outcome 6. Identifies key parameters or considerations for decision making 7. Gathers the relevant information to resolve a problem or issue Decisiveness: 1. Decisions are based on an objective analysis 2. Takes time to fully understand the implications before making a decision 3. Makes appropriate decisions with available information when under pressure and/or adverse conditions V. Innovation and Change Characteristics Creativity and Innovation: 1. Uncovers opportunities 2. Develops and implements innovative processes and/or strategies 3. Creates an environment that fosters innovation (e.g., allows others to experiment) 4. Recognizes and rewards creativity in others 5. Thinks outside the box 6. Applies ideas and models from outside one's own frame of reference 7. Expresses the benefits and disadvantages of new ideas in business terms Change Management: 1. Proactively recognizes situations where change is needed and initiates appropriate action with affected parties 2. Redirects call center personnel efforts and/or adapts their approach in the face of new opportunities 3. Changes plans in response to changing conditions, rather than pursuing a single course of action

8 4. Ensures that call center personnel embrace the need for change 5. Reacts positively to change, cooperating readily with revised methods and priorities 6. Anticipates and prepares self and team for change Risk Taking: 1. Analyzes the implications and risks of actions from several perspectives 2. Uses failures as opportunities for learning 3. Takes appropriate risks to see new ideas come to fruition 4. Evaluates the impact of potential risks on an ongoing basis 5. Supports others who take appropriate risks that fail and takes responsibility for outcome(s) VII. Communication Characteristics Communicating Effectively: 1. Solicits, analyzes, synthesizes, and shares information among business units 2. Writes in such a way as to influence the reader to take positive action 3. Makes effective verbal presentations (includes changing language/terminology to fit audience characteristics) to individuals and/or groups 4. Expresses written information in a clear and concise way without mixed messages or double/hidden meanings 5. Effectively uses nonverbal communication techniques Influencing: 1. Uses ethical strategies to influence outcomes 2. Uses interpersonal and communication skills to gain acceptance of and commitment to plans, ideas, initiatives, etc. 3. Gains commitment of others by defining initiatives, plans, projects, etc. in terms of benefits, roles, and outcomes meaningful to them 4. Builds trust as a key aspect of influential relationships 5. Gains the cooperation and support of others not under his/her supervision Negotiating: 1. Identifies others positions and concerns on issues of vested interests 2. Articulates specific points where there is agreement or disagreement 3. Seeks a win/win without relegating to compromise Organizational Awareness: 1. Acts as a catalyst for call center staff to address call center issues and politics 2. Recognizes executive issues as they relate to the call center 3. Translates call center goals into project plans 4. Demonstrates an understanding of the organization s informal political network and how resources get used 5. Works effectively with senior management 6. Manages project plans to ensure timely delivery of outcomes

9 VII. Personal Effectiveness Characteristics 1. Continues to pursue objectives until they are achieved, changed, or no longer attainable 2. Accurately and completely represents the call center s and/or organization s capabilities to others 3. Serves as a role model for others regarding appropriate business conduct and ethical principles 4. Demonstrates an awareness of and security with his/her strengths and weaknesses 5. Keeps emotions under control when facing adversity 6. Interacts effectively with varying levels of management and customers with different backgrounds and perspectives 7. Adapts own position/decisions/strategies based on changing information and/or circumstances 8. Applies procedures with flexibility, depending on the individual situation 9. Demonstrates a comfort level with the rapid pace of change in the organization, technology, and/or marketplace 10. Demonstrates the ability to multitask