What is calibration and what are the benefits?
What exactly is quality assurance calibration and why would a contact center need to do it.
Myra’s answer to What is calibration and what are the benefits?
The dictionary definition is…
- To check, adjust, or determine by comparison with a standard (the graduations of a quantitative measuring instrument): calibrate a thermometer.
- To make corrections in; adjust: calibrated the polling procedures to ensure objectivity.
To calibrate is to gain consensus, as a team, on what a quality contact (phone call, email, chat, letter) sounds like, looks like, and “feels” like so that every evaluator is rating the calls the same way.
Evaluators meet on a regular basis to “check, adjust, or determine by comparison with each other the standards set forth by the call center.
Some of the benefits of calibration include:
- It improves the consistency among everyone who monitors.
- Helps protect evaluators against being accused of favoritism.
- It actually serves as a quality assurance mechanism for improving the quality monitoring process.
A few months ago I hosted a webinar entitled Call Monitoring and the recording is now available. This program has dozens of tips for more effective call monitoring, agent coaching, and it discusses call monitoring technology. I encourage you to take a look at this program, as it may give you great insight for your current challenges. View my call monitoring training outline.
