You might be accustomed to various calls that you receive from various companies trying to sell you one thing or the other. You speak to them at times and at times you quickly disconnect the call. Have you ever wondered what goes on at the other side of the call? Have you ever thought how are these Customer Service Representatives (CSR) so suave when they speak to you? What helps them tackle rude responses from customers? Well, the answer to this is, they are conditioned to handle every type of client that exists. In the previous chapter, you got a fair idea about what etiquettes govern these CSRs’ communication with their customer and here you would gain an insight into how this communication is evaluated.

The basic idea behind evaluating calls is- the parameters are set and you need an assurance that these are followed religiously. It resembles a school, you have students, they are expected to follow the school rules and then there are teachers who monitor whether the students follow these rules and whether it meets the standards set by the school. Similarly, every organisation has certain parameters set for their employees to function and a timely evaluation would help determine how well their work progresses.

Evaluation of calls, be it the ones that are made for some new product or the ones where your technical queries are resolved, the CSRs making these calls or the ones assisting you in your dilemma are thoroughly evaluated on the basis of certain standards set by their own company. If these standards are not met, then that spells doom for the CSR.

So to put it simply, Call Evaluation is the assessment of the calls being made by the CSR and the need for this arises because the revenue generated from this department is vital to the organisation financially. So, in order to keep a keen eye on the conversation that transpired is necessary to check whether the established standards are being met.

This evaluation can be developmental, that takes place with the intention of enhancing the company’s set standards or it can be assumptive, that takes place after the call is conducted, where you can think of what more changes could be made to make the conversation flow smoothly than before. You can think of it as a preview (developmental) and postview (assumptive) of the activity.

Call evaluation is the key to improve Call Quality & Outcome. It should be made imperative to include a program for improving every CSR’s skill. It must involve Call Monitoring, Call Evaluation, CSR Appraisal & Relationship skills training.

Since you have grasped the meaning of what Call Evaluation is and how critical it is to an organisation, take a look at the parameters set while evaluating a call. These are the standards laid down by the Quality Analyst for the CSRs to follow.

• In addition to the calls being answered promptly the customer has to be greeted pleasantly.  Also, the CSR has to introduce himself and the company properly
• The purpose of the call has to be verified
• The CSR must confirm the details and verify the query details
• In case of any problem faced by the customer, the CSR has to offer an appropriate resolution
• If the original suggestion doesn’t work, the CSR has to provide an alternative solution
• The CSR has to display excellent product and process knowledge and conduct mandatory  checks as per the process
• The CSR has to provide accurate information to the customer
• While interacting with the customer, the CSR has to be confident, polite and helpful
• While conversing with the customer, the CSR must display proficient language skill
• While speaking to the customer, the CSR must use a proper intonation and modulate  his/her voice as the situation demands
• It is imperative that the CSR listen to the customer’s queries or grievances. This means that  active listening skills are necessary
• While transferring the call to their colleague, the CSR must adhere to the appropriate  transfer procedure
• It is essential that the CSR follow appropriate hold/ mute etiquettes on the call
• Empathising with the customer is essential as it would lend them the surety that their  grievance is being addressed. So it is important that the CSR display their empathy rapport building skills
• The CSR has to summarise the call with the standard closing
• It is essential that the CSR maintain their integrity throughout the call and must not give  in to pressure

So, the next time you receive a call from a CSR, you would know what thin ice are they walking on since every conversation they have, every call they make, is under constant supervision. This proves that, no matter what field you are working in, which department you are a part of, Quality is an aspect that is guarded fiercely and won’t be compromised at any cost.