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December 1, 2023
8 Minutes
In 2022 and beyond, quality management (QM) has become increasingly important as businesses strive to differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace. Customers are hunting for best products, competitive prices, and top sales service quality. Consumers now have more choices than ever, expecting high-quality products and services at competitive prices. Otherwise, they will likely switch to a competitor if they have a negative experience.
Quality management is a comprehensive approach to ensuring that a product or service meets the established standards and customer expectations. Key components and principles of QMS include Customer focus, Quality Improvement, Data Based Decisions, Engagement of People, Process Approach, Relationship Management, Leadership Involvement.
Let us understand this with an example. If you want to start investing in stocks, you have various discount brokers offering more or less the same services for competitive prices. Given that the charges across the platforms are quite similar, the decision-making variable comes down to the working standards of the product, customer service, technology, or, in simple terms, the total quality management of the product.
Quality management is a process to ensure that the products are of high standards and services meets the set internal and industry standards. The process covers all aspects of the organization, from product development and design to manufacturing and customer service.
Quality management aims to create a culture of standardization throughout the organization. This means everyone in the organization, from the CEO to the front-line employees, is responsible for quality.
Sales service quality, a small subset of quality management, can be defined as the level of excellence a business demonstrates when interacting with its customers during the sales process. Let's understand this with a simple example. A customer or prospect plans to buy a health insurance policy and is confused between several plans. The prospect will reach out to an aggregator, where his first point of contact will be a call center agent. From this point on, till the end of the purchase, the sales service quality and quality management process of the company will play a huge role in determining whether the customer will go ahead with the purchase. The key idea will be to ensure the buyer gets what he needs, not what the agent wants to sell. This thin line of perception can be the make-or-break factor.
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A Quality Management System (QMS) is a system that helps an organization define, manage, and evaluate its preset standard or class parameters. QMS is not software in itself; it is a combination of several specialized software and hardware used by different departments in a business. For example, customer relationship management (CRM) and quality monitoring tools are important parts of QMS. They greatly assist the Sales team and the Sales Quality Audit Team in day-to-day operations.
Let's start by looking at the application of customer relationship management (CRM) in the sales process. Typically, organizations utilize CRM software to assign leads to sales agents. The Round-Robin approach is the most common method for lead allocation, involving the distribution of prospects to salespeople based on specific criteria like availability, domain expertise, and location. CRMs keep a detailed record of sales agents' activities related to leads, including call logs and meeting notes, and convey this information to the Quality Management System (QMS).
Quality monitoring tools provide a distinct access and view for the audit team. After consolidating the information on the leads, auditors focus on evaluating the quality of these activities. For instance, they can scrutinize the call quality of tele-callers, review meeting notes from field executives, and assess other touchpoints. This quantitative assessment offers audit managers a clear understanding of areas that require improvement. It also establishes a closed feedback loop to ensure that sales agents pay attention to the suggestions from the audit team and apply the knowledge gained.
"According to the Center for Economic and Business Research, every dollar invested in Quality Management solutions results in a $16 reduction in costs".
In summary, a Quality Management approach offers the following advantages:
Implementing a robust Quality Management System (QMS) is key to meeting and exceeding customer expectations, and staying ahead in a competitive market. As per the page by customeraffairs 60% of customers prefer a good quality product instead of a cheaper product. .Various important tips for seamlessly integrating a QMS into modern business operations are:
Begin by gaining a thorough understanding of your organization's structure, processes, and objectives. Tailor the QMS to align with the specific needs and goals of your business.
Ensure that top leadership is committed to implementing and sustaining the QMS. Leadership support is crucial for creating a culture of quality throughout the organization. Engage employees at all levels in the QMS implementation process.
Start by crafting a well-defined quality management plan that outlines the specific goals and objectives of the quality management system. Clearly define and document all business processes. This includes mapping out workflows, identifying key inputs and outputs, and establishing control points to ensure quality at each stage.
Leverage modern technology and software solutions to streamline QMS processes. Automation tools can improve efficiency, reduce errors, and enhance overall quality.
Implement a data-driven approach to decision-making. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytics to monitor and assess the performance of processes, allowing for informed and timely decisions.
Design the QMS to be adaptable to changes in the business environment. Foster a culture of continuous improvement, encouraging teams to regularly review processes and suggest enhancements.
Foster open communication and collaboration among teams. Ensure that information related to quality goals, changes in processes, and improvement initiatives is effectively communicated throughout the organization.
Continuously measure and monitor the performance of your QMS. Use metrics and performance indicators to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate successes.
Quality management in call centers is not just a buzzword, it's critical to ensuring that customer telecalling interactions are consistently positive and productive. The benefits of effective quality management include;
A focus on quality ensures that customer issues are resolved promptly and efficiently, which leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Quality monitoring and audit software are used to identify areas for improvement. Call connectivity issues, fall in retention rates, etc., are huge for call centers today. They can optimize their operations, reduce inefficiencies, and increase agent productivity using the help of such tools.
Satisfied customers are likelier to remain loyal to a brand and recommend it to others, resulting in higher customer retention rates and referrals.
Many industries, such as BFSI and IT, are subject to strict regulations. Quality management helps ensure that call center processes align with compliance requirements.
Quality management in call centers is a vast process that involves several critical components working in coherence. Each component contributes to the overall effectiveness of the process. Let's look at some of the components that play a role in a well-established quality management process -
Call Monitoring: Supervisors review recorded calls to evaluate agent performance, ensuring they adhere to company policies and deliver a high level of service.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Establishing and tracking KPIs, such as average handle time, resolution TAT, and customer satisfaction, helps call centers measure their performance and identify areas for improvement.
Agent Training: Continuous training and development programs are crucial to improving agent skills and product knowledge and keeping them updated on industry trends and customer preferences.
Customer Feedback: Gathering customer feedback through surveys and feedback forms provides valuable insights and helps identify areas where service can be enhanced.
Technology And Tools: Investing in modern call center technology, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software and call analytics tools, can significantly improve the quality of service.
Implementing various components of the quality management process requires a lot of thought and strategy. Because if a proper hierarchy is not followed, even with all the right tools, a quality management system will not be able to yield desirable results. Let's look at some of the best practices while implementing quality management -
Define Clear Objectives: Establish clear quality objectives and expectations that align with the organization's overall goals and customer expectations.
Standardize Processes: Develop standardized processes and call handling guidelines to ensure service delivery consistency.
Regular Feedback: Provide regular feedback to agents and acknowledge their achievements. Constructive feedback helps agents grow and excel in their roles.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Analyze data and customer feedback to identify trends and areas for improvement. Use this information to make informed decisions about enhancing the call center's operations.
Customer-Centric Approach: Focus on a customer-centric culture within the call center. Empower agents to prioritize customer needs and provide personalized, empathetic service.
Continuous Improvement: Quality management is an ongoing process. Encourage continuous improvement by reviewing and adapting strategies to meet evolving customer expectations.
Total Quality Management (TQM) is a comprehensive management approach that focuses on continuous improvement of product and service quality, customer satisfaction, and the involvement of all employees in the organization. TQM is not a specific set of management practices or tools but rather a philosophy that permeates the entire organization, emphasizing the importance of quality in all aspects of its operations.
TQM is based on principles such as customer focus, continuous improvement, employee involvement, process-oriented approach, and fact-based decision-making.
Quality management in call centres is a vast process that involves several critical components such as call monitoring, agent training, customer feedback, and setting key performance standards.
We at SquadStack take this process very seriously, as it is important to protect our client’s brand name and provide customer satisfaction. We do this by implementing strict quality monitoring processes, which are backed by data analysis, AI-driven technology, and human quality analysis.
Quality management in call centres is a critical aspect of ensuring that customer interactions are consistently positive and productive. Quality management has several benefits, such as improved customer retention, increased productivity, and overall growth in sales and revenue.
