Call Center Magazine: What can a staffing agency do that a call center can’t do itself?

Kirsten Corbell: A staffing agency provides expertise in a variety of areas. For example, Manpower has extensive local market recruiting resources as well as labor market knowledge. In addition to knowing how to identify and assess high performers, we have developed a battery of tools, specific to the contact center environment, to properly screen and assess those candidates. It would be prohibitively expensive for most companies to invest in such tools.

Working with a staffing agency also enables corporate HR staff to focus on strategic initiatives instead of administering the time-intensive recruiting process. Call center managers and HR staff can feel comfortable that the recruiting process is being managed consistently and fairly by a staffing provider, whether for one location or across multiple locations.

A staffing agency can also offer a broad array of employment services. Manpower provides direct hire staffing, assessment services, training services, consulting, and managed programs. These offerings give us significant flexibility and an ability to respond to a variety of client needs.

What kind of call centers use staffing agencies? Any specific size or vertical?

Kirsten Corbell: Nearly any call center can benefit from working with a staffing agency. Manpower provides staffing services for clients ranging from local centers with just 15 to 20 representatives to large regional centers requiring hundreds of agents.

The common need, regardless of size or vertical, tends to be seasonal spikes in business. This is where a staffing provider can help a call center ramp up quickly. Manpower has a variety of clients from different industries, where the seasonal needs vary. This allows us to tap into a pool of pre-screened and qualified agents to fill seasonal positions.

Do staffing agencies ever do any training?

Kirsten Corbell: We can’t speak to all staffing agencies, but we can tell you that Manpower provides its associates with access to thousands of online training courses to develop their skills, at no charge. In addition, Manpower is committed to help people find work and develop as individuals. Our Workforce Development programs deliver life-long learning to people of all ages and backgrounds through coaching, education and training programs, skills development and work experience. These opportunities, in turn, will deliver a business benefit and secure jobs for the future.

What kind of pre-hire assessment do you use?

Kirsten Corbell: Manpower's standard process to assess contact center representatives includes:

• Online prescreening -- This allows us to screen for basic information. Understanding about a candidate's previous experience -- or even preferred shifts or pay rate -- will ultimately help us quickly pinpoint the right people.
  
• Phone interview -- to assess voice quality (pace, tone, enunciation, etc.)
  
• Face-to-face interview -- using a behavioral interview developed by Manpower's organizational psychologists. This helps us learn about a candidate's past experiences, desired career path and professionalism. All of this information determines whether a candidate will be a match for the company's culture
  
• Computer-based call center simulation assessment -- This key assessment simulates a contact center environment and assesses a candidate's skill sets.
  
• Additional skill assessments that might be applicable to the job (e.g., proficiency in Microsoft Word, grammar, data entry)
  

What advice can you give a call center that's having problems finding qualified agents?

Kirsten Corbell: Identify your most successful agents and understand their profiles. Ask those agents for candidate referrals and for ideas on where candidates live and spend time. Based on this input, pursue on-the-street recruitment initiatives focused on locations such as coffee shops, retail stores, churches, etc.

If you are currently working with a staffing company, be sure it has specific expertise in contact center positions. Experience in filling administrative or office positions is not sufficient. Ask the company for case studies and references with proven results. It's even better if the company can provide examples of staffing similar projects in the same industry.

Do staffing agencies have anything to offer in turnover reduction?

Kirsten Corbell: Having a proven intake process that includes call center assessments and behavioral interviews should alleviate major turnover issues. We have also found that identifying career path opportunities for our associates and providing them with a training curriculum has a positive effect. Any opportunity for clear, open communication and keeping agents informed and engaged also tends to increase their longevity and personal satisfaction.

Is there a basic profile for good agents? What qualities do they have?

Kirsten Corbell: Skill requirements for contact center agents continue to increase. This is because as basic calls are handled by self-service technology, the agents are required to handle more complex calls.

Contact center agents are expected to move between various projects, or may work on a variety of technology and media such as email and chat along with phone response. They also may be required to have sales aptitude or experience. Other important skills that Manpower screens for include multi-tasking, problem solving, listening, basic computer use, developing customer rapport and customer needs discovery.