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Creating Consistency in Educational Finance: A Training Curriculum

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Module 2  

Want to know more about the Council? Contact Maria Luna-Torres at (800) 252-9743, ext. 4632, or send an e-mail at maria.luna-torres@tgslc.org.

Module 2: Call Center Management

Introduction

Managing a call center is much like managing a restaurant. Both call center managers and restaurant managers have to find the right balance between meeting customer service requirements and operating efficiently. When customers visit a restaurant they expect to be treated courteously and not have to wait too long before they eat. Likewise, when borrowers call, they do not want to be placed on hold forever. Management must provide sufficient staff and inbound capacity to ensure that the quality of service is satisfactory to the customer. However, staff costs, whether they are at a restaurant or call center, generally comprise the largest expenses of running a business, which means that management often looks to staff cuts as a primary way to minimize costs. Staff reductions many times result in overworked employees. Consequently, this approach poses a major challenge to managers in maintaining a productive work environment and keeping staff motivated.

Whether a call center resides at a school, lender, servicer, or guarantor, call center managers face similar challenges. Although the types of questions differ from call center to call center, each manager strives to keep employees motivated, informed, and productive.

Given the major challenges that call center managers face, this module is designed to:

  • Equip managers with some guidelines on cultivating a productive work environment
  • Present an overview of conflict resolution skills, which can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a call center
  • Provide guidelines for assessing the performance level of call center staff

Learning objectives
At the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • Understand and apply different techniques for keeping staff motivated and productive
  • Improve the effectiveness of your call center by applying proven conflict resolution skills
  • Identify areas for improvement in your call center by accurately assessing staff performance

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