The agent sits down. The manager runs through a list. The agent nods. Everyone moves on. Nothing changes.

That is not coaching. That is compliance theater.

We have seen coaching programs across every vertical in contact centers. The sessions that actually changed behavior had nothing in common with the ones that checked a box. The difference was not the manager’s personality or the agent’s attitude. It was the structure of the session itself.

Here is what separated them.

Preparation Before the Session

A checkbox meeting starts cold. The manager pulls a random call five minutes before, skims it, and walks in without a clear direction.

A real coaching session starts with preparation. The manager walks in with a specific, evidence-backed focus already selected. They know what behavior they are addressing and why it matters. They have examples ready. The agent can tell the difference immediately.

Preparation signals that the session is worth taking seriously. Without it, the agent knows this is just another box to check.

One Primary Focus, Not a List

Even when there are multiple issues, effective coaching requires choosing one primary topic. At most, one secondary.

Coaches who try to fix everything fix nothing. When you hand an agent a list of five things to improve, they leave the session overwhelmed and unclear on where to start. Nothing sticks.

One focus forces prioritization. It makes the session actionable. The agent leaves knowing exactly what to work on and why it was chosen over everything else.

The Agent Discovers the Answer

This is the hardest part. It requires a skilled manager who knows how to ask questions that lead the agent to the insight rather than delivering it to them.

If the solution is your idea, the agent has no ownership of it. They will nod, agree, and forget it by the next call. But if they arrive at the answer themselves, they own it. Commitment follows from agency, not instruction.

This is not about withholding information. It is about guiding the conversation so the agent connects the dots. When they say “I should have asked a follow-up question there” instead of hearing you say it, the lesson lands differently.

Not every manager can do this naturally. It is a skill that has to be developed. But it is the skill that separates coaching from lecturing.

Role Play to Prove Understanding

A checkbox meeting ends after the discussion. A real coaching session does not.

Role play is where the agent proves they can apply the skill, not just that they understood the conversation. Knowing is not the same as doing. You do not move on until they show you.

This is the step most managers skip because it feels awkward or time-consuming. But skipping it means you have no idea whether the session worked. You are hoping the agent figured it out. Hope is not a coaching strategy.

Role play lets you start and stop, correct in the moment, and run it again until the behavior is right. It turns a conversation into practice.

A Mutual Commitment with a Specific Follow-Up Time

At the end of the session, the agent commits — in their own words — to what they will do differently. Not a vague agreement. A specific behavior they will change.

But commitment is not one-sided. The manager also commits to a specific follow-up timeframe. “I will be back Thursday to listen to your calls and see how this is going.”

Without this, the session is a conversation with no close. The agent has no reason to believe anyone will check. And they are usually right.

Follow-Up Is the Session That Makes the First Session Matter

This is the most crucial step. It is also the most overlooked.

Behavior change is only real if someone comes back to observe it, reinforce it, or course-correct. No follow-up means no accountability loop. It means the coaching session was theater.

Follow-up is not optional. It is not “when I get time.” It happens within the timeframe you committed to. If the behavior improved, you reinforce it. If it did not, you coach again. Either way, the agent knows the session mattered.

The managers who skip follow-up are the same ones who wonder why their coaching never sticks. This is why.

The Bottom Line

Checkbox meetings feel productive. They fill a calendar slot. They generate documentation. But they do not change behavior.

Real coaching requires preparation, focus, agent-driven discovery, role play, mutual commitment, and follow-up. Skip any one of these, and you are back to compliance theater.

The question is not whether you are holding coaching sessions. The question is whether your coaching sessions are actually coaching.

That is where the data stops.

Training sits in a separate lane, building content based on conversations with the floor, leadership requests, or their own observations. The result is a training calendar that reflects what people believe is failing, not what the data shows.

The deeper problem starts before the routing.

A checklist-based scorecard measures whether something happened, not whether the behavior that drives outcomes was present. That kind of data cannot change anything because it was never connected to what actually matters. If the scorecard is not built around behaviors tied to desired outcomes, neither coaching nor training will move performance.

When the scorecard is behavior-driven, the data becomes useful in two directions.

Operations uses it at the individual level. Before a coaching session, the manager reviews the current QA alongside previous scores and past coaching notes. That history shows what has been addressed, what is persisting, and what deserves priority. Coaching becomes specific, not reactive.

Training uses it at the floor level. QA trends reveal what is breaking across agents, not just within one. That is the input training has been missing. Instead of refreshing skills agents already have, content gets built around the failures that are actually showing up in the data.

This is what makes QA a silo killer. Operations and training already communicate. The issue is that those conversations run on instinct and observation rather than a shared data source.

Behavior-driven QA gives both departments the same grounding. FiveLumens connects that data across coaching and training so the same scorecard that drives an individual session also informs what gets built for the floor.

Operational leaders often obsess over dashboards and KPIs. But strategy is just a theory if it does not change what people actually do. To bridge the gap between strategy and outcomes, you must remove the friction that quietly kills coaching after the conversation ends.

The Four Pillars of Behavioral Mastery
Real development happens when coaching moves from a verbal agreement to a verified skill. This requires a disciplined, four-step approach.

Identify: Move Beyond the Audit

Traditional QA often looks for global trends or script adherence. However, for individual growth, you must look for patterns that tell a story.

• Stop chasing statistical accuracy at the agent level.
• Use technology to pinpoint specific behavioral gaps, such as how an agent handles an objection or builds rapport.
• Ensure your standards are precise; AI executes the standard exactly as written and will not assume dependency or intent.

Understand: Focus on the Behavior, Not the Metric

Data is only useful if it is actionable.

• Avoid the “Sentiment Trap.” A “neutral” score can hide a call that started angry but ended in a save.
• Prioritize the behaviors that block the outcome.
• Understand that as AI takes over simple tasks, human interactions become more complex, requiring higher skill levels.

Develop: The “Say it Out Loud” Rule

Coaching breaks when it lacks ownership.

• The agent must verbally own the solution.
• The focus must be a specific commitment, not a general agreement.
• Create an environment where coaching sessions are used to validate that the strategy is reaching the frontline.

Empower: The Risk-Free Sandbox

One of the fastest ways to help someone succeed is the “Teach, Show, Do, Review” method.

• Agents need to demonstrate the skill in the moment.
• Provide life-like training simulations to boost confidence and proficiency faster.
• Bridge the skills gap by allowing agents to practice correct behaviors in a risk-free sandbox before they take their next live call.

The final step is validation. Someone must actually verify whether the habit changed. Without a way to validate behaviors at scale, you are just staring at a dashboard and hoping for the best.

True operational excellence isn’t about the technology first. It is about building a better system that empowers the person behind the headset.

A performance plan creates a dedicated space for coaching on a specific goal or area of focus. Within the coaching module, performance plans bring structure and visibility to ongoing development by gathering all related coaching sessions under one plan.

Unlike traditional performance improvement plans, these do not include disciplinary steps. Instead, they support managers and agents in tracking progress, building accountability, and reinforcing positive growth.

Creating a Plan

To create a performance plan, go to the Coaching menu and select Performance Plan from the submenu. This will open the page showing all existing performance plans for your team or teams.

In the top right corner, click the + Add Plan button to create a new plan. A setup window will appear with fields to complete.

Two fields in this window are unique to performance plans:

• Coaching Form – Select the coaching form that will be used for all sessions within this performance plan. Each session under the plan will use the same form. You can choose an existing form that you already use in other coaching sessions.
• Purpose – Define the overall goal of the performance plan. The purpose represents what you expect the agent to achieve, and once that purpose is met, the performance plan can be closed.

Administering a Performance Plan

After creating a performance plan, you will be taken directly to the coaching form to begin and complete the first coaching session. The layout will look almost identical to a regular coaching session because it uses the same coaching form. The only visible difference is in the header, where the label changes from Coaching Session to Performance Plan.

Within the performance plan, you can still:

• View the five most recent coaching sessions for the plan, along with the current session, allowing you to toggle between past sessions and review progress.
• Use Auto Fill to populate the current session with data from the previous one.
• Click Save Only to save your progress without completing the session.
• Click Save & Coached to mark the session as complete and notify the agent that the coaching session has been finalized.

Adding Coaching Sessions to a Performance Plan

When viewing coaching sessions, you will notice a Plan column in the table. This column shows which coaching sessions are linked to a performance plan.

At the end of each row, click the Action icon to see two options: Coach Again and View Performance Plan.

• Coach Again will start a new coaching session using the same form and agent, but it will not be attached to the performance plan. It creates a new, standalone coaching session.
• View Performance Plan will open the corresponding performance plan so you can continue coaching within it.

You can also access performance plans directly from the Performance Plan page under the Coaching menu. Find the plan you want to update, click the Action icon at the end of the row, and select Edit.

This will open the performance plan with a blank current coaching form, ready for a new session. Complete it just as you would any other coaching session.

This is the only way to link a coaching session to a performance plan. It was designed this way intentionally to ensure each session is purposefully created within the correct plan.

Managing Performance Plans

There are a few important details to understand when managing performance plans.

1. Deleting a Saved-Only Coaching Session
   If you have a coaching session that was saved but not completed, you can delete it the same way as any other saved-only session. Go to the Coaching Sessions tab, click the Action icon next to the session, and select Delete.
2. Multiple Active Plans
   An agent can have multiple performance plans active at the same time. This is intentional, as different plans may address separate areas of focus. Keeping them distinct helps ensure each topic remains clear and avoids mixing unrelated goals or coaching discussions.
3. Closing a Performance Plan
   To close a performance plan, first complete the current coaching session or delete it. Once the session is marked as coached or deleted, a Close Plan button will appear at the top of the page. When you click this button, a confirmation window will appear asking for a reason for closing the plan. Be specific and detailed, as this serves as the official documentation for why the plan was concluded.
4. Deleting a Performance Plan
   Performance plans cannot be deleted. Once a plan has been started, it must be completed and closed. This ensures all coaching activity and progress remain properly recorded.

Performance plans are a powerful extension of the coaching process, allowing managers to focus on specific goals while tracking progress through multiple coaching sessions. They provide structure, accountability, and visibility into both agent development and manager follow-up.

By linking coaching sessions to a defined purpose, performance plans transform improvement opportunities into measurable outcomes. Each plan becomes a roadmap for growth, helping managers and agents stay aligned from the first coaching session through plan completion.

Before creating coaching sessions, make sure you have already set up your coaching forms and added coaching steps. These define the structure and content of every coaching interaction.

• To learn how to create a coaching form, see Create and Edit Coaching Forms.
• To learn how to add and configure coaching steps, see Adding and Understanding Coaching Steps.

Once your forms are complete, you can begin creating coaching sessions to document conversations, record commitments, and track progress over time.

Begin Coaching Session

To begin a coaching session, you must first select the user you will be coaching and the coaching form you want to use.

There are four ways to start a new session and select both the user and form:

• Users – Start a session directly from the user list by selecting an individual agent.
• Teams – Begin a session from the team view to coach an agent within a specific team.
• Coaching Form – Start a session by choosing a specific coaching form first, then select the agent.
• Coaching Sessions – Start a session from the Coaching Sessions page, either by repeating a previous session using Coach Again or by creating a new one with + New Session.

Users

To start a coaching session from the Users menu, go to the Organization section and select Users. Locate the user you want to coach, then click the Action icon at the end of their row and select Coach.

A session setup window will appear with the selected user already pre-populated. From there, choose the coaching form you want to use for the session.

Teams

To start a coaching session from the Teams menu, go to the Organization section and select Teams. Locate the team you want to view, then click the Action icon at the end of the row and select View. This will display all users assigned to that team.

Find the agent you want to coach, click the Action icon at the end of their row, and select Coach. A session setup window will appear with the agent pre-populated. Choose the coaching form you want to use, just as you would when starting a session directly from the Users menu.

Coaching Forms

To start a session from a specific coaching form, go to the Coaching menu and select Forms. This will display all available coaching forms. Locate the form you want to use, then click the Action icon at the end of the row and select Coach.

A session setup window will appear with the selected coaching form already pre-populated. You will then be prompted to choose the agent for the session. A selection window will open where you can select only one agent to coach.

Coaching Sessions

The final two ways to start a coaching session are from the Coaching Sessions page.

• Coach Again
  • Use this option to repeat a previous session with the same agent and coaching form. Go to the Coaching Sessions page, locate the completed session you want to repeat, click the Action icon at the end of the row, and select Coach Again. A new session will open with the same agent and form pre-populated, allowing you to continue coaching on related topics or follow up on prior commitments.
• + New Session
  • You can also start a brand-new session directly from the Coaching Sessions page. Click the + New Session button to open a new session setup window. You will need to select both the agent and the coaching form you want to use before beginning the session.

Complete Coaching Session

Once a coaching session has started, you will complete it by filling out each step that was defined in the coaching form. Every field and question displayed in the session is based on the setup of that form.

• For Yes/No Questions, select either Yes or No.
• For Primary Coaching Topic, Secondary Coaching Topic, and Single Select, choose one item from the available levels.
• For Notes Entry, type your notes or observations.
• For Attachments, upload a single supporting document if needed.
• For Multi Select, choose one or more options from the dropdown list.

Keep in mind two important details:

1. Any required question will have a red asterisk next to it. These must be completed before saving or submitting the session. All other fields are optional.
2. If a question includes a Notes Section, you must enter a comment or note for that item before proceeding.

Three coaching steps need additional explanation: KPI, Commitment, and Follow Up Date. These are covered in the next section.

Commitment

The Commitment section records the specific actions or goals the agent agrees to complete by a certain date. Each coaching session includes one Commitment field where you can add multiple items.

Click Add Commitment to include additional commitments. At the end of each row, enter the due date for the agent to complete that commitment.

If you need to remove a commitment, click the Delete icon next to that item. However, there must always be at least one commitment in the session.

All commitments entered during the session will appear on the agent’s dashboard as reminders, helping them stay accountable for their agreed actions.

Follow Up

Just as agents have commitments to complete, the Follow Up Date step is designed for managers. It helps ensure accountability by setting a specific date for the manager to follow up on the agent’s progress.

In this section, the manager enters both the follow-up date and a brief description of what they will be following up on. The follow-up reminder will appear on the manager’s dashboard, prompting them to review the agent’s progress at the scheduled time.

KPIs

The KPI section works the same way as Commitments in that you can add multiple entries, but at least one KPI is required.

Click + Add Metric to include another KPI, or click the Delete icon to remove one. For each KPI, enter the metric name, the goal, and the actual value. The variance will be automatically calculated based on those numbers.

Only numeric values can be entered for goals and actuals.

Save and Coached

After you have filled out the coaching form and completed all parts of the session, click the Save & Coached button. A confirmation window will appear to ensure you want to finalize the session.

Once a coaching session is completed, it cannot be changed. If email notifications are enabled, the agent will receive an email letting them know the session is available to view in their portal.

If you are not finished and want to continue later, click Save Only instead. This will save all progress up to that point, but the session will not be marked as complete until you click Save & Coached.

Note:

At the top of each coaching session, you will see tabs displaying the five most recent sessions completed with the same coaching form. You can switch between these tabs to review past sessions, then return to the Current tab to continue working on the active session.

If you click Auto Fill, the current session will automatically populate with the most recent session’s information. You can still make edits after auto-filling. To clear the prefilled data and return to a blank session, click Auto Fill again.

Coaching sessions bring your coaching forms to life, turning structure into meaningful one-on-one conversations that drive accountability and growth. By recording commitments, setting follow-up dates, and tracking KPIs, both managers and agents stay aligned on progress and development goals.

Once a coaching session is completed, it becomes part of each agent’s learning history, allowing you to review progress over time and strengthen future sessions.

Before adding coaching steps, make sure you have already created a coaching form. If you have not yet created one, see Create and Edit Coaching Forms for step-by-step instructions.

There are ten types of coaching steps you can add to a form.

• Yes/No Question
• Notes Entry
• Primary Coaching
• Secondary Coaching
• Commitment
• Follow Up Date
• Attachment
• Single Select
• Multi Select
• KPI

To create a coaching step, open your coaching form, click the Add to Form dropdown, and select the step type you want to add. A settings window will appear for that specific coaching step. Complete the required fields before adding it to your form.

Before reviewing each step type individually, there are two standard settings that appear in most coaching step modals.

The first is the Notes Section. You can include a notes section by selecting Yes from the Notes Section dropdown. You will then enter the instructions that the manager will see when completing that section during a coaching session.

The second is the Required checkbox. If this box is selected, managers must enter information for that step before saving the coaching session. If it is left unchecked, the step will be optional.

Yes/No Question

The purpose of this coaching step is to create a simple question that requires a Yes or No response. This step is often used to confirm whether a specific action or behavior occurred during an interaction, such as verifying if an agent followed a procedure or met a defined standard.

Notes Entry

This coaching step is used to add a notes entry field only. It differs from the notes section within a coaching step, as it is a standalone field intended solely for entering notes or comments. Managers can use this step to record observations, feedback, or additional context during a coaching session.

Primary & Secondary Coaching Topics

A common mistake in coaching is giving agents too many behaviors or skills to focus on at once. The purpose of coaching is to create meaningful change, and the best way to do that is by concentrating on one or two topics that the agent can develop and master.

You can add both a Primary Coaching Topic and a Secondary Coaching Topic to your coaching form. A secondary topic can only be added after a primary topic has been created.

When setting up your topics, you must enter a list of coaching topics for the primary level. You can then expand your structure by adding additional levels:

• To create a third level, click Add Third Level next to any second-level topic. This allows you to define deeper subtopics for more specific coaching areas.
• To create a second level, click the Add Second Level toggle. You must enter topics for each first-level coaching topic.

You can also clone your primary coaching topics to the secondary section. To do this, click the Action icon next to the primary coaching topic and select Clone for Secondary. This will duplicate the primary topics into the secondary coaching list for quick setup.

Commitment

The Commitment step records the specific action or goal the agent agrees to complete as part of the coaching session. Enter clear instructions for this step to guide the manager when defining the agent’s commitment.

Any commitment entered during the coaching session will appear in the agent’s calendar as a task to be fulfilled. The agent will see the full coaching session in their portal and receive a separate reminder for the specific commitment they made.

Follow Up

The Follow Up Date step sets a specific date for reviewing the agent’s progress after a coaching session. When the selected date arrives, the manager assigned to the agent will receive a reminder to follow up.

This feature helps ensure accountability by prompting managers to revisit coaching sessions and track progress over time.

Attachment

The Attachment step allows you to upload supporting documents to a coaching session. This is useful when additional context, reference material, or evidence needs to be included as part of the discussion. Attachments are uploaded during the coaching session

Single Select

The Single Select step functions similarly to the Primary and Secondary Coaching Topics. It is built in the same way, allowing up to three levels of options, but it is designed for selecting only one item from the list.

Enter clear instructions for this coaching step, then build out the levels with the available options.

Multi Select

The Multi Select step looks similar to the Single Select step but includes only one level of options. It allows users to select multiple answers from the list rather than just one.

Because agents or managers can choose more than one option, it is important to provide clear instructions on how many items should be selected for this step.

KPI

KPI stands for Key Performance Indicators. This step allows managers to track specific metrics as part of the coaching session.

You do not enter the KPI values within the form itself. Instead, you provide clear instructions here for the manager to follow when entering KPIs during the actual coaching session.

Coaching forms are fully flexible, allowing you to include as many or as few coaching steps as needed. Each form can be designed to fit the goals of your team and the type of coaching you want to deliver. Whether you use a few focused steps or a more detailed structure, the key is to design the form so it drives meaningful, consistent conversations between managers and agents.

Once your coaching form is complete, the next step is using it to coach agents. To learn how to start a coaching session and guide agents through the process, see Completing Coaching Sessions.

Standalone sessions are ideal for activities such as setting daily, weekly, or monthly goals, following up on previous discussions, or reinforcing specific behaviors that have been taught. Coaching sessions linked to quality evaluations allow you to address performance insights directly after an interaction review.

Before creating your first session, consider how you want to design your coaching form. You can build an unlimited number of forms tailored to different scenarios. To avoid re-creating forms repeatedly, define your desired outcomes in advance. This ensures consistency and efficiency across your coaching process.

Create Coaching Form

To create a coaching form, click on the Coaching menu dropdown, click on Forms, and then click on blue box titled Add Coaching Form.

There are two main parts to a coaching form: Coaching Form Settings and the Coaching Form Builder.

In Coaching Form Settings, you will give the form a name and description that operations teams can view. Coaching forms are assigned at the group level, which means you need to select which groups can access the form. You can choose All Groups to make the form available to all current and future groups, or you can assign it to specific groups. Assigning a form to a group allows all users within that group to use it.

There are also two additional settings:

• V2M (Visible to Manager) means the session will only be visible to the manager. It will not appear in the agent portal. If this setting is left unchecked, the session will be visible to the agent as well.
• Send Email Notification allows the agent to receive an email when the coaching session is completed. Even if this option is turned off, the agent will still be able to view the session in the agent portal.

The Coaching Form Builder allows you to add different types of coaching steps to your form. These items define how information is captured during a coaching session.

Available coaching step types include:

• Yes/No Questions
• Notes Entry
• Primary Coaching
• Secondary Coaching
• Commitment
• Follow Up Date
• Attachments
• Single Select
• Multi Select
• KPI

You can read more about each coaching step type in the related article Adding and Understanding Coaching Steps.

To add a coaching step, click the Add to Form dropdown and select the step you want to include. A settings window will appear for that step. After entering the required settings, click Add, and the step will appear in your coaching form.

You can also edit or delete an existing coaching steps. Click the Action icon at the end of the row for that step and choose Edit or Delete.

• When you select Edit, the settings window will reopen so you can make changes.
• When you select Delete, the step will be permanently removed. A confirmation message will appear to ensure you want to delete the step.

You can also create a coaching form by cloning an existing one. To do this, click the Action icon at the end of the row for the coaching form you want to clone. Enter a name and description for the new form, and select the groups you want to assign it to.

When you clone a form, all coaching steps and settings are copied from the original. The only fields that will be blank are the name and description. After entering those details, you can make additional edits or save the form as it is.

Edit and Delete

To edit or delete a coaching form, click the Action icon at the end of the row for the form you want to manage.

• Select Edit to open the coaching form and make changes.
• Select Delete to remove the form. A confirmation message will appear asking you to verify your decision.

Note:
Deleting a coaching form permanently removes the form itself. Any coaching sessions that were completed using this form will remain available and will not be deleted.

Publish and Status

To ensure you do not lose your progress while building a coaching form, click the Save Only button. This saves all changes made up to that point.

Once your coaching form is complete, it must be published before managers can use it for coaching sessions. Click Save & Publish to publish the form. A confirmation window will appear asking you to confirm. When published, the form status will change to Active, and it will be available for use in coaching sessions.

Note:
Once a coaching form is published, the structure of the form cannot be changed. You can only update the name, description, and assigned groups.

You can change a coaching form’s status between Active and Inactive at any time. Deactivating a form does not delete it, but it cannot be used for new coaching sessions while inactive.

To use the form again, switch its status back to Active, and it will become available for new coaching sessions.

The moment came during a credit card transfer call. The customer asked to move “that one card” to our lower interest product. To me, the phrasing was clear: “that one” meant there were others. By probing further, we uncovered additional balances to transfer and completed a stronger outcome for the customer. My agent, however, had not caught the nuance.

That exchange etched two principles into my approach to coaching and performance development:

• Listening comes first. Every effective sale or service interaction begins with truly hearing the customer. Needs, challenges, and opportunities are revealed in what is said and sometimes in what is only implied.
• Proficiency enables listening. When agents are still focused on process steps, systems navigation, or compliance details, they cannot give full attention to the customer. Mastery of the fundamentals frees mental bandwidth to actively listen, interpret signals, and act on opportunities.

At FiveLumens, we believe these lessons extend far beyond a single sales call. Listening and proficiency are the bedrock of effective coaching in any contact center. Our platform helps leaders automate repetitive tasks, surface coaching opportunities, and deliver actionable insights so managers can spend less time on mechanics and more time developing the human skills that matter most.

In the end, technology should enable what only people can do best: listen with intent, understand with empathy, and respond with clarity. When coaching builds both listening skills and proficiency, agents are equipped not just to complete the task but to create meaningful customer experiences.

Why is coaching so important?

Many point to different metrics that can be improved through coaching. For instance, AHT, CSAT, attrition rates, conversion, and many other metrics. All of these are outcomes and are improved because of one main concept. Coaching involved personalized training, feedback, and practice for a person. This increases their engagement and gives them confidence.

There are three main strategies I have learned over a career in contact center operations.

Prepare

“What do you think?”

The classic question used when coming to a coaching session unprepared. As a coach, supervisor, team leader, or whatever management role you are in, you are the expert. Before sitting down with the agent for a coaching session you need to prepare.

What does preparation look like?

You review previous coaching sessions. You review performance in relation to those previous coaching sessions. You determine the coaching topic that will be most impactful. You have listened to calls, read conversations, or have evidence of the need for the coaching topic. You think of questions that will help the agent understand their behavior and how to change. You think of what follow-up or commitments need to be made.

When you come prepared you guarantee a better outcome than winging it.

Be Present

One of the most impactful trainings I ever attended was by Senn Delaney titled “Be Present”.

Understanding what that means is best explained by telling you what it isn’t. In the middle of a coaching session, you get an email, a text, a phone call, or a notification and you say, “hold on one moment”. In that moment, you showed that agent that whatever came across your phone was more important than their coaching session.

You were not present for the coaching session. Being present means putting away all distractions and giving your full attention to that coaching session.

Consistency

How many times have you moved a coaching session or a 1:1 due to more important meetings, tasks, or simply you didn’t want to do a coaching session? Every Monday, my team could count on me meeting with them for a 1:1 where we would review last week’s performance and coaching and discuss this week’s. If they were off Monday, they knew I would meet with them the day they came back to work.

Consistency is about building routines and sticking to them. In relation to coaching, consistency creates a sense of reliability and trust. It helps your agents feel safe, supported, and important. The time and coaching you give to them is important enough not to be rescheduled over and over again.

Through these three strategies we can help agents move and progress towards their goals.

A large hospitality client was looking to improve both their CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) and conversion rate. They decided to purchase a keyword and sentiment analytics quality platform. The purpose was to use the platform to eliminate the need for individual call reviews and coaching. They would gain more insight with less overhead management.

The platform provided great insights into the trends for CSAT and conversion, but it lacked the capacity to understand the specific nuances of each individual agent. Not long after, they decided it was good to use the platform to see overall trends, but they had to revisit their coaching program to focus on the individual.

This company realized one of the most important personal development ideas in contact centers. That is to train everyone to the trends, but coach to the individual needs.

Identify the Need

The first step in the coaching process is to identify the need. Never start a coaching session without knowing what you need to coach on. The worst possible scenario is going into a coaching session and asking the question, what do you think you need to work on. The best coached in the world prepare their teams through copious research of their opponents. They know what they need to prepare their players for competition. This not only applies to coaching, but also training.

Here are some of the ways you can identify the need.

• Evaluate performance metrics
• Listen to live or recorded calls
• Review CSAT, NPS, or other client surveys
• Use tools to analyze and track customer sentiment or keyword phrases

Create Training Programs Focused on Trends

A consumer finance client allowed their clients to pay for their service 5-15 days from the date of sign-up. Cancellation rates began increasing and lifetime value began decreasing. These are two important metrics for the profitability of the business.

They analyzed call recordings and cancellation data. The farther out the first payment date, the higher the cancellation rate. The contact center had gradually pushed payment dates farther and farther out. With this trend data, they were able to design training courses that addressed the issue and taught them how to overcome objections associated with payment dates.

Training programs are meant to be robust enough to engage each person in the training group but narrow enough to focus on one or two specific training topics.

Remember, a great training consists of not one learning method but multiple learning methods. Look to make the training a combination of visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic methods. You can review each of the methods by reading about best learning methods.

Coach to the Individual

As shown earlier, creating training courses are designed for trends for a specific group. Coaching is designed to be specific to an individual. In the case of cancellations mentioned earlier you would spend additional time coaching time on this topic for those that are offenders.

The notion of treating each person different can be frowned upon, but for coaching it is necessary. The needs of each individual are different. The purpose of coaching is to give one on one time to help them with their areas of opportunity.

A way in which coaching can be individualized is through Quality Assurance programs. As part of this program, calls are monitored and graded for training purposes. If an agent received a perfect score, then forward feedback onto the agent, but there is no need for an exhaustive coaching session to say, “Great Job”.

If an agent received a poor score, then pull the agent aside for a coaching session focusing only on a primary and secondary coaching topic, even if there are more to coach on. Focus on one main item, perfect it, and then move on to the other.

Coaching requires you to review the individual’s performance, find the primary coaching topic, and then administer it in a way in which the agent changes their behavior. Take the time to create great coaching moments.

Use Correct Tools

Having both the correct training and coaching process is important, but having the correct tools is imperative to your success. FiveLumens has the features and capabilities managers need to not only be able to effectively track and coach their contact center agents, but also to provide effective training. FiveLumens performance enhancement software makes coaching and training easy and effective. To learn more, get a demo.