From compliance to coaching: how to transform your QA approach
"Is your quality assurance program helping agents grow, or just checking boxes?"
For years, many call centres have relied on a compliance-first approach to quality assurance (QA), focusing on rules and regulations. However, as customer expectations evolve, it’s becoming clear that compliance alone doesn’t create exceptional customer experiences. That’s where a coaching-driven QA approach comes in—a method that encourages agents to build on their strengths, address skill gaps, and truly connect with customers.
Transforming your QA approach can drive higher agent engagement, customer satisfaction, and long-term success for your call centre, but how can you make the shift from compliance-based QA to a coaching-focused strategy?
Why a coaching-driven QA program outperforms compliance alone
Traditional QA programs often measure agents against a rigid set of standards, primarily to ensure they adhere to regulatory and procedural requirements. While compliance is essential, focusing exclusively on it misses a key opportunity to develop agents’ skills and elevate the customer experience.
Benefits of a coaching-driven QA approach:
Enhances agent development: Coaching highlights skills beyond compliance, helping agents develop in areas like empathy, active listening, and problem-solving.
Increases customer satisfaction: Coaching-driven QA engenders high-quality interactions by empowering agents to engage genuinely with customers.
Boosts agent engagement and retention: When agents see QA as a tool for growth rather than just an evaluation, they’re more motivated and likely to stay.
Sebastian Cox from GRIST partner YakTrak, observes that when QA data is used as a foundation for coaching, call centres see greater alignment between agent development and customer expectations, resulting in stronger performance across the board.
Shifting from compliance-focus QA to coaching-driven QA requires a mindset change
Steps to transition QA from compliance to coaching
Moving from compliance-focused QA to a coaching-driven approach requires a shift in mindset, along with practical changes in how QA is implemented.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for making the transition:
1. Use QA insights to inform coaching
QA data provides a valuable snapshot of agent performance, highlighting areas where agents excel and where they could improve. Instead of only using QA scores to assess compliance, high-performing call centres use these insights as a springboard for coaching.
Identify core skill areas: Review QA results to identify which skills (e.g., empathy, problem-solving) need development.
Make QA data accessible: Share relevant QA insights with agents so they understand their strengths and focus areas.
By turning QA results into actionable coaching insights, you shift the emphasis from assessment to growth.
2. Set collaborative goals with agents
When agents participate in setting their QA goals, they’re more engaged in the process. Collaborative goal-setting also fosters accountability, as agents understand what they’re working towards and feel empowered to meet expectations.
Create SMART goals: Make goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, “increase empathy score by 10% in three months.”
Align goals with performance metrics: Use metrics like coaching goal completion rate to measure progress and celebrate milestones.
GRIST finds that aligning goals with specific performance outcomes gives agents a clear, actionable path forward, making it easier for them to see the value of their efforts.
3. Emphasise soft skills in evaluations
While compliance-based evaluations focus on whether agents follow protocols, coaching-driven QA goes further by assessing soft skills that enhance customer interactions. Including soft skills in QA criteria provides a fuller picture of agent performance.
Key soft skills to evaluate:
Active listening: Are agents attentive to customers’ concerns, demonstrating understanding?
Empathy: Do agents connect with customers, acknowledging emotions and showing genuine care?
Problem-solving: Are agents resourceful in resolving customer issues effectively?
Evaluating these skills helps agents develop qualities that improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. As YakTrak sees in successful call centres, agents who are coached on soft skills often achieve higher satisfaction scores and build stronger customer connections.
4. Create a continuous feedback loop
One-time feedback sessions aren’t enough to drive lasting improvement. A continuous feedback loop allows agents to receive ongoing support and adjust in real-time.
Provide immediate feedback: Use real-time monitoring tools to provide feedback on live calls, helping agents correct course immediately.
Schedule regular check-ins: Frequent coaching sessions keep QA goals top of mind and allow agents to track their progress over time.
With a continuous feedback loop, agents receive the support they need to improve gradually, turning each interaction into a learning opportunity.
5. Expand success metrics beyond compliance
While traditional QA might focus solely on compliance metrics, a coaching-driven approach should include metrics that track skill development and performance growth.
Consider these metrics:
Coaching goal completion rate: Tracks how effectively agents meet set coaching goals, providing insight into skill development.
Customer satisfaction (CSAT): Measures customer sentiment post-interaction, showing how effectively agents engage.
First call resolution (FCR): Assesses the agent’s ability to resolve issues in the first interaction.
By expanding success metrics, you get a holistic view of agent performance that goes beyond compliance, revealing how well agents are growing and meeting customer needs.
Building a culture of coaching in your call centre
Transforming QA from compliance-focused to coaching-driven isn’t just a process change—it’s a culture shift. Successful call centres embed coaching into their culture, ensuring that every level of the organisation supports agent development.
Foster a coaching mindset
Encourage team leaders to see themselves as coaches rather than just evaluators. When leaders invest in their agents’ growth, agents feel supported and are more likely to perform at their best.
Reward and recognise progress
Celebrate small wins and achievements. Acknowledging progress in QA scores and coaching goal completions reinforces the value of growth, keeping agents motivated and engaged.
Ensure leadership buy-in
For coaching-driven QA to succeed, leadership must champion the shift. When leaders prioritise development over compliance, agents see QA as an opportunity rather than an obligation.
Final thoughts: elevate your QA program with coaching
A coaching-focused QA approach allows your call centre to support agents beyond basic compliance. By setting collaborative goals, providing continuous feedback, and measuring success holistically, your team can develop the skills needed to deliver exceptional service.
By transforming QA into a growth-oriented program, you not only improve agent satisfaction and retention but also create a customer experience that sets your brand apart.
So, is your QA program ready to go beyond compliance? Start building a culture of coaching today.
Want to explore how coaching goal completion rate can enhance your QA framework? Contact us today to learn more about integrating coaching-focused metrics that drive performance, satisfaction, and growth in your call centre.
