Having a new rep stumble through an unfamiliar system is the last thing a call center manager wants to see or hear. So, what can be done to help newbie users master your CRM system?

Tip #1: Get Real

In some training sessions, service reps go through standard scenarios involving slightly disgruntled customers, or listening to canned responses. But Gartner analyst Michael Maoz thinks it's time for companies to get real.

"You see these very highly scripted scenarios, but what would help more is for a rep to see a day in the life of a customer," he says. For instance, a rep could go through a session where the customer looks for information on the Web site, doesn't find it, and then gets frustrated trying to navigate the automated voice response system.

"By the time they get to the rep, the customer is irritated, and now the rep knows why," says Maoz. "Understanding the customer will help reps understand the system and what information needs to be accessed."

More realistic scenarios have significantly cut the time that it takes for an agent to learn and to do the job, and it streamlines functionality, Maoz says.

Tip #2: Invest Upfront

Another way to help service reps is to hire the right reps in the first place, Maoz adds, and to pay them well once they emerge from training.

Many companies are turning to reps who want to work from home or in small call centers close to their homes. Often though, companies pay remote reps lower wages than those in a centralized office.

Also, Maoz has found that the training investment for remote reps and telecommuters is usually less than for others in the industry.

"Companies give lip service to the issue and say they want to improve customer service, but budgets for training and salaries remain static," Maoz notes. "If you hire the least expensive people you can find, it's like hiring the cheapest brain surgeon. Do you really want to cut costs for something so important?" (continued...)

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Ray S.: