{"id":821,"date":"2010-11-03T09:00:59","date_gmt":"2010-11-03T16:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mycontactcentre.com\/?p=821"},"modified":"2010-11-03T09:00:59","modified_gmt":"2010-11-03T16:00:59","slug":"education-for-contact-center-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.poly.com\/education-for-contact-center-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Education for contact center professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Text: Anja Hulsenboom
\nThe evolution of the contact center industry has resulted in a wide range of training courses and educational tracks for contact center professionals. It varies from short tailor made training sessions to longer standard courses with a broad range of subjects. Governmental approved courses are mainly focussed on operational jobs. In several countries however educational tracks for higher management positions have been developed too. In this article an overview.<\/p>\n

Training and educational institutions in The Netherlands as well as in other countries offer both short\u00a0 training courses and long term courses, both as a off the shelf and tailored. One could choose from a wide range of front-, mid- and backoffice functions. Subjects that are covered vary from knowledge, skills, behavior on all operational and management related activities that occur within the contact center environment. Some tracks are specifically designed for detailed knowledge on implementing applications like CRM, WFM or quality monitoring.<\/p>\n

Often training is offered by means of tailor made education. In this case, the training institution will develop a training program based on the specific needs of the organization and the professionals that should be educated. Such a program can therefore focus on the needs of agents and supervisors or on supervisors and mid level management. These programs can be expanded with training and coaching on the job and sometimes train the trainer sessions are included.<\/p>\n

An important advantage of tailor made training programs is the level of adaptation towards the organization\u00a0 and the dedicated group within. Tailor made training gives the opportunity to reduce time and costs related to travel and stay, by providing the training sessions in house. More important is the direct relationship between the content of the training program and specific daily practice \u2013 which can be realized by using cases, examples, et cetera. This increases the transfer of knowledge and skills. The initial costs related to program set up might be slightly higher, but in terms of ROI evidence shows that tailor made programs are more effective and efficient which results in long term cost savings.<\/p>\n

In the past few years the professional level of different contact center positions has been under fire. In The Netherlands, ECABO, the national agency of profession related education, has developed a system regarding vertical job positions within the contact center industry, including educational levels:<\/p>\n