NuComm's Training Team strives to provide all CSR's with the confidence, competence and motivation and commitment needed to deliver exceptional customer service. NuComm aims to do this in the most efficient amount of time - providing measurable value to clients and reinforcing our strategic advantage of learning faster than the competition.
The NuComm Training Philosophy
NuComm believes only 15% of learning is retained after typical classroom training. As well, most organizations lose valuable time analyzing scenarios that rarely, if ever, happen. The result is that CSR's often lose sight of what is important when faced with information overload.
 NuComm's philosophy is different. Our initial classroom training is designed to focus on the key knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) that a CSR must master to be successful on the job.
NuComm's model then focuses on opportunities for continuous improvement using a variety of techniques that follow close on the heels of any classroom training. These methods include:
- Weekly Testing (All CSRs must pass one per week)
- Mystery Calling (30-50 calls from auditors per month)
- Blitz coaching (30-50 sessions per CSR per month)
- Coaching (Both online and in-person)
- Mentoring (All CSRs are assigned a mentor)
- Data Auditing Feedback (100% accuracy is the standard expected)
- Formal Call Reviews (Minimum of two reviews per CSR/week)
While NuComm focuses on "need to know" initially, the "nice to know" aspects of learning are quickly assimilated into the CSR's skill set using these ongoing measures.
NuComm's competitive advantage lies in its ability to not only determine the KSAs specific to a campaign, but to design training so that KSAs are acquired in the most efficient time possible.
If a CSR will use a skill 95% of the time, we will present the skill in great detail, give the CSR an opportunity to practice it and ask questions, and receive feedback on performance.
NuComm's Curriculum For New Hires
All new-hire training begins with a formal orientation course known as NuComm Expectations.
CSRs learn about employee guidelines, the training methodology, and their roles and responsibilities to the client and its customers. Trainees also learn Success Selling - including NuComm's "Anatomy" of typical client calls, call control skills, objection-handling methods and NuComm's method for diffusing difficult situations.
We then focus on Exceptional Customer Service, which is our basic corporate philosophy. In this training, the concepts of revenue generation, exceptional customer service and efficiency are consistently linked.
After NuComm Expectations, CSRs move on to product and systems training. The length of this training depends on the volume and complexity of information. NuComm develops its own training materials and also uses materials provided by clients.
Refresher Training
Refresher training is later developed to support information received from NuComm's Quality Department, Operations and Client Feedback Surveys. Typical approaches include:
Quality Sessions: Evaluating taped calls based on Quality Department guidelines. A key element in these sessions involves brainstorming ways to improve the level of service provided by the CSR, in addition to considering the business impact. Trainers role-play these ideas to determine their effectiveness. Trainees make note of key phrases and transitional statements that can help increase call effectiveness.
Call Handling Sessions: These sessions are designed to ensure call control is maintained while respecting the customer's priorities. The core of this session is NuComm's "Call Anatomy."
Product Knowledge Refresher Sessions: These sessions are designed to ensure all CSR's are comfortable with any changes to the client's product knowledge. This is in addition to training courses provided by the client for the launch of new service offerings and changes to existing service offerings, processes and procedures.
Systems Navigation Refresher and Multi-Tasking Sessions: This training is designed to ensure all CSR's are confident using various applications and have the skills needed to use the systems while maintaining a comfortable rapport with a calling customer.
Sales Refresher Training: Here, ideas on best practices are shared based on CSR input and information from the Quality Department, Operations and Client Feedback. The NuComm "Call Anatomy," qualifying questions, targeted features and benefits, and successful closing techniques are discussed for the most common call types. CSR's must then complete an action plan for using these techniques after completing training.
Retention Refresher Sessions: Based on the theory that it costs 5 to 7 times more to obtain a new customer than to retain an existing customer, this course focuses on NuComm's prescribed method for diffusing difficult situations. Supervisors and Call Center Managers attend the sessions listed above with their respective teams.
NuComm's Training Curriculum For Management
All management personnel (from supervisors to vice presidents) must complete a one-week, intensive certification course as a condition of employment.
This Call Center Management program is based on the book 23 Steps to an Effective Call center, written by NuComm CEO, Réal Bergevin. The course was developed with NuComm's business model at its core and explains how NuComm's operations are structured to support achieving its mission and vision.
NuComm has also developed a Supervisory Skills course that supervisors complete as an introductory orientation to their role. This course includes leadership skills, the "blitz" coaching model, tools that support supervisors, how to conduct an employee performance review and the techniques of progressive discipline.
NuComm also offers a Train-the-Trainer certification course to all Corporate and Backup Trainers. The Corporate Trainer position is a full-time role, while Backup Trainers are part-time positions that give CSR's the opportunity to train when there is an overflow of training requests. Regardless of title, all Trainers complete the in-house course, which is in addition to any train-the-trainer courses offered by our clients for their specific products or services.
Testing & Training Certification
To demonstrate NuComm's commitment to achieving measurable results for clients, we employ a rigorous testing process throughout training. All trainees are expected to achieve a minimum of 80% on all testing requirements.
For some campaigns, this involves successful completion of four (4) different tests, covering sales and customer service skills, product knowledge, system application and a role-play certification.
If trainees achieve between 70%-80%, they may be eligible to rewrite a test of similar difficulty if they have consistently exhibited a positive attitude, willingness to learn, desire to be a NuComm employee and have a high likelihood of success on the campaign.
If a trainee does not meet these guidelines or achieves less than 70% on a testing requirement, a new hire will no longer have an employment opportunity at NuComm. Existing CSRs are directed to a Call center Manager for resolution on a case-by-case basis.
Generally, about 80% of trainees that begin NuComm training are successfully certified.
All training and certification results are tracked in NuComm's HRIS system. We also have an online system that evaluates CSR's who have participated in training. CSRs initiate it by completing a survey at the end of training. The review is completed when the CSRs are automatically e-mailed a follow-up survey 30 days later.
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