If you’re running a contact center in the 100-seat-and-up range and you’re looking for a fast and effective way to screen and train new hires, you might want to consider using simulation-based training software.
In last week’s article we covered the basics of simulation-based training, a subset of e-learning that involves software that simulates live interactions with customers. Agents get on the phone and interact with computer-simulated characters that act just like humans.
Typically, simulation-based training is used to help agents master basic customer interaction skills – also known as soft skills. In addition to training agents how to handle interactions, these systems can also train your agents how to use your contact center’s software and systems, just as if they were on a live call with a real customer.
Now let’s take a look at how to go about selecting simulation-based training software for your contact center.
When shopping for a simulation-based training system, consider the quality of the content and how well suited it is to your training needs. Some vendors have taken years of research on traditional learning and e-learning and fused it with methods for improving employee performance to arrive at a program that is applicable (and effective) across a range of verticals. In other cases the content is geared for a specific market segment or industry.
The content is typically prepackaged and can’t be modified. The program might be excellent, but if it doesn’t match your needs – if it is too broad or general or conversely doesn’t address a specific set of problems you have — you’re not going to get the results you expect.
Some simulation-based training systems allow for control over the content: The training program can be modified so that new and different training scenarios unfold based on identified skill gaps or specific business goals. In some cases the vendor might provide a range of prepackaged content that you can choose from – or the vendor might be able to make a custom-tailored program geared just for your business.
Of course, the more advanced — and the more custom — the system, the more expensive it will be. Some of these systems can cost hundreds of dollars per seat. And in some cases you might need a certain amount of in-house or third-party IT support.
Remember, simulation-based training is not a substitute for hands-on traditional training. Rather, it is a tool that your contact center managers, trainers and coaches use to accelerate and improve the training process.
In fact, many of the companies that sell simulation-based training systems also offer live, traditional training programs to complement the software — and some even insist that their live training program be used in order to guarantee the efficacy of the system.
As mentioned in part one of this two-part series, the software can’t train your agents on your specific products or brand — that is unless you’re willing to shell out big bucks for a totally custom system. That remains your job, and will likely be the larger portion of your training program.
Plus there’s the importance of human interaction, respect and hierarchy within your contact center: You don’t want simulated training to completely replace your hands-on training as this will result in a loss of authority for your managers and coaches, due to their reduced roles as a leaders and facilitators.
You must also have the right number of trainees coming into your center in order to justify the investment. If you don’t have any seasonal peaks that require you to hire additional help – or if your contact center generally has very low turnover – it might be hard to justify the investment in a simulation-based training system.
But there’s no doubt that when selected carefully and combined with high quality traditional training methods, today’s simulation-based training systems can give your contact center an edge.
Want to know where to find simulation-based training systems for the contact center? Here are a few places where you can start: