Call centre supervisor

Call centre supervisor article illustration

Description

Call centre supervisors oversee call centre employees, manage projects and understand technical aspects of the call centre activities.

The duties of a call centre supervisor typically include, but are not limited to:

  • Hiring and onboarding new employees
  • Providing coaching and feedback to agents throughout their shift to help them improve their performance
  • Monitoring incoming calls to ensure that agents can handle the volume of calls that come in and take appropriate action if an agent is unable to handle a call
  • Reviewing call logs and other performance data to identify areas for improvement or to coach agents on their performance
  • Determining whether agents are meeting performance standards, including metrics such as average talk time per call and number of dropped calls
  • Conducting weekly team meetings to discuss performance issues with agents or goals and objectives for the upcoming week
  • Reviewing and modifying scripts and training materials as needed based on customer feedback
  • Ensuring that agents comply with company policies regarding privacy and security during interactions with customers
  • Reviewing call recordings to identify problems and take appropriate action to correct them
  • Scheduling staff for shifts, including overtime as needed, and making sure that there are enough agents to handle incoming calls

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to call centre supervisor:

contact centre manager
inbound call center supervisor
tele-sales supervisor
customer contact centre supervisor
customer centre supervisor
contact centre supervisor
telephone sales supervisor
customer service supervisor
direct sales supervisor
telemarketing manager
inbound call centre supervisor
telemarketing supervisor
outbound call centre supervisor
customer service centre manager
outbound call center supervisor

Working conditions

The call centre supervisor works in a fast-paced environment where they are responsible for monitoring and managing a team of customer service representatives. The supervisor ensures that calls are answered in a timely manner and that customers are satisfied with the service they receive. The supervisor also works to resolve any customer complaints and escalations.

The call centre supervisor typically works a regular full-time schedule, but may be required to work evenings and weekends to cover the call center’s hours of operation. The job can be stressful at times, but the supervisor is typically able to take breaks when needed and has access to support from other team members.

Minimum qualifications

Entry-level call centre supervisors are typically required to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers may prefer candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as business or communications. Those with a degree in business can expect to learn about topics such as human resources, management, economics, accounting, and marketing.

Call centre supervisors typically receive on-the-job training to learn the specific processes and procedures of the company. This training may include shadowing a current call center supervisor or supervisor trainee for a period of time, or it may be part of a new-hire orientation. Call centre supervisors may also receive additional training through conferences or seminars to learn industry-specific skills.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Call centre supervisor is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Call centre supervisor career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to call centre supervisor.

ICT help desk manager
contact centre supervisor
call centre analyst
department store manager
call centre manager

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of call centre supervisor. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of call centre supervisor with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

licensing manager
import export manager in china and other glassware
import export manager in computers, computer peripheral equipment and software
import export manager in electrical household appliances
import export manager in household goods

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of call centre supervisor.

  • Characteristics of products: The tangible characteristics of a product such as its materials, properties and functions, as well as its different applications, features, use and support requirements.
  • Call routing: The technique of placing calls from one point to another in the fastest possible way to avoid tolls and congestion.
  • Employment law: The law which mediates the relationship between employees and employers. It concerns employees’ rights at work which are binding by the work contract.
  • Call quality assurance management: Recording systems and monitoring procedures used in keeping track of call quality and methods for improvement.
  • Call-centre technologies: The wide range of telecommunications hardware and software such as automated phone systems and communication devices.
  • Characteristics of services: The characteristics of a service that might include having acquired information about its application, function, features, use and support requirements.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of call centre supervisor.

  • Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
  • Perform data analysis: Collect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.
  • Manage ICT project: Plan, organize, control and document procedures and resources, such as human capital, equipment and mastery, in order to achieve specific goals and objectives related to ICT systems, services or products, within specific constraints, such as scope, time, quality and budget.
  • Manage business knowledge: Set up structures and distribution policies to enable or improve information exploitation using appropriate tools to extract, create and expand business mastery.
  • Forecast workload: Predict and define the workload that needs to be done in a certain amount of time and the time it would take to perform related tasks.
  • Measure call quality: Calculate the total quality of a call including the ability to reproduce a user’s voice, and the system’s ability to limit impairment during conversation.
  • Perform project management: Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project’s progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set time and budget.
  • Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.
  • Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
  • Maintain high quality of calls: Establish high quality standards and instructions for calls.
  • Interpret automatic call distribution data: Interpret information of call distribution system, a device that transmits incoming calls to specific groups of terminals.
  • Analyse staff capacity: Evaluate and identify staffing gaps in quantity, skills, performance revenue and surpluses.
  • Train employees: Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the performance of individuals and groups in organisational settings.
  • Secure sensitive customer’s information: Select and apply security measures and regulations related to sensitive customer information with the aim of protecting their privacy.
  • Supervise data entry: Supervise the entry of information such as addresses or names in a data storage and retrieval system via manual keying, electronic data transfer or by scanning.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of call centre supervisor. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Teamwork principles: The cooperation between people characterised by a unified commitment to achieving a given goal, participating equally, maintaining open communication, facilitating effective usage of ideas etc.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of call centre supervisor. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
  • Manage staff: Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the workers to meet the company objectives. Monitor and measure how an employee undertakes their responsibilities and how well these activities are executed. Identify areas for improvement and make suggestions to achieve this. Lead a group of people to help them achieve goals and maintain an effective working relationship among staff.
  • Analyse call performance trends: Analyse call quality and performance trends; provide recommendations for future improvement.
  • Recruit employees: Hire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation.
  • Adapt to changing situations: Change approach to situations based on unexpected and sudden changes in people’s needs and mood or in trends; shift strategies, improvise and naturally adapt to those circumstances.
  • Build rapport with people from different cultural backgrounds: Understand and create a link with people from different cultures, countries, and ideologies without judgements or preconceptions.
  • Abide by business ethical code of conducts: Conform and follow the ethical code of conducts promoted by companies and businesses at large. Ensure that operations and activities do comply with the code of conduct and ethical operations the supply chain throughout.
  • Apply information security policies: Implement policies, methods and regulations for data and information security in order to respect confidentiality, integrity and availability principles.
  • Use customer relationship management software: Use specialised software to manage company’s interactions with current and future customers. Organise, automate and synchronise sales, marketing, customer service, and technical support, to increase targeted sales.
  • Tolerate stress: Maintain a temperate mental state and effective performance under pressure or adverse circumstances.
  • Provide customer follow-up services: Register, follow-up, solve and respond to customer requests, complaints and after-sales services.

ISCO group and title

3341 – Office supervisors


References
  1. Call centre supervisor – ESCO
  2. Call Center Supervisor Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More – Climb the Ladder
  3. Featured image: Photo by Arlington Research on Unsplash
Last updated on March 24, 2023

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