By Hannah Hellebush
In speaking with members we hear that many service center professionals are interested in the merits of rep-level certification programs. There are a lot of programs available—most offer an online course for frontline reps who become “certified” after the completion of a test. The courses take a few weeks to complete and are priced per individual rep.
Certainly, rep-level certification programs could potentially help in skills training and upskilling. But many companies we talk to say it’s hard to measure the gains from these programs in terms of direct rep performance gains. And of course, CCC has long held that coaching (not training) is by far the best skill development lever you can pull.
So, I’ve got to wonder – if the jury is out on rep-level certification programs to drive performance, what are some other benefits the programs could have?
I’ve come to think that the most beneficial aspect of rep-level certification programs is not necessarily the skills gained by frontline agents, but rather an increase in employee engagement and tenure. Why is this the case? Certification programs help engage staff in two ways:
• Creates Visible Career Pathing Opportunities: If reps clearly understand their internal career path and the skills needed to advance, they are more likely to want to improve their performance, develop those new skills, and move forward in the organization. Providing reps the opportunity to become certified allows them to visualize and even begin to achieve the next steps they need to take in order to move forward. It also demonstrates the company’s commitment to the rep’s development and their career path.
• Recognizes the Efforts of Frontline Staff: Many organizations tie different skill levels to an incentive system—again reiterating a service organization focus on upward movement and overall improvement, while compensating those reps who put forth extra effort. Incentives can also be non-monetary—for example simply publically recognizing staff who become certified can signal that their work is appreciated.
Naturally there are challenges when structuring your service center staff around certification programs. Often centers struggle to achieve frontline staff buy-in. To combat this potential challenge, it is important to do two things:
• Communicate to staff the career benefits offered by participating in a certification program (including salary increase and promotion potential).
• Relate why certification is important to improve the center as a whole and how it aligns with the overall goals of the service organization: it can improve the overall performance and staff efficiency, workflow can be better handled, etc.
CCC members, to quickly asses your employees’ engagement, take the Employee Engagement Pulse Survey. Or, to see how to most effectively develop your staff, take a look at our work on Improving Staff Skills.
Let us know what you think. Does your center certify its frontline reps?
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