Proven Strategies for Call Center Mergers & Acquisitions

One time, we sat side-by-side with agents at a large contact center targeted for acquisition by our client. Leadership assumed they were all using the same technique. We observed poor performers, top performers, and all those in between. We were told that all the agents on this outbound sales team followed a specific script, yet simple observation validated what the performance metrics told us - adherence varied widely. As it turns out, all the agents did indeed use the script, but inconsistent to each other and the script’s intent. But the bottom performers followed that script verbatim and were unable to apply their coaching and training to certain moments. However, top performers used it to ensure regulatory compliance, but also as a guide in which they were able to apply their intuition and training to handle and successfully overcome customer objections, leading to higher conversion rates. With the script on their knee, they included every point. They just converted the points into their own words. After the acquisition, this became a best practice for the operation. Close contact with frontline agents and their management teams is the best way to understand a contact center and gain critical due diligence intel. By asking questions and watching the action, a skilled call center professional will discover how well the center’s knowledge management platform works, any potential technology incompatibilities, whether training is optimum, and the real problems people avoid discussing.

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Of course, data points and metrics will be gleaned from all the usual sources. But information may be collected from less obvious places as well.

In addition to normal work hours, information gathering can extend to smoke breaks, lunch, and dinner – even drinks after dinner. Many impromptu recon opportunities become available for those who put themselves in the right place at the right time. Look for these places. These chance meetings become rich sources of candid company snapshots. When woven together in the capability model report, these tidbits enhance raw data and metrics to create an honest, complete picture of the contact center’s current state. It's also worth noting that although agents and managers may not be forthcoming to leadership within their own company, they may be more prone to talk to an external team charged with operational improvement.