Coaching and Feedback

In a Call Center, you will hear these two words constantly. While related, they are not the same.

Feedback is a Transaction. It is short, specific, and focuses on the past. It tells you what happened and how to course-correct.

Coaching is a Relationship. It is a structured and continuous conversation that focuses on the future. It helps you unlock your full potential for improvement.

Feedback

Feedback acts like a mirror, showing you exactly what you look like to the customer or the business. It can be positive (reinforcement) or constructive (correction).

• When it happens: Immediately after a call or in a quick hallway chat.
• The Goal: Correction or Praise.
• Example: "Hey John, on that last call, you forgot to ask for the Security Question. Please ensure you review the script next time. Also, great greeting and tone of voice."

Coaching

Coaching is a developmental process. It involves sitting down with your Team Leader (TL) or Quality Analyst (QA) to build a plan.

• When it happens: Scheduled 1-on-1 sessions (usually weekly or bi-weekly).
• The Goal: Growth and Skill Building.
• Example: "John, I noticed your Customer Satisfaction scores dropped this month. Let's dig into why that is happening and create a plan to get you back to 90% by next week."

It is important to understand that both concepts work together; a good combination of feedback and coaching ensures short-term improvements and long-term sustained results and growth.

The Standard Framework: The GROW Model

Most BPOs use the GROW Model for coaching sessions. If you want to be a Team Leader one day, memorize this.

• G - Goal: What do we want to achieve?
• "I want to lower my Handle Time to 10 minutes."
• R - Reality: Where are we right now?
• "Currently, I am at 14 minutes because I struggle to find the articles."
• O - Options: What can we do to fix it?
• "I could organize my bookmarks better, or I could shadow a top performer."
• W - Will / Way Forward: What will you do?
• "By Friday, I will reorganize my browser bookmarks."

The Myth of the "Sandwich Method"

In the past, the "Sandwich Method" (Compliment ➡ Criticism ➡ Compliment) was widely used. However, this method is being replaced by better approaches.

• Why it fails: It confuses the agent. They only hear the nice parts and ignore the criticism.
• The Better Way: Direct and Kind. State the issue clearly, explain the impact, and offer support to fix it.