Coaching V's Monitoring

It is hard too believe that today, so many Leaders believe that the terms Call "Coaching" and "Monitoring" are one in the same, they are not! They are two separate and distinct activities that should be clearly set apart from each other. We still find many of our clients do not engage in Call Coaching at all, not having the time is usually the number one excuse. Incidentally, we still encounter many managers who do not know what coaching is. During one recent engagement, we found that Team Leaders were only expected to provide call coaching on just one call every quarter, shocking isn’t it. During a conversation with one of our consultants, a newly appointed Head of Contact Centre proudly stated that he had told his Team Managers to stop all coaching sessions because he believed them to be meaningless. Incidentally, the same Head of Contact Centre also told us that be “put his Team Leaders on the phone during period of high call demand”. To find out why he shouldn’t put his Team Leaders on the phone, call Vision Consulting, we have the data. Sorry I got off track, we were talking about the difference between Call Coaching V’s Call Monitoring. To find out how different these two activities are, ask Team Leaders and Team Members. You will discover one question gets two different answers every time.

If you ask Team Leaders, “Do you coach?" The answer will most probably be “yes” if you ask Team Members “Are you coached?" the answer is, “No. But we are monitored.” The recipients of coaching and monitoring know very well the difference between these two disciplines.

Coaching takes time, energy and focus. Monitoring tends to focus on aspects on Call Handling an Team Member as failed to carry out with little or no feedback at the end of it. Coaching is an out-in-the-open activity for the purpose of self-development. When you coach, feedback is given during and at the end of the call with the expectation of change in the very next call. Monitoring is a behind-the-scenes activity for the purpose of quality control or assurance. When you monitor, feedback is given later, sometimes we find weeks later, after-the-fact.

Think about sports coaches. Where is the coach during a rugby game or tennis match. On the field and court, with the player. Sometimes the coach stands next to a particular player, giving input on how best to handle the task at hand. Only the actual game itself forces the coach to the side-lines, but the coach is still there. In fact, most coaches develop an entire portfolio of hand gestures developed to continue their communication with players. Why? So that improvement, changes, and yes, even encouragement for a job well done can happen immediately during the game. This is what Call Coaching should be about.

Think again about sport,  Is there a monitor? Yes! The monitor is in the press box filming the game, and on the morning after the game the team gathers to view the evidence! Yes, the evidence of how successful or otherwise the players performed, and at another level, how good the coaches are doing their job!

Monitoring does exactly what the name implies – it monitors what has happened in the past, an event that could have had positive or indeed negative outcomes, and provides a quality assurance and quality control check on the “Team Members.”

The key take away, the important thing to remember is that monitoring is historical. It looks back at what happened and reports on the outcome. Coaching is NOW! Coaching is about developing the talents of the person being coached. It concerns itself with giving personal assistance in the present moment to affect change and provides the person a partner and encourager who helps them facilitate the change.

To find out more about our Coaching and Call Coaching solutions why not start a conversation with us by calling Colin on 07778 652515 or e-mailing. 

colin.clarke@visionconsulting.me.uk

Our expertise & experience

Our current training programs include:

• Customer Experience
• Telephone skills
• Telesales
• Sales management
• Coaching - Using the GROW model
• Understanding contact centres
• Leadership
• Motivating your team to achieve
• Time Management
• Mentoring

Our consultants have designed and delivered training programs for:

• ACE Insurance 
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• Findel
• Sharp Electronics
• Ladbrokes
• Vodafone
• Dorset Police
• Direct 365
• Monarch Airlines
• Monarch Holidays
• Manchester Housing