Call centers are in full gear to provide superior services and customer satisfaction. In order to achieve these goals, they have shifted their focus on their most important asset ie agents. Also they are trying to reduce the attrition rates by deploying and practicing employee friendly practices within the premises.
1) Interviewing: Test your candidates on the base of their key potential and competencies. Make interview interactive and let the candidate speak. You will be able to judge his communication skills, confidence and calmness level as well. Ask them about issues, challenges and goals they have handled.
2) Recruit Big: Never hire or go for one agent. Try to hire them in small groups. This way it will be easy to manage and train them. Five is an ideal number in this case.
3) Honest still rules: Communicate clearly with candidates. Be transparent about the objectives of the company, working environment they will be working in and pressure they will be dealing with. This will help them to decide about the job offer which will eventually reduce the attrition rate in your call center because they won't abscond in half way then.
4) Invest in the induction stage: Try to open up with agents at the induction time itself. Let them feel comfortable about your organization and be in sync with its working culture.
5) Add external recruitment consultants: Make your external recruitment company, your long term solution provider because in that case, they will be in a position to understand your business better.
6) Budget: In a minimal budget, you can coordinate with local press to drive your PR campaign or job classified.
7) Multi Channel Approach: Try social networking and social marketing sites to post your job requirement. An applicant agent should also understands that call center services are about providing excellent customer support and boost the services of client whereas a management should also understand that there is no such fixed criterion to find a good agent. Atmosphere of cal center should be work compliant to hold their agents.