Should I Stay or Should I Go? From Turning Points to Decision to Quit in a Call Center Environment

Abstract

Traditionally, call centers have experienced high voluntary turnover rates among their agents (i.e., Customer Service and Sales Representatives). This continues to be an unresolved issue. This paper presents a research study that was conducted to gain a better understanding of the reasons behind employees’ decisions to leave a Customer Service and Sales organization belonging to a large multinational company in Financial Services in the USA. The company’s call centers have consistently experienced a high turnover rate among its agents. This qualitative study was conducted with former employees across three markets to understand the “turning points” which led them to decrease their commitment to the organization and subsequently leave their job. This research aims to enhance our comprehension of the sequential decision-making process that culminates in an employee’s decision to resign. The key findings and recommendations from this study could be used to create targeted organizational development initiatives designed to improve employee retention.