Call Center Representatives Research Articles

The Impact of Performance Measurement Methods on Job Satisfaction Among Call Center Representatives in Yemeni Telecommunications Companies

خلفية الدراسة ومشكلتها: إنّ ممثلي مراكز الاستشارات الهاتفية في شركات الاتصالات لا يشعرون بالرضا عن أعمالهم وأوضاعهم، وصرّحوا بذلك أثناء الدراسة الاستطلاعيّة، وقد يكون أحد الأسباب في ذلك هي طرق قياس الأداء؛ ولذا تركّزت الدارسة على تحديد أثر طرق وأساليب قياس أداء ممثلي مراكز الاستشارات الهاتفية بشركات الاتصالات اليمنية على رضاهم الوظيفي. الأهداف: تهدف الدراسة التعرف على تأُثير طرق قياس أداء ممثلي مراكز الاستشارات الهاتفية في شركات الاتصالات اليمنية من حيث نظم قياس الأداء، وواقعية المعايير، وقابليّة تطبيقها، وتفهم الموظفين لنقاط ضمان الجودة، وتأثير المراقبة الشديدة للأداء والمتابعة والتغذية المرتجعة والتوجيه وإدراك الموظف لعدالة قياس الأداء على رضاهم الوظيفي. الطرق المستخدمة: اعتمد الباحثان على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، وتم إعداد استبانة لجمع البيانات من ممثلي مراكز الاتصالات في شركات الاتصالات لتحقيق أهداف الدراسة. النتائج: وتوصّلت الدراسة إلى وجود تأثير إيجابيّ ذي دلالة إحصائيّة لتفهّم الموظفين لنقاط ضمان الجودة، وتأثير إيجابيّ للمراقبة الشديدة على الأداء، والمتابعة والتغذية المرتجعة، والتوجيه وإدراك الموظف لعدالة قياس الأداء، وبرنامج التقدير والمكافآت، كما توصلت الدراسة إلى عدم وجود فروق في مستوى الرضا الوظيفي بحسب مكان العمل ونظم قياس الأداء. ووُجدَتْ فروق بين آراء ممثلي مراكز الاتصال بحسب مكان العمل. الاستنتاجات (التوصيات والمساهمة): تم التوصل إلى وجود تأُثير لطرق قياس الأداء بأبعادها كافة على الرّضا الوظيفي لممثلي مراكز الاتصالات بشركات الاتصالات اليمنية بما في ذلك المراقبة الشديدة. وأوصى البحث بضرورة حوكمة طرق قياس الأداء ونشرها واتّصافها بالشفافيّة، والقيام بإصلاحات إدارية تؤدي إلى إزالة التضارب والتعارض بين الاختصاصات، وتحقيق العدالة في منح الحوافز بحسب طبيعة العمل.

EXPLORING THE ATTRIBUTES OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE OF A TEAM LEADER IN BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING

The purpose of the study was to develop the best-fit model for exploring the attributes of a high-performing inbound team leader in Business Process Outsourcing in Davao City. The study utilized the exploratory mixed method approach following a two-phase study design. The first phase of the study was to identify dimensions using exploratory factor analysis, which items were based on the in-depth interview before item identification. The identified dimensions were established call calibration mechanism, value-driven, sense of accountability and trust, sense of recognition, innovation, and quality-directed leader. Data results were subjected to principal component analysis to determine factor structure that excludes 22 out of 50 items that did not pass the standard factor loadings of +/- 0.40. The second phase employed confirmatory factor analysis by purposively selecting 450 inbound call center representatives. Furthermore, the study tested three confirmatory configurations. Model number 4, recognized as the best-fit model that illuminates all identified factors, was significantly correlated and explained 68.40 percent of the variation of a high-performing inbound team leader.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0758/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Uncovering Cognitive Costs of Using Artificial Intelligence Tools at Work: A Daily Diary Study

Despite the growing implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) artifacts in the workplace, little is known about how utilizing AI in completing jobs may impact employees’ productivity and wellbeing. Extending prior research that assumed the potential positive impact of AI usage, we drew on the cognitive load theory and conducted a daily diary study to uncover the cognitive demands employees may encounter when utilizing AI-based information tools at work. We collected data over five workdays from 231 call center representatives working for a major bank located in South Korea. These representatives utilize an AI-based supporting system to address customers’ requests over phone calls on a daily basis. We found that on days of frequent AI usage, representatives were more likely to experience information overload, and thereby receiving poorer performance ratings from supervisors and having difficulty detaching from work in the evening. In addition, we found that the detrimental effect of using AI at work is exacerbated by job tenure and is mitigated by openness to experience. Our research has implications for understanding the AI-human collaboration dynamics as well as AI’s impacts on employees.

The Speech Act of Apology by Filipino Call Center Agents

The Philippines is a global leader in business process outsourcing (BPO). Many foreign investors view the Philippines as a viable location for their call center operations due to the Filipinos' strength in English proficiency. This study focuses on inbound call center accounts that deal with a variety of call situations, ranging from information requests to difficult calls that require more time to handle, such as complaint calls. Since the goal of any business is customer satisfaction, this research aims to investigate how Filipino call center agents mitigate and reduce the liability and guilt towards customers. Results show that the 90 call center representatives have successfully produced 'perfect apologies' by providing all five strategies posited by Cohen et al. (1986) in most of their complaint calls. However, the sequence is distorted by emphasizing more on offering a repair. This leads to a recommendation that calls center training on apology be emphasized on building personal connections rather than a mechanical response to situations.

The effects of blue-light filtration on sleep and work outcomes.

In this article, we investigate the effects of blue-light filtration on broad attitudinal and behavioral outcomes (i.e. work engagement, organizational citizenship behavior, and counterproductive work behavior). Drawing on recent developments in the circadian process literature and its related research on chronobiology, we propose that a cost-effective sleep intervention can improve multiple organizationally relevant outcomes. Specifically, we theorize that wearing blue-light filtering glasses creates a form of physiologic darkness, thus improving both sleep quantity and quality. We then argue that wearing blue-light filtering glasses is related to work engagement, task performance, and nontask performance via sleep quantity and sleep quality. Considering that individuals vary in the timing of their circadian process, we propose that chronotype is a first-stage moderator for our theoretical model. We tested these theoretical expectations in 2 experimental experience sampling studies. In Study 1a, we collected data from 63 managers (519 daily observations) and found that wearing blue-light filtering glasses is an effective intervention to improve physiological (sleep), attitudinal (work engagement), and behavioral (task performance, organizational citizenship behavior, and counterproductive work behavior) outcomes. In general, the effects were stronger for employees who tend to have sleep periods later in the day. In Study 1b, we collected data from 67 call center representatives (529 daily observations) and measured task performance from clients. We replicated most of the findings except for the interactions. Our model highlights how and when wearing blue-light filtering glasses can help employees to live and work better. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Factors Affecting Job Performance and Turnover Intention of Call Center Representatives : Focusing on Individual Characteristics and Organizational Characteristics

Factors Affecting Job Performance and Turnover Intention of Call Center Representatives : Focusing on Individual Characteristics and Organizational Characteristics

Call centres and job satisfaction in Italy: employment conditions and socio-biographical patterns

ABSTRACTThe article examines job satisfaction in 21 Italian call centres. The results of research carried out on 1715 handlers indicate how dissatisfaction prevails among call centre representatives (CCRs) and how it is influenced by aspects related to some organisational characteristics (service delivered, size and organisational typology), on one side, and to different aspects of working conditions (contract, wage and tenure) and participants’ biographical and working profiles of CCRs (gender, age, educational attainment), on the others. However, the most interesting finding emerges by distinguishing different dimensions of job satisfaction (extrinsic and intrinsic-relational). In particular, the relationship between type of contract and job satisfaction is rather interesting. For non-permanent workers, in fact, the probability of being dissatisfied is decidedly greater if we consider the extrinsic dimension of job satisfaction. Instead, when the intrinsic-relational dimension is taking into account, atypical workers are no more dissatisfied than the permanent ones. Job insecurity and limited perspectives in terms of work alternatives, safeguards and rewards, seem to be the source of greatest dissatisfaction for Italian CCRs. This certainly does not surprise considering the Italian development model and its dualistic labour market, highly segmented between insiders and outsiders.

"Assisting upon entry: Helping type and approach as moderators of how role conflict affects newcomer resource drain": Correction to Bamberger, Geller, and Doveh (2017).

Reports an error in "Assisting upon entry: Helping type and approach as moderators of how role conflict affects newcomer resource drain" by Peter A. Bamberger, Dvora Geller and Etti Doveh (Journal of Applied Psychology, 2017[Dec], Vol 102[12], 1719-1732). In the article, Table 3 contains several errors. The corrected values are noted below: The Unit size at T2 estimate for Model 4 should be -0.221**. The Instrumental help received estimate for Model 1 should be -0.010. Additionally, the Log likelihood estimate for Models 1-3 should be -5811.37, -5811.27, and -5805.49 respectively. The authors report that the revisions to the table have no implications on the substantive nature of the findings in the article. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2017-32278-001.) We extend recent research on the costs and benefits of helping to help providers by asking whether and under what conditions newcomer help giving may amplify or mitigate the role-conflict-based resource drain such individuals may experience in the context of their initial socialization. Drawing from conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose that whether providing assistance to peers enhances or weakens newcomer help providers' resilience to such conflict-based resource drain (i.e., exhaustion) depends on both the type of help given (instrumental vs. emotional) and the orientation (more vs. less empowering) that newcomers adopt when providing it. We test our propositions on the basis of time-lagged data collected from newly hired call center representatives at the end of their first and sixth months on the job. Results largely support our predictions, with instrumental assistance mitigating, and emotional assistance exacerbating, the role-conflict-based resource drain experienced by newcomer help providers. Moreover, these amplifying effects of emotional help provision on the conflict-exhaustion relationship are largely eliminated among those newcomer help providers reporting a more empowering approach to help provision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Job‐Shock Influence on Call‐Center Turnover

High employee turnover is a problem for call centers. Previous research shows job shock contributed to high employee turnover among different jobs. Job shock is defined as unexpected events that occur in the workplace and cause the employee to resign voluntarily. This phenomenological transcendental reduction qualitative study explored call center representatives’ experiences with job shock, explaining employee turnover and the decision to resign voluntarily. Four dominant themes implied job shocking events influence employee turnover.

Structural Equation Model of the Quality of Life in the Call Center Representatives Applying the PRECEDE Model

본 연구는 PRECEDE 모델을 적용하여, 콜센터 상담사의 삶의 질에 영향을 미치는 요인들 간의 인과관계를 구조방정식 모형으로 규명하고자 시도하였다. 조사대상은 D광역시 4개의 콜센터에서 인바운드 업무에 종사하고 있는 상담사 695명으로 하였다. 자료 수집은 2016년 11월 15일부터 12월 5일까지의 기간 동안에 구조화된...

Assisting upon entry: Helping type and approach as moderators of how role conflict affects newcomer resource drain.

We extend recent research on the costs and benefits of helping to help providers by asking whether and under what conditions newcomer help giving may amplify or mitigate the role-conflict-based resource drain such individuals may experience in the context of their initial socialization. Drawing from conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose that whether providing assistance to peers enhances or weakens newcomer help providers' resilience to such conflict-based resource drain (i.e., exhaustion) depends on both the type of help given (instrumental vs. emotional) and the orientation (more vs. less empowering) that newcomers adopt when providing it. We test our propositions on the basis of time-lagged data collected from newly hired call center representatives at the end of their first and sixth months on the job. Results largely support our predictions, with instrumental assistance mitigating, and emotional assistance exacerbating, the role-conflict-based resource drain experienced by newcomer help providers. Moreover, these amplifying effects of emotional help provision on the conflict-exhaustion relationship are largely eliminated among those newcomer help providers reporting a more empowering approach to help provision. (PsycINFO Database Record

Control and involvement HR practices in Indian call centres: still searching for answers

Call centres were established primarily to reduce organizational costs while simultaneously providing high‐quality customer service. To support this ‘twin constraints’ strategy, a range of human resource (HR) practices tends to be used in call centres that focus simultaneously on both control and involvement. To date, there has been a lack of empirical evidence concerning the outcome of such HR practices on call centre frontline staff (call centre representatives – CCRs). Consequently, this paper attempts to bridge this gap using a sample of 250 CCRs from Indian call centres. The findings show that, while the simultaneous use of involvement‐and control‐oriented HR practices had a positive impact on CCR job satisfaction, it also resulted in employee exhaustion and disengagement. These findings suggest that while involvement‐oriented HR practices enhance CCR job satisfaction, they come at a cost which is potentially a key factor leading to high CCR turnover.

Do They Always Have Wounded Selves: Moderating Impact of Job-worth on Burnout and Self-worth of Indian Call Centre Employees

Numerous researches in call centres indicate the negative psychological impact in the form of burnout experiences of the customer service representatives. The present study argues that burnout experiences do not always have a negative impact on the employee’s self-worth. The relationship is, instead, moderated by the impact of job-worth, which acts as a potential individual resource. The results of the present study conducted on 312 call centre representatives partially confirm our hypotheses. Results indicate that representatives who have high job-worth maintain their self-worth, even when emotionally exhausted. The results also show that employees possessing high job-worth, even with low personal accomplishments on their jobs, maintain their self-worth. We discuss the findings in the Indian call centre context from the perspective of self and identity literature and provide broader implications for practice and research.

Relationship between Emotional Labor and Customer Orientation among Airline Service Employees: Mediating Role of Depersonalization

Drawing on Hobfoll’s conservation of resources theory and Maslach’s burnout theory, this study proposed and tested a conceptual model depicting relationships among the two forms of emotional labor strategies, depersonalization and customer orientation (CO). The model also examined the mediating role of depersonalization in the relationship between emotional labor and CO. Multigroup analyses were conducted to examine moderating effects of job position and job responsibility. Data obtained from cabin crews, airport service staff, and call center representatives working for an airline company in Korea were used to gauge these relationships. Results of structural equation modeling revealed that deep acting affects CO positively while surface acting affects CO negatively. The results further suggest that these relationships are mediated by both reduced and increased depersonalization, and the strength of the direct relationships may differ by employee position and area of service work. Theoretical and management implications are discussed based on the findings.

If You Are Emotionally Intelligent: The effects of customer‐related social stressors on counterproductive work behavior for front‐line service employees

Recent literature in the area of employee–customer interactions suggests that stressful encounters contribute to negative outcomes for service employees. Few studies, however, have focused on the effects of customer‐related social stressors (CSS) on counterproductive work behavior (CWB) among front‐line service employees. The researchers tested a moderated mediation model of the effects of CSS on CWB with the key objective of exploring the mediation effects of emotional exhaustion and the moderating effects of emotional intelligence on this relationship. Based on a sample of 244 call center representatives in China, the research revealed that CSS led to emotional exhaustion, which, in turn, related to CWB for service employees. Furthermore, emotional intelligence acted as a buffer on the effects of CSS on CWB via emotional exhaustion.

Who Are These Workers, Anyway?

The focal article by Bergman and Jean (2016) raises an important issue by documenting the underrepresentation of nonprofessional and nonmanagerial workers in industrial and organizational (I-O) research. They defined workers as, “people who were not executive, professional or managerial employees; who were low- to medium-skill; and/or who were wage earners rather than salaried” (p. 89). This definition encompasses a wide range of employee samples: from individuals working in blue-collar skilled trades like electricians and plumbers to police officers, soldiers, and call center representatives to low-skill jobs such as fast food, tollbooth operators, and migrant day workers. Because there is considerable variability in the pay, benefits, skill level, autonomy, job security, schedule flexibility, and working conditions that define these workers’ experiences, a more fine-grained examination of who these workers are is necessary to understand the scope of the problem and the specific subpopulations of workers represented (or not) in existing I-O research.

Cultural intelligence (CQ) in virtual, cross-cultural interactions: Generalizability of measure and links to personality dimensions and task performance

Previous studies have focused on investigating CQ in face-to-face contexts but very few have assessed CQ in virtual, cross-cultural interactions. This study highlights the relevance of cultural intelligence (CQ) as an intercultural capability in cross-cultural communications that are virtual. This two-study research (study 1: n=274; study 2: n=223) conducted in call centers in the Philippines (a) assesses the generalizability of the four-factor CQ model (i.e., cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and behavioral CQ) as applied in the virtual context and (b) tests the relationship between CQ, personality dimensions (i.e., openness to experience and extraversion) and supervisor’s ratings of task performance. Study 1 results show that the structural validity of the four-factor CQ model was supported with minor issues in some of the items indicating the need to modify the CQ measure when utilized in the virtual context. Study 2 results show that CQ is positively and significantly related to openness to experience and extraversion. In addition, results show that CQ predicts task performance highlighting the importance of developing CQ among call center representatives and other working professionals who virtually engage and interact with clients and customers from culturally diverse backgrounds.

The role of general and specific stressors in the health and well-being of call centre operators

The call centre industry has developed a reputation for generating a highly stressful work environment with high absenteeism and turnover rates. Research has identified role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload, and work-family conflict as common stressors in other settings. Call centre research has additionally identified performance monitoring, job design and job opportunities as call centre specific stressors. This study investigated the impact of the identified stressors on burnout, somatic symptomology, and turnover intent among 126 call centre representatives (CCRs) from 11 call centres in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found that the common organizational stressors significantly explained between 10% and 53% of the variance in somatic symptomology, burnout (all 3 dimensions) and turnover intent. An additional amount of variance, between 6% and 22% in each of these dependent measures was significantly accounted for by the grouped call centre specific stressors. Overall, common organizational stressors and call centre specific stressors both significantly and independently contributed to burnout, somatic symptomology and turnover intent. These findings are discussed in relation to previous research, and suggestions for improved practice within call centres to safeguard the well-being of workers and for future research are provided.

The Demographic Variables and Emotional Intelligence as Correlates of Work Values: A Cross-Cultural Examination towards Organizational Change

This research paper is a cross-cultural study of demographic variables and their role on emotional intelligence and work values among 437 purposively selected call center representatives (CSRs) from the Middle East, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, India, and the Philippines. The paper aims to establish a baseline literature on the link between demographic variables (such as gender, civil status, work time schedule, and nationality) on emotional intelligence and work values that leads to the appropriate conceptualization of organizational change programs. The descriptive, comparative-correlational methods were employed as this paper also threshes out whether CSRs differ on emotional intelligence and work values based on demographic characteristics. The researchers utilized three instruments such as Demographic Profile Sheet, Emotional Competence Inventory, and Work Values Inventory. The general findings confirm that there is a significant relationship between emotional intelligence (particularly on the clusters of self- management, social awareness and relationship management) and work values (specifically in the areas of management, achievement, supervisory relations, way of life, and independence). In line with the results, the organizational change programs with emphasis on diversity management have been introduced to set future directions for organizations in call center organizations involved in the study.

콜센터 상담원의 감성지능, 조직시민행동과 IT활용능력이 직무 성과에 미치는 영향에 관한 탐색적 연구 : 상담원의 경력 비교

Corporations look for their competitiveness in many different areas, and one of them is customer call center, which provides professional, special service to the customers. The importance and the value of realization of customer satisfaction at each call center have become significant as it plays a leading role and is responsible for customer recreation and follow-up services. This study held in-depth interviews with 3 groups of professional call representatives (categorized by experience) from popular property and life insurance companies in Korea who operate in and outbound calls. Three variables, emotional quotient, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and IT utilization skill, were selected and it was observed how these variables affect the job performance of in and outbound call center representatives. The importance of the relationship between the variables and the key factors in the future direction of improvement of the call center representative organization was analyzed. Emotional quotient refers to the ability to recognize and use the emotion of oneself and others. It was considered it would be effective in enhancing the counseling ability of call center representatives, This study identifies the effect of emotional quotient on job performance and organizational citizenship behavior, which is defined as actions outside of normative roles in the organization. Also, the study aims to prove the effect of emotional quotient on the rapidly developing IT utilization ability in relation to job performance. As a result, it was found that service career (3 months, 3 years, 10 years) had a significant effect on the key factors that affect the organization-emotional quotient, IT utilization skill, and OCB. Especially for OCB, it was considered relatively less important to the new employees, while it greatly affected the job performance, rate of settlement, and sustainment of the working life for those with longer experience. Also, the result of the interview for each variable differed by the service career. Emotional quotient, IT utilization skill, and OCB were close connection for the representatives with longer experience than for those with shorter experience. And the level of intimacy of their relationship with job performance was in proportion to the years of service. Thus, to secure stability for the call center representatives and enhance their job performance continually, the importance of emotional quotient and IT utilization skill shall be reflected in the operation process actively. In particular, in order to lead a organization with outstanding culture, a management system shall apply OCB from the recruitment process.