Case Studies

SELECT Case Studies: Call Centres

Success Story: Tests for Airlines Reservations

Issue: A major US airline asked BHA to help with the task of revamping its selection process to place increased emphasis on customer service attitudes and behaviours.

Solution: It was believed that those agents who exhibited positive customer service behaviours would perform better. Through focus groups, observation and interviews, BHA identified the critical attributes needed for successful performance in an airline reservations position. Incumbent reservation agents (sample size of 1065) completed a preliminary personality survey, and their results were compared with job performance measures.

Results: Use of their tailored version of SELECT for Call Centres has resulted in increases in booked flight reservations of 7 - 9 percent, representing an increase of several million dollars.
 

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Success Story: Increasing Inbound Sales

Issue: An organisation responsible for "banking" and trading "time shares" wanted to expand its selection process to include a realistic job preview (simulation) and a personality test.

Solution: BHA's role was to develop and validate the selection test and to assist the organisation in incorporating the SELECT testing with the job simulation preview. In a validation study of 146 vacation counsellors, SELECT for Call Centres Inbound Sales identified those applicants most likely to book holidays and obtain long-term membership renewals.

Results: Estimated productivity improvements were 5 to 8 percent. In the new expanded selection process, an applicant completes a computerised job simulation that allows them to "try" the job, then completes the SELECT for Call Centres Inbound Sales test. Candidates can opt out of the selection process based on the job simulation. For those that continue, the survey results identify those candidates with the greatest potential for success.
 

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Success Story: Outbound call centre representatives

Issue: An organisation already using SELECT for Inbound Sales decided to add a small outbound group which was responsible for outreach to current members or solicitation of new members.

Solution: Because this job requires a different set of personal characteristics than their typical inbound sales position, the organisation wanted a personality survey tailored to the unique aspects of an outbound position. After job observation, focus groups and interviews, a test was developed and administered to almost all of the current outbound representatives.

Results: Results from the SELECT for Call Centres Outbound Sales test were found to distinguish those representatives who could solicit business and close sales. Estimated productivity improvements were in the 5 to 9 percent range. When evaluating incoming applicants, the organization now uses a combined inbound / outbound survey which allows them to identify candidates with potential for inbound and/or outbound sales.
 

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