Train Agents Like Sales Pros

Learn how elite sales training for call center agents can transform performance. Discover proven strategies to enhance contact center skills.

Today’s top sales teams don’t just rely on charm or instinct. They train—constantly. Role-playing tough conversations, getting real-time feedback, tracking every metric that matters. That kind of structure breeds confidence, consistency, and results.

But in many call centers, training looks a lot different. New call center agents are often rushed through onboarding, given a script, and thrown straight into the deep end. The result? Uneven performance, low morale, and a steady stream of turnover.

That’s a problem but also an opportunity.

What if contact centers adopted the same high-performance sales training programs that drive elite sales teams? By using tools like role-playing, live coaching, and clear performance tracking, contact centers can build stronger, more capable teams that stick around longer and deliver better customer experiences.

Sound like a big lift? It’s more achievable than you think, and the payoff is worth it. We’ll break down how to make it happen, step by step.

What Can Call Centers Learn from High-Performing Sales Organizations?

Call centers and sales teams both rely on human connection, clear communication, and consistent performance, but top sales organizations take a different approach in training and development. And it shows.

Continuous Training vs. One-Time Onboarding

High-performing sales teams don’t stop sales training after onboarding. They hold regular, structured sessions—weekly skill-building meetings, monthly coaching clinics, even daily huddles. In contrast, many call centers stick to one-time onboarding refreshers, missing out on continuous growth opportunities.

Strategic Coaching Approaches

Coaching is another area where sales teams lead. They prioritize low coach-to-rep ratios and weave coaching into daily routines—quick check-ins, shadowing, or structured 1:1s. Contact centers, on the other hand, often rely on group feedback sessions or ad-hoc coaching, which can feel inconsistent or generic.

Performance Visibility and Transparency

Then there’s the matter of visibility. Sales reps often have access to real-time dashboards that show progress toward goals, giving them ownership over performance. Bringing similar transparency to call centers can help agents self-correct and stay motivated.

Measurable Business Impact

The payoff? Companies that borrow from the sales playbook—structured training, transparent metrics, and personalized coaching—often see significant gains in CSAT, call resolution time, and even employee retention. A few changes in rhythm can lead to long-term results.

Training Strategies That Boost Call Center Performance

If you manage a call center, you have the power to shape how your team handles pressure, solves problems, and delivers standout customer service. The right training program improves skills, builds confidence, reduces burnout, and drives performance across the board. Here’s how:

Turn Scripts into Skill with Role-Playing

Scripts can help agents get started, but real conversations don’t always follow a script. That’s why top teams use role-playing. It’s a simple and effective way to help agents practice what to say, build confidence, and learn how to handle difficult calls.

Call centers can implement role-playing in approachable ways. Start small by pairing agents during downtime to act out mock situations. Rotate roles between “center agent” and “customer” to build empathy and perspective. Or carve out time during team meetings to workshop trickier calls together, turning them into collaborative learning moments.

Peer-led role-play also builds soft skills. Agents learn to read tone, respond with empathy, and adapt their approach, skills that no static script can fully teach. Over time, this leads to greater confidence, stronger problem-solving abilities, and better outcomes for both agents and customers.

Catch Teachable Moments with Real-Time Coaching

Great coaches don’t wait until the next meeting to give feedback—they catch teachable moments as they happen. In high-performing sales teams, managers provide actionable tips during or immediately after calls, an approach that works equally well in call centers.

Supervisors can use whisper coaching to provide discreet guidance during live calls, or conduct brief post-call debriefs where agents analyze what went well and where they can improve. These real-time methods reinforce best practices immediately, ensuring lessons stick rather than getting lost in delayed feedback.

Beyond performance improvements, real-time coaching builds rapport between team leads and agents. When feedback is timely and constructive, it shifts the dynamic from “monitoring for mistakes” to supporting success. The right tools—like live listening software and shared dashboards—make this process seamless without disrupting workflow.

Reinforce Growth Through Feedback Loops

Feedback loops give agents regular chances to learn, reflect, and grow. In high-performing sales teams, feedback doesn’t just happen during formal reviews—it’s part of everyday work. Call centers can use the same approach to improve performance and build accountability.

For feedback to work well, it should be timely, specific, and consistent. Don’t wait for monthly scorecards. Instead, try short weekly check-ins. A quick 10-minute one-on-one between an agent and supervisor can focus on one clear takeaway. After role-play sessions, agents can also give each other peer feedback. This helps them practice, build confidence, and improve as a team.

Customer feedback and quality assurance (QA) scores are also helpful. Use them to encourage self-reflection and goal-setting. Over time, small moments of feedback lead to big improvements.

Your feedback loop might include:

Weekly check-ins with supervisors
Peer reviews after training
Customer surveys and QA results used for self-review
Follow-up coaching or learning tied to feedback

Keeping feedback short and regular helps agents learn without feeling overwhelmed. It also creates a culture where feedback feels supportive, not critical. And when agents keep improving, the customer experience gets better too.

Turn Performance Data into Growth

Too many metrics can overwhelm agents and dilute focus, making it hard to know what really matters. When agents are unsure which numbers to prioritize, motivation drops and progress stalls.

In fact, 63 percent of employees say they want more chances to find purpose in their daily work.¹ People want to see how their work matters beyond just tasks and numbers.

Start by turning KPIs into personal, realistic goals. Help agents set specific targets—like cutting call wrap-up time by 10 percent or getting three positive survey responses in a week. These clear, achievable goals give agents something they can control and work toward.

Focus on just two or three key metrics, and give agents real-time access to their performance data. Recognize progress publicly through team shout-outs or leaderboards to build motivation and team spirit.

When agents understand the purpose behind the numbers, they’re more likely to stay focused, confident, and ready to grow.

The Long-Term Payoff of Training Programs

Investing in continuous learning isn’t just about updating skills or mastering new technologies—it’s about creating a culture that supports long-term success. Organizations with a strong learning culture see 30 to 50 percent higher engagement and retention rates compared to those without.²

When call center agents have opportunities to develop, they feel more empowered and are more likely to stay, reducing turnover and keeping experienced agents who truly understand customer needs.

This focus on growth also leads to real business results. Agents with more skills can handle complex customer issues more efficiently, leading to quicker resolutions and a more personalized experience. This directly boosts customer satisfaction and improves ROI.

For example, companies that focus on training often see noticeable improvements in performance. One company reported a sharp decrease in call handling times and an increase in first-call resolution rates thanks to their strong learning initiatives.

Build your elite call center team with Salem Solutions

The journey toward better customer service is one that requires a strategic shift, and it starts with your call center team. At Salem Solutions, we specialize in staffing services to call centers. If you need expert help to build a successful team, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our team is here to build stronger, more effective teams that elevate customer service and drive long-term success.

Ready to elevate your call center’s performance? Let’s talk.

References

Dhingra, Naina, et al. “Help Your Employees Find Purpose or Watch Them Leave.” McKinsey & Company, 5 Apr. 2021, www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/help-your-employees-find-purpose-or-watch-them-leave.
Workers Are Leaving. What Can You Do About It? action.deloitte.com/insight/2737/workers-are-leaving.-what-can-you-do-about-it.

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
May 21, 2025

Spot Quiet Quitting

Spot employee disengagement before it becomes quiet quitting. Identify early warning signs and implement re-engagement strategies.

Employee disengagement doesn’t happen overnight. It builds slowly, often quietly, long before anyone starts clocking out early, mentally checking out of meetings, quietly counting down the days, or handing in their resignation. When an agent disconnects, the effects ripple quickly through hold times, customer satisfaction, and team morale.

The real challenge isn’t addressing quiet quitting after it happens, but recognizing disengagement before it takes root. Let’s explore how you can spot the early signs of disengagement, understand what’s driving it, and take simple, effective steps to re-engage your people before it’s too late.

Understanding Quiet Quitting and the Disengagement Process

“Quiet quitting” has become shorthand for employees who continue to work but mentally check out. They do only what their job description requires, no more and no less. They stop volunteering for projects, limit their availability, and withdraw from workplace relationships.

While they haven’t submitted a resignation letter, they’ve resigned their enthusiasm and discretionary effort. But this visible withdrawal is actually the end result of a longer process, not the beginning.

According to Gallup, only 33 percent of U.S. employees feel engaged at work, while nearly 18 percent are actively disengaged.¹ This means almost one in five employees isn’t just coasting; they’re working against your company’s goals.

This translates to agents who handle calls mechanically, stick rigidly to scripts, and show little interest in resolving complex customer issues. The result: longer handle times, lower first-call resolution rates, and ultimately, customer frustration.

Early Signs You’re Losing Your People

Before an employee reaches the quiet quitting stage, they typically display subtle yet meaningful changes in their behavior and attitude. These early warning signs offer a critical window for intervention. Here are the key indicators to watch for:

Sudden minimal participation in team meetings or discussions
Repeated missing deadlines without clear communication
A noticeable negative attitude toward routine tasks or coworkers
Sudden production of lower-quality work
Increased absenteeism that starts to feel like a pattern
Resisting change or new employee training opportunities

These behaviors don’t mean someone is lazy or checked out on purpose. Often, they’re signals that something deeper is off and that’s where your leadership matters most. Each of these signs may also seem small on their own, but they often point to a larger problem. Spotting employee disengagement early gives you the best shot at reversing it.

Root Causes of Disengagement

Understanding why employees disengage is just as important as recognizing when it happens. Most disengagement stems from specific workplace experiences rather than personal motivation issues. Here are the primary factors that cause employees to mentally check out:

Some of the most common causes of employee disengagement include:

Unclear job responsibilities or a lack of goals
Lack of fair compensation or growth paths. Without a vision for the future, it’s easy to check out in the present.
Limited or zero professional development opportunities
A rigid structure that ignores the need for a flexible work environment
Poor onboarding and weak peer relationships. Without a proper start, employees can feel like an afterthought from day one.
Lack of feedback. Silence feels like neglect. People want to know where they stand.
Poor leadership: Employees disengage faster under managers who don’t support, guide, or communicate well.

New hires and entry-level employees often experience these issues more acutely because they haven’t yet developed the workplace relationships that help buffer occasional frustrations. Without established connections to the team or organization, their engagement depends heavily on immediate experiences with management, training, and early successes or failures.

The same is true for more seasoned employees. When people stop feeling seen, challenged, or valued, they feel stagnant, overlooked, or misunderstood and stop giving their best. Over time, it becomes more than just quiet quitting it becomes burnout or complete withdrawal. The key is staying close enough to catch those early shifts and respond.

Rebuilding Engagement from the Inside Out

Effective re-engagement doesn’t require elaborate programs or major organizational overhauls. It requires consistent application of targeted approaches across several key areas.

Leadership is the First Line of Defense—Not HR

If you’re in a leadership role, your day-to-day presence has more influence than you think. While HR builds systems, it’s frontline managers who are most responsible for spotting employee disengagement and shaping the work experience.

Regular one-on-one conversations create space for employees to share challenges and receive personalized guidance. These meetings work best when structured around both performance and development, with clear action items that show you’re invested in their success.

When managers demonstrate they’re listening and responding to feedback, employees regain their sense of agency and connection.

Clear Expectations and Feedback

Disengaged employees often lack clarity about what success looks like in their role. Define concrete goals such as “resolving 85 percent of customer issues on the first call” or “achieving a customer satisfaction score above 4.7.” Show how these individual metrics contribute to team targets like reduced call escalations or department bonuses.

Provide specific feedback like, “I noticed you’ve improved your call handling time while maintaining quality scores—that’s exactly the balance we’re looking for.” Even small adjustments in your leadership style can renew someone’s sense of value. When team members feel heard, seen, and valued, they’re more likely to lean in.

Prioritize Employee Recognition and Appreciation

Retention is a result. Belonging is the work. In administrative and contact centers, public acknowledgment of contributions reinforces that individual efforts matter. Call out specific achievements such as “Sarah helped us create a new troubleshooting guide that reduced average call time by 40 seconds” or “Marcus handled a particularly difficult escalation that resulted in the customer renewing their contract.”

This targeted recognition connects daily work to meaningful outcomes that others can see and appreciate.

Skill Alignment and Development

Sometimes disengagement stems from a poor fit between an employee’s strengths and their current responsibilities. Before assuming someone no longer cares, take a step back and ask: is this role still right for them?

An agent who excels at complex problem-solving might be reassigned to handle technical support calls rather than routine inquiries. Another who demonstrates strong empathy might take on challenging customer retention calls where relationship building matters most.

Create advancement paths like “senior agent” or “team lead” roles that give top performers new challenges without leaving their teams. When you offer room to move, not just up, but across, you show that growth is possible, even in support roles. This can reignite interest and productivity.

Team Connection and Purpose

Build meaningful professional relationships through collaborative problem-solving and shared goals. Set team challenges like “reduce repeat calls by 10 percent this month” or “improve our knowledge base to address the top five customer pain points.”

Share customer success stories that resulted from good service, like “the business client whose system we helped restore before their major presentation,” to reinforce the real impact of quality work.

Exit Insights

When re-engagement efforts don’t succeed and employees leave, turn these departures into learning opportunities. Ask specific questions like “What could we have done differently in your first 90 days?” or “Was there a turning point when your enthusiasm for the role changed?”

According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), organizations that conduct structured stay and exit interviews and analyze themes are more likely to reduce preventable turnover within the following year.²

Look for patterns such as departures after specific training programs or from particular teams. Use this feedback to make systemic improvements that prevent future disengagement.

Want to build a stronger, more engaged team?

At Salem Solutions, we specialize in preventing disengagement before it costs you your best people. Our experts understand the early warning signs and help you build a workforce designed for long-term retention. We don’t just fill positions—we create staffing solutions that address the root causes of quiet quitting and turnover.

We work closely with you to find candidates with the right attitude, cultural fit, and growth potential for your specific environment. Let’s talk about how we can support your engagement goals before quiet quitting becomes loud attrition. Contact Us today!

References

Harter, J. (2024, January 23). In New Workplace, U.S. Employee Engagement Stagnates. GallUp Workplace. https://www.gallup.com/workplace/608675/new-workplace-employee-engagement-stagnates.aspx
Begeron, P. (2022, February 23). Stay Interviews Can Be an Antidote to Exit Interviews. Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/employee-relations/stay-interviews-can-antidote-to-exit-interviews

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
May 14, 2025

Empathy in Contact Centers

In an AI-driven world, empathy remains your contact center's secret weapon. Discover why soft skills improve customer satisfaction and conflict resolution.

Despite the AI revolution in customer service, research shows consumers aren’t fully embracing it. A Gartner survey reveals that 64 percent of customers would prefer companies didn’t use AI in customer service, and 53 percent would consider switching to a competitor if they discovered a company relied on AI for support.¹

These statistics highlight an essential truth: while automation delivers efficiency, customers still crave human connection. That’s why balancing AI with human empathy is so important. While technology can make processes simple and handle quick transactions, real connection, trust, and problem-solving still require a personal touch.

We’ll explore why empathy serves as a differentiator in customer assistance, how to develop emotional intelligence in your teams, and strategies for building a culture that values these crucial soft skills.

Why Empathy is Important

Empathy in customer service is all about seeing things from the customer’s view. While AI can make interactions faster and more efficient, it can’t replace the emotional connection that builds trust and loyalty. When handling routine interactions, AI and automation do a great job.

However, building a genuine rapport requires a human touch. Customer care agents can read emotions, adapt their tone, and truly connect, which makes all the difference. Empathy drives customer loyalty and retention. When your customers feel understood, they’re more likely to return.

These positive emotional experiences translate into repeat business and higher lifetime value. Consider Zappos’ famous 10-hour service call. Rather than rushing to end the interaction, their agent engaged in heartfelt dialogue, transforming routine support into a memorable experience that strengthened loyalty.

The best customer experiences come from businesses that combine AI’s efficiency with the irreplaceable power of human empathy.

How Empathy Transforms Customer Interactions

Every customer interaction is unique, but they all start with the same essential elements, like building blocks that can be arranged to create connections that matter. The key is approaching each interaction with empathy, turning challenges into opportunities for genuine connection.

When you infuse empathy into customer care, you set the stage for interactions that defuse tension, build trust, and create memorable experiences.

Defusing Tense Situations: Address frustrated customers with genuine understanding to quickly de-escalate issues.
Creating Memorable Experiences: Small gestures of empathy turn routine exchanges into standout moments that encourage brand advocacy.
Building Trust: Active listening, thoughtful validation, and personalized responses make customers feel truly seen and valued.
Robotic vs. Emotionally Intelligent Response: While a robotic reply leaves customers feeling like just another number, an empathetic response builds trust and loyalty by addressing the customer’s unique needs.

By incorporating empathy into every interaction, teams can transform customer assistance from a simple transaction into a powerful connection.

How to Develop Your Agents’ Soft Skills

Follow the steps below to assess, train, and reinforce these essential soft skills and integrate this approach into your training program so team members can continuously improve.

Look Beyond Technical Qualifications When Hiring

Clearly define your contact center hiring strategy so you know how to assess both technical and soft skills. You might have overarching goals like improving customer experience through empathetic interactions but specific strategies can help you determine if a candidate truly fits your call center needs.

For example, you might:

Focus on behavioral interview questions that reveal empathy in handling customer issues.
Use scenario-based assessments to evaluate how candidates manage real-life contact center situations.
Check references specifically about interpersonal skills in high-pressure environments.

As you develop your hiring process, define clear evaluation criteria and frame your approach around everyday customer interactions. This focus will help you identify agents who excel in both technical abilities and the essential soft skills needed for a successful contact center.

Implement Effective Training Methods

Once you’ve started hiring soft skills in mind, move to invest in training methods for your call center agents. It’s time to implement strategies that build both technical and soft skills. You can’t cover every challenge in one session, so consider these focused methods:

Role-Playing

Design exercises that mimic challenging customer scenarios. For example, simulate an irate customer call where an agent must de-escalate the situation and offer a solution. This method allows agents to practice empathy and problem-solving in a controlled environment.

Active Listening

Incorporate workshops that emphasize truly hearing the customer. For instance, have agents practice repeating back key concerns to confirm understanding. This approach builds stronger communication skills and deepens customer trust.

Shadowing

Organize sessions where new agents observe top-performing colleagues handling live calls. By witnessing effective communication techniques and problem resolution in real time, agents gain insights into best practices that they can apply on their own.

Even if these methods don’t address every possible situation, they target the most common challenges faced in customer interactions. Aim to capture and build on the most effective strategies to enhance your agents’ performance continuously.

Create Mentorship Opportunities

Create structured mentorship opportunities within your call center to pair new agents with emotionally intelligent veterans. This ensures the creation of structured mentorship opportunities within your call center. This approach pairs new hires with emotionally intelligent veterans.

Schedule regular feedback sessions focusing solely on soft skills, where mentors and managers discuss real-life scenarios and the nuances of handling emotional interactions. These sessions offer reflective learning, where a mentor might ask, “How did you feel during that call?” or “What could have been improved in your response?”

Develop a culture of peer coaching and support, where experienced agents share tips and success stories in team meetings or digital forums. This environment encourages continuous improvement, making soft skills development a collaborative, ongoing process rather than a one-off training session.

Offer Continuous Development Resources

Giving continuous development resources can help your call center agents enhance their soft skills more effectively. Let them have access to emotional intelligence courses and materials so they have the tools to understand and manage customer emotions.

Scheduling regular refresher training on communication skills reinforces their ability to engage clearly and compassionately. Creating opportunities to practice empathy in low-stakes environments further builds confidence and encourages continuous improvement in real-world scenarios.

Prevent Empathy Burnout

Teach stress management techniques so that agents can better navigate high-pressure situations. Rotating particularly difficult customer interactions helps distribute the emotional load more evenly. Providing adequate breaks and support for emotional recovery ensures agents remain energized and capable of delivering empathetic service.

Building a Culture That Values Emotional Intelligence

Make sure to include any strategies and practices that stakeholders need to understand to successfully nurture empathetic talent.

Here’s what to consider when crafting your approach:

Identifying and Recruiting Talent with Strong Emotional Intelligence

Evaluate candidates not just on technical prowess, but on their capacity for empathy, self-awareness, and effective communication. Incorporate behavioral interviews, role-playing scenarios, and real-life case studies to uncover these qualities.

Spotlighting Empathy Success Stories

Share real-world examples where exceptional customer interactions were driven by high emotional intelligence. Use testimonials, case studies, and internal success stories to set benchmarks and inspire both current and prospective agents.

Partnering with Clients Who Prioritize Emotional Intelligence

Align your efforts with companies that invest in soft skills development. Collaborate with clients who value empathy and continuous training, ensuring that your agents are placed in environments where their strengths are recognized and nurtured.

Matching the Right Talent with Client Cultural Needs

Customize your agent matching process by aligning employees’ emotional intelligence with the cultural expectations of your clients. This ensures a harmonious fit and maximizes positive interactions in the workplace.

Helping Clients Retain Emotionally Intelligent Agents

Develop strategies to maintain high engagement among top-performing, empathetic agents. Consider career development programs, recognition initiatives, and continuous EI training to keep your talent motivated and committed.

Including these elements will help you build an organizational culture that not only attracts but also retains talent with strong emotional intelligence, ultimately driving improved consumer satisfaction and long-term business success.

Ready to get your ideal agents?

Salem Solutions specializes in placing agents that align with your unique needs. Contact us today, and let’s discuss how agents with empathy can be your contact center’s secret weapon.

Reference

1. Gartner Survey Finds 64% of Customers Would Prefer That Companies Didn’t Use AI for Customer Service. www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-07-09-gartner-survey-finds-64-percent-of-customers-would-prefer-that-companies-didnt-use-ai-for-customer-service.

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
May 7, 2025

Land Your First Job

Secure your first job before graduation. Find opportunities, optimize your resume, network effectively, and turn internships into offers in this guide.

Congratulations on approaching graduation! As you prepare to enter the job market, you’re about to face one of the most competitive periods in your career journey. While many of your peers will wait until after graduation to begin their job search, the savvy candidates are already securing positions months before they receive their diplomas

The most desirable entry-level positions, including those in high-demand call centers and customer service roles, are often filled well before graduation day. By starting your job hunt early and using targeted strategies, you can land your first professional role while others are still finalizing their resumes.

This guide will show you exactly how to leverage early preparation, find the right opportunities, and stand out from the competition.

Why Early Preparation Wins the Job Hunt

The most successful job seekers start their search 3-6 months before graduation. This timing advantage is critical, as many companies, especially those hiring for customer service and call center positions, recruit on predictable cycles that align with graduation seasons. By the time most students receive their diplomas, organizations have already filled their entry-level quotas for the quarter.

Industry data supports this approach: according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers begin recruiting for full-time positions months before students graduate.¹ Companies need time to process applications, conduct interviews, and make offers.

Thus, starting early puts you at the front of this pipeline rather than the end. For call center roles specifically, training programs often begin in waves, with spots reserved for candidates who applied earliest.

Early preparation also gives you valuable time to refine your application materials, practice interview skills, and build connections before the rush of last-minute job seekers floods the market. Employers consistently favor candidates who demonstrate initiative and planning—qualities immediately evident in those who begin their search before graduation day arrives.

Land Your First Job with These Strategies

Balancing finishing school and a job search can feel overwhelming, but with the right strategy, you can make steady progress. To find jobs before graduation:

Find the Right Opportunities

A strategic approach to job searching yields better results than random browsing. Focus on industry-specific resources and LinkedIn groups that list customer service positions often missing from general job sites. Create a target list of call centers and check their corporate career pages weekly, as many recruit directly through these channels rather than third-party platforms.

Set up daily customized alerts on Indeed, LinkedIn, and ZipRecruiter with specific terms such as “entry-level customer service” or “call center representative.” Apply promptly when positions appear, and time your applications around seasonal hiring peaks in the customer service industry.

Many call centers expand their teams before holiday seasons (September-October) and summer peaks (April-May), giving early applicants a significant advantage over candidates wait until after graduation.

Build a Standout Resume with Limited Experience

Even without professional job experience, you can still make a lasting impression with an effective resume. Begin by highlighting relevant coursework, class projects, and academic achievements that demonstrate skills applicable to customer service positions.

For instance, group projects showcase communication abilities, while research papers reflect attention to detail—both essential in call center environments. Additionally, include your expected graduation date to signal immediate availability.

Next, emphasize transferable skills from part-time jobs, volunteer work, and campus activities. Customer service roles value effective communication, problem-solving, and adaptability, so experiences like retail or restaurant work provide relevant skills for call center environments.

Format your document with clean, scannable sections using bullet points, and incorporate key terms from job descriptions such as “customer resolution” or “call handling” to pass through applicant tracking systems. Remember that a customized, well-organized one-page resume will always outperform a generic application.

Networking Reveals Hidden Opportunities

Many desirable entry-level positions never appear on job boards because they’re filled through personal connections before public posting. Effective networking gives you access to this “hidden job market” and often leads to faster hiring with less competition.

Leverage your university’s alumni network. Alumni often prefer hiring graduates from their own schools. Connect with them on LinkedIn and ask for informational interviews. Be sure to keep your LinkedIn profile updated, engage with industry-related posts, and connect with professionals in your desired field.

You can also engage in industry events such as job fairs, conferences, and online webinars are great places to meet recruiters and hiring managers. Talk to your professors and mentors, as many have industry contacts and can introduce you to potential employers.

It’s the digital age, so being active on social media and joining industry-related groups and participating in discussions showcases your knowledge and enthusiasm. Networking isn’t about asking for jobs outright—it’s about building genuine relationships that may lead to job opportunities in the future.

Utilize Internships and Part-Time Work

Internships and part-time jobs provide valuable experience, and in many cases, they lead directly to full-time roles. According to NACE, 53 percent of interns receive full-time, entry-level job offers from their employers after completing an internship.² Here’s how to maximize these opportunities:

Treat Internships Like a Long Interview: Show up on time, complete tasks well, and take initiative. Proving your value increases your chances of getting hired permanently.
Build Relationships at Work: Get to know your supervisors and colleagues. A strong recommendation from them can open doors for you.
Ask for More Responsibility: If you’re in a part-time role, take on additional tasks that align with your career goals.
Stay in Touch: Even if there are no immediate openings, maintaining relationships with former supervisors can lead to future job offers.

For example, if you’re a marketing intern who consistently delivers high-quality work, volunteers for additional projects, and builds strong relationships with their manager, you’re far more likely to be offered a full-time position than an intern who only does the bare minimum. Many companies prefer to hire from their intern pool rather than external candidates, so make a lasting impression.

Ace the Interview

A strong interview can make up for a lack of experience if you approach it with confidence and preparation. Start by practicing common questions employers ask, such as your strengths, weaknesses, and reasons for wanting the role. Clear, well-structured answers show that you’ve thought about your fit for the position.

Beyond answering questions, enthusiasm can set you apart. Employers want to hire candidates who are genuinely excited about the opportunity, so let your interest in the company and role come through in your responses.

Show that you’ve done your research by asking insightful questions about the company’s growth, culture, and expectations for the role. This demonstrates initiative and helps you gauge whether the job is the right fit for you.

After the interview, send a thank-you email to reiterate your interest. Mention a key point from the conversation to leave a lasting impression. These small but meaningful steps can make a big difference, helping you stand out even as a first-time job seeker.

Land your first job with Salem Solutions

Starting your career doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At Salem Solutions, we connect job seekers with top employers in call centers and beyond to help you find the right opportunity fast. Whether you’re looking for full-time work or a stepping stone into your field, we’re here to guide you.

Get started today—explore job openings with us and take the sext step toward your career!

References

Gray, K. (2024, October 28). Class of 2023: Nearly 85% of Bachelor’s Grads Employed or Continuing Education Within Six Months of Graduation. National Association of College and Employers (NACE). https://www.naceweb.org/job-market/graduate-outcomes/class-of-2023-nearly-85-percent-of-bachelors-grads-employed-or-continuing-education-within-six-months-of-graduation
2024 Guide to Compensation for Interns & Co-ops. (2024, March). National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). https://cdn.uconnectlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/175/2024/06/2024-NACE-Guide-to-Compensation-for-Interns-and-Co-Ops.pdf

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
April 30, 2025

Manage Hybrid Call Centers

Learn effective hybrid call center management strategies to maintain productivity and culture while managing remote and in-office teams seamlessly.

Hybrid call centers blend remote and in-office work, giving agents flexibility while maintaining collaboration benefits. Some employees thrive at home, free from distractions, while others perform best in structured office environments. But this model brings challenges—communication gaps, inconsistent performance, and cultural disconnection can emerge without proper management.

The key isn’t choosing one approach over the other, but creating systems where all employees stay engaged and productive regardless of location. With the right technology, processes, and leadership, a hybrid call center can operate as a seamless, high-performing operation.

Common Challenges in Hybrid Contact Centers

A hybrid contact center combines in-office and remote work schedules, allowing agents flexibility in where they work. While this model offers advantages, it creates unique challenges for communication, performance, and culture. Here’s how these challenges can impact customer service delivery.

Communication Breakdowns

When teams are split between home and the office, information doesn’t always flow smoothly. Slow updates, delayed feedback, and mixed messages can cause confusion and frustration. Without clear communication, remote agents may feel left out, while in-office staff get updates faster.

Inconsistent Performance

Hybrid office environments can create disparities in productivity and service quality. Some employees may struggle with distractions at home, while others might miss out on direct coaching and support from managers in the office. Without standardized performance tracking, maintaining consistent customer service becomes a challenge.

Employee Engagement and Disconnection

Keeping employees engaged in a hybrid contact center can be challenging, especially for remote agents who may feel isolated from their in-office peers. Without regular interactions, they can struggle to stay connected to company goals, team culture, and leadership, leading to lower motivation and higher turnover.

Technology and Security Gaps

Hybrid contact centers depend on digital tools to stay efficient, but outdated or mismatched systems can slow things down. Security is also a challenge, remote agents must follow data protection rules, and keeping customer information safe requires strict policies and monitoring.

How to Optimize Technology for Hybrid Success

In an office setting, agents can easily ask a colleague for help or get real-time feedback from a supervisor, but remote employees rely entirely on digital tools to stay connected. If systems aren’t optimized, delays in call routing, security issues, and workflow disruptions can quickly become roadblocks. Fortunately, the right technology setup can bridge these gaps.

Configure Existing Systems for Hybrid Efficiency

Regardless of the hybrid model your contact center adopts, technology must support a unified office environment. You need to adjust your technology infrastructure to support remote and in-office agents. This means optimizing call routing to balance workloads, automating workflows to cut manual tasks, and using cloud-based solutions for real-time collaboration.

Investing in scalable, cloud-based tools ensures that all agents, whether at home or in the office have secure access to essential systems, can collaborate in real-time, and can deliver a consistent customer experience.

Use Advanced Features to Address Hybrid Challenges

Hybrid contact centers require technology that equally supports both remote and in-office agents. Without specialized tools, remote employees often face communication gaps, inconsistent feedback, and performance tracking issues.

AI-powered coaching tools deliver real-time feedback during live calls, helping agents improve instantly regardless of location. This eliminates waiting for manager reviews and ensures consistent quality across all teams.

Automated scheduling tools optimize shift planning by analyzing call volumes, agent availability, and performance metrics. These tools balance workloads effectively across locations, ensuring customer support needs are met while providing agents with predictable schedules

Integrate Tech for a Seamless Experience

Since processes in a hybrid workforce are interconnected, communication and collaboration should be integrated to ensure everyone is on the same page. The purpose of technology integrations is to keep projects on track, eliminate operational silos, and create a more cohesive workflow.

Here are some ways to do this:

Connect CRM, Workforce Management, and Collaboration Tools

Integrating Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms with workforce management and communication tools reduces manual data entry and ensures all teams have real-time access to customer information. This improves customer experience and streamlines teamwork.

Standardize Communication Channels to Prevent Silos

Hybrid teams often struggle with scattered communication. Using the same messaging apps, video tools, and collaboration platforms (like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom) keeps everyone connected, whether they work remotely or in the office.

Support Your Hybrid Team with Data Insights

Technology provides valuable visibility into team performance, helping managers make informed decisions that support both remote and in-office staff.

To maintain a high-performing hybrid team, use analytics tools to track metrics like:

Response times
Call resolution rates
Customer satisfaction scores
Engagement levels
Agent availability

This data helps identify areas where additional training or resources are needed, ensuring all employees receive appropriate support regardless of location.

A centralized performance dashboard brings all key metrics together in one place, providing a real-time view of workloads and productivity across your entire team. This visibility helps you distribute resources fairly, address bottlenecks quickly, and ensure both remote and in-office agents have what they need to succeed.

How to Create a Unified Team Culture Across Locations

A strong, unified team culture boosts productivity and long-term success. Here’s how you can bridge the gap between teams and create a seamless experience for all agents, no matter where they work:

Equal Opportunities for Growth

One of the biggest concerns in a hybrid setting is making sure all agents —no matter where they work—have equal chances to grow in their careers. Remote workers shouldn’t feel overlooked for promotions, skill development, or leadership roles. Here are some approaches to do that:

Create structured career paths: Set growth opportunities and communicate transparent promotion criteria that apply equally to in-office and remote agents. Setting and defining these paths is important because it gives everyone an equal chance to grow in your contact center.
Accessible Learning and Development: Provide digital learning platforms, online training sessions, and certification programs to ensure continuous skill growth.
Hybrid Performance Reviews: Evaluate employee contributions fairly, ensuring that remote workers are assessed based on results, not just visibility in the office.

Create a Culture of Transparency and Open Communication

A strong culture starts at the top. Leaders must set the tone with trust, transparency, and inclusivity. All agents, whether working remotely or on-site, should feel heard, valued, and informed about company goals and decisions.

Regular communication is key, with company-wide emails, virtual town halls, and leadership Q&A sessions keeping everyone updated. Encouraging employee involvement in decision-making through open forums and feedback opportunities helps create a more engaged workforce.

As a manager, it is important to stay connected with everyone by hosting virtual office hours, informal check-ins, and direct communication channels.

Coordinate Hybrid Work Events

Hybrid-friendly events help remote and in-office employees connect, celebrate successes, and build relationships beyond work tasks. To foster meaningful connections, call centers must be intentional about engagement.

One way to bring everyone together is through virtual town halls and team meetings, where remote employees can actively participate in discussions, ask questions, and share ideas.

Beyond work, hybrid social activities—such as virtual coffee chats, team-building exercises, and holiday celebrations—help employees bond in a casual setting. For deeper collaboration, periodic in-person workweeks can bring teams together for a few days to strengthen relationships and enhance teamwork.

You can use these structured and informal interactions to ensure that all agents feel valued and connected, no matter where they work.

Employee Feedback Mechanisms

Creating an inclusive company culture requires ongoing effort, and that starts with actively listening to employees. One way to gauge employee sentiment is through pulse surveys—short, frequent check-ins that highlight areas for improvement.

Additionally, open forums give agents a space to discuss challenges, ask questions, and suggest changes directly to leadership. For those who prefer discretion, anonymous feedback channels ensure that employees can share honest opinions without fear of repercussions.

However, gathering feedback is only the first step. Companies must take action-oriented measures, ensuring leadership actively addresses concerns, makes necessary improvements, and communicates the steps being taken. This is how you build a hybrid work environment where all employees feel valued and supported.

Build the right hybrid team for your contact center

Managing a hybrid call center comes with its challenges, but the right strategies can make all the difference. Since it combines in-person with remote agents, you need a partner who can keep up with your staffing needs.

Contact Salem Solutions to learn how we can help you organize the perfect remote workforce to work from anywhere without missing a beat.

Jule Doran
•
Posted on
April 16, 2025

Staffing Smarter, Not Harder: How to Predict Call Volume and Always Have the Right Team

Learn data-driven methods to predict call volume and create flexible staffing models for your contact center. Balance service levels with agent wellbeing.

Running a contact center is like navigating a ship through unpredictable waters. One moment, your team is overwhelmed with calls, and the next, agents are left sitting idle. This unpredictability isn’t just frustrating—it’s costly. Overstaffing drains your budget, while understaffing leads to long wait times, frustrated customers, and burned-out employees.

The solution? A data-driven approach to staffing that ensures you’re always prepared, no matter what the day brings. Let’s dive into how you can predict call volume and build the right team for every scenario.

Why Call Volume Forecasting is Non-Negotiable

Call volume forecasting transforms contact center operations from reactive guesswork to strategic planning. It analyzes historical patterns and predicts future call loads, so managers can align staffing levels with actual demand. Rather than constantly switching between overstaffed quiet periods and frantic understaffed rushes, forecasting creates a balanced, efficient operation.

The impact of accurate forecasting extends throughout your contact center:

Improved Service Quality – When you predict call volume accurately, you can ensure shorter wait times and faster resolutions. Customers don’t just appreciate this—they expect it. This helps you consistently meet service level agreements (SLAs), resulting in increased customer loyalty.
Reduced Operational Costs – Overstaffing is expensive, but understaffing can be even costlier in terms of lost business and reputational damage. Forecasting helps you strike the right balance, saving money while maintaining service quality.
Enhanced Agent Morale – Nothing burns out agents faster than back-to-back calls or idle time. Accurate forecasting ensures balanced workloads, keeping your team engaged and productive.
Proactive Problem-Solving – When you know a surge in calls is coming, you can prepare. Whether it’s training agents on a new product or bringing in temporary staff, forecasting gives you the time to act.
Data-Driven Decision Making – Forecasting replaces intuition with analytics. Team leaders can make decisions backed by concrete data, identify emerging patterns, and quantify the impact of external factors like marketing campaigns or seasonal trends.

3 Methods to Predict Call Volume

Accurate call volume forecasting relies on a combination of methodologies that work together to create a comprehensive prediction system. By implementing these three approaches, call centers can achieve significantly improved forecasting accuracy.

Historical Data Analysis

The foundation of effective forecasting begins with existing data that most call centers already collect. Using this information lets managers identify patterns that inform better staffing decisions:

Hourly variations showing peak times within each day
Daily patterns revealing busier days of the week
Weekly trends indicating how volume fluctuates throughout the month
Monthly and seasonal cycles that repeat annually
Year-over-year comparisons to identify growth trends

Most contact centers already have access to this data through their existing CRM or call management systems. The key is organizing and analyzing it to reveal actionable insights that can guide staffing requests.

External Factor Integration

Historical patterns provide a baseline, but exceptional forecasting requires accounting for known upcoming events. Companies can enhance their predictions by tracking external factors that typically affect their call volumes, such as scheduled marketing campaigns, product launches, or industry-specific events like tax deadlines for financial services.

Creating a simple calendar that marks these events helps anticipate when additional staff might be needed. This proactive approach allows call centers to communicate anticipated needs to their staffing partners with enough lead time to secure qualified talent, ensuring seamless coverage during high-demand periods.

AI-Powered Prediction Tools

Many contact centers now have access to AI capabilities through their existing software platforms. These tools analyze historical patterns and external factors simultaneously, providing more accurate forecasts that can be shared with staffing partners.

While implementing AI might seem complex, many workforce management systems now include these features. You can leverage these built-in capabilities to generate detailed forecasts and communicate specific staffing needs to partners like Salem Solutions, who can then provide the right number of qualified agents exactly when they’re needed.

Implementing Flexible Staffing Models for Dynamic Demand

Unpredictable call volumes require adaptable staffing solutions that can scale with your needs. Once you’ve forecasted your volume patterns, the next step is creating a staffing structure that can flex accordingly without sacrificing quality or breaking your budget.

The Hybrid Workforce Approach

A hybrid staffing model combines your core team with on-demand talent to manage fluctuations efficiently. Start by identifying your baseline volume—the consistent call level that requires permanent coverage. This becomes your full-time agent foundation.

For volume that exceeds this baseline, partner with specialized staffing agencies like Salem Solutions to access pre-trained agents who can quickly integrate with your team during peak periods.

This approach allows you to maintain consistent service levels while avoiding the costs of hiring permanent staff for temporary needs. For instance, during seasonal spikes, on-demand agents can handle 20-30 percent of your volume, then scale back once demand normalizes. Your staffing partner handles the recruitment and initial training, allowing you to focus on your core operation.

Optimizing Agent Distribution

Beyond simply adding more agents, strategic distribution of your existing team can significantly improve your ability to handle fluctuating call volumes. Cross-training your agents across multiple contact types or product lines creates a more versatile team that can shift focus as demand changes. When specific call types spike, you can temporarily redistribute your team to maintain service levels.

Skill-based routing complements this flexibility by directing calls to the most qualified available agent. Modern contact center platforms make this process seamless, automatically balancing specialized skills with availability. Additionally, implementing customer self-service options for routine inquiries can reduce overall volume, allowing your agents to focus on more complex issues that require human intervention.

Tiered Response Planning

Create a tiered response plan based on your volume forecasts to ensure you’re never caught off guard. Establish volume thresholds that trigger specific staffing actions, from minor adjustments to major scaling:

Tier 1 (5-15 percent above forecast): Activate overtime for willing team members and adjust breaks
Tier 2 (15-30 percent above forecast): Deploy cross-trained team members from lower-volume areas
Tier 3 (30 percent+ above forecast): Engage your staffing partner for rapid deployment of on-demand agents

This structured approach ensures you respond appropriately to volume fluctuations without overreacting to minor spikes or underestimating major surges. By documenting these tiers and response protocols in advance, your team can execute smoothly when volumes shift, maintaining consistent service levels while controlling costs.

Balancing Service Quality with Agent Wellbeing

Effective call volume management isn’t just about meeting metrics—it’s about creating sustainable operations where quality service and agent satisfaction coexist. When agents aren’t constantly overwhelmed or underutilized, both customer experience and team retention improve.

Set Realistic Service Level Agreements

Begin by establishing SLAs that balance customer expectations with realistic agent capacity. While the industry standard often targets answering 80 percent of calls within 20 seconds, your optimal SLA may differ based on your specific business.

Analyze your historical data to determine what service levels correlate with highest customer satisfaction while remaining achievable for your team. These benchmarks become your North Star for staffing decisions, preventing both understaffing that frustrates customers and overstaffing that increases costs unnecessarily.

When volumes temporarily exceed capacity, having tiered service priorities helps maintain quality where it matters most. Consider segmenting calls by type or customer value, ensuring critical interactions receive priority attention even during peak periods. This prevents across-the-board service degradation when volumes spike.

Data-Driven Scheduling for Wellbeing

Predictive scheduling based on accurate forecasts directly impacts agent wellbeing. Use your volume data to create schedules that distribute workload evenly throughout shifts and across your team. Staggered start times aligned with call pattern predictions can prevent the common scenario where some agents face back-to-back calls while others wait for work.

Monitor key metrics like occupancy rates (percentage of time agents spend on calls) to identify potential burnout risks. While high occupancy might seem efficient, rates consistently above 85 percent often lead to agent fatigue and turnover. By tracking these indicators, you can adjust scheduling before burnout occurs, rather than after productivity and quality decline.

Build Resilience Through Better Preparation

Ultimately, accurate forecasting creates a more resilient contact center environment. When agents know what to expect each day, stress decreases and confidence grows. Share volume predictions with your team so they can mentally prepare for busy periods or slower days.

Consider implementing a “forecast bulletin” that gives agents visibility into expected volumes and any unusual patterns anticipated for the coming week. This transparency helps teams prepare mentally and reduces the anxiety of uncertainty.

During particularly high-volume periods, establish realistic expectations and provide additional support resources rather than simply demanding more from your existing team. This ensures you maintain both service standards and a healthy, engaged workforce capable of delivering consistent quality over the long term.

Ready to Transform Your Contact Center?

Access skilled, on-demand talent and tailored cutting-edge workforce strategies that ensure you’re always prepared—no matter the call volume. Let Salem Solutions help you reduce costs, boost service quality, and keep your team thriving. Contact us now!

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Use Advanced Features to Address Hybrid Challenges

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Staffing Smarter, Not Harder: How to Predict Call Volume and Always Have the Right Team

Why Call Volume Forecasting is Non-Negotiable

3 Methods to Predict Call Volume

Historical Data Analysis

External Factor Integration