The Scary Side of Scoring Performance

Any series on metrics is certain to spend a lot of time talking about one thing: numbers. But a sole focus on numbers without considering what’s driving them (like behaviors, environments, products, etc.) is missing the point of metrics in the first place. 

The role of metrics is to identify success and track our progress toward achieving it. In this blog post, I’m looking at the pitfalls of overemphasizing scores when measuring and managing employee performance in the contact center and offering tips for ensuring a behavior-focused approach to developing and leading your team to success. 

Why We Like Scores

 An oft-repeated phrase in the contact center industry is "what gets measured gets managed.” In other words, if you want to improve performance in your contact center, you need to start by tracking the right metrics. And one of the most important contact center metrics is score. 

Scores are a simple way to measure performance, and they can be used to track everything from customer satisfaction to employee productivity. Scoring systems can also be customized to fit the specific needs of your contact center. 

For example, you can use scores to measure how quickly customers are answered, how long calls are, or how often calls are transferred. Scores can also be used to track contact center agents' performance. By tracking agent scores, you can identify top performers and problem areas. And by using scores to measure performance, you can help ensure that your contact center is running as efficiently as possible.

The Negative Effects of Scores

 Contact center metrics are frequently used to measure performance, but there are some pitfalls to using scores. First, contact center metrics can be gamed. For example, agents may rush through calls to improve an average handle time metric, even if it means providing poorer service. 

Second, contact center metrics can be biased. For example, agents who receive more calls from angry customers will likely have lower satisfaction scores. Finally, contact center metrics can be misleading. For example, a contact center may have a high average handle time but a low customer satisfaction score. This could mean that the contact center is taking too long to resolve issues or that agents are not providing adequate solutions. 

On the contrary, it could mean that the contacts are getting more complex or there’s a process problem that’s frustrating customers. At face value, the score doesn’t tell us what the problem might be  – assuming that there even is a problem. 

If Not Scores, Then What?

I believe that it is more important for contact center leaders to measure and coach the behaviors that lead to a score rather than focus on the score itself. By coaching to the behaviors, leaders can ensure that their team is consistently meeting or exceeding customer expectations, regardless of fluctuations in the score. 

Additionally, by focusing on the behaviors, leaders can identify areas of improvement and rectify them before they result in a poor score. In other words, by focusing on the behaviors, contact center leaders can proactively manage their team's performance, rather than reactively responding to changes in the score. Ultimately, this will lead to a more consistent and higher-performing contact center.

Striking a Balance Between Scores and Behaviors

We can’t just do away with the scores though. Scoring systems are a necessary evil. They help us compare apples to oranges and oranges to grapefruits. But, because they are based on a value system, they tend to have negative effects. The first is that they can oversimplify complex issues. The second is that they can create a false sense of objectivity. The third is that they can lead to perverse incentives. 

So, what can we do about it? First, we need to be aware of the limitations of scoring systems. Second, we need to use them judiciously. And third, we need to keep our eyes open for alternative ways of measuring what we care about. 

Getting Employees to Round Out Your Insights

Imagine you're in a meeting with your boss. They finish telling you about a new project they want you to work on and then ask, "Do you have any questions?" You take a deep breath and say, "I'm not sure how accurate our scoring system is." Your boss looks surprised and asks you to explain. 

You tell them that, in your opinion, the scores given to employees are often based on personal biases rather than objective performance metrics. Furthermore, you think that the feedback employees receive is often misleading or even downright false. As a result, you believe that the scoring system is not an accurate representation of employee performance. Your boss listens thoughtfully and then responds, "Thank you for your feedback. I'll take it under advisement."

In this scenario, the employee gave their boss feedback about the company's scoring system. Feedback like this is important because it helps to create accurate scores. Without it, companies would be relying on flawed systems that don't provide an accurate representation of employee performance. So, if you're ever able to give feedback about a scoring system, don't be afraid to speak up! Your input could help to create a more accurate and fair system.

So, what does all this mean for the contact center? It means that we need to be careful about how we use scores to measure success. While they can be a useful tool, they are not always accurate predictors of success. 

In addition, using scores can have negative effects on employee morale and motivation. However, there are things we can do to mitigate these negative effects. The most important thing is to get feedback from employees about how they are performing and use that information to create coaching plans that identify and address the behaviors that will enable your employees to achieve the goals you’ve set in place. Only then will we be able to truly measure contact center success. 

Are you curious about how to make your contact center metrics more accurate and useful? If so, check out some of our other posts in this series, including Why Benchmarking is Critical for Contact Center Success, What Metrics Predict Contact Center Success, and The Role of Metrics in the Contact Center.

Justin Robbins is a researcher, educator, and advisor who’s spent the past two decades helping businesses define and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Justin is currently the Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Evangelism at UJET, where he leads the Public Relations, Analyst Relations, Customer Marketing, and Thought Leadership programs.