How to Achieve Call Center KPIs with S.M.A.R.T. Goals & Objectives

People often confuse goals & objectives.  But both are needed in business and personal endeavors in order to grow and be successful.  

With call center agents as the point of impact with your customers, it is important to set goals and objectives to help your team reach the call center KPIs you are tracking. In order to achieve these KPIs and help your team be successful, you must:

• understand the difference between goals & objectives
• the best ways to use them
• and how to start setting S.M.A.R.T. goals

Achieving Call Center KPIs Starts by Setting Goals & Objectives

Failing to plan is planning to fail. Setting goals and objectives is the first and most critical step in the planning process.

When evaluating call center KPIs, the terms “goals” and “objectives” are often used interchangeably but they are actually different…

• Goals are general, intangible, broad abstract and strategic (long range directions often set by top management).
• Objectives are specific, measurable, narrow, concrete and tactical (short-range, usually set by managers to accomplish goals that have been set).

Each manager should use the goals set forth in your company’s strategic plan to set objectives for themselves and their departments. Each person should be evaluated on how they accomplish their objectives.

Creating S.M.A.R.T. Objectives for Call Center KPIs 

S.M.A.R.T. Objectives take the process of evaluating call center KPIs one step further.

What does the acronym S.M.A.R.T. stand for?

• S – Specific
• M – Measurable
• A – Achievable
• R -Realistic
• T -Time-oriented

When we say an objective should be “specific” we mean:

• Concrete
• Detailed
• Focused
• Well-defined
• Straight-forward
• Action-oriented

When setting objectives that are specific you should ask:

• What am I going to do? Action verbs such as develop, execute, conduct and build should be used.
• Why is it important to do this?
• Who is going to be involved?
• When do I want this to be completed?
• How am I going to do this?

A “measurable” objective translates to:

• Knowing when you have accomplished the objective.
• You will have tangible evidence when completed.

An “achievable” objective needs to be: 

• Something that you can actually accomplish and are not an aspiration or vision.
• Something that is able to be accomplished within the set timeframe.
• Something that is a challenge to you, but not so much so that it becomes unattainable.

“Realistic” objectives are those that you have the resources to accomplish. These include:

• Skills
• Funding
• Equipment
• Staff

When setting objectives that are realistic ask:

• Do I have the resources to accomplish?
• Do I need to rearrange my priorities to accomplish?
• Is it possible to complete this objective?

And finally “Time-Oriented” objectives will: 

• Have deadlines for completion that should create urgency and lead to action.
• Include deadlines (just as with the overall objective) that are achievable and realistic.
• Able to be broken down into small parts with a completion date for each.

When setting time-oriented objectives ask:

• What is the earliest yet achievable and realistic date for this objective to be completed?
• Have I included this date in the statement of the objective?

With S.M.A.R.T. Objectives in place, your center will be able to excel at any call center KPI.

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