Create OKRs for Quality Assurance in Contact Centers
Learn how to set effective OKRs for Quality Assurance in contact centers handling calls and chats. Boost QA compliance, agent performance, and customer satisfaction with measurable goals.
Below is a set of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) tailored for quality assurance in a contact center handling calls and chats:
✅ OKRs for Quality Assurance in Contact Centers (Calls and Chats)
🎯 Objective 1: Improve overall QA compliance and accuracy across all customer interactions
- KR1: Achieve 95% QA evaluation coverage of all inbound and outbound calls and chats monthly
- KR2: Reduce QA scoring discrepancies between evaluators and supervisors to under 5%
- KR3: Conduct calibration sessions twice a month with QA team and supervisors
- KR4: Implement real-time QA dashboards by end of Q2
🎯 Objective 2: Enhance agent performance through QA feedback and coaching
- KR1: Provide feedback to 100% of agents within 48 hours of QA evaluation
- KR2: Ensure 90% of underperforming agents complete a targeted coaching plan
- KR3: Increase agent QA scores by an average of 15% over the quarter
- KR4: Conduct at least one QA training/refresher session every month
🎯 Objective 3: Improve customer satisfaction through QA-driven insights
- KR1: Identify top 5 call/chat quality issues monthly and share with operations
- KR2: Implement process improvements based on QA insights leading to a 10% increase in CSAT
- KR3: Reduce repeat interactions on QA-flagged issues by 20%
- KR4: Maintain QA audit accuracy rate above 98%
🎯 Objective 4: Streamline QA processes using automation and AI tools
- KR1: Deploy speech and text analytics tool for 100% of interactions
- KR2: Automate 50% of QA evaluations using AI by end of quarter
- KR3: Reduce manual QA evaluation time by 30% through automation
- KR4: Pilot an AI QA scoring system in one team and report results by Q3
Create OKRs for Quality Assurance in Contact Centers
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Elevating Contact Center Quality with OKRs: A Roadmap to Consistency, Clarity & Customer Satisfaction
Quality Assurance (QA) is the backbone of excellent customer service in contact centers. Yet, many contact centers struggle to measure, manage, and improve the quality of interactions across voice and chat channels. This is where Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) come in — a goal-setting framework that drives alignment, accountability, and continuous improvement.
In this post, we explore how OKRs can transform QA in contact centers, why they’re essential, who should define them, and how to implement and review them for maximum impact.
Why Contact Centers Need OKRs for Quality Assurance
Contact centers are dynamic environments with hundreds or even thousands of daily customer interactions. Each call or chat holds the potential to build loyalty or damage trust. QA teams monitor these interactions to ensure agents meet performance standards, but without structured goals, QA efforts can be inconsistent, subjective, and reactive.
Here’s why OKRs are game-changers:
- Clarity and Alignment: OKRs provide a clear roadmap of what success looks like in QA—be it evaluation coverage, score consistency, or feedback timelines.
- Focus on Outcomes: Instead of checking boxes, teams focus on results—like improved CSAT scores or reduced escalations.
- Accountability: Every QA specialist, supervisor, and agent knows their part in achieving quality outcomes.
- Transparency and Motivation: OKRs foster a culture where progress is tracked and celebrated, boosting motivation.
- Agility: With quarterly reviews, OKRs help centers adapt to changing business goals, new products, or customer expectations.
In short, OKRs transform QA from a compliance checklist into a strategic asset.
Who Should Create OKRs for Quality Assurance?
Creating effective OKRs for QA requires collaboration. While the QA manager or head of quality is responsible for drafting the OKRs, it’s critical that the process is cross-functional, involving:
- Operations Managers: To ensure OKRs align with business KPIs and customer goals.
- Team Leads & Supervisors: To reflect the realities of frontline performance and coaching needs.
- Quality Analysts: To provide insights from evaluations and identify patterns.
- Customer Experience Leaders: To tie QA metrics to broader experience initiatives like NPS or CSAT.
✅ Pro Tip: Host a quarterly OKR workshop to co-create these goals. It increases buy-in and helps teams align early.
How Should Agents Be Trained on QA OKRs?
One of the most common mistakes in QA programs is failing to help agents understand the ‘why’ behind the metrics. Training agents on QA-related OKRs requires more than just a slide deck or a performance dashboard.
Here’s a simple 3-step training model:
- Kickoff Session (Intro to OKRs):
- Explain the purpose of OKRs in plain terms.
- Show how QA OKRs link to individual performance, team goals, and company success.
- Deep Dive into Key Metrics:
- Break down the key results (e.g., “Achieve average QA score of 90%”).
- Use examples of good and bad calls/chats to illustrate scoring criteria.
- Roleplay & Feedback Workshops:
- Conduct mock evaluations and let agents score each other.
- Review real QA feedback and coach agents on how to improve.
✅ Pro Tip: Incorporate gamification — offer rewards for consistent top scorers or most improved agents.
How Should OKRs Be Made Available to Agents?
OKRs are only effective if they’re visible, accessible, and actionable.
Here’s how you can make OKRs more agent-friendly:
- Integrate into Dashboards: Display team and individual OKR progress in the agent portal or CRM interface.
- Weekly Standups: Use OKRs as part of team huddles. This keeps goals top of mind.
- Monthly One-on-Ones: Review OKRs as part of performance check-ins.
- QA Scorecard Tie-In: Make sure QA scorecards map directly to key results.
✅ Pro Tip: Avoid information overload. Focus on the 1-2 OKRs that matter most to each agent, based on their role and performance.
How Contact Centers Can Use OKRs to Improve Quality
OKRs aren’t just a performance tracking tool—they can drive real improvements when used strategically.
Here are five ways to use QA-focused OKRs to improve contact center quality:
1. Boost Evaluation Coverage
OKR: “Achieve 95% evaluation coverage of all interactions monthly.”
- Use this to increase visibility into agent behaviors and identify coaching needs early.
2. Enhance Feedback Timeliness
OKR: “Deliver QA feedback within 48 hours of evaluation.”
- Timely feedback ensures relevance and improves learning retention.
3. Drive Coaching Accountability
OKR: “Ensure 90% of agents with <85% QA scores complete a coaching plan.”
- Ties quality directly to performance improvement plans.
4. Uncover Root Causes
OKR: “Identify top 5 recurring QA failures and resolve 3 via process changes.”
- Helps QA move from reactive scoring to proactive process design.
5. Improve CSAT & NPS Scores
OKR: “Reduce QA-flagged repeat issues by 20% to boost CSAT by 10%.”
- Links quality audits to customer experience outcomes.
✅ Pro Tip: Share team OKRs publicly to create friendly competition and shared accountability.
How Frequently Should QA OKRs Be Reviewed?
To stay relevant and impactful, OKRs should follow a quarterly review cycle with monthly check-ins. Here’s a best-practice review schedule:
Weekly:
- Quick QA huddles to review hot issues and provide score updates.
Monthly:
- Review OKR progress by agent, team, and center.
- Identify red flags early (e.g., low scoring trends, coaching delays).
Quarterly:
- Conduct formal OKR review and realignment session.
- Update key results based on business shifts, product launches, or customer feedback loops.
Annual Goal Alignment:
- Ensure QA OKRs feed into larger company goals like customer retention, support efficiency, or brand loyalty.
✅ Pro Tip: Use a live dashboard or OKR software to automate reviews and send reminders.
Final Thoughts
OKRs provide a structured, results-focused framework for improving Quality Assurance in contact centers. They bring clarity to performance expectations, unify efforts across teams, and link frontline execution to business impact.
By setting and reviewing the right OKRs regularly, contact centers can:
- Elevate agent performance
- Enhance customer satisfaction
- Drive operational excellence
- And most importantly — build a quality-first culture
Start transformation of your call center today!
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