Establishing a robust call center quality control (QC) program is essential for delivering consistent, high-value customer experiences while boosting operational performance. According to McKinsey, companies that prioritize structured quality control can improve customer satisfaction by up to 20% while reducing costs by 15%. Done right, call center quality control directly impacts First Call Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)—two critical KPIs for customer-centric organizations.
By following the right steps and deploying proven strategies, call centers can achieve measurable gains in efficiency, compliance, and customer loyalty.
Key Takeaways
- • Boost CSAT 20% and slash costs 15% with a killer QC program (McKinsey).
- • 1% FCR jump = 1% CSAT lift + 1-5% cost cut (SQM Group).
- • Set sharp standards: FCR, CSAT, AHT, compliance.
- • Craft snappy QA frameworks—adaptable, clear, campaign-ready.
- • Use AI to monitor 100% of calls, coach on the fly.
Industry Insight
Research by SQM Group reveals that a 1% boost in FCR drives a 1% rise in CSAT and slashes operating costs by 1–5%.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Call Center Quality Control
1. Define Clear Quality Standards
Begin by outlining what “quality” means for your business. Involve stakeholders and frontline agents to establish measurable benchmarks based on:
- Customer expectations
- Regulatory requirements
- Internal service goals
Key metrics should include FCR, CSAT, Average Handle Time (AHT), and compliance scores. As W. Edwards Deming famously said, “You can’t manage what you can’t measure.” Clear standards ensure everyone understands what success looks like.
2. Develop a QA Framework and Evaluation System
A strong QA framework is more than a checklist—it’s the backbone of call center quality control. However, many centers face issues at this stage. Frameworks are often too generic, making it hard to apply them across diverse campaigns. Scorecards may focus on compliance boxes rather than customer outcomes, and evaluation systems sometimes lack transparency, leading to disputes between agents and supervisors. In some cases, overly complex checklists slow down the QA process instead of clarifying expectations.
Another common issue is that QA is often conducted only at a sampling level of 2–5% of interactions, which means the majority of customer contacts go unreviewed. This limited visibility can lead to missed trends, blind spots in agent performance, and delayed corrective actions. Important issues may only surface after they have negatively impacted FCR and CSAT, reducing the effectiveness of the entire QA program.
To avoid these pitfalls, build structured QA protocols with scorecards, checklists, and compliance guides that are practical, transparent, and adaptable. Ensure these tools align operational targets with customer experience priorities and can be modified for different service lines. The framework should balance regulatory compliance with customer-centric measures like empathy, communication clarity, and problem-solving effectiveness.
Tailor frameworks to different campaigns, service lines, or business units for maximum relevance.
3. Implement Advanced Monitoring and Analytics Tools
Use a mix of manual and AI-powered monitoring to evaluate interactions:
- Call recordings
- Live call listening
- Automated analytics and sentiment detection
Salesforce reports that 76% of customers expect consistent interactions across channels, making holistic monitoring essential. Comprehensive evaluation ensures every interaction is assessed, enabling supervisors to intervene quickly and provide on-the-spot coaching.
Industry Stat
According to Deloitte, 62% of companies that use advanced analytics in quality programs report higher customer retention.
4. Launch Coaching and Training Programs
Turn QA insights into action. Organize:
- Regular coaching sessions
- Skill-building workshops
- Personalized training modules
Celebrate improvements to reinforce positive performance, and target training to close gaps that affect FCR and CSAT. Agents who receive continuous coaching are 30% more likely to hit quality benchmarks.
5. Collect and Integrate Customer Feedback
Go beyond internal evaluations by gathering customer insights through:
- Post-call surveys
- Net Promoter Score (NPS)
- Follow-up calls and digital feedback
Direct feedback helps identify pain points and refine processes. For example, Gartner found that customer-centric feedback loops improve satisfaction scores by 25% on average.
6. Automate Routine Workflows and Reporting
Leverage automation for repetitive QA tasks, such as call routing, compliance checks, and report generation. This frees your QA team to focus on strategic improvements instead of administrative tasks.
7. Continuously Review and Improve
Quality assurance is not static, and one of the biggest issues in many call centers is treating QA as a one-time setup. Without continuous review, outdated scripts, rigid scorecards, and legacy processes can create blind spots that harm both agent performance and customer satisfaction. Data overload is another common challenge—QA teams often collect massive amounts of information but fail to analyze it effectively, leading to missed opportunities for improvement. Slow feedback loops compound the issue, with agents receiving coaching too late to correct recurring mistakes.
To counter these problems, adopt a structured review cycle that is ongoing rather than occasional. Hold regular review sessions with analysts, team leaders, and agents. Use a combination of:
- Trend data to identify recurring patterns
- Root cause analysis to address systemic issues
- Customer feedback to ensure the customer’s voice shapes standards
Make the review process agile by updating scorecards, refreshing training content, and integrating new tools and technologies as expectations evolve. This cycle ensures your call center quality control program adapts to industry changes, agent needs, and customer demands.
Quality Control Strategies for Boosting FCR and CSAT
- Focus QA evaluations on FCR and CSAT: Regularly audit these KPIs to identify bottlenecks, update scripts, and refine playbooks.
- Deploy real-time analytics and feedback tools: Enable immediate corrective actions during live calls.
- Empower agent problem solving: Provide agents with stronger product knowledge and escalation pathways.
- Leverage customer feedback: Use survey results to guide targeted coaching sessions.
- Optimize call routing: Implement AI-driven skill-based routing to match customers with the right agents.
- Maintain a collaborative QA culture: Involve agents in refining standards and foster ownership of the QA process.
By embedding these strategies into everyday operations, call centers set the stage for sustained performance improvements.
Industry Stat
Dimension Data found that 58% of organizations say improving FCR is the most effective way to enhance customer experience.
Enhancing Call Center Quality Control with Omind’s AI QMS
Traditional call center quality programs often fall short due to manual limitations, sampling gaps, and delayed feedback. Omind’s AI-powered Quality Management System (AI QMS) transforms quality control into a modern, data-driven engine for performance.
- Automated 100% Interaction Monitoring
Every call, chat, and email is instantly analyzed—no more sampling gaps. Issues affecting FCR and CSAT are flagged in real time.
- AI-Powered Scoring and Analytics
AI generates scorecards automatically, producing live dashboards with FCR rates, CSAT scores, agent compliance, and recurring pain points.
- Instant, Actionable Feedback and Coaching
Agents and supervisors receive immediate performance insights and tailored coaching tips, accelerating skill-building and improving outcomes.
- Predictive Root Cause Analysis
AI uncovers hidden patterns behind unresolved cases or low CSAT, helping QA teams fix systemic issues before they escalate.
- Real-Time Compliance and Alerts
Compliance risks and service-quality issues are flagged during calls, reducing regulatory exposure and improving customer trust.
- Continuous Program Optimization
Omind’s AI learns and evolves with every interaction, ensuring your QA program adapts seamlessly to changing service expectations.
Final Thoughts
Building an effective call center quality control program requires a structured approach—clear standards, comprehensive monitoring, continuous training, and actionable insights. When reinforced with AI-driven tools like Omind’s AI QMS, these programs evolve from reactive to proactive, ensuring higher FCR, better CSAT, and long-term customer loyalty.
As one industry expert puts it, “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of intelligent effort.” With the right blend of people, process, and technology, your call center can transform quality control from a compliance requirement into a powerful driver of customer experience excellence.
About the Author
Robin Kundra, Head of Customer Success & Implementation at Omind, has led several AI voicebot implementations across banking, healthcare, and retail. With expertise in Voice AI solutions and a track record of enterprise CX transformations, Robin’s recommendations are anchored in deep insight and proven results.