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1 Staff Audits and Monitoring
The purpose of a call monitoring audit is to assess and monitor employee performance, adherence to regulations and competency. Firms should have a structured and robust internal audit and monitoring programme, which includes employee assessments, monitoring and training, with a view to ensuring that controls, measures and procedures are compliant with the regulatory requirements and company standards.
Section SYSC 6.2 of the FCA Handbook advises that a firm has a responsibility to: –
- Establish, implement and maintain an audit plan to examine and evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of the firm’s systems, internal control mechanisms and arrangements
- Issue recommendations based on the result of work carried out in accordance with (1)
- Verify compliance with those recommendations
- To report in relation to internal audit matters in accordance with SYSC 4.3.2 R
Being part of a regulated industry means that many jobs roles within a firm require specific training, skills, expertise and/or qualifications to discharge the responsibilities of the role effectively and in accordance with the regulatory system. Firms should aim to have employees who are not only competent, skilled and fit to perform the role for which they have been employed; but also, have in place robust and comprehensive procedures, programs and tools for support, training, assessing and guiding staff in relation to their specific job role, regulatory requirements and business objectives.
1.1 Competence
A regulated firm should ensure that any employee who is in a customer facing/communication role, has the appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding to provide advice, information and/or the product and services relevant to the business. Call monitoring and gap analysis reporting is just one way of assessing an employee’s knowledge and understanding and allows the firm to demonstrate compliance and adherence to the rules and regulations. Additional tools and measures that should be used to assess an employee’s level of competence are: –
- Assessment Quizzes
- Coaching Sessions
- One-2-One Discussions
- Audit Checklists
- Scorecards
- KPI Target Achievements
2 Call Monitoring Checklist & Assessment
[Please edit this template to utilise the questions most relevant to your firm and industry. Soft skills, Data Protection and TCF requirements are a minimum standard for all regulated firms and should not be deleted but can be added to].
| Employee Name: | Auditor: | ||||||
| Position: | Date/Time: | ||||||
| Department: | Call Type: | LIVE/RECORDED | |||||
| CALL OPENING | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent answer the call politely and with a welcome greeting?
Did the agent mention the name of the company? Did the agent give their full name? Did the agent ask how they could help the customer? |
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| CUSTOMER VERIFICATION | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent advise the customer that they needed to do checks for security?
Did the agent ask for the customer’s full name? Did the agent ask for the account number and/or reference? Did the agent ask for the customer’s full address? Did the agent collect the customer’s tel no/email address? (if not already on system) Did the agent successfully identify who the caller was? |
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| CALL REQUIREMENTS | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] [Please add your firm’s standard call procedure questions here] | |||||||
| CUSTOMER NEEDS | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent offer the appropriate solution to meet the customer’s needs?
Did the agent answer any customer questions with a satisfactory response? Did the agent offer detailed explanations of the service/product being discussed? Were the customers’ needs explored and a full understanding gained? Was the product/service/advice given suitable for the customer? If information was requested, was this given in full and accurately? Was the customer satisfied with the agent’s responses & call handling? |
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| PAYMENT INFORMATION | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent offer alternate payment options to suit the customer’s needs?
Did the agent provide a breakdown of the payment arrangement and dates? Did the agent explain any fees or charges applicable to the payment? Did the agent explain CPA and the implications? (if applicable) Did the agent turn off call recording whilst taking any debit/credit card details? Did the agent offer transaction confirmation? |
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| CALL ENDING | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent thank the customer for calling?
Did the agent ask if there was any further help needed? Did the agent ask if they had provided everything the customer needed? Did the agent close the call in an appropriate manner? Did the agent summarise the call discussion and any agreement? |
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| TELEPHONY SKILLS | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent answer the call within 3 rings?
Did the agent follow the correct internal procedures for putting the customer on hold? Did the agent follow the correct internal procedures for transferring the call? |
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| SOFT SKILLS | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent avoid long pauses during the call?
Did the agent use open questions and employ effective questioning skills? Was the agent professional throughout the call? Was the agent pro-active and confident throughout the call? Did the agent build a good rapport with the customer? Did the agent show empathy towards the customer? |
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| TCF COMPLIANCE | YES | NO | N/A | NOTES | |||
| Did the agent explain the nature of the firm and what the call was regarding?
Did the agent avoid using jargon and industry slang during the call? Did the agent speak clearly and was fully understood by the customer? Did the agent demonstrate active listening skills? Did the agent reiterate any information that could be confusing to the customer? Did the agent advise they would send any payment arrangements in writing? Did the agent ensure that they provided the customer with a service that suited them? Did the agent act in accordance with company policy if the customer mentioned: -? (i) Financial difficulties (ii) Mental Health issues (iii) Any other vulnerable customer classification (e.g. elderly, deaf etc.) Did the agent ensure that the customer understood any agreements or outcomes? Did the agent provide alternate options if applicable to the account? Did the agent ensure that the customer was happy with the outcome of the call? Did the agent ensure that the customer was happy with the service received? Did the agent ask if they had provided everything the customer needed? Was all information provided to the customer accurate and relevant? |
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CALL MONITORING SCORE Agent scored ____/ (add up all Yes & N/A ticks) Percentage Score ______% (Divide score by questions, then x by 100 to get percentage) Scores of 90% and higher should be considered as a pass mark, however all TCF related questions should score at 100%. The agent should receive TCF training and assessment and further monitoring if TCF areas are not covered during the call or addressed incorrectly. |
FEEDBACK DECLARATION
To ensure compliance and understanding, it is an essential part of call monitoring to provide feedback of your assessment to the employee. A copy of this completed sheet should be retained in both the employee’s training file and in the compliance monitoring programme records.
Has constructive feedback been given to the employee?
YES/NO
Has training been provided in gap/negative areas?
YES/NO/NA
AUDITOR EMPLOYEE
Signed: ______________________ Signed: _______________________
Print: _______________________ Print: _______________________
Date: ________________________