Real-time coaching during nesting: Building confidence before solo calls

Real-time coaching during nesting is a crucial element in developing confident, capable agents who can handle customer interactions effectively. As organizations strive to enhance their training programs, understanding the challenges faced during the nesting phase is essential. This blog post will explore the significance of real-time coaching, the common hurdles new hires encounter, and how leveraging AI-powered solutions like Insight7 can bridge the gap between training and live calls.

The New Hire Challenge & Real-Time Agent Assist Solution

The transition from classroom training to live customer interactions is often fraught with challenges. New hires may grasp theoretical concepts but struggle to apply them in real-time situations, leading to performance anxiety and a lack of confidence. This gap can result in costly attrition, quality issues, and supervisor burnout, as supervisors are unable to provide the necessary support to every new agent during high-pressure moments.

Real-time agent assist technology, such as Insight7, addresses these challenges by offering immediate support during live calls. This technology helps new agents navigate complex customer interactions, ensuring they feel more confident and capable from the outset. By providing dynamic guidance and contextual information, real-time coaching empowers new hires to make informed decisions, ultimately enhancing their performance and reducing the time it takes to reach proficiency.

Why Traditional Nesting Falls Short

Supervisor Capacity Limitations

In traditional nesting programs, a supervisor can typically monitor only 3-5 agents simultaneously. This limitation creates bottlenecks in support, as supervisors cannot provide personalized assistance to every agent who needs it. As a result, new hires may feel isolated and unsupported, leading to increased anxiety and decreased performance.

Real-Time Support Delivery Gap

Another significant issue with traditional nesting is the reliance on post-call coaching. This misses the critical moment when agents need help the most—during actual customer interactions. Without real-time support, agents may struggle to recall training content or apply it effectively, leading to mistakes and customer dissatisfaction.

Remote/Hybrid Complexity

The rise of remote and hybrid work environments has further complicated the nesting process. Virtual nesting makes it nearly impossible for supervisors to provide in-the-moment support, leaving new hires feeling disconnected. This lack of immediate feedback can hinder their confidence and ability to perform well under pressure.

Knowledge Retention Drop-Off

Research shows that agents forget up to 70% of training content within weeks if not reinforced through real-world application. This knowledge retention drop-off can lead to mistakes, escalations, and frustrated customers, further exacerbating the challenges faced by new hires.

How Real-Time Agent Assist Works

Real-time agent assist technology leverages advanced AI capabilities to provide new agents with the support they need during live calls. Here’s how it works:

Core Technology Components

• Live Call Intelligence: The system transcribes conversations in real-time, allowing it to analyze context, customer intent, and emotional cues.

• Dynamic Guidance Display: Relevant information, scripts, and compliance reminders are presented on the agent's screen during calls, ensuring they have the necessary tools at their fingertips.

• In-Call Support for New Agents: As customers speak, the system provides next-best-action recommendations, surfaces scripts for common scenarios, and triggers compliance reminders at critical moments.

• Supervisor Amplification: Supervisors can monitor 10-15 agents simultaneously through a real-time dashboard, receiving alerts when agents struggle or deviate from protocols. This allows for targeted intervention without interrupting customer interactions.

By integrating real-time agent assist technology into the nesting process, organizations can significantly enhance the training experience for new hires, leading to improved confidence and performance.

Nesting Program Enhancement with Agent Assist

Designing Agent Assist-Enabled Nesting Programs

Pre-Nesting Setup:

1. Technology Configuration: Organize the knowledge base by call type and complexity level, and create a script library with dynamic branching logic for various scenarios.

2. Agent Preparation: Familiarize agents with the screen layout and guidance interpretation training to ensure they can leverage AI suggestions effectively.

Common New Hire Scenarios & Agent Assist Support

Unfamiliar Product Question:

• Without Agent Assist: The agent puts the customer on hold to search for answers, leading to frustration.
• With Agent Assist: The system detects the product mention and surfaces relevant details instantly, allowing the agent to respond confidently.

Customer Objection:

• Without Agent Assist: The agent freezes or provides a weak response, resulting in a lost sale.
• With Agent Assist: The system recognizes the objection pattern and displays proven responses, enabling the agent to select the appropriate rebuttal.

Compliance-Critical Moment:

• Without Agent Assist: An agent may forget to deliver a required disclosure, leading to potential violations.
• With Agent Assist: The system triggers a reminder at the right moment, ensuring compliance.

By implementing these strategies, organizations can create a more supportive nesting environment that fosters agent confidence and reduces the time to proficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will agents become dependent on agent assist and never develop true skills?
A: No, the graduated assistance approach ensures agents gradually gain independence while benefiting from real-time support during critical learning phases.

Q: How does agent assist work for remote/virtual nesting programs?
A: Agent assist provides supervisors with real-time monitoring capabilities, allowing them to support remote agents effectively without physical presence.

Q: Can agent assist replace supervisors during nesting?
A: No, agent assist amplifies supervisor capabilities, allowing them to focus on high-value coaching while the technology handles routine guidance.

Q: How quickly can we implement agent assist for an upcoming training class?
A: Typical deployment takes 4-6 weeks for pilot-ready configuration, ensuring quality guidance and supervisor adoption.

Q: What happens to agent assist after nesting ends?
A: Agent assist continues to provide value throughout an agent's tenure, supporting ongoing development and performance enhancement.

By focusing on real-time coaching during the nesting phase, organizations can build confident agents who are well-prepared to handle customer interactions independently. Implementing AI-powered solutions like Insight7 not only enhances training efficiency but also significantly improves overall customer satisfaction.