Client Company:
Regional outbound call center of a global market research firm with more than 70 offices in 46 countries.

Challenge: Reduce high employee turnover rates (+78%) in outbound call center positions. Reduce excessive turnover costs. Identify competencies that predict long tenure in these positions.

Solution: PHD conducted a one year research study to evaluate the effectiveness of company-specific hiring benchmarks designed to reduce employee turnover and identify the competencies that are required for call center employees to achieve tenure of at least 12 months or more.
During the course of the study, the effectiveness of PHD's performance benchmarking system was also contrasted with another call center site's usage of the Profile XT Assessment developed by Profiles International, one of the more prominent assessment companies operating in North America. This client company, thus, evaluated the effectiveness of both turnover reduction solutions (PHD vs. Profiles International) in a head-to-head comparison.

Data collected from the organization's existing workforce were used to create the customized turnover reduction benchmarks. Employees in the positions under study were asked to complete a brief 10 minute survey that measures a range of important competencies. Once collected, the employee competency data were evaluated along with actual tenure indicators and company performance requirements and customized performane benchmarks were then established.
At the end of the research period (one-year), hiring accuracy rates were evaluated for both the Profiles International "Profile XT" assessment and PHD's Performance Benchmarking System.

Use of PHD's benchmarking tools required no dramatic change to the existing hiring procedures. This client company has simply incorporated the 10 minute competency survey as an additional, required pre-screen within the broader hiring process.

Over the course of the research period, the following results were obtained: