The Best Call Center Coaching Feedback Examples To Use

Effective coaching, alongside quality feedback, is essential for improving agent performance and, as a result, boosting customer satisfaction. However, it can be challenging to ensure that you’re using impactful call center coaching feedback examples.

Evaluators have to overcome several hurdles to deliver actionable feedback, such as a lack of access to actionable data and insights, limited time to spend on agents, or the fear of giving feedback that could backfire and kill the agent’s confidence.

Plus, many agents feel that the quality of the coaching they’re getting isn’t effective or detailed enough. 43% of contact center professionals stated that managers' coaching skills aren’t sufficient to improve their agents' experience.

In this article, we’ll provide concrete contact center coaching feedback examples that aren’t just positive and constructive. We’ll also show you what ineffective, negative feedback can look like and what you can do to improve your coaching sessions.

The key to motivation: Positive call center coaching feedback examples

Nobody wants to work in a toxic, hostile environment. It can easily lead to agent burnout and a higher turnover rate, as your agents won’t have the motivation to perform well, which can significantly impact your customer experience.

There are several ways that you can help encourage your contact center agents and boost morale (that don’t involve pizza parties and $5 gift cards), such as giving specific compliments and public recognition during meetings for individual staff. Most importantly, you should reward agents who consistently perform well—they’re working hard to maintain their performance and should be celebrated.

Positive reinforcement and agent recognition is important because it makes a significant difference for your agents in several different ways:

• Improves morale: Regular positive feedback can dramatically improve the work environment, making it more supportive and encouraging.
• Increases job satisfaction: Recognition makes employees feel valued, which improves job satisfaction and loyalty.
• Boosts performance: Positive reinforcement can motivate agents to continue delivering high-quality, consistent results and improve their performance over time.
• Reduces turnover: High turnover rates are a significant (and common) problem in contact centers. A positive work culture, reinforced by regular recognition, can reduce turnover by making employees feel more connected and satisfied with their jobs.
• Encourages professional growth: Recognition often includes providing opportunities for professional development, enabling agents to invest in their growth and development.

7 examples of positive feedback for call center agents

1. “You did an excellent job staying calm and positive even when the customer grew frustrated. Your emotional intelligence prevented the situation from escalating.”
2. “I admire your empathy and active listening skills. You’re really able to step into the customer’s shoes and see things from their perspective.”
3. “You showed really strong product knowledge during that call, I could tell that the customer felt confident in your ability and satisfied with the resolution.”
4. “You’re such a strong communicator. I really admire your ability to clearly convey complex information to customers.”
5. “I love how you personalized that call with Mr. Smith by using his name and bringing up details from previous conversations. That definitely made him feel valued.”
6. “Your positive energy is terrific. It always comes through in your calls and makes a real difference to the customer experience.”
7. “I’ve noticed a big increase in your call volume. I know that was something you had difficulty with in the past so I’m impressed by your commitment and improvement.”

Growth opportunities: Constructive call center coaching feedback examples

Constructive feedback is essential in call centers for driving improvement, maintaining standards, and helping your agents develop their skills.

It identifies areas where service could be improved (and how your agents navigate it), plus it can help correct inefficient processes and behaviors that may be limiting productivity and impacting service quality.

However, it’s important to frame your constructive feedback appropriately. Otherwise, it may come off as overly critical and can have the opposite effect. Instead, here are some call center coaching feedback examples you can use:

• Be specific and objective: Focus on specific events or behaviors instead of making general statements.
• Offer solutions or next steps: Instead of just pointing out what was wrong, provide suggestions or tools to improve.
• Encourage self-assessment: Prompt your agents to reflect and identify areas for improvement.
• Follow up with them: Keep tabs on them and check in after you’ve given feedback, and provide ongoing support as they improve.

7 constructive agent feedback examples

• “You were friendly throughout, but it might be better to start the call with a formal greeting to start the conversation with a professional tone.”
• “I noticed that you interrupted the customer a couple of times. This might make them feel like you’re not listening. Next time, wait until they’ve finished describing their problem, then summarize the issue before offering a solution.”
• “You did resolve the issue in the end, but it’s best to stick to our call scripts where possible to ensure the accuracy of your solution.”
• “There was an opportunity to upsell when the customer said [specific quote from call transcript]. Let’s review our upselling techniques so we can catch that next time.”
• “While you did find a satisfying resolution for the customer, your handle time was over our target of [internal ATH target time]. Let’s look at some time-saving tactics so you can get there quicker next time.”
• “Your explanation of the problem was correct, but I noticed that you used a lot of industry jargon and technical terms. This might be hard for the customer to understand. Let’s break down the conversation and see where you could have simplified it.”
• “You did resolve the customer’s query, but you forgot to ask if they required any further assistance before ending the call. Always be sure to ask if there’s anything else you can help with before ending the conversation.”

How to do it wrong: bad call center feedback examples

If you want to do something right, you’ll need to know how to do it wrong, too. Receiving feedback can be difficult and sensitive for some agents, and coaches may need to adjust their approach for maximum effectiveness.

Here are some call center coaching feedback examples your coaches should avoid in their processes:

Ambushing the agent

Approaching agents randomly to offer them feedback, such as in a public setting, at their desk, or in break rooms, can be incredibly embarrassing and stressful. It can lead to agents avoiding your coaches or not accepting feedback at all.

Public critique, or even unscheduled feedback at their desk, puts employees on the defensive and can lead them to avoid interactions with coaches altogether.

Vague feedback that isn’t actionable

Avoid feedback that is non-specific and doesn't provide clear direction. Saying something like, "You need to do better" or "You're not engaging enough with customers" doesn't explain what specific actions need to change or how.

Rather than saying an agent is "not engaging enough," provide examples of how they can improve, such as active listening strategies or empathetic communication techniques.

Out-of-date feedback

Waiting too long after the event to give feedback can make it less effective because the details are no longer fresh in the agent’s mind. This can lead to confusion and make it harder for the agent to connect the feedback to specific actions.

To be effective, feedback should be timely, allowing agents to easily recall the situation and understand how to apply constructive criticism in future customer interactions.

Only focusing on the negative

Highlighting only what an agent did wrong without acknowledging what they did right can demoralize them and affect their performance. This can build a fear-driven, highly critical work environment that turns your QA process into policing instead of improving.

Balance is key; ensure that you're recognizing what your agents do well alongside areas for improvement. This approach encourages a more receptive attitude toward feedback and promotes a growth mindset.

Criticizing the person, not the behavior

Giving feedback in an aggressive, sarcastic, or condescending manner can lead to resentment and a lack of respect. Phrases like "Can’t you do anything right?" or using a harsh tone even when discussing performance issues can damage the relationship.

It's crucial to distinguish the person from the performance, delivering feedback in a manner that addresses specific actions or behaviors without undermining the individual's self-worth.

Ignoring the agent’s own feedback and opinions

A one-sided conversation isn’t a conversation. Feedback should be a two-way street where agents feel heard and valued. Disregarding an agent's perspective or not considering external factors contributing to their performance overlooks the opportunity for holistic improvement and mutual understanding.

5 practical tips for giving feedback to agents during call center coaching sessions

• Make feedback regular and consistent: It’s essential that you offer feedback often. Establishing a routine can make a real difference to your agents. Planning coaching sessions with your teams and agents gives everyone involved an opportunity to communicate, set goals and expectations, and monitor progress as they learn and grow.
• Provide examples (both positive and negative): Don’t just show up and tell them how they’re performing. Give them proof of what they’re doing right—and wrong. Using real examples (like call recordings or chat transcripts) in your coaching sessions allows agents to see it from a new perspective, which can motivate them.
• Be specific: Nobody likes a vague answer without any practical feedback. Just like showing a real example of their work helps give them a fresh look, offering specific examples of what they’re doing well (or how they can improve) can help make it an effective coaching session.

• Give agents the opportunity for self-reflection and self-evaluation: Let agents see how they contribute to your organization as a whole, and how impactful their role is. You can even pepper this with positive affirmations—helping them internalize their improvements and skills with positive thoughts and motivations.

• Use “I” instead of “You”: Using specific language within your call center coaching feedback examples can help deliver it in a way that feels less harshly critical. This method helps put the agent in a different perspective, and it also serves to make feedback sound less accusatory, and more constructive.

5 effective call center feedback models

The Feedback Sandwich

The Feedback Sandwich method places constructive criticism (the filling) between two layers of positive feedback (the bread). This approach eases the receiver into the call center quality feedback process, making them more receptive to critique by starting and ending on a positive note.

The main idea is to create a balanced feedback experience that encourages and motivates rather than demoralizes. Make sure the feedback is sincere though, or it might cause the agent to switch off.

The 3:1 Ratio (3 Positive to 1 Negative)

The 3:1 Ratio is an approach that recommends giving three positive feedback points for every one constructive criticism. This ratio is grounded in the belief that people respond better to positive reinforcement and that acknowledging what someone does well will make them more open to hearing about areas for improvement. It helps foster a positive atmosphere and motivates individuals to leverage their strengths while addressing their weaknesses.

The Continue and Begin Model

The Continue and Begin model is a forward-looking feedback methodology. It focuses on guiding individuals on what behaviors they should continue doing and what new behaviors or actions they should begin to incorporate. This model emphasizes ongoing improvement and development, steering clear of dwelling on past mistakes and focusing on the future.

The ERIC Model

The ERIC Model (Explain, Reason, Impact, and Change) is a comprehensive feedback technique that begins by explaining the observed behavior. Then, it discusses the reasons behind this behavior, detailing its impact, and concludes with suggestions for change. This model is thorough and helps provide clear, actionable feedback that addresses not just the "what" but the "why" and the "how."

Situation, Behavior, Impact

The Situation, Behavior, Impact (SBI) model is a focused feedback approach that breaks down feedback into three components:

• The specific situation in which the behavior occurred
• The behavior itself
• The impact of that behavior

This method aims to provide clear, specific feedback that is directly tied to observable actions and their effects, making it easier for the recipient to understand and act on the feedback.

Giving effective call center coaching feedback examples can be a pain for any QA team, and it can be just as difficult for your agents to accept.

Concrete, actionable call center coaching feedback examples can boost agent morale, create a positive work environment, and instill the confidence needed to deliver the perfect customer experience.

Getting the data to make your coaching sessions more informative has never been easier. With Scorebuddy, you can create personalized dashboards, build custom agent scorecards, and streamline your evaluation process with the power of AI.

Book a demo today and see how the right coaching tools can make all the difference.