Postgraduate Diploma in Contact Centre Management

Purpose

The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Contact Centre Management is to equip learners with managerial skills required in the contact centre environment, such that they follow a career in the Contact Centre Management.

The qualification will provide learners with the ability to manage any contact centre disciplines within the industry, where a qualifying learner will have the capability of applying knowledge to various components that relate to the activities in the contact centre environment.

The Exit Level Outcomes of this qualification have been structured to align them to the purpose of the qualification in that the relevant use of technology has been integrated into the qualification. The Research module included in this programme provides learners with an opportunity to pursue further learning in the field of contact centre management, and this is in line with institution's mission of conducting relevant research and promoting innovation, engagement and social enterprise.

The learning materials of this qualification are developed by academic staff who are subject matter experts in their respective fields. They develop these materials in conjunction with the instructional designers and curriculum development practitioners who make sure that the learning material and activities included are conducive for learning and are also aligned to the outcomes of the qualification.

Rationale

The qualification is designed to meet the career-path needs of learners in the contact centre. As the South African contact centre industry is also becoming a destination of choice for large international organisations, the qualification is, therefore, suitable for continuing development deep understanding of contact centre management including extensive technical knowledge.

The qualification is developed to meet the specific career path needs in the contact centre environment as confirmed by industry. The qualification extends and builds on the skills developed in the Advanced Diploma as it is aimed at empowering incumbents with focused and applied specialisation which meets the requirements of a specific niche in the labour market. It involves specific knowledge and skills to perform at specialist and managerial levels within multi-disciplinary contact centre environments.

This qualification is to develop and empower professional graduates who are flexible enough to adjust internationally in the contact centre environment, as self-aware experts can understand their place in a complex scenario and manage different situations. The qualification is intended to widen graduates perspective to many relevant contexts, to compare them, and to learn from various experiences in the field of contact centres.

The qualification addresses the need of South African organisations that widely use contact centres for customer engagement and service delivery which is key to success in the sector, and this demands expert utilisation of technology and strategic management. The industry is also becoming a destination of choice for large international organisations.

Qualifying learners will occupy positions such as contact centre general manager, contact centre director and contact centre quality assurance manager.

The qualification is beneficial to both society and the economy due to the high demand for qualified contact centre personnel. The purpose of the qualification is to produce students who will be equipped to integrate new competencies and technologies in contact centre management to respond to the national demand for Contact Centre Personnel.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The RPL policy of the institution provides for learners from other institutions as well as mature learners with relevant prior knowledge at the required level, related to the outcomes of the qualification to be admitted to this qualification through the RPL process. Learners may also obtain module credits through RPL.

Departmental committee meeting steps

• Evaluate all qualifications/documentations.
• Discuss the relevance.
• Consider prior knowledge base.
• Make recommendations - internal departmental exam; Additional modules; Language problems.
• Complete documentation - sent through to faculty.
• RPL office then communicates the outcome to the learner.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Advanced Diploma in Contact Centre Management, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 120 Credits

• Contact Centre Customer Relations V, 30 Credits.
• Human Resource Management V, 30 Credits.
• Contact Centre Management V, 30 Credits.
• Advanced Research Methodology V, 30 Credits.

1. Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement quality assurance guidelines, workforce management procedures and assuring compliance with contact centre regulatory guidelines and standards to attain the contact centres business goals and operational stability.
2. Develop and implement customer service policies, customer experience assessment tools, sales management processes and review service level agreements.
3. Maintain effective customer relationships within the contact centre.
4. Develop and implement contact centre human resource strategies.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Contact centre quality assurance guidelines are developed and managed.
• Develop, implement and review contact Centre workforce management guidelines.
• Develop forecasting guidelines of call volume and other contact volume and anticipated volume across all customers both short-term, medium-term and long-term.
• Plan and execute training of team members, managers and trainers on the use of work-force planning tools.
• Monitor compliance with regulatory agency guidelines and standards.
• Evaluate outsourcing, insourcing and offshoring contractual agreement.
• Adapt legal requirements and work processes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Analyse and interpret system-generated reports to provide feedback to customers to optimise quality customer service.
• Review contact customer service policies and escalation procedures.
• Build a sound customer relationship.
• Ensure a more customer experience that is consistent across all contact centre communication channels.
• Measure customer satisfaction, fast complete resolution and word of mouth index.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Examine the strategies regarding employee separation and retention management.
• Recruit, training and coaching contact centre workforce.
• Review appraisals policies and procedures.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment strategies are continuous and aimed at giving learners feedback on their progress in the achievement of learning outcomes as well as to integrate theoretical and practical competence. Such strategies include informal assignments, discussions, case studies, informal tests and tutoring.

Some of the criteria may be assessed through observation of the learners during classes.

Summative assessment strategies are aimed at the judgement of the learning concerning the Exit Level Outcomes of the qualification. Such strategies include examinations, reports, projects or equivalent such as a portfolio of evidence which is representative of a selection of the outcomes.

The outcomes of the formal assignments and tests will contribute to a cumulative classmark as per pre-arrangement with the learners. In the formal assignments and tests, and the respective examinations, learners will have to demonstrate the ability to communicate and integrate the knowledge of the key issues, highlighted in the respective modules, and identify and resolve typical problems in the subfields as indicated. This will require critical and creative thinking as well as the ability to make practical applications of the learning outcomes as indicated in the module descriptors.