Glossary

Quality assurance (QA)

contact center

What Is Quality Assurance?

Quality assurance (QA) is a systematic process that ensures that the products and services companies offer meet specific requirements and standards. It involves well-organized and methodical activities that act as checkpoints for maintaining quality standards set by the organization. A thoughtful, proven quality assurance program provides leaders with confidence that their products, services, and teams are representing the company well. 

Quality Assurance FAQs

What is quality assurance in a contact center?

Contact center quality assurance involves monitoring the interactions between customer service representatives and customers to ensure proper procedures are followed. It aims to improve agent performance, the customer service experience, and brand perception, leading to stronger customer loyalty. Advanced companies are using AI automation to instantly conduct a QA review of every customer interaction to provide more accurate feedback to contact center agents about their performance and provide more targeted agent coaching. 

Why is quality assurance important?

Quality assurance is crucial as it ensures that a brand’s end products and services meet desired quality levels. It helps businesses enhance their offerings, improve operational efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction.

What are the principles of quality assurance?

Quality assurance is guided by four main principles:

  • Customer Focus: Putting the needs and satisfaction of customers at the forefront of every decision, so that their experience is exceptional and tailored to their preferences.
  • Systematic Approach: Implementing a structured and organized methodology used for problem-solving and decision-making, enabling efficient and effective processes.
  • Continuous Improvement: Embracing a culture of ongoing learning and growth, constantly seeking ways to enhance performance and exceed expectations.
  • Defect Prevention Over Defection Detection: Prioritizing proactive measures and strategies to prevent issues and errors from occurring, rather than solely relying on identifying and addressing them after they have occurred. This approach aims to minimize customer dissatisfaction and enhance overall product quality.

What is the difference between quality assurance and quality control?

Quality assurance is a proactive process, which starts even before work on a particular deliverable begins, while quality control is a reactive process and is centered on identifying defects in the actual products produced.

What is the difference between quality assurance and quality management?

Quality assurance is a specific subset of quality management (QM). While QA focuses on preventing defects and ensuring that processes are designed to produce high-quality products or services, quality management encompasses a wider range of activities that involve strategic planning, quality control, and continuous improvement efforts to enhance the overall quality of products, services, and organizational processes.

What does a quality assurance specialist do?

A quality assurance specialist ensures that a final product or service meets a given company's quality standards. In general, these detail-oriented professionals are responsible for the development and implementation of inspection activities, the detection and resolution of problems, and the delivery of satisfactory outcomes.

What is quality assurance testing?

Quality assurance testing is a systematic process of checking to see whether a product or service being developed is meeting specified requirements. It sets up an infrastructure of policies and procedures designed to ensure the highest quality levels.

How can you improve quality assurance in a contact center?

There are several effective strategies that can be implemented to enhance quality assurance in a contact center.

  • Regular monitoring and feedback are crucial components, providing valuable insights for improvement. In addition, implementing comprehensive customer service training programs can equip contact center agents with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver exceptional customer service. 
  • Maintaining a customer-centric approach ensures that every interaction is focused on meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations. 
  • Leveraging advanced tools and software, like a contact center suite, can further optimize contact center operations and enhance overall performance. 

By embracing these measures, contact centers can elevate their quality assurance efforts and deliver outstanding customer experiences.