CPCS CPCS Training, Coaching & Development 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the main difference between coaching and training in a customer service context?
- Coaching is done in groups; training is always individual
- Coaching is ongoing performance-focused development; training delivers new knowledge or skills (Correct answer)
- Coaching is only for underperformers; training is only for new hires
- There is no meaningful difference between the two
Correct answer: Coaching is ongoing performance-focused development; training delivers new knowledge or skills
Coaching is a continuous process focused on improving an individual's current performance, while training typically introduces new knowledge or skills through structured instruction.
Question 2: Which coaching approach involves reviewing recorded calls with an agent and providing structured performance feedback?
- Side-by-side live coaching
- Call monitoring and feedback coaching (Correct answer)
- Group classroom training sessions
- Peer-to-peer mentoring programs
Correct answer: Call monitoring and feedback coaching
Call monitoring and feedback coaching uses actual recorded or live interactions as evidence-based material to provide specific, actionable performance feedback.
Question 3: What does the 'GROW' model stand for in coaching conversations?
- Goals, Rules, Outcomes, Work
- Goal, Reality, Options, Will (Way forward) (Correct answer)
- Growth, Review, Objectives, Workforce
- Guidelines, Resources, Operations, Wins
Correct answer: Goal, Reality, Options, Will (Way forward)
The GROW model structures coaching conversations through Goal-setting, exploring current Reality, identifying Options, and establishing Will or a concrete way forward.
Question 4: When delivering corrective feedback to a customer service agent, what approach is MOST effective?
- Delivering all corrective feedback publicly in a team meeting
- Providing private, specific, behavior-focused feedback with clear improvement expectations (Correct answer)
- Waiting for the annual performance review to address ongoing issues
- Delivering feedback only through written memos to maintain documentation
Correct answer: Providing private, specific, behavior-focused feedback with clear improvement expectations
Effective corrective feedback is delivered privately, focused on specific observed behaviors, and includes clear guidance on expected improvements and support available.
Question 5: What is 'real-time coaching' in a customer service contact center?
- Coaching given only during scheduled annual performance reviews
- Immediate guidance provided to an agent during or directly after a customer interaction (Correct answer)
- Coaching delivered exclusively through pre-recorded instructional videos
- Coaching sessions planned and scheduled several weeks in advance
Correct answer: Immediate guidance provided to an agent during or directly after a customer interaction
Real-time coaching delivers immediate, actionable guidance while the interaction context is fresh, maximizing the opportunity for learning and behavior change.
Question 6: A supervisor notices an experienced agent is struggling specifically with newly implemented software. Which coaching style is MOST appropriate?
- Non-directive coaching that only asks reflective questions
- Directive coaching providing step-by-step guidance on using the new tool (Correct answer)
- Ignoring the issue until the agent independently figures it out
- Reassigning the agent to tasks that do not require the new software
Correct answer: Directive coaching providing step-by-step guidance on using the new tool
When an agent lacks specific knowledge about a new tool, directive coaching with structured guidance builds competency more quickly than non-directive approaches.
CPCS CPCS Training, Coaching & Development 2
What is the main difference between coaching and training in a customer service context?