International business process out-sourcing company Firstsource Solutions is rolling out globally a training programme developed with its Northern Ireland workforce.
The programme has already been used with its 2,000-plus employees across its sites in Belfast and Derry, providing inbound customer service management and technical support for international clients.
Inspired by the processes used in the Firstsource headquarters in India, the local units developed an advanced training scheme which won the Northern Ireland National Training Award.
To ensure the highest of standards from the outset, new recruits are put through a rigorous six-week training programme which covers call handling skills and specific client information.
The tailor-made training schedule includes three weeks of classroom-based learning for theoretical application and role-play followed by three weeks of seven hour shifts in the ‘Grad Bay’ comprising of on-the-job training, support, mentoring and appraisals.
Northern Ireland based Firstsource UK HR Manager Laura Hourican said: “To maintain our competitive edge in this fast moving sector, we strive to up-skill our customer service advisors on a regular basis so that they provide the best possible customer experience.
“Our clients’ service offerings tend to progress and evolve at a fast pace and that requires flexibility and the mental capacity to learn new skills and adapt to meet the needs of the marketplace. Due to the fluid nature of our work programmes, employees often benefit from up to four hours of training a month to ensure they are fully equipped to deal with all customer calls.
“As a company, we are committed to empowering staff and fast tracking individuals into senior roles. Within Firstsource there is a culture which seeks to develop and nurture talent within the organisation, ensuring that each of our valued staff members have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. This talent is developed through the Aspire Programme, which trains up and coming employees in areas such as training, management and quality control to allow them to progress into managerial roles within the company.
“Some of the staff who first joined Firstsource over five years ago are now part of the Regional Management Team and have responsibility for multiple sites across the UK. Employees are encouraged to embrace the Aspire Programme which is designed to challenge employees and help them to grow into the business leaders of the future.”