Effective performance coaching can make or break your call center's success. While AI tools can provide data and insights, only human coaches can truly connect with agents, build trust, and drive meaningful improvement.

Performance coaching is the primary driver of agent performance, yet it's often the most challenging aspect to master.

This 6-step performance coaching model is a straightforward and clear roadmap to coach your team effectively. It focuses on the human-to-human interactions that no AI can replicate.

By following these steps, you'll have more productive conversations, help your agents improve, and ultimately boost your contact center's performance.

For a deep dive into the best software for boosting agent performance, check out our buyer's guide to the top Top Call Center Coaching Software leading the way in 2025.

Implementing the 6-Step Performance Coaching Model

The performance coaching model provides a framework to guide your coaching sessions, they are meant to be adaptable to any coaching situation and a variety agent needs.

Each step builds upon the previous one, creating a cohesive and effective coaching experience. As you review these steps, consider how you can apply them to your unique coaching scenarios:

1. Prepare

Preparation is the foundation of effective performance coaching. This step ensures you have a clear understanding of the agent's performance before the conversation begins. It allows you to approach the coaching session with specific, data-driven insights.

Observe performance or review work product

Determine if previous commitments were attempted, completed, and how. Decide strengths and opportunities. Capture behavioral and contextual details.

2. Connect & Establish Goals of the Conversation

Building rapport and setting clear expectations will create the right environment for a productive coaching session. This step ensures you and the agent are aligned on the session's purpose.

Greet them and initiate conversation

• Demonstrate interest in them, ask non work related questions, help them relax.
• Set out the conversation’s purpose by listing the agenda and seeking feedback.

3. Discuss Reality (3 Parts)

This step involves a balanced discussion of the agent's performance including:

1. Strengths or Progress
2. Transitions
3. Corrective or Constructive Opportunities

By addressing strengths, areas for improvement, and transitions between topics, you're giving the agent a 360 degree view of their work and encouraging engagement.

4. Consider Options & Plan

Involving the agent in the problem-solving process fosters ownership and commitment to improvement. This approach will lead to more effective and lasting solutions.

Ask for possible solutions

Going forward, how might you handle that differently? Questions like these help connect the agent to the issue.

Ask how to implement solutions

How do you think you can make that change / implement that?

5. Commit to the Way Forward

Performance coaching sessions should inspire actionable improvement. The commitments made in this step ensure your coaching sessions translate into concrete steps for development.

Ask for verbal agreement

Will you; try that/do that/work on that next time?

Ask for written agreement

Ask they write out WHAT they are doing, HOW they are going to do it, and by WHEN they will have it completed.

6. Follow-Through

Coach Commitment

What and When you will do to support their commitment

Log & Track

Track your and their commitments for what you will each do and when

Effective performance coaching requires trust, fostering open communication, and consistently supporting your agents' growth. It's a skill that develops over time, and each coaching session is an opportunity to refine your techniques.

Ready to Take Your Performance Coaching to the Next Level?

Download our comprehensive "Ultimate Call Center Coaching Toolkit" to access a wealth of resources to bring out the best in your coaching skills.

This toolkit includes:

1. Coaching Questions: Techniques for meaningful conversations.
2. Commitments for Change: Strategies to inspire and sustain change.
3. Coaching Top Performers: Tips for challenging and growing your best talent.
4. Coaching Remote Workers: Best practices for supporting your remote team.
5. 6-Step Performance Coaching Model: A step-by-step framework for impactful performance coaching.
6. 4 Types of Behavior: Insights into behavior for personalized coaching.
7. Conversation Structure: Building blocks for effective coaching dialogues.
8. Coaching Effectiveness Assessment: Tools for measuring and improving coaching impact.