Manual Call Analysis for QA in Call Centers: Getting to the Heart of Bias

At Claritiv, we’ve recently begun working with call centers to address some of their most pressing challenges. One issue we see over and over is the difficulty of maintaining fairness and consistency in quality assurance (QA). Call centers work hard to evaluate calls, develop agents, and ensure that service standards are met, but we’ve noticed that traditional, manual QA processes often fall short—especially when it comes to avoiding bias.

We’re here to help call center leaders take a fresh look at how they can improve their QA process by eliminating bias, building a stronger team culture, and delivering better outcomes. Let’s take a journey through the typical layers of QA, from the surface to the deeper, more impactful levels, and see how Claritiv can be the solution that helps you overcome these hidden issues.

On the surface, or the “skin” level, QA is straightforward. Analysts check whether agents are following scripts, keeping a positive tone, and hitting performance metrics. These basics are important, of course, but if QA stops here, we miss the deeper issues that can hinder growth, morale, and fairness.

Digging deeper, we get to the “bone” level, where the structure of QA is meant to hold everything together fairly. Yet, manual QA methods are influenced by human judgment, which can allow bias to slip in, even if unintentionally. Sometimes, a QA lead may subconsciously score an agent lower due to personal preferences or because of an unresolved past issue. Or they might focus too heavily on recent calls rather than the agent’s overall performance. Without meaning to, evaluators might also confirm their own assumptions about an agent, whether positive or negative.

Over time, this hidden bias affects consistency, creates cracks in your QA process, and can leave agents feeling unfairly treated. They might feel discouraged, lose trust in the system, or even consider leaving. In some cases, unchecked bias can lead to misinterpretations of performance, triggering unnecessary disciplinary actions or compliance audits that impact your bottom line and disrupt team harmony.

At the “heart” level, we see the real human impact of bias in QA. When agents feel unfairly scored or evaluated, it doesn’t just affect their morale—it affects the whole team. Disengaged agents don’t perform their best, and this can spread, impacting the quality of service and customer satisfaction. For call center leaders like you, it’s essential that QA supports agent growth and fosters a positive environment. But if biases are left unchecked, it can feel like the opposite, where your QA process is holding agents back instead of helping them excel.

This is where Claritiv makes a difference. Our conversational intelligence platform is designed to address these underlying challenges by using advanced AI to deliver fair, consistent, and insightful QA evaluations. With Claritiv, every call is analyzed based on the same objective criteria, eliminating the risk of human bias. You get a clear and accurate view of each agent’s strengths and areas for improvement, giving you data you can trust.

Here’s why Claritiv is the solution call centers need:

1. Unbiased Evaluations Every Time: Claritiv’s AI ensures every agent is assessed equally, free from personal preferences or past conflicts. This consistency allows you to give agents the fair evaluations they deserve.
2. Complete Call Coverage: Unlike manual QA, which only samples a few calls, Claritiv allows you to review 100% of interactions. This means you get a true, data-backed picture of agent performance over time, so your decisions are based on real trends, not isolated moments.
3. Data-Driven Coaching and Insights: Claritiv doesn’t just offer scores; it provides actionable insights and recommendations, making it easy to offer balanced, targeted coaching that helps agents grow. With Claritiv, your QA process becomes a tool for agent development and overall team improvement.

By choosing Claritiv, you’re investing in a QA process that goes beyond the surface—getting to the very heart of what makes a successful call center. Our platform lets you leave behind the risks of manual bias, helping you build a system that’s transparent, fair, and effective. Let’s work together to strengthen your QA and set your agents up for success, delivering the kind of support that both your agents and your customers will feel.