How Do You Choose Call Centre Agent Titles and “Ranks”?

Call centre leaders often face the challenge of deciding on the appropriate titles and ranking structures within their teams, but many organisations find this a critical part of their operations.

So when Tom G asked our Community of industry professionals for advice on call centre agent titles:

“I am designing an inbound call centre and am interested to learn about call centre agent titles and ‘ranking’ approaches. Some firms use different overarching titles like ‘consultants’ while others have ranking systems like junior agents, senior agents, and team leaders.

Some even call team leaders ‘VPs’! Where status and rewarding performance through titles is important, what successful and innovative approaches have you seen or used?”

We wanted to share the top responses with you.

Three Ways to Decide Call Centre Agent Titles and “Ranks”

1. Rank Agents Based on Skill Level

A common approach is to use skill levels to rank agents without creating too much complexity. Skill levels can be determined by experience (time in role), performance (e.g., accounts sold), or specific training objectives.

Starting with Level 1, agents can move up the structure as they gain more skills or experience, and for advanced operatives, multiple skill levels can be introduced.

Naming conventions such as “Agent,” “Consultant,” or “Representative” depend more on the business type than the ranking system itself, with the title serving more to indicate the agent’s role to customers rather than their internal rank.

A simple yet effective structure could be:

• Customer Care Advisor
• Senior Advisor
• Team Leader
• Contact Centre Manager

Contributed by: Tony & Littleli

3. Create a Title Hierarchy

A simple yet effective naming structure could be:

• Agent
• Mentor
• Advocate
• Expert

This hierarchy is designed to reflect an agent’s progression within the team, where each title reflects a specific skill or level achieved. This naming convention encourages growth and recognition.

Example – Title Hierarchy

Here’s a sample structure that ties titles to salary ranges, offering a clear path for career progression:

• Customer Service Advisor (£18-22k)
• Senior Customer Service Advisor (£22-25k)
• Executive (Deputy Customer Service Team Leader (£25-£30k)
• Customer Service Team Leader (£30-35k)

This model shows how titles can correlate with salary bands, offering a tangible reward for increasing responsibilities.

Contributed by: Jane & Kowalski

3. Consider Creative Titles

While customers may not notice the difference, the choice of titles can impact the team’s dynamic and motivation.

Rather than sticking to basic titles like “Junior Agent” or “Senior Agent,” it’s important to get creative with tier names. Focusing on skill, tenure, and performance as the key criteria can help generate unique and meaningful titles that inspire a sense of achievement.

Contributed by: Tom G

This article was made possible due to the great community of experts we have at Call Centre Helper, to get involved just join our LinkedIn Community and and if you aren’t already make sure you are following us on LinkedIn to see our latest content.

For more on agent job roles and titles in the call centre, read these articles next:

• Typical Roles in a Call Centre – With Job Descriptions
• Skills and Competencies for Roles in The Call Centre
• Skills and Competencies for Roles in The Call Centre

Reviewed by: Hannah Swankie