SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED QUALIFICATION THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

National Certificate: Contact Centre Operations 
SAQA QUAL ID QUALIFICATION TITLE
21791  National Certificate: Contact Centre Operations 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Marketing 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY NQF SUB-FRAMEWORK
Was SERVICES until Last Date for Achievement  OQSF - Occupational Qualifications Sub-framework 
QUALIFICATION TYPE FIELD SUBFIELD
National Certificate  Field 03 - Business, Commerce and Management Studies  Marketing 
ABET BAND MINIMUM CREDITS PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL QUAL CLASS
Undefined  135  Level 4  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L4  Regular-Unit Stds Based 
REGISTRATION STATUS SAQA DECISION NUMBER REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 SAQA 0160/05  2009-01-27  2009-05-05 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2010-05-05   2013-05-05  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This qualification is replaced by: 
Qual ID Qualification Title Pre-2009 NQF Level NQF Level Min Credits Replacement Status
71489  Further Education and Training Certificate: Contact Centre Operations  Level 4  NQF Level 04  132  Complete 

PURPOSE AND RATIONALE OF THE QUALIFICATION 
Any individual who are or wish to be involved in the Contact Centre industry, will have access to this qualification. It also serves as the entry qualification into Contact Centre operations and management. This qualification will be registered at NQF Level 4. Portability across both areas of specialisation is therefore ensured.

Learners working towards this qualification will find that the acquisition of competence in the unit standards, which make up the qualification, will add value to learner`s job. This qualification is intended to enhance the provision of entry level service within the Contact Centre Industry.

Rationale of the qualification

The National Qualification in Contact Centre operations: Level 4 is designed to meet the needs of those learners want to progress and will assist those who make Contact Centre Operations their chosen career path, in the field of Contact Centres. Contact Centres have become key business tools - integral to the way organisations achieve their business objectives. Contact Centres are a new industry - there is a need to develop career paths in this field, and it is a high growth industry constantly in need of skilled people.
The Contact Centre industry is also fast becoming the next knowledge worker industry. All Contact Centres are currently recruiting, training and performance managing agents. Currently Call Centres sit inside of existing organisations within larger Industries, i.e. Banking, Insurance, Pay-TV.
The Contact Centre National Certificate at NQF Level 4 will provide the broad knowledge and skills needed in the industry and to progress along a career path for learners who:
  • At the higher levels needs a set of unit standards against which to align and measure themselves.
  • Were previously disadvantaged or who were unable to complete their schooling and were therefore denied access to Further Education and Training.
  • Have worked in Contact Centres for many years, but have no formal qualification in Contact Centre Management.
  • Wish to extend their range of skills and knowledge of the industry so that they can become competent workers in Contact Centres.


    The National Certificate in Contact Centre Operations: Level 4 allows the learner to work towards a nationally recognised whole qualification. The qualification will allow both those in formal education and those already employed in Contact Centre organisations access, due to its flexibility.

    The qualification focuses on the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes required to progress further within the Contact Centre industry. The intention is
  • To promote the development of knowledge and skills that are required in Contact Centres.
  • To release the potential of people.
  • To provide opportunities for people to move up the value chain.

    Many different roles and careers are linked to and affected by this qualification. They include, but are not limited to:
  • Sales Managers ? Administration staff
  • Contact Centre Managers ? Category Managers
  • Sales Representatives ? Telesales Clerks
  • National Account Managers ? Sales Directors
  • Key Account Managers ? Client Services Clerks
  • Channel Managers ? Quality Assurance staff
  • Contact Centre / Call Centre Supervisors ? Contact Centre/ Call Centre Agents
  • General Managers ? IT Staff

    The National Certificate in Contact Centre Operations: Level 4, should produce knowledgeable, skilled people who are able to contribute to improved productivity and efficiency within the Contact Centre industry. It should provide the means for current individuals in the Contact Centre field to receive recognition of prior learning and to upgrade their skills and knowledge base. The qualification is structured in such a way that it exposes individuals to a set of core competences to give a broad understanding of Contact Centre operations and supervision, and the electives, which will allow for a specialisation of competence in either a commercial or an emergency environment. It will also promote the notion of life-long learning. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    The learning assumed to be in place is only a guide in order to help the learner cope with the unit standards in the qualification. The following is the learning assumed to be in place:

    Learners accessing this unit standard or qualification will have demonstrated competency against unit standards in Contact Centres at NQF Level 2 or equivalent
    Learners are expected to have demonstrated competency in language Verbal and written communication skills ) and numeracy at NQF Level 3 or equivalent
    Learners will demonstrate competence in a Second Language (verbal and written communication skills) at NQF level 2.


    Recognition of prior learning

    The structure of this Unit Standard based Qualification makes the Recognition of Prior Learning possible, if the learner is able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes implicit in this.


    This Recognition of Prior Learning may allow:

    For accelerated access to further learning.
    Gaining of credits towards a unit standard.

    All Recognition of Prior Learning is subject to quality assurance by the relevant accredited Education, Training, Quality, Assurance Body and is conducted by an accredited workplace assessor. 

    RECOGNISE PREVIOUS LEARNING? 
    Y 

    QUALIFICATION RULES 
    20 credits must be selected from the Fundamental Communications and Language Unit Standards and 16 credits from Fundamental Numeracy Unit Standards. 

    EXIT LEVEL OUTCOMES 
    On achieving this qualification, the learner will be able to:
  • Understand and implement service levels and their monitoring in Contact Centres.
  • Monitor and control Contact Centre support Staff and their meeting of targets and standards.
  • Apply specific Contact Centre sales knowledge and skills in creating and meeting sales targets and requirements.
  • Identify specific Contact Centre customers.
  • Coach others in Contact Centres.
  • Work with Contact Centre statistical data. 
    		•

    ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT CRITERIA 
    In particular assessors should check that the learner must demonstrate an ability to consider a range of options and make decisions about:

    .> Service levels are understood and applied in the specific Contact Centre.
  • Performance standards by others are identified, monitored and coaching applied where necessary.
  • Contact Centre specific selling skills are understood and applied in order to meet performance requirements.
  • Statistical data is retrieved and correlated.

    Integrated Assessment

    Because assessment practices must be open, transparent, fair, valid, and reliable and ensure that no learner is disadvantaged in any way whatsoever, an integrated assessment approach is incorporated into the qualification.

    As it is a Unit Standard based Qualification, both formative and summative assessment processes are accounted for. 
    		•

    INTERNATIONAL COMPARABILITY 
    Benchmarking was done by comparison to Unit Standards / Outcomes of learning against:
  • New Zealand and Australian Qualifications where these could be sourced.
  • NVQ Qualifications from Britain. In fact the NVQ have compared the unit standards in this qualification and have approved the relevant unit standards for a period of two years. 
    		•

    ARTICULATION OPTIONS 
    On completion of this qualification, besides careers in the formal Contact Centre industry, learners may also be able to enter careers in

    Contact Centre Agent/Consultant
    Contact Centre Supervisor
    Contact Centre Coach
    Contact Centre Manager
    Customer Service Representatives
    Customer Care Consultants
    Direct Selling
    Sales
    Tele Marketing
    Data Capturing
    Other IT Related Fields
    Administration Clerks
    Receptionists
    Switchboard operators

    Note:

    1.The above is an indication rather than an exhaustive listing
    2.In addition learners can specialise in an industry sector e.g. FMCG; Retail, Wholesale, Motor, Insurance, Banking etc 

    MODERATION OPTIONS 
    Anyone assessing a learner or moderating the assessment of a learner against this Qualification must be registered as an assessor with the relevant Education, Training, Quality, Assurance (ETQA) Body.

    Any institution offering learning that will enable the achievement of this Qualification must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.

    Assessment and moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the ETQA`s policies and guidelines for assessment and moderation; in terms of agreements reached around assessment and moderation between ETQA`s (including professional bodies); and in terms of the moderation guideline detailed immediately below.

    Moderation must include both internal and external moderation of assessments at exit points of the qualification, unless ETQA policies specify otherwise. Moderation should also encompass achievement of the competence described both in individual unit standards as well as the integrated competence described in the qualification.

    Anyone wishing to be assessed against this Qualification may apply to be assessed by any assessment agency, assessor or provider institution that is accredited by the relevant ETQA. 

    CRITERIA FOR THE REGISTRATION OF ASSESSORS 
    For an applicant to register as an assessor, the applicant needs:
  • A minimum of 2 (two) years` practical, relevant occupational experience.
  • ?To be declared competent in all the outcomes of the National Assessor Unit Standards as stipulated by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA).
  • Detailed documentary proof of educational qualification, practical training undergone, and experience gained by the applicant must be provided (Portfolio of evidence). 
    		•

    NOTES 
    This qualification has been replaced by qualification 71489, which is "Further Education and Training Certificate: Contact Centre Operations", NQF Level 4, 132 credits. 

    UNIT STANDARDS: 
      ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
    Core  10348  Identify and respond to customer needs in a Contact Centre  Level 2  NQF Level 02  12 
    Core  10313  Comply with service levels as set out in a Contact Centre Operation  Level 4  NQF Level 04  10 
    Core  10324  Describe features, advantages and benefits of a range of products or services  Level 4  NQF Level 04  6 
    Core  10326  Identify customers of Contact Centres  Level 4  NQF Level 04  4 
    Core  10323  Implement Contact Centre specific sales techniques to generate sales through a Contact Centre  Level 4  NQF Level 04  12 
    Core  10321  Monitor and maintain performance standards in a Contact Centre  Level 4  NQF Level 04  12 
    Core  10327  Provide coaching to personnel within a Contact Centre  Level 4  NQF Level 04  10 
    Core  10322  Retrieve and correlate statistical data applicable to Contact Centres  Level 4  NQF Level 04  12 
    Fundamental  9015  Apply knowledge of statistics and probability to critically interrogate and effectively communicate findings on life related problems  Level 4  NQF Level 04  6 
    Fundamental  8974  Engage in sustained oral communication and evaluate spoken texts  Level 4  NQF Level 04  5 
    Fundamental  8975  Read analyse and respond to a variety of texts  Level 4  NQF Level 04  5 
    Fundamental  9016  Represent analyse and calculate shape and motion in 2-and 3-dimensional space in different contexts  Level 4  NQF Level 04  4 
    Fundamental  7468  Use mathematics to investigate and monitor the financial aspects of personal, business, national and international issues  Level 4  NQF Level 04  6 
    Fundamental  12153  Use the writing process to compose texts required in the business environment  Level 4  NQF Level 04  5 
    Fundamental  8976  Write for a wide range of contexts  Level 4  NQF Level 04  5 
    Elective  10331  Identify and analyse customer and market related trends impacting on Contact Centres  Level 4  NQF Level 04  10 
    Elective  10330  Implement and co-ordinate campaigns within Contact Centres  Level 4  NQF Level 04  10 
    Elective  10328  Implement and co-ordinate Contact Centre activities in a commercial environment  Level 4  NQF Level 04  18 
    Elective  10329  Implement and co-ordinate Contact Centre activities in an emergency environment  Level 4  NQF Level 04  18 


    LEARNING PROGRAMMES RECORDED AGAINST THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    When qualifications are replaced, some of their learning programmes are moved to being recorded against the replacement qualifications. If a learning programme appears to be missing from here, please check the replacement.
     
    NONE 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS QUALIFICATION: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.