Guide
Call Center QA Checklist: What to Measure on Every Call
A QA checklist is the practical implementation of your scoring rubric — the specific behaviors an evaluator (human or AI) looks for on each criterion. This guide covers the standard categories, the items to check within each, and the weighting logic behind them.
How to Use This Checklist
This checklist is organized around the six standard QA categories used across customer service call centers. Each category includes a suggested point weight — these sum to 100, making scoring straightforward — plus specific behavioral items to evaluate and a note on why each category matters.
You should adapt the weights for your call type. A collections operation should weight compliance higher — up to 25–30% of the score. A retention team should weight empathy and resolution quality more heavily. Use this as a starting framework, not a final answer.
If you are using AI scoring, these are the categories the AI evaluates against your rubric configuration. If you are scoring manually, use this as your evaluation framework.
Greeting & Agent Identification
10 points- Agent delivers brand-compliant greeting (company name + agent name)
- Tone is warm and professional from the first word
- Agent offers help immediately without delay or filler
The greeting sets the tone for the entire call. A compliant, confident opening correlates strongly with higher overall call scores.
Active Listening & Issue Identification
20 points- Agent allows customer to explain issue without interrupting
- Agent paraphrases or confirms understanding of the core issue
- Agent asks clarifying questions when the issue is ambiguous
- Agent does not project assumptions onto the customer's problem
Listening failures are the most common source of repeat contacts. An agent who does not fully understand the issue cannot resolve it effectively.
Problem Resolution
25 points- Issue is addressed accurately and completely on the first contact
- Agent provides correct information (no misinformation or guesses)
- Agent follows the correct resolution process for the call type
- If escalation is needed, agent follows escalation protocol correctly
- Resolution is confirmed with the customer before closing
Resolution quality is the heaviest-weighted criterion because it is what the customer called about. All other skills are in service of this one.
Empathy & Tone
20 points- Agent acknowledges customer's frustration or concern explicitly
- Tone remains calm and professional even if customer is upset
- Agent does not sound scripted or robotic on empathy language
- Apologies are appropriate and proportionate to the situation
Customers who feel heard are more likely to rate a call positively even when the resolution is imperfect. Tone scores predict CSAT more reliably than resolution scores.
Compliance & Required Disclosures
15 points- All required disclosures for the call type are delivered
- Mini-Miranda or opt-out language delivered where required
- Agent does not access, share, or confirm sensitive data incorrectly
- No prohibited offers or representations are made
- Recording consent language delivered where required by regulation
Compliance criteria are pass/fail for regulatory purposes. Even a high-scoring call becomes a compliance event if required disclosures are missing. Weight compliance higher in regulated industries.
Professional Close
10 points- Agent confirms resolution is complete and customer is satisfied
- Agent thanks the customer by name before closing
- Next steps (if any) are communicated clearly
- Call ends professionally — no abrupt disconnects
The close is how customers remember the call. A strong resolution can be undermined by a weak close. A professional close can soften the impact of a difficult resolution.
Adapting the Checklist for Your Call Type
| Call Type | Weight Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Customer service / support | Balanced weighting as shown above. Resolution quality is primary. |
| Collections | Increase compliance to 25–30%. Mini-Miranda, cease-and-desist handling, and FDCPA language are non-negotiable. |
| Insurance / financial services | Compliance at 25–30%. All required disclosures, suitability language, and opt-out scripts must be checked on every call. |
| Retention / win-back | Increase empathy to 25–30%. The customers calling to cancel have already decided to leave — emotional recovery is the primary skill. |
| Outbound sales | Increase resolution to "offer presented clearly" and add a separate category for objection handling (15 pts). Compliance varies by product. |
Turn This Checklist into an Automated Rubric
Call Coach IQ lets you configure this checklist as a scoring rubric that runs automatically on every call — no manual listening required. See how it works on your call type in a 30-minute demo.
Request a DemoWant more depth? Read: How to Build a QA Scorecard →