Turning a Low-FCR Cohort Into Stronger Performers for Largest U.S. News Media Group
INDUSTRY
Communications & Media
CHALLENGE
The organization identified agents who were consistently missing baseline KPI benchmarks and struggling to apply internal knowledge resources during live customer interactions.
RESULTS
Every targeted KPI improved in two months with the use of SymTrain, while internal knowledge-tool usage increased 3.5x and agents reported greater confidence in their performance.
USE CASE
Coaching & Upskilling
| 91% | 100% | 3.5X |
| Agents Reported Increased Confidence | KPIs Improved | Increase in Knowledge-Tool Usage |
“It was the first time agents loved hearing feedback on their calls.”
Agents also mentioned the AI insights made them feel seen and supported,
a creating a safe environment where feedback was applied proactively.
The largest local-to-national publishing and digital media organization in the country, delivering news and information to audiences across the United States, partnered with one of the largest global providers of customer experience (CX) management solutions to support consistently underperforming agents through a two-month SymTrain intervention focused on their specific KPI gaps.
The Challenge
The BPO faced challenges that were looking to improve by implementing SymTrain:
- Low KPI Performance: Some agents were missing baseline benchmarks across FCR, CSAT, AHT, and other key metrics, creating a gap between the group.
- Inconsistent Knowledge-Tool Usage: Agents often forgot to reference their knowledge base during live customer interactions, creating a persistent challenge.
- Difficulty Reinforcing New Behaviorss: The team needed a way to turn training into repeatable habits, rather than relying on one-time coaching or generic content.
The Solution
The BPO created a targeted SymTrain intervention around the exact performance gaps identified for the low-performing agents in the wave. Every simulation was mapped to a specific KPI rather than generic training content. During the two-month program, training followed a tiered progression from Guided → Intermediate → Advanced, allowing the experience to evolve with agent skill level.
SymTrain also provided AI-powered execution feedback designed to be specific, human-like, and non-judgmental, creating an environment where agents could practice, receive feedback, and apply it proactively.
The Results
Every Targeted KPI Improved
| Metric | Baseline | Current | Improvement |
| FCR | 92% | 94% | 2 pts |
| CSAT | 81% | 84% | 3 pts |
| Q1 Score | 80% | 84% | 4 pts |
| Digital Save % | 11% | 15% | 4 pts |
All four targeted KPIs shown in the case study improved from baseline to current TPTD performance.
Knowledge-Tool Usage
One of the most notable behavioral changes was increased use of internal knowledge resources during the training period. The Troubleshooting Job Aid increased from 46 lookups in April to 159 in June, while In-App Subscriptions increased from 30 to 40. From April to June, the lookups increased by 3.5x.
Agents Saw Value in the Experience
The post-training survey showed strong perceived value among participants:
91% rated the training Extremely Valuable or Very Valuable.
91% of respondents reported being more or much more confident after training.
Takeaways
This demonstrated that targeted AI simulation training can improve performance while changing how agents practice and apply skills. Every targeted KPI improved, internal knowledge-tool usage increased significantly, and 91% of survey respondents reported greater confidence after training. By connecting syms to real performance gaps where agents could practice repeatedly, SymTrain helped turn a underperforming cohort into more confident, engaged learners.
