Rod Jones MasterClass - World Class Call Centres - The Key Strategic Issues - Updated at 31 Nov 09

Rod Jones MasterClass - World Class Call Centres - The Key Strategic Issues - Updated at 31 Nov 09 - Presentation Transcript

Version 19 Reviewed rj – 22 June 09
World Class Call Centres:
Understanding the Key Strategic Issues
Knowledge & Skills Development
Seminar and Workshop
Call Centres : Contact Centres : Customer Service Centres
© Copyright Strictly Reserved. All material contained herein is protected by South African and International copyright and intellectual property protection legislation.

Introductions & Credentials
Rod Jones
Founder: CallCentreCity Group- 2000
Founding Director: Call Centre Institute of SA
Co-Publisher:
Contact Centre Africa Magazine
Convergence Executive
Director: Contact Industry Hub
Trainer / Author / Consultant
Judge: SACCCOM National Awards 2005/6
Judge BPeSA National Call Centre Awards – 2007
Director: C3Africa Group
South African
60 Years Old
Started Direct Marketing business in 1971
Built first call centre 1985
Marketing Support Group
First Outsource Call Centre 1992 - TeleFacilities
Consultant since 1998
Board Member: Direct Marketing Association of SA 1988-2000
Non-Executive Director: Call Centre Networking Group SA 2001-2003
Director: Unity of Contact Centres 2005

Introductions
Your name
Company
Interest in Call Centres
What specifically do YOU want to learn from this course ?

I cannot teach you ‘Knowledge’..
I can only teach you how to learn..
I can direct you to where you will find your own knowledge and your own wisdom.

Symbols Used in This Programme
More Information
Case Study
Questions & Discussion
A Key Point – Worth Making a Note Of
An Individual Task – Something for YOU to do
A Buddy Task
A Team Task
Just for Fun

Reference Material
All available from www.c3africa.com

Purpose of this Knowledge Development Programme
You will gain…
Sound understanding of contact centres:-
Strategies
Principles
Processes
Technologies
Customer Relationship Management
Personnel
Defining Requirements
Budgeting & Finance
Procurement & Tendering
Outsource Options
Clarify Roles and Responsibilities
Sound basis for Project Development
Knowledge-based decision-making

Some Basic Concepts



Concise &
Measurable
Objectives
Business
Processes


Data &
Knowledge
Business
Strategies

People
& Skills

Management
Knowledge


Enabling
Technologies
Product/s
Or
Service/es

Continuous
Improvement

Effective
Management
Ten Essential Steps to an Effective, Efficient Contact Centre

The Many Dimensions of a Modern Contact Centre
Culture
Performance
Strategy
Competency
Organisation
Facilities & Layout
Process
Application
Equipment
Delivery vehicle

Contact Centre Development Model
FULLY DEVELOPED / World Class
DEVELOPED
Operational Maturity
DEVELOPING
FUNDAMENTAL
Overall Integration (Strategic / Operational / Technologies)
Source: Based on a model developed by Dimension Data / Merchants

36 - 48 Months
24 - 36 Months
12-24 Months
6 – 12Months
Fully Developed/
‘World Class’
Developed
Strategic Development
Developing
Fundamental
Overall Integration / Operational Maturity

3 – 4 Years
Development Phase
The Contact Centre Journey
Fully
Developed
Developed
Developing
Fundamental
9- 18 Months

The Critical Development Phase
Planning A New Call Centre
Napoleon IEmperor of the French
1769 - 1821
“Men, horses and cannon are useful in battle
But Strategy and Planning win wars”

This Knowledge DevelopmentProgramme
What’s a call centre ?
Customer Relationship Management - CRM
Operational Dynamics
Quality Management / Quality Assurance
The Modern Call Centre / Contact Centre
Call Centre Technologies
Baselines & Benchmarking
Capacity Planning
Planning for a new call centre
Budgeting, Finance and Procurement

Develop
Management
Knowledge
WHY ?

Many critical decisions will have to be made.
Bad or poor decisions are most often made because of insufficient knowledge.
Bad decisions are usually very, very expensive !
Several senior executives will need to have a high level of knowledge about contact centres.
Several senior managers will be required to participate in the Development Phase.

Develop
Management
Knowledge
HOW ?

Attend specific management development training such as THIS course.
Read books ( recommended reading ).
Attend conferences – Regional & International.
Interface with the local or national contact centre association.
Gather information from websites.
Gather information from technology and service vendors.
Visit a large number of existing call centres.
Use knowledgeable and reliable consultants.

Needs
Analysis
What ?

Exactly why does your organisation need a call centre or customer contact centre?
What will the contact centre be required to do? Short Term? Long Term?
How are calls and contacts being handled right now?
What specific skills are needed to handle calls and contacts ?
What are the real consumer demands and expectations ?
What are your competitors doing ?

Defined
Objectives

Exactly what will the contact centre be required to do?
How will the success of the operation be measured ?
What are management’s expectations of the contact centre ? Short – Medium and Long term ?

Requirements
Specifications

Detailed specifications of exactly what will be required to ensure that the contact centre achieves all defined objectives and that it will consistently meet all required performance measurables.
Definitions and specifications to include:
People (Job descriptions)
Processes
Technologies
Use of Data and Knowledge
Management structures

Defined
Procurement
Processes

What procurement processes MUST be followed. (e.g. Public Tender)
Defined vendor evaluation processes.
Defined evaluation panel or board. (Defined knowledge and skills)
Timelines associated with procurement.
Contracting processes.
Timelines associated with contracting.

Workbook Exercise
Tasks 1 & 2

World Class Call Centres:The Strategic Issues
CRITICAL QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ANSWERED
Why do you need a call centre?
Where is the organization feeling ‘pain’?
What do you need to do with your call centre?
What do you want to do with your Call Centre?
What processes MUST you follow?
What processes SHOULD you follow?
What resources do you have?

Knowledge
Human Capital
Technology
Infrastructure
Finance / Funding

What are all the challenges, obstacles and realities?
What is YOUR role, function, task, challenge or mandate?
OK.. Now you can design your strategies !

Management
The FOUR PILLARS of a Contact Centre
PROCESSES
PEOPLE
ENABLING
TECHNOLOGY
DATA &
KNOWLEDGE

Project Development Process
Knowledge
Development
Project
Scope
Strategic
Definitions
Operational
Definitions
Logistics
Definitions
Procurement
Definitions
Procurement
Evaluation &
Appointment
Deployment
Operations

1: What is a Call Centre ?OUTCOMES
Gain an understanding of:-
History of Customer Communications
Origin of the modern call centre

The PABX
The Automatic Call Distributor (ACD)
Differences between Call Centres & Contact Centres

What a call centre can do for the organization
Benefits to Customers
Benefits to the organisation

Call Centre - Defined
A customer communication hub
Origins: Rockwell. 1972. Continental Airlines
Efficient processing of customer interactions
Designed for high volume
Low cost per interaction
Key factors:-
Ease of access by customers
Operational Efficiencies
Effective use of data / systems

Elephants grow up..

Cats grow up..

Little girls grow up..

ABSA Bank - Johannesburg

Largest single site call centre in Africa
1745 agents
1.6 million calls a month
12,000 m2

Call Centres grow up..

Fun and Joy ..
Teaching & Training ..
Feeding & Nurturing ..
Constant Loving and Caring ..
To deliver ‘World Class’ Customer Service, call centres need…

Lots of this ..
Responsible Discipline ..
Care & Personal Attention ..
From Start-Up a Call Centre also needs ….

Some Hard Realities…
To define, design, build and operationalise even a small (25 seat) call centre can take about9 months.

To develop a true “World Class” Call Centre can take 2 to 3 years !

With the best will in the world it will be extremely difficult to realize a Return on Investment in under 18 months
But there will be a lot of “Quick Wins”
Examples..* Customer Satisfaction
* Staff Satisfaction
* Service Delivery * Increased Efficiencies
* Increased sales revenues

36 - 48 Months
24 - 36 Months
12-24 Months
6 – 12Months
Fully Developed/
‘World Class’
Developed
Developing
Fundamental
Overall Integration / Operational Maturity
Source: Based on a model developed by Dimension Data / Merchants

?
Increase
Customer
Satisfaction
Reduce Cost
Of Operations
Increase
Efficiencies
Increase
Revenue
Reduce
Risk
So.. Why have a …
- Call Centre
- Contact Centre
- Customer Service Centre
Fulfilling The Key Elements
of Most Organisations’ Strategic Plans

Workbook Exercise
Task 3

Change this …

With one of these…
To this …

Customer Contact Centre
Handles ALL channels
Telephone
Fax
eMail
VoiceMail
SMS
Web / Web Chat
Scanned paper / posted documents
Walk-In (face-to-face) customer service
Live Video Interaction
Call Centre

Only handles telephone calls

Contact Centres –BENEFITS TO CUSTOMERS
Easy Access To Service
Reduced Cost Of Obtaining Service
Choice Of Communication Channel/S
Fast Response – ‘Phone Is Faster’
Consistency Of Service
Human Interaction
Access To Information
Access To Actions
‘Voice Is King’ Where Literacy Is A Problem

BENEFITS TO COMPANY
Lower cost of service
Monitored & Managed
Quality Management
Discipline
Centralised
Economies of Scale
Centre of Excellence
Customer Retention
Customer Satisfaction
Up-Sell and Cross Sell
Debt Collection or Debtor Management
For many organizations Customer Service and their Contact Centre are the ONLY competitive advantages

Critical Success Factors
Ease of Access

Customers can communicate when they want to and use the channel that they prefer – at that time.

Fast Resolution

“All-in-One-Call”. First Call Resolution
No call transfers
No call-backs
All customers needs fulfilled

Monitor & Manage

Meaningful Management Information

Skills Development

Multi-skilling of agents
Reduce attrition
Increase efficiencies

What Makes a “Call Centre or Contact Centre” ?
A Technology called an ‘Automatic Call Distributor - ACD
So… You already have a PABX… What’s the difference ?
PABX or PBX (Private Automatic Branch Exchange)

Serves the BASIC VOICEcommunication needs of the whole organization.
Reliable and efficient but gives very little control or analytics.
Low Intelligence

Call Distribution by means ofHUNT GROUPS
Next available operator or agent
PABX

CALL ROUTING
Most appropriate Operator e.g.

Language
Longest waiting time (agent)
Department
Special Skills

PABXs & ACDs
True call centres / contact centres are equipped with ACD functionality
ACD
Automatic Call Distributor
Invented by ROCKWELL in 1972
Intelligent routing
Sophisticated monitoring and reporting
ACD
>> Learn more about ACDs in Module 5 – Technologies <<

ALL CHANNELS
ROUTED & MANAGED
Most appropriate Operator

Language
Department
Special Skills

e.g. Writing skills
PABXs & ACDs
Most ACD’s now incorporate
Multiple Channel Functionality
Some ACD’s are or can be
Enabled for VoIP*
* Voice Over Internet Protocol
eMail
Fax
Scanned Documents
SMS / Text
Web / Web Chat
ACD
>> Learn more about ACDs in Module 5 – Technologies <<

Workbook Exercise
Task 4

“World Class”
What Does it Take to Become …

What Makes a ‘World Class’ Call Centre?
Aligned and Integrated Strategies
The call centre supports and is aligned with the core business strategies of the organization.
Operationally, It Meets Specific Standards
‘Standards’ serve as a measure of quality as defined by external or internal customer expectations.
Benchmarked Against Similar Operations
Benchmarking against National, Regional and International sector and competitive call centres.

KEY POINTS
Call Centre

Inbound and outbound telephone calls

Contact Centre – Multi Media

Telephone
eMail
Fax
Web / Web chat
‘White Mail’
Walk-In Customer Services

PABX
Hunt Groups – Low intelligence
ACD
Intelligent Routing
Monitor and Manage / Statistics / MIS
Integration of other communication channels
Call Centre / Contact Centre
People – Processes-Data and Information – Enabling Technology
6. It takes Time and Commitment

Discussion.Questions & Answers
<< A Group Activity >>

2
Understanding Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

2: Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Evolution of business Strategies
Evolution of enabling technologies
What is meant by “convergence”
Definition of CRM
Differences between CRM Strategies and CRM Applications
Importance of CRM and Customer Retention

TELEPHONY -CTI
INTERNET
OPEN SYSTEMS
DATA NETWORKS
MAINFRAMES
DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES & BUSINESS STRATEGIES
SOPHISTICATION
2008>
‘70
‘80
‘90
2000

Customer Relationship
Marketing CRM
‘Database Marketing’
‘One-to-One Marketing’
‘Lifetime Value Marketing’
Customer Experience
Management CEM
‘Loyalty Programmes’
‘Customer Care’
‘Relationship Marketing’
CONVERGENCE
STRATEGIC MARKETING
TELEPHONY -CTI
INTERNET
OPEN SYSTEMS
DATA NETWORKS
SOPHISTICATION
MAINFRAMES
2008>
‘70
‘80
‘90
2000

CRM Defined
CRM Means TWO DIFFERENT THINGS –
Beware not to confuse them
CRM – The Business Strategy
CRM – The Technologies

An All-encompassing Business Strategy.
Consolidating customer information and knowledge. (Single view of customer)
Analyzing data.
Understanding the customer’s behaviour.
Creating interactive, highly personalised and appropriate or relevant interactions
To achieve:-
Customer Acquisition
Customer Retention
Increased Revenues
Reduced Costs
Customer Satisfaction ( Delight!)

A more detailed definition …

The art/science of using information to Find, Acquire and Retain customers.
The people, processes, and technology aspects of the business associated with Marketing, Sales, and Service.
The Corporate Philosophy at the core of any customer-centric business strategy and culture.
Supported, not driven, by technology.
CRM involves redesigning of Functional Activities.
Actively deepening the Knowledge of Customers to meet their Individual Needs.
An Holistic Approachthat unifies all points of customer interaction.
Measured by customer retention and referrals as well as the growth of valuable customer segments.

CRM – The Technologies
A suite of software applications:-
Integrating other systems (e.g. Mainframes, other specialised applications, billing systems, stock control, workforce management etc. )
Facilitating and coordinating multiple business functions
Automating appropriate business processes
Unification of multiple communication channels
Consistent delivery of standardised, logical processes.
Business Process Automation

Why Invest in CRM ?
It costs EIGHT TIMES MORE to win a new customer than it does to keep an existing customer.
Dissatisfied customers cause other customers to migrate.
Customer retention is the key to a profitable business.
Managing Customer “Churn” is the difference between Profit and Loss!

?
Increase
Customer
Satisfaction
Reduce Cost
Of Operations
Increase
Efficiencies
Increase
Revenue
Reduce
Risk
Why Spend Resources
Developing and Implementing
a CRM Strategy ?
Fulfilling The Key Elements
of Most Organisations’ Strategic Plans

Advantages of CRM
Using CRM, a business can:
Provide better customer service
Increase customer revenues
Discover new customers
Cross sell/Up Sell products more effectively
Help sales staff close deals faster
Make call centers more efficient
Simplify marketing and sales processes. (Where appropriate, automate certain processes)
The types of data CRM projects collect and effectively use to achieve organizational goals:

Customer contact data
Customer profile data
Responses to campaigns
Sales and purchase data
Customer profitability (or lack of!)
Account (billing) information
Channel preferences
Predictable ‘churn’ (Loss of customer)

125%
50%
45%
35%
35%
25%
Customer Retention: The benefits
Profit Impact of 5% Increase
in rate of Customer Retention
% Increase
in Profit
60
40
20
0
Software
Credit
Insurance
Retail
Mobile
Phones
Business
Banking
Credit
Card
[Source: Customer Retention: A New Star to Steer By. Frederick Reicheld and W. A. Sasser

90%
85%
75%
50%
45%
35%
Software
Life
Insurance
Insurance
Brokerage
Fixed Line
Telecoms
Branch
Deposits
Credit
Card
% Increase
in Customer Net
Present Value
100
Impact of 5% Increase
in rate of Customer Retention
80
60
40
20
0
[Source: Customer Retention: A New Star to Steer By. Frederick Reicheld and W. A. Sasser

What does a CRM Business Strategy Require ?
Total Commitment by the company
Intimate Knowledge about who our customers and target markets are
A thorough understanding of the Economics of CRM
Acceptance of the principle that customers determine their Needs and what it is that they Value
Company prepared to adapt or alter Business Processes to give customers what they value
Give customers the communication Choices and Options that they want

The CRM Challenges
Once operational your company will
DEMAND of your call centre..
Add new communication channels
Handle more calls
Give Faster Service
Provide more
information
Take on
more customers
Incorporate
new technologies
Be more accessible
Reduce costs
Give more choices
to customers
Reduce
customer ‘Churn’
Increase Revenues
Give “World Class” Service

Workbook Exercise
Tasks 5 and 6

STRATEGIES
PROGRAMMES
PEOPLE
PROCESSES
FRAGMENTED TECHNOLOGIES
THE FAILED ORGANISATION IS MISALIGNED

STRATEGIES
PROGRAMMES
FRAGMENTED TECHNOLOGIES
LOSS DRIVERS
Fragmented ‘Vision’
Counter-Productive
Low Motivation
PEOPLE
Wasted Resources
PROCESSES
Over-Spend

Growth
STRATEGIES
Market Focussed
PROGRAMMES
Aligned, Supported PEOPLE
INTEGRATED PROCESSES
CONVERGED TECHNOLOGIES
THE SUCCESSFUL ORGANISATION
A Customer
Centric
Organization
Empowered

CRM is not for The Faint-Hearted
So.. What will it take ?
Total Commitment – from the CEO down.
Complete review of all Business Strategies.
Review of all Business Rules and Processes.
Accurate and current Customer Data.
Analysis of customer data / information.
Company and product (service) Knowledge and Information.
Integration of ALL systems and technologies.
Empowerment through skilling / training.
Enabling technologies.
Knowledgeable and reliable Business Partners / solution providers.
Knowledge-based decision-making.
Planning, Planning and more Planning.

KEY POINTS
CRM is first and foremost a BUSINESS STRATEGY
CRM applications enable the business processes based on the strategic requirements
CRM requires enterprise-wide commitment

Workbook Exercise
Task 7

3
Operational Dynamics of The Modern Call Centre

Team
Leader
Agent
Agent
Agent
Agent
Agent
Typical Organisational Chart
Start-up or Small Call Centre – 10-30 Agents
Call Centre
Manager
Corporate
Technical
Support
Admin
Support
Corporate
Trainer
Supervisor

Trainer
Coach
Coach
Agent
Agent
Agent
Agent
Agent
Typical Organisational Chart
Medium to Large Call Centre – 50-100 Agents
Call Centre
Manager
Admin
Support
Technical
Support
Quality
Assurance
Manager
Senior
Supervisor
Supervisor
Supervisor
Team
Leader
Team
Leader

Management Essentials
What makes a great Call Centre Manager ?
Well proven Operational Experience.
Formal Contact Centre Management training and credentials.
High-Level abilities:
Strategic
Technologies
People / Human Resource
Business Process design
Financial
Team-Builder
TIP: Clearly define competencies, skills and experience in a highly detailed job description document

Staffing Essentials
What makes a great Call Centre Supervisors and Agents ?
Able to work as part of a team.
Self disciplined.
Self motivated.
Computer literate.
Keyboard skills.
Numeracy and Literacy.
Writing skills (eMail/Fax).
Articulate speaking voice.
Excellent Communication Skills.
Acceptable accent and use of language.
TIP: Use one of the highly advanced Assessment and Simulation software suites now available

Agent Communication Quality
Politeness
Speaking
Activity
Rewardingness
Listening
Activity
Role-Relationship
Competence
Interpretive
Understanding
Emotional
Competence
Adaptive
Competence
Communicative
Assurance
Task
Competence
CONVERSATIONAL SKILLS

Develop & Follow Structured Recruitment Process or Methodology
Certification
Clearly
Define
Job
Formal
Training
Advertise Post
– Internal
/External
Employment
Contract
IVR or
‘Pre-Screen’
Telephone
Second
Interview
Receive CV’s

eMail
Fax

Aptitude
Testing
Check CV
&
Credentials
Face-to-Face
Interview
Structured
Telephone
Interview

Operational Dynamics of The Modern Call Centre

Call
Answered
By ACD
Call
Answered
By agent
Caller
Hangs up
Agent
completes
after
Call work
Call
Arrives
at ACD
Ring Time
Queue Time
Wrap-up Time
Talk Time
Speed To Answer (ASA)
Handling Time
Trunk Holding Time
Basic Operational Terms
Typically,
Music-on-hold
Or messages

Typical Performance Measurements
NOTE:These measures do NOT take actual Customer Experience ( Call Outcomes Quality) into account.
Average Speed to Answer - ASA
How long a caller waits until answered
Service Level(Operational Service Level)
% of calls answered in a given time.
Typically – 80% of calls answered within 20 seconds
Abandoned Rate
The number (or %) of callers that hang up before being answered (by a ‘live’ agent)

First… Achieve Efficiency
Typical Call Centre Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Key Factors in the Total Customer Experience

Then… Achieve Effectiveness –
Typical Call Centre Targets
Key Factors in the Total Customer Experience

Performance Improvement
Greater Efforts and Resources will be required to make small improvements
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Quick Win &“Common Sense” Improvements
Time

Not
Acceptable
To
callers
IDEAL
Excessive
Costs
Impact of Staffing on Service Level

Examples:
Call Arrival Patterns

Unacceptable Service Level / Under Staffed
Acceptable Service Level
Excess Service Level / Over Staffed & Costly
Call Volume & Staffing Realities
Calls Per Hour
100%
07h00
08h00
09h00
10h00
11h00
12h00
13h00
14h00
15h00
16h00
17h00


Specify Required
Service Level
& Response Times


Gather Data
from ACD and
other sources
Adapt
Adopt
Improve


Forecast
Anticipated
Call Volumes
Repeat Process
To alter
Service Level


Calculate
Costs
Calculate
Basic Staffing
Requirements


Calculate Required
System Resources
Draw-up
Staffing Schedules

Calculate Staffing
Shrinkage
Meeting Service Levels

KEY POINTS
Clearly define staffing competencies, skills, selection and evaluation processes.
Set performance Baselines, Benchmarks and Goals clearly.
Resource planning is a key to:-

Optimum contact centre performance
Achievement of Service Levels
Cost effective operations

Workbook Exercise
Task 8 and 9

NO
YES
Business Processes

TO BE ABLE TO PLAN & SCOPE YOUR CALL CENTRE
Why Are Clearly Defined Business Processes Vital To The Contact Centre?
To Establish Roles And Responsibilities.
Defining Required Skill Sets & Training.
Defining Business Rules.
Defining Escalation Procedures.
Monitor Efficiencies.
Cost Control.
Forecasting And Capacity Planning.
IT And System Design And Integrations.
Reporting And Management Information/ Analytics.
Document Requirements.
Standardization.
Training, Skills Development.
Succession Planning.
Disaster Recovery And Business Continuity.

An Introduction to Process Design(Examples based on BPMN Method)
For More Information: www.bpmn.org or www.ebpml.org

1
e
n
l
a
o
L
o
P
2
e
n
a
L
Understanding POOLS and LANES

Expanded Sub
-
Process
Collapsed
Collapsed Sub
-
Repeating Sub
Basic Task
Repeating
Process
Process
Sub
-
Process
+
+
Understanding Different types of TASKS
Example: Make a cup of tea
BASIC TASKS
1: Place kettle under tap
2: Turn on tap
3: Fill kettle with water
4: Switch on kettle
5: When boiled – switch off

Start Process or Sub Process
End Process or Sub Process
Start with
a Rule
Start with
a Timer
Process Flow
Move from one task to the next, move something (e.g. a document) or send a message
Sequence Flow
Message Flow
A Gateway – a point of DECISION
NO
Decisions
YES
Different types of EVENTS
I am feeling stressed so I will make tea
It is 10 o’clock .. Time for tea
Decide to make a cup of tea
Finish drinking your cup of tea

Process Flow – Sequence Flow
PROCESS FLOW

Hey Honey…
Please make me a nice cup of tea !
Message Flow
Process Flow – Sequence Flow
MESSAGE FLOW

Example: Basic Restaurant Processes

Customer Enters
Customer Leaves

‘Customer’ is a Pool
‘Waiter’ is a Lane
‘Restaurant’ is a Pool
‘Kitchen’ is a Lane

FRONT OFFICE
‘Customer’ is a Pool
‘Waiter’ is a Lane
BACK OFFICE
‘Restaurant’ is a Pool
‘Kitchen’ is a Lane

Customer Experience
The Waiter
The Maitre d’hotel
The Kitchen

TASK
DECISION
DOCUMENT
Expanded
Sub Process
Collapsed
Sub Process
Message Flow
Process Flow

End of Process
End of Process

Alternative Process Mapping Method

KEY POINTS
Accurate, up-to-date and relevant business process documentation is CRITICAL to the success of the Contact Centre Project.
Without Detailed Business Processes it is IMPOSSIBLE to plan or scope a CRM or Contact Centre project.

Workbook Exercises
Task 10
Task 10 a

Contact Centre Technologies
An Introduction

5: Call Centre Technologies OUTCOMES
An understanding of the Major Technical Elements & their Functions within the call centre / contact centre
PABX and ACD explained
Functions of the ACD
‘Component’ systems vs Integrated Systems
MIS ( Management Information Systems)
Multi Channel / MultiMedia contact centres
CTI ( Computer Telephony Integration) explained
‘Screen Pops’
IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
Voice Recording / Logging systems
CRM Applications
Dialling methods and systems
Back-end / Legacy systems
eMail, Fax and Web integrations
UPS ( Uninterruptible Power Supply)

Understanding Voice over IP ( VoIP)

Voice
Network
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
TYPICAL CONTACT CENTRE
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
+27 11 465-6768

Dial 1 for Sales
Dial 2 for Service
Dial 3 for Finance
IVR
Voice
Network
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
Service Department
How may I help you?
ROUTING USING IVR
2
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
+27 11 465-6768

TCP/IP LAN
Data
Network
CTI
Computer
Telephony
Integration
APPLICATION
SERVERS
Voice
Network
MANAGEMENT
(Reporting)
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
Mr Ling
‘Gold Card’
Customer
Mr Ling
‘Gold Card’
Customer
Ethernet / Token Ring
INTELLIGENT CTI ROUTING..
CLI(Caller Line Identification)
ANI(Automatic Number Identification)
Caller Line Identification (CLI)
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
+27 11 465-6768
Good morning Mr Ling. How may I help you?

Thank you for calling..
Please enter your
account number
TCP/IP LAN
Data
Network
CTI
Computer
Telephony
Integration
APPLICATION
SERVERS
Voice
Network
MANAGEMENT
(Reporting)
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
Mr Ling
‘Gold Card’
Customer
Mr Ling
‘Gold Card’
Customer
INTELLIGENT CTI ROUTING..
1: Customer In-Put Data (using Touch-Tone)
2: ‘Screen Pop’
Caller in-puts
Account Number
IVR
2468101214
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
+27 11 465-6768
Good morning Mr Ling. How may I help you?

BRANCHES
WAN
EMAIL SERVER
FAX SERVER
TCP/IP LAN
WEB SERVER
IVR
RECORDER
DIALLER
Data
Network
CTI
Computer
Telephony
Integration
APPLICATION
SERVERS
Voice
Network
MANAGEMENT
(Reporting)
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
BROADBAND / ISDN
Remote or Home Agent
TYPICAL CONTACT CENTRE
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS

BRANCHES
WAN
TCP/IP LAN
EMAIL SERVER
FAX SERVER
WEB SERVER
IVR
Data
Network
RECORDER
DIALLER
CTI
Computer
Telephony
Integration
APPLICATION
SERVERS
PSTN
TRUNKS
Voice
Network
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
MANAGEMENT
(Reporting)
VoIP
BROADBAND / ISDN
Remote or Home Agent
NEW GENERATION CONTACT CENTRE
ACD
eMail
Fax
Web
IVR
Recorder
Dialer
WFM
ACD

PABX
EXTENSIONS
TCP/IP LAN
EMAIL SERVER
FAX SERVER
WEB SERVER
IVR
Data
Network
RECORDER
DIALLER
CTI
Computer
Telephony
Integration
APPLICATION
SERVERS
PSTN
TRUNKS
PSTN
TRUNKS
Voice
Network
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
MANAGEMENT
(Reporting)
VoIP
THE ENTERPRISE CONTACT CENTRE
ACD

Server Cabinets

Automatic Call DistributorThe ACD
Allows efficient routing of calls
Conditional & Skills-based routing
Assigns calls to first available (most appropriate) agent
Queues calls / on hold
Intelligence-based Voice Announcements
Maintains accurate call volume / duration / routing data
In-bound and Outbound
Real time performance data
Macro and Micro performance monitoring
Real time Queue management / configuration
Multimedia integration (eMail/Fax/Documents)
VoIP ready (most newer)
Can integrate to most enterprise PABXs (or replace)

Real-time view of individual or agent group performance
Real-time view of agent groups

Conferencing
Manage Multiple Interactions
Extensive Call Controls
Real-time Interactive Directories

Supporting the Multimedia Environment
Voice Mail
Faxes
Call Recordings
Web Chat
Recordings

Interactive Voice Response IVR
Automates certain interactions with callers.
Selectively routes calls. e.g “Dial 1 for ..”
Interfaces with databases.
“Reads” data / presents as Voice.
Can handle calculations.
Interfaces with Fax-On-Demand.
Provides recorded “audiotext” information.
Multilingual information.
Can incorporate Voice / Speech recognition.
Ideal for ‘after hours’ service.
Customer self service.
Handles excessively high call volumes.
CAUTIONS
Most callers dislike IVR.
Get professional advice.
NEVER offer more than four menu options!

ROUTING USING IVR
Dial 1 for Sales
Dial 2 for Service
Dial 3 for Finance
Please select a fax.
Please dial your fax #
IVR
Thank you for calling..
Please enter your
account number
Dial 1 to listen to information about …
Dial 2 to listen to …
Dial 3 to hear …..
Voice
Network
SUPERVISOR
AGENT WORKGROUP
Mr Ling
‘Gold Card’
Customer
Service Department
How may I help you?
1: Caller Selects Routing from Options
2: System ‘Reads’ Calling Number – Interprets action
3: Caller in-puts identification data – System Interprets action
4: Caller Selects to listen to recorded info – System plays recording.
5: Caller selects a fax – inputs own fax #
Caller Line Identification (CLI)
2
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
+27 11 465-6768

EXCEPTIONALLY
HIGH CALL
VOLUME
AGENT WORKGROUP
IVR for HIGH VOLUME CALLS
Example 1:
We are aware of the problem… etc
Example 2:
We are experiencing high call volumes… please stay on the line.
High Capacity
IVR
IVR
Example 3:
We expect a very long delay. Please leave a message.. Will call you back
ACD
SUPERVISOR
Example 5:
We have your number (CLI). We will call you back shortly
NOTE: Plan for sufficient line (trunk)
capacity and IVR channel capacity

‘Next Generation’ IVR…
EXCEPTIONALLY
HIGH CALL
VOLUME
Interpretation & Systems Interactions
AGENT WORKGROUP
Human Speech Recognition Systems
What is the balance in my savings account?
Hello..
How can we help you today?
No problem Sir..
What is your account number ?
It’s 26786548
Thank you.
Please state your name (Voice Signature)
John Smith`
You have balance of Seven Hundred and ten Dollars.
What else can we do for you ?
ACD
SUPERVISOR

Day Two
Harrisons on 12th, Rivonia
22-23 May 2008

Examples of IVR Systems
Route Call to
IVR sub-System
Enter CellPhone No
MENU ONE
Or Enter #
1 English
2 Zulu
MENU TWO
1 PUK or Voice Mail
3 Sesotho
MENU THREE
2 Free eMail Service
1 SIM Swop
4 Afrikaans
3 Lost or Stolen
2 VodaCare / Dealer
4 New Products
3 Roaming
0 Other Options
0 Speak to Consultant
Announcement
about Call Recording
ACD Agent Queue
1 MINUTE 38 SECONDS
Example 1:
Vodacom Customer Care Line
082-1082
Recorded 2 June 07
082-1082

MENU ONE
1 Account or Billing Enquiries
SUB MENU 1
1 Option One
2 City Power
2 Option Two
3 Joburg Water
Welcome Announcement
3 Operator
8 Follow-up on a previous call
4 Pickie Tup (Refuse Removal)
Temporary Announcement
– Power Outages
5 Joburg Roads Agency
ACD QUEUE
6 Metro Bus
7 Participate in City Planning
0 All other agencies – General
* Repeat options
5
Example 2:
City of Johannesburg -Joburg Connect
011-375-5555 Recorded 2 June 07
011-375-5555
1 minute 32 seconds

SUB MENU 1
1 Enter Account Number
MENU ONE
1 List of Power Outages
System read-back number
2 Report a fault
0 to confirm or 1 to re-enter
3 Account balance enquiry
Your account balance is ….
Welcome Announcement
4 Submit a Meter Reading
Your reference number is …
0 Speak to an agent
Temporary Announcement
– Power Outages
SUB MENU 3
SUB MENU 2
3 Afrikaans
1 Return to Main Menu
5 English
ACD QUEUE
0 Speak to an Agent
6 Xhosa
9 Other Languages
Example 3:
Eskom Customer Care Centre
0860-037566 Recorded 2 June 07
0860-037566

Example of an IVR Speech Recognition System
Example 4:
The Airports Company – O R Tambo International- Johannesburg
086-727-7888 Recorded 2 June 07
MENU ONE
086-727-7888
1 Flight Information
EXAMPLE 1
2 Parking Information
EXAMPLE 2
3 Other Queries
4 Travellers Assistance

Easy to use,Drag and drop IVR scripting tools

Just some Fun …
Irish Mental Health Hotline IVR

Voice Recording or Logging
PRIMARY USES
Records all or defined part of caller and agent voice conversations.
Used for compliance and quality management / coaching purposes.
Standard (.wav) or encrypted recording formats.
Can record screens as well as voice.
Recording files can attach to customer records.
Data/Voice files indexed / efficient storage and rapid access.
Compliance (e.g. Banking, Insurance etc)
Security
Service Quality Management
Training & Coaching
AN ESSENTIAL TOOL FOR EFFICIENT CONTACT CENTRE OPERATIONS
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

‘Low cost solutions not always suitable for compliance or legal purposes.
Capacity is a factor of trunks and extensions.
Check for legal issues.

Configuring recording for Agent Quality Monitoring

Typical Agent Quality Monitoring

Workforce Management
The Right Agent …
With The Right Skills …
At The Right Time …
Forecast Service Level
Predicted call volume based on historical ACD data
Number of Agents Required
Estimated Talk Time
After call work

Outbound Dialing
Actual “TALK TIME” is a Measurable Operational Cost measured in $ per second !

TeleMarketing & TeleSales
Customer data verification or collection
Service Call-Backs
Debt Collection
Debtor Management
Market Research
Opinion Polls
Political Canvassing

Technology Enabled Dialling Increases Efficiency And Can Dramatically Reduce Costs By 200% To 300%

Agent ‘look-ups.
Actual dialing time.
Actually ringing time
say 10 rings
Engaged tones
Fax and Modem Tones
Out Of Order
Answering Machines

Efficiency
Loss Drivers
20-25
Min/hr
Database interface. Agent activates automatic dial through ACD. (e.g. Enter key)
Preview

say 10 rings
Engaged tones
Fax and Modem Tones
Out Of Order
Answering Machines

Efficiency
Loss Drivers

40-55
Min/hr
System does all dialling from databases. Dials more calls than there are available agents
Predictive Dialling

say 10 rings
Engaged tones
Fax and Modem Tones
Out Of Order
Answering Machines

Efficiency
Loss Drivers

High Volume
Standard-call type
Debt Collection
Research
TeleSales

Very Expensive Technology BUT can give fast ROI due to very high efficiencies.

Dialed Number Processing
 ‘Live’ Human Voice
PD System recognizes..

Numbers out of order
Suspended
Engaged
Modems
Answering Machines
Fax Tone

 Call Type Codes
Sent to PD Server

Call Type Codes
Written to database
PDDials out on more lines than there are agents.
Large Number Outbound Trunks (lines)
Dialer draws numbers from segmented database
More About Predictive Dialing
Database
Server
Predictive
Dialer Server
ACD
NOTE:
Can be up to 2.5 times more lines than agents

 ‘Live’ Human Voice

PD system only connects “live” connects to call centre agents.
Large Number Outbound Trunks (lines)
More About Predictive Dialing
1: ‘Pace’ at which PD dials and delivers calls to agents can be controlled.
2: ‘Too Aggressive = Agent burn-Out.
3: ‘Too Aggressive = Connects to customers but no agent available to take call = ‘White Sound’.
Predictive
Dialer Server

Workbook Exercise
Tasks 11 to 15

5
Contact Centre Technologies
Part Two – An Alternative

Lets Talk About…
Hosted Contact Centre Solutions…
5
An alternative to purchasing your own technology

EMAIL SERVER
FAX SERVER
WEB SERVER
IVR
RECORDER
DIALLER
CRM Appl
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
YOUR CALL CENTRE

EMAIL SERVER
FAX SERVER
WEB SERVER
IVR
RECORDER
DIALLER
CRM Appl
ACD
PSTN
TRUNKS
VoIP/Data Link
Hosted Contact Centre Solution…
YOUR CALL CENTRE
SERVICE PROVIDER’S TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Pay for what you need
Pay for what you use
Pay for when you need it

Typical Contact Centre Costs
6%
6%

100%
Technology Roadmap
Innovation
User Training and Awareness
You pay for
75%
Functionality Usage
50%
Flexible Licensing
Capacity Planning
Typical Usage
25%
0%
You only use
25%
50%
75%
0%
100%
License Usage

How Much Does Technology REALLY Cost ?
The REAL Total Cost of Ownership
Installation
Integration
Maintenance
Upgrades
Security
Backup
Servers
Internal Labour
Testing
Development

Key Benefits & Advantages

No capital expenditure required – Capex to Opex
All contact centre infrastructure is fully provided for
Off balance sheet & improved cash flow
Faster time to market
Infrastructure and technology required to introduce new services is already in place
Improved service levels
Allows you to focus on agent competencies rather than infrastructure management
Focus on core competencies
Re-channel your IT skills to other, more strategic areas of the business
Reduced operating costs
You only pay for what you use
No procurement or implementation costs

More Key Benefits & Advantages

Access to technology skills
No need to source, train and retain hard-to-find IT professionals
Access to the latest technology
Infrastructure and applications are upgraded on an ongoing basis
Scalability
Capacity planning made easy. Turn functionality on as and when you want it
Flexibility
IP-based architectures enable on or off-site agents, and integrated multiple-communication channels

Day Two
Harrisons on 12th, Rivonia
18th – 19th March 2008

IP Telephony & Voice Over IP Explained
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol
IP Telephony
Voice transmitted over a computer network

Relies on a physical point-to-point connection
In The Beginning…
POTS
Plain Old Telephone Services
PSTN
Public Switched Telephone Network
“Circuit Switched Telephony”
(TDM – Time Division Multiplexing)

Receiver's IP address
Each packet contains the Senders IP address and..
WAN
VPN
Internet
From POTS to PACKETS VoIP & IP Telephony
Voice signals sent as data packets

Public Service Telephone Network
$$ TelCo $$
PABX
PABX

Public Service Telephone Network
WAN
VPN
Internet
PABX
Router
Router
PABX

WAN
VPN
Internet
By-pass or avoid Telco costs.
Optimize use of own WAN and LAN.
Take advantage of low-cost IP links.
Leverage existing PABX investment.

TAKE THE FREE
SKYPE DOWNLOAD

IP Telephone ( with built-in NIC)
is a Network IP Device
PC with NIC is a
Network IP Device
More About Networks
Network Interface Card
NIC
Connects an IP Device to the Local Area Network (LAN)

More About Networks
NIC
The NIC is the single most important component for any LAN device because it provides the device with its physical address on the LAN

More About Networks
NIC
The NIC address is known as the MAC Address
Media Access Control
Example of a MAC address 00-0A-E4-02-7B-99

Example MAC address
00-0A-E4-03-9B-88
IP Telephony
Server
HUB
LAN
WAN
OR
INTERNET
VoIP Traffic on the WAN uses
The IP Addressing System
Example IP address
192.168.2.4
Example MAC address
00-0A-E4-02-7B-99
ROUTER or EDGE DEVICE

Router ‘converts’ IP address to MAC address
Example MAC address
00-0A-E4-03-9B-88
HUB
LAN
WAN
OR
INTERNET
Call addressed to IP address
192.168.2.4
Example MAC address
00-0A-E4-02-7B-99
IP Telephony
Server
ROUTER or EDGE DEVICE
External (WAN) VoIP call

About SIP …
Session Initiation Protocol
Rapidly emerging as the dominant standard in IP Telephony market.
Probably will replace the current H323 standard.
Allows seamless integration with multiple endpoint devices:-
IP Desk Phone
PC Softphone
PDA
Cellphone
Easy and practical integration of multiple vendor technologies.
SIP-enabled PABX / ACD
NOTE: Allows for the evolution of the organisation’s traditional circuit switched (POTS/TDM) to slowly migrate to a IP Telephony solution.
Is YOUR VoIP solution SIP-compliant ?

IP SoftPhone
PRIMARY FEATURES

Perfect voice communication from ANY compatible network location
Office
Home
Client’s Site
Internet Hotspot (WiFi)
Integration with Outlook
Instant Messaging and presence tracking
Point-and-Click Dialing
Wide range of telephony features
Call Queuing
Operates on Windows-based Computers.
Desktop or Laptop (Portable) or PDA

10 Reasons to Switch to IP Telephony
Dramatic savings on Telco costs.
Global trend. Strategic direction of major carriers and technology vendors.
Feature-rich alternative to conventional telephony.
Investment protection for existing systems.
Seamless maintenance and management.
Flexibility and portability.
Large numbers of compelling applications.
Real-time collaboration – Voice and Data.
Increased bandwidth utilization.
Real-time network management ( load balancing)
Reduced telephony and videoconferencing costs

KEY POINTSTechnologies
Clearly Define Actual Required Technical Functions To Enable Key Processes Or To Optimise Efficiency Or Reduce Costs.

What functions and features do you REALLY need?

Design For Optimum Integration With Existing Systems.
Have A Five Year Future Vision

Expansion
IP Telephony / VoIP
Technical developments
Other enterprise systems

Workbook Exercise
Task 16

Discussion:Questions & Answers

6
Baseline & Benchmarking

BENCHMARKING
Where are we?
Where are we going ?
Why ?
Effective Service Delivery is Governed by the Metrics

Baseline & BenchmarkingOUTCOMES
Why contact centres should have baselines and benchmarks
What to Baseline and Benchmark
How to define baselines and benchmarks for new call centres
Establishing baselines and benchmarks for existing call centres
Benchmarking methodologies – examples
Reports - examples
Using benchmarking for continuous improvement

Why Baseline and Benchmark
Provides basis for aligning contact centre with defined corporate business strategies.
Aids development planning
Identify opportunities for cost reduction or revenue generation.
Clearly identify areas of weakness / strengths.
Measures Contact Centre performance against international and national Best Practices.
Benchmark against competitors
Disciplines and Structured approach

Guiding Principles for Performance Metrics
Abandon as few calls as possible.
Answer as many calls as possible.
Handle calls as quickly as possible within defined time.
Process as many customer enquiries as possible every hour.
Avoid as many calls as possible or reduce the number of calls by moving customers to other channels.
Maintain or reduce the cost of handling customer calls.

Traditional Efficiency-Based Performance Metrics
NOTE:These do NOT reflect any standards in respect of actual Customer Service or desired business outcome.

Call Duration
Wrap-up Time ( After call admin)
Percentage of agent capacity used talking to caller
Number of calls answered per agent

What To Baseline and Benchmark
Culture
Performance
Strategy
Competency
Organisation
Facilities & Layout
Process
Application
Equipment
Delivery vehicle

Baseline and Benchmark Mapping
Contact Centre Assessment
People
100
90
80
Process
Performance
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Commercial
Technology
Information
Facilities/Infrastructure

Initial Assessment
Current Contact Centre Assessment
Where is the
Call Centre today?
People
100
90
80
70
Process
Performance
60
50
40
30
20
10
Current situation
0
Technology
Commercial
Information

Assessed against benchmarks
Benchmarking assessment
People
Where should the
CC be?
100
90
80
70
Process
Performance
60
50
40
30
20
Current situation
10
0
Benchmark
Technology
Commercial
Information

Identify possible
solutions to address
these gaps
Gap Analysis
Gaps Contact Centre Assessment
What gaps exist
in the CC?
People
100
90
80
70
Process
Performance
60
50
40
30
20
Current situation
10
0
Benchmark
Technology
Commercial
Information

EXCESS ZONE
DESIRABLE PERFORMANCE ZONE
Better Than
% calls answered
< 20 seconds
REQUIRES ATTENTION
Assessed Performance Against Competitors
Same As
Assessed Performance Against Agreed Benchmarks
% abandoned calls
Average talk time
Worse Than
CRITICAL ACTION ZONE
First call resolution
Moderate
Low
High
Customer Service Impact
Example of Post-Audit Performance Mappingand Prioritisation Model
= N.B. Examples only

Contact Centre Operational Audit and Benchmarking
You can only manage it …
If you can measure it.

Management
Customer Experience
People
Business Integration
Processes
Financial
Technology
Strategic Definitions
Knowledge Management
Quality
Reporting
Workforce Management
AUDIT OF CONTACT CENTRE COMPETENCIES
Operational
Strategic

Operational Audit & Benchmarking Methodology
Weighted Score (out of 4)
Section being audited
Auditor’s Observations
Risk Index
Remedial Recommendations
Function being audited
Section Score

Assessment Model:How Competencies are Scored
0=

Does not exist
Not in practice
Not observed
A factor of Risk Index

1=

Present in the operation but not consistently in practice
Some evidence of ad hoc implementation
Inconsistent

2=

Consistent but not used to drive continuous improving. E.g. Not reported on.
Not fully understood and/or applied across the operation

3 =

Fully integrated into operational procedures, systems and method
Making a positive contribution to operation’s continuous improvements

4=

Aligned with recognized domestic and international “best practice” and standards.
Firmly imbedded into the operational culture and procedures.
Visible signs of driving continuous improvement throughout all streams in the operation.

Contact Centre Audit & Benchmarking Tool

Overall Score
Operational Development
Q1
2007
1.71

KEY POINTSBaselines & Benchmarks
You can only Manage if you can Measure
Establish realistic and appropriate goals
Preempt the need for ‘crisis-driven’ remedial interventions
‘Overkill’ is costly
Establish Baselines to start
Benchmarking is the key to maintaining defined Service Levels
Do not confuse Benchmarking with Quality Assurance !

About SA Contact Centre Standards

Categories Covered by The Standards
Leadership and Customer Satisfaction Management Practices
Operational Management Practices
Human Resource Management Practices
Technical Resource Management Practices

Typical Issues Covered by The Standards

Clear and Concise (Standardised) Definitions

Examples of Standards

More Examples of Standards

Why Implement The Contact Centre Standards?
The Standards represent “Best Practice” as defined by over 70 of South Africa’s top call centre professionals and consultants liaising with international specialists.
‘Best Practice’ manifests as dramatic improvements in efficiencies and effectiveness.
The Standards will create a powerful Competitive Advantage.
The Standards are designed for International application and use.

How ?
Obtain a copy of The Standards from Standards SA or from a consultant.
Audit your contact centre against the standards.
(Or have a professional consultant carry out the audit)
Identify the Gaps
Design and Implement Interventions and processes to come into line with standards

6

Planning A New Call Centre
7
Napoleon IEmperor of the French
1769 - 1821
“Men, horses and cannon are useful in battle but Strategy and Planning win wars”

Reference Material

Planning A New Call CentreThe Strategic Considerations
This aspect covered in detail in “World Class Call Centres – Course # 2
Planning & Building”
Developing an awareness, understanding and appreciation of key issues
Needs analysis
Knowledge extraction processes
Developing the Business Case
Developing the Project
Required Skills and Resources
Defining Technical Requirements & Specifications

Capacity Planning

Project Management
Location selection criteria
Space and Design
Space allocations
Access / Disabled Access / Special facilities
Acoustics
Lighting
Furnishings
Health and Safety Issues
Temperature

Input Information Required for Planning
Organisational strategic issues / goals / pressures
Customer demographics
Known contact volumes
Telephone
eMail
Fax
Correspondence
Internal / External
Consumer / B2B
Known measures
Call duration by type
Admin processes / time / by type
Contact types
What triggers contacts?
Inbound
Outbound
Fluctuations & Drivers
Seasonal
Monthly / Weekly
Event-driven
Predictable
Unpredictable
Growth projections
Specialized skills
Available
Required
Integration into existing systems
Reporting requirements
Management & Staffing

The Fresh Water Company
Case Study: - Planning - Contact Type

The average or estimated time that that it takes to complete this interaction type

This table only shows my actual TALK TIME..
Now… Remember to add the After Call work time….
Same Analysis for:

Faxes
Emails
Letters

How Many Agents ?
A very real scenario …
1.5 million customers
Average calls (day- 8 hours) 7166
Calls per hour – 895
Average talk time – 3 minutes
So…
Agents handle 160 calls per day
So … 45 agents ????
NO..
More !

What about after call wrap-up time .. Say 2 minutes … at least ? Call handling time is now 5 minutes !!
So… agents can only handle 96 calls per hour.
Now we need 74 agents !

NO..
A lot more !

The Realities are that agents are NOT 100% productive !
% of Agent time spent NOT handling calls
* FTE = Full Time Equivalent Agent
We need 74 x 41% (30) or 74+30= 104 Agents

But what about …
eMail processing
Fax processing
Written correspondence
Faxes
SMS contacts
Walk-ins
Different call types – different call handling and after call handling times.
And now… consider call arrival patterns…
How many agents will be needed in the “Busy Hour/s” ?

Examples:
Call Arrival Patterns

Unacceptable Service Level / Under Staffed
Acceptable Service Level
Excess Service Level / Over Staffed & Costly
Call Volume & Staffing Realities
How many agents here ?
Calls Per Hour
100%
07h00
08h00
09h00
10h00
11h00
12h00
13h00
14h00
15h00
16h00
17h00

Key Planning Issues - Technologies
Anticipated number of agents.
One site or multiple, networked sites.
Different queue types.
Agent groups / Skills Sets
Quality Assurance requirements.
Compliance requirements.
Voice recording
Required reports.
Inbound / Outbound ratios.
Operational Hours. E.g 7 x 24
IVR Requirements.
Systems integration.
Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity.

Technology Planning – more detailed
Agent positions
Allowance for growth
Telephone only or Multimedia
Supervisor positions
Technical sophistication
Trunking / Networks
Number of digital lines
Number of analogue lines
ADSL / Internet connectivity
LAN / WAN / VPN
Capacity / Bandwidth issues
IVR Type and capacity
Recording. Type and Capacity
Business Processes
Existing processes
Mapping & Documentation
New or Re-engineered processes
CTI Requirements
System Integration issues
Headsets
Ergonomics
Uninterruptible PowerSupply (UPS)
Type and capacity
Desking
Reticulation / Cabling

KEY POINTSPlanning
Follow strict Project Management protocols.
Ensure that your project team has appropriate contact centre knowledge.
Good decisions will be based on good information and good analysis.
Plan for strategic and operational issues

Workbook Exercise
Tasks 17 to 19

Talking About Quality Assurance
4
241

What Is Quality?
Totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bears upon its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.
ISO- International Standards Organisation.
The degree of excellence of a thing.
Concise Oxford Dictionary.

The Three Faces of Quality?
Conformance Quality- conforming to specifications; having a product or service that meets predetermined standards.
Requirements Quality - meeting total customer requirements; having perceived attributes of a service or product that meet or exceed customer requirements.
Quality of Kind - quality so extraordinary that it delights the customer; having perceived attributes of a product or service that significantly exceed customer expectations, thereby delighting the customer with its value.

Approach
The quest for quality within the Contact Centre involves all areas of the organisation.
Not simply agent performance management, but also monitoring and improving…
systems
processes
training
access to information
other areas which impact the agent’s ability to provide a quality service.
The keys to successful Quality Management initiatives in the Contact Centre are:
A shared understanding of the reasons for Quality Management
A defined organisational approach to Quality improvement
Documented strategy, processes and standards
A thorough understanding at all levels of what is expected

Why Formal Quality Management is important
Allows management to identify and analyze EFFECTIVENESS of existing processes in each operational area.
Identifies ways of continuously monitoring and controlling Quality Assurance standards.
Formally documents new and existing processes and establish new process development strategies.
Analyzes effectiveness of the current knowledge sharing methods and processes.
Identifies and analyzes measures utilized to deliver current statistics reports.
Allows the operation to constantly Adapt, Adopt and Improve.

Quality Assurance Should Not NOT be A Cost-Based Strategy
Call monitoring (voice recording) alone is not enough – It is just the beginning.
Call monitoring tends to be heavily cost (efficiency) based:
Cost per call.
Number of calls handled per day/hour.
Talk time.
Wrap-up time.
Total average handle time.
Abandonment rate.
Adherence to schedule.
Service level expectations.
It is the CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE that counts !

Delighting Customers..
Not Merely Satisfying their basic needs…

Call
Metrics
Post-Call
Surveys
Quality
Monitoring

Product knowledge
Procedure adherence
Interaction skills
Call control
Business trends
Agent behavioural trends
Market intelligence
Time
Handle
Wrap
Hold
Calls per day
Adherence to schedule
Agent skill development
First call resolution
Satisfaction with resolution
Agent knowledge
Agent courtesy
Confidence in agent
Feeling valued

Quality Alignment
Combine results for a 360° view

Evaluate your QM Methods
Professional tips..
Think Customer Experience, not Management Expectation
Design your Quality Management initiative from the outside (customer viewpoint) inwards.
Ask the customer
If this isn’t about the customer, what’s the point?
Beware of objectivity – customers aren’t objective
What should you be measuring, and what constitutes compliance?
Good enough does not equal excellent
What is the standard?
Benchmark
Target
Standard
If QM becomes routine, you’ve lost it
If agents are fighting for points, you’ve missed the point of QM

Benefits of Quality Management

Positions The Organisation To Continuously Streamline Customer Service Strategies And Operations.
Gives the Organization the Ability to Directly Measure Improvement or Decline In The Customer Service Experience.
Understanding Of Flaws In Service Delivery.
Understanding Area Or Departmental Performance. (or lack of)

KEY POINTS
Quality Management and Quality Assurance are the key to a successful contact centre.
Dedicated resources should be allocated to Quality Assurance and Quality Management
Voice recording technology is essential for contact centre QA.

NOTE: Recording should be used in conjunction with a formal Quality Management programme

8
Budgeting& Finance Issues

BudgetingOUTCOMES
Gain an understanding of the processes required to create project budgets
Costing elements.
Costing models – examples.
Populating costing models.
Procurement processes.
RFI / RFP / RFQ – Explained.
Evaluating tender responses.
Setting and managing vendor service levels.

The Functional Requirements Specifications
The document that from a strategic perspective CLEARY DEFINES all of the Resources, Functionality and Infrastructure required for the project.
The most critical element of contact centre project development and pre-planning.
Forms the basis for budget development
Forms the basis for all procurement processes.
NOTE: The Functional Requirements Document is a Critical Element Required for Budget Planning & Procurement. Ensure professional advice.

>>> Get your FREE Template / Methodology <<<
Example of A Structured Functional Requirement / Technical Specification Document

Example of A Structured Functional Requirement / Technical Specification Document

Costing elements .. Thought-starters
4: INFRASTRCUTURE

Architectural / Design
Consulting
Site acquisition
Deposits and ‘start-up’
Building works
Fit-Out
Telecoms, Reticulation, Networks, Connectivity
Power supply / UPS
Disaster Recovery

1: PROJECT INITIATION

Conferences.
Specialised Training
Books.
Subscription web sites
Site visits.
Strategic Consulting.

2: PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

As above … plus …
Internal audits.
Customer audit.
Project team development.
Business Process design.

5: STAFFING

‘Head-Hunting’
Recruitment
Assessments
Initial Training
On-Going training
Incentives & Bonuses

3: TECHNOLOGY

Hardware
Software
System Integration
Configuration
Technical training

Your Financial Model…
Costing elements .. Thought-starters
6: TELEPHONY COSTS

Setup/Ops
Fixed Line
Mobile network/s
VPN/WAN

8: OPERATIONAL
- Staffing

Recruitment
Training

7: OPERATIONAL
- Infrastructure

Rent or Internal charge-out
Electricity
Water
Consumables
Building Services
Building Maintenance
Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

Be Able To Calculate:

Cost per hour/minute
Cost per process
All cost variables

1: Start-Up (Pre-launch) 3-12 months.
2: First Year Operations
3: Three Year Total Cost of Ownership

You MUST be able to calculate this !

8
Procurement Processes

Elements of Procurement Processes
RFI – Request for Information
RFS – Request for Solution
RFP – Request for Price
RFQ – Request for Quotation
Procurement Committee
Strong representation by project planning and operational personnel.
Project team must have thorough knowledge of overall contact centre People, Processes and Technologies issues.
BEFORE issuing the RFI/P/Q, produce a highly detailed bid evaluation methodology and process.
Time-Lines
Move only as fast as is practical –
The biggest, most expensive mistakes are the result of the project moving too fast.

KEY POINTSBudgeting & Procurement
8
Develop accurate financial models.
- Establish 3 and 5 year Total Cost of Ownership models
Budget down to ‘Cost-Per-Minute’.
Functional Requirements Document and the RFP are the keys to cost effective procurement.
Establish Procurement Protocols and Methodologies early in the project.

Ensure that all members of the Evaluation Committee have detailed knowledge.

Workbook Exercise
Task 20

9
Consider …The Outsourcing Option

Some Key Points to Consider
It is often more cost effective to outsource ALL or PART of your contact centre requirements.
Most good outsourcers will handle work MORE EFFICIENTLY than an in-house operation.
Consider the TRUE OPERATING COSTS of your contact centre – It will probably be HIGHER than the outsourcer will charge.
Building a new call centre will take at least 6 to 9 months.
Consider the CAPITAL COST of building a call centre versus OPEARTIONAL COST of outsourcing.
Outsource so that you can focus on YOUR CORE BUSINESS.
Can you do the job as effectively as an outsourcer in terms of COST and CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ?

Key Business DriversWhy Companies Outsource
9

WHAT TO LOOK FOR…When evaluating an Outsource Services Provider
9

For More Information…
www.icmi.com
www.callcenters.com.au
www.rodjones.co.za
rod@rodjones.co.za
www.c3africa.com
www.contactindustryhub.co.za

www.ccbenchmarking.com
www.icmi.com
More References…

Project Team Knowledge Development Recommended Reading
All available from www.c3africa.com

www.contactindustryhub.co.za
More FREE Stuff…
THE COMMUNICATION HUB FOR THE AFRICAN CONTACT CENTRE & BPO INDUSTRY
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