Keswick Computer Services asked consultants to evaluate their workflow processes for handling customer calls. The consultants observed inefficiencies including bottlenecks between calls and responses, indefinite call handling procedures, and underutilization of engineers. They created process maps of the current and recommended systems. The recommended system included call scripts, job sheets, and assigning calls and progress updates to appropriate engineers. Other recommendations were training call handlers and engineers, and establishing on-site call pricing based on call duration.

1. Consulting Project:
Keswick Computer
Services
Consultants
Neha Gupta
Nidhi Shah
Reeti Patnaik
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2. About Keswick Computer Solutions (KCS)
 KCS is situated in Keswick, an idylic and extremely scenic locale in the lake
district nestled between the Skiddaw mountains and Derwentwater lake.
 KCS is a small company providing high quality IT Solutions for the
following :
Business use
• Networks
• Service contracts
• IT products
Home use
• Retail outlet
• Security and anti-virus
• Repair and maintenance
Internet
• Design
• Hosting
• Development

3. Organization chart in terms of job hierarchy of employees :
Director (Peter)
Engineers
Level 3 : Alan, Greg & Karen
Level 2 : Tom
Level 1 : Peter & Vince
Accounts
Annalese
HR
Sarah T.
Stock Shop Assistant
Vince Blud/ Sarah F.
• Flat organization structure : implies coordinated and cooperative work structure
• Employees help each other in performing their functions

4. Classification of Customer Calls
Type Description
Product related Calls related to orders for products sold in the
shop
Domestic Calls Home-users call regarding repair and
maintenance of computers
Corporate Calls Corporate clients call for repair, maintenance
and installation
Business critical calls Corporate clients call for solving critical issues
such as system breakdown,corrupt hard disk
Service Level Agreement
(SLA) Clients
Contract-based clients call for repair,
maintenance and update of their systems
Work- progress calls Clients call to find out the progress rate of their
computer systems in the workshop
Website related calls Calls related to creation, maintenance and
modification of websites

5. Problems
• ‘Bottlenecks’ between in-bound service calls and the response system
• Indefinite process for handling incoming calls.
• Under-utilisation of expertise : Incoming calls get transferred to level 3 engineers
for small problems which can be handled by level 1 engineers.
• Double-booking for on-site calls.
• Shortage of manpower

6. Where do we come in?
• An external evaluation of their workflow processes.
• Process mapping of their current internal operating system.
• Sorting out the various type of clients that they currently maintain
with emphasis on their corporate service-level agreements.
• Advice on how to increase their focus on their corporate clients
without adversely affecting their large and loyal domestic customer
base.
The director of KCS was interested in the following :

7. Procedure for process consulting
Navigated the KCS website to gather information on the company
Met the client to obtain a detailed description of the problem
Visited KCS and observed the pattern of work flow
Took an in-depth interview of all the employees and recorded them
simultaneously
One consultant accompanied the engineer on site and observed the
work processes that took place

8. Listened to the recorded interviews and evaluated their job
description
Employees were requested to give a detailed step-by-step description
of their job role
Compiled the data into a deployment flowchart to study the
organisation’s current operational procedure
Procedure cont’d …

9. Findings
• ‘Bottleneck zone’ lies in the initial stage of the current workflow in the
organization.
• Problem lies in the work distribution channel.
• Job description of the call handlers is flawed for assigning calls to
concerned engineers .
 The findings are highlighted through the process map of current workflow :
flowchart

10. Recommendations
 Provide script covering the basic checks to identify reasons for system failure
 Job sheet to be raised with problem description after call-type identification
 Caller to be given a job reference number with a call-back assurance from the
concerned engineer within stipulated time
 Inform Workshop Manager regarding work progress queries from clients
 Website related and critical calls to be transferred to concerned engineers
 The recommended call handling procedure is illustrated in the
following flowchart: Recommended flowchart
Role of call handlers:

11.  Organize short training sessions for call handlers.
 Organize brainstorming and training sessions for engineers.
 Allocate work for preparing kits for onsite calls of engineers.
Role of HR administrator:
Recommendation cont’d…

12.  Formulating a price list for outgoing calls by engineers to
complainants* depending upon nature of assistance given and duration
of the call
e.g. Call duration charges
call<5 min nil
5-20min 10 GBP
20-35min 15 GBP
* Discretion applied to the customers being charged.
Other recommendations…