What's Hot and What's Not
Call center improvement initiatives

Send this page to a friend

Module 1 - changes with the greatest impact

This tutorial series includes excerpts from Prosci's Best Practices in Call Center Report. 240 call centers contributed best practices and lessons learned in the 2004 study. This first module looks at the largest changes call centers are making to improve customer service and improve efficiency. Module 2 looks at the changes call centers have planned the future and the business drivers resulting in these changes. Module 3 looks at what it takes to be a "world-class" call center. Purchase the full study.

Largest changes made over the past 2 years

Respondents indicated that, by far, the largest change in their call centers over the past two years was enhanced usage of technology and automated systems. Enhanced technology included the addition of new technology as well as upgrading existing systems. Overall, the largest changes in call centers over the last two years based on input from 240 call center managers were:

1. Technology enhancements including IVR  (integrated voice response), ACD (automatic call distributors), New desktop systems and software, CTI (computer telephony integration), VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)

2. Growth in call center capacity by adding more employees (CSRs), adding new or expanding existing sites, and lengthening hours of operation.

3. An improvement in the effectiveness and knowledge of call center staff achieved through longer training sessions, new training programs, cross-training and more intensive hiring practices.

4. An increase in Web interactions, with more customers using the Web for self-service and frequently asked questions (FAQs), as well as the use of email and email auto responders.

5. New management as a result of attrition, reorganization and mergers.

6. Implementation or improvement of call monitoring processes, leading to improved coaching, increased productivity and improved quality.

Overall ranking of improvement initiatives

The table below summarizes the most frequently cited changes over the last two studies. The numbers in each column are the impact rankings for each change. For example, a ranking of "1" in the call center efficiency column for improved technology means that this change was listed more frequently by participants than any other change as having the greatest impact on call center efficiency.

**A shaded box indicates a change in ranking importance between the 2001 and 2004 studies.

Changes with the greatest positive impact on customers

Changes that had the greatest positive impact on customer service were:

1. Improved technology or system upgrades in both hardware and software.

2. Improved training programs in product and service areas as well as cross-training and ongoing learning leading to better informed agents. Some respondents also stated that they had improved their hiring practices, resulting in an improvement in agent quality. "One-call-does-it-all approach."

3. More active coaching and call monitoring with better metrics, improved performance measurement and enhanced feedback processes.

4. Addition of agents to meet staffing requirements thereby helping to balance the workload.

5. Increase in Web interactions allowing Web ordering and status checking, email, quick access to FAQ information and self-service.

Other changes that positively impacted customer service were:

• Enhanced customer service focus with the implementation and improvement of CRM programs and solicitation of customer feedback.

• Management changes resulting from mergers, reorganization or consolidation.

Changes having the greatest positive impact on cost savings

As in the 2001 study, new technology and technology upgrades were once again listed as the number one contributor to cost savings and call center efficiency. Overall, the top five changes with the greatest impact on cost savings were:

1. Technology improvements or system upgrades such as ACD, IVR, enhanced call routing, CTI and software enhancements.

2. Training and cross-training for skill improvements as well as improvements in the hiring and recruiting process to obtain more quality employees.

3. New management and processes due to mergers and reorganization or consolidation.

4. Web interaction with self-service, access to FAQ information and online ordering.

5. Enhanced performance and productivity monitoring, with more coaching and call monitoring, improved metrics and a focus on reduced handle time.

6. Centralization and consolidation of processes and departments.

Buy the complete 2004 Call Center Benchmarking report for $189 - the latest edition of the report includes special new section on outsourcing and highlights of the biggest changes in call center management and most important changes planned in the future.

Send this page to a friend