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

Send this page to a friend

Module 2 - planned improvements for the future

This tutorial series includes excerpts from our Best Practices in Call Center management report. A total of 240 centers contributed best practices and lessons learned to the 2004 study. Module 1 examined the largest changes call centers are making to improve customer service and improve efficiency. This module addresses the changes centers have planned for the future and the business drivers resulting in the changes. Module 3 discloses what it takes to be a 'world-class call center.' More information about the study.

Primary changes planned in the short-term (6 to 12) months

Participants listed a number of changes that they are planning to make in the next 6 to 12 months, the most common was technology upgrades. Specifically, the primary changes in call centers for the short-term were, in rank order:

1. Technology upgrades for both hardware and software, such as new phone systems, VRU/IVR, database improvements, CTI and the introduction of a wallboard for call and performance tracking.

2. Improved training programs, including cross training, soft skills and certifications.

3. Improved call monitoring and coaching techniques using such tools as call recording.

4. A new performance management process with KPIs identified and defined productivity improvement goals. Participants indicated a shift in emphasis from quantity to quality.

5. Web site changes, utilizing new features, easier self-service access, email and chat services.

6. An increase in staffing (agents as well as supervisors) to balance the workload and improve the supervisor/agent ratio.

7. The addition of services including extended hours and bilingual services.

Business drivers motivating changes

Participants listed a number of business drivers that are accelerating short-term changes in their call centers. The drivers, in rank order, were:

1. The need to maintain or increase the level of customer service including speed of answer and quality of the customer's experience (first-call resolution rate).

2. The need to improve efficiency and productivity to reduce costs, deal with budget constraints and comply with staff reductions or freezes on hiring.

3. Business growth from increased products and services offered, cross selling and an overall increase in call volume.

4. Market trends and conditions forcing a need to stay ahead of the competition.

5. A changing company strategy driven by management and cultural change.
   "People affect every aspect of our business and hence all new policies are being made [to maintain] the overall satisfaction and growth prospects of employees."

Challenges (next 12-24 months)

Participants reported a large number and variety of challenges over the next two years. Specifically, these challenges in rank order were:

1. Dealing with budget constraints:

   • handling an increased call volume with the same staff (hiring freezes)

   • closing and consolidation of call center locations

2. Managing growth by:

   • hiring additional staff

   • meeting a greater demand for services

   • accurately forecasting call volume to enhance scheduling

3. Implementing new technology and upgrades while at the same time ensuring that CSRs are trained in their uses.

4. Implementing or improving a workable quality monitoring program and useful performance measurement system to track productivity.

5. Maintaining or increasing the quality of customer service.

Other challenges listed were:

• Reducing turnover and motivating existing staff

• Continually meeting or exceeding sales/growth targets

• Acquiring expertise through training programs and improved hiring practices

• Working with management changes involving company reorganizations, strategic changes and other company initiatives (needing to make sure that management is on board and invested in the call center)

• Capitalizing on growth and space issues such as expansion, relocation, integration of corporate acquisitions and coordination between call centers in different locations

Future opportunities for improvement

Study results showed that the greatest future opportunities for improvement in the call center are:

1. Technology improvements by making better use of existing technology and by moving to more automated systems to provide clients with more self-service options, including:

   • email

   • Web chat

   • IVR

2. Improving service and quality levels with higher first-call resolution rates, call-time reduction and a lower abandonment rate.

3. Increasing staff knowledge and abilities with:

   • improved training programs including cross-training

   • recruiting process improvements (hiring more qualified staff)

4. Improvement in call monitoring and enhanced performance management processes through improved metrics and goal setting.

Other opportunities for improvement are:

• Increasing sales through cross selling and upselling

• Enhancing forecasting techniques to meet call volume and scheduling efficiency

Long-term changes planned (next 1-3 years)

Consistent with the 2001 study results, the 2004 study participants cited long-term plans focused on technology upgrades or system changes, including:

1. New or upgraded IVR/VRU and speech recognition technology. Some participants indicated that they would also like this technology to be multi-lingual.

2. Upgraded "virtual contact center" technology including Web chat, email, ordering and tracking, and self-service.

3. Systems upgrades involving desktop systems, scheduling and evaluation software, call management software and workforce management software.

4. New or upgraded CRM systems.

5. Updated call monitoring processes and equipment.

Other long-term changes included technology updates and additions such as ACD, CTI and VoIP.

Buy the complete Call Center Benchmarking report - the latest edition of the report includes special new section on outsourcing and highlights of the biggest changes in call center management.

Send this page to a friend