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A new tutorial from Prosci's taken from Prosci's new
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Reducing handle time
Module 2 of a 5 part series on cost control
Background
Part 2 in this series on cost control addresses the first of three components to call center costs: handle time. Specific recommendations are made for systematically reducing the handle time in your contact center. The descriptions and action steps described below are summaries of the detailed information and checklists provided in the Cost Control Toolkit.
Reducing call center handle time
Reducing the handle time involves addressing three primary areas that contribute to call length and after call work time:
agent capability
systems support
call processes
Handle time in this tutorial refers to both talk time and after-call work time for telephone contacts and the handle time for other media contacts including email, fax, and mail.
Area 1 - Improve agent capability
As a general rule, the more capable and experienced the agent the lower the handle time. For this reason, turnover is costly to call centers. However, agent capability is not just a matter of length of service for an employee. Actions you can take to improve agent capability include:
Improve the screening process for new hires
Implement a quality monitoring program
Provide incentives to agents to reduce handle time
Reduce turnover resulting in more experienced agents handling calls
Improve training for agents (existing and new hires)
Improve screening process for new hires
Agent capability begins with the skills and experience of the entry-level agents. No training programs can take the place of finding the right person for the job. Call center work requires certain disciplines and characteristics that can be screened and tested during the hiring process.
Implement quality monitoring program
Quality monitoring or call monitoring is one of the most effective ways to reduce handle time overall for the call center. After initial agent training, good quality monitoring programs can build essential skills and behaviors into all agents, and at the same time improve the training and hiring programs.
Provide incentives to agents to reduce handle time
We address this area in detail in the Cost Control toolkit because of the potential positive and negative affects this strategy can have on employees and customers if deployed improperly. Many call centers directly or indirectly motivate employees to reduce handle time. When done on an individual basis, either to reward employees for the "number of calls handled" or "for getting off the phone," the long-term results can be negative for both employees and customers. See the toolkit for detailed information.
Improve training for agents (existing and new hires)
Agent training is directly tied to handle time and agent capability. Well-trained agents will handle calls faster and provide better customer service. Training should be directly tied to the quality monitoring (call monitoring) process.
Area 2 - Improve systems support
Improving support systems has proven to be an effective way to reduce handle time (and improve first time resolution rates at the same time). The desktop tools available to agents and the routing methods for contacts have a direct impact on handle time. Areas to consider include:
Skills-based routing
Knowledge-base applications
Contact management systems
Automated post call work
Enhanced system navigation
Screen-pop of customer records
Use skills-based routing to ensure best agent handles call
Routing applications for both server-based and PBX switches are available to route contacts based on pre-defined criteria including agent skills. These tools increase the likelihood that customers reach agents best suited to handle their inquiry. Agents who are more skilled in a certain area can handle the customer request faster and more accurately.
Implement knowledge-base applications
Knowledge-base applications can enable agents to locate information quickly without always requiring assistance for more complex contacts or having to transfer the contact to a more experienced agent. Not only can less-skilled agents handle more calls, agents can serve in a "generalists" role taking a larger variety of calls.
Implement contact management applications
Contact management applications are agent desktop tools that provide organized access to customer data and to multiple systems related to customer contact via a graphical user interface (super screen). Contact management applications reduce handle time by:
- making critical information readily available to the agent including contact history and previously gathered customer data
- providing faster access to information and systems
- providing scripted contact processes that accelerate the call
Automate initiation of post-call activities
Many post call activities extend after-call work time. These activities could include initiating follow-on work by another group, sending the customer a letter or fax, or documenting the resolution of the contact. Automating these activities through desktop applications that eliminate or minimize post call activities can reduce contact handling time. Since these post-call activities are unique to each call center, you will need to identify those activities for your center to determine the potential impact of automating these tasks.
Improve system navigation
System navigation for many companies is a critical issue. It is not unusual for an agent to be required to access multiple systems to complete a single contact. In some cases this may require access to as many as five or more different systems with different user interfaces and navigation processes.
Implement screen-pop
Screen-pop is the function of having customer record information "pop-up" on the agents screen at the same time the contact is delivered to the agent. In a PBX environment, this is accomplished with CTI middleware. In a server-based switching environment, the integration requirements are less extensive.
Improve system access speed
Many call center agents endure longer handle times simply waiting for the system to respond. These wait times can be a few seconds to more than 10 seconds. The cost of these system delays to the call center are significant. For example, a 5 second delay on average for system response time in a call center with six million calls per year with an average agent loaded salary of $30K per year can cost the call center as much as $15K per month.
Area 3 - Improve call processes
Improving call processes can dramatically reduce contact handle times. The call process and the required activities by an agent for each contact can immediately affect handle times. Methods for improving contact process include:
Use stop-light method
Reduce activities required for each call
Move call activities to post-call work
Reengineer contact processes
Reduce cross-selling or up-selling on every call
Enable customer to perform activities currently done by agents
Use "stop-light" method
The "stop-light method" is a process of changing the call handling procedures depending on the size of the call queue. In the cases of no calls in queue, then the standard call handling process and wrap-up applies. In the case of a moderate number of calls in queue, then an accelerated call handling process goes into effect. In the case of a peak calling period, a special process is used to accelerate the disposition of calls by changing the required activities completed by the agents. The name stoplight is used to refer to three states of call handling using this approach.
Reduce activities required for each call
Similar to the stop-light method, the strategy of reducing the required activities per call can be a useful strategy for the call center. What are you requiring of your agents on each contact? Do these activities have sufficient return to the company or the customer to outweigh the cost to the call center of the increased handle time required to complete these activities?
Move call activities to post-call work
Moving some call activities to post-call work may reduce handle time if the post-call work can be completed during off-peak calling periods or during non-busy times. The caution with this approach is that agents can get back logged with work that in some cases may carry over day to day, creating a stressful work environment and the potential for this work not to be completed.
Reengineer contact processes
At some point in the life of a call center, the best way to reduce handle time is to fundamentally rethink or reengineer your call handling processes and post-contact processes in order to make radical changes to those processes. This clean slate approach forces the call center to evaluate the overall contact process from beginning to end, and through this process they uncover dramatic improvements in handle time and customer satisfaction.
Reduce cross-selling or up-selling on every call
Revenue generating activities during customer contacts lengthen the handle time. In some cases when the contact is not a good candidate for the up-sell or cross-sell, the handle time is being increased with a low probability of closing a sale.
Enable customer to perform activities currently done by agents
In some types of customer contact, the customer may be able to accelerate the contact by completing activities that are currently done by the agent. For example, looking up detailed information related to a product purchase may be completed by the customer prior to the call. Airline reservations can be accelerated if customers are prepared with accurate departure and arrival information and times. Customers can be prepared to write down information provided by the agent rather than requiring the agent to mail or fax the information to them. Circumstances will be unique to each call center.
Greetings and messages while on hold are excellent opportunities to communicate with customers about what is needed for the call, what information will accelerate the contact, and if they need paper and pencil to write down information from the agent.
Coming next - reducing cost of resources
Related Resources
About the new toolkit: Controlling the Cost of Call Center Operations provides a systematic approach to reducing your call center costs. With this toolkit, you will critically examine multiple channels for reducing expense. The outcome is a set of identified and prioritized cost saving initiatives that are most suited for your contact center.
"A truly comprehensive guide for reducing call center costs.
A resource with this perspective is long overdue."Gerald Tschikof, Founder of Center Partners
Other resources:
Call center bookstore and reference library
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