Adding Intelligence to
the Next-Generation
Contact Center
Nathan Stearns, IEX Corporation
3
People. Processes. Technology.
• The next generation contact center must focus on
all three in combination.
• In the following slides, we will explore three
concepts that require a new focus on people,
process, and technology.
– When applied effectively, these concepts will give you a
competitive edge.
4
Back Office Optimization
• People
– Transplant WFM staff from the inbound contact center
– Train managers and supervisors on the art of balancing backlog
management with agent optimization
• Processes
– Re-use proven WFM techniques
– Performance Management: focus on key drivers of success
• Accountability vs. flexibility
• Effectiveness vs. efficiency
• Technology
– Desktop transaction measurement software
– Advanced WFM that includes bi-level forecasting and work propagation
– Closed-loop feedback using simulation to plan and schedule blended
workers
Back Office Performance Management
• Unlike the call center, many companies do not have
visibility into back office work
– How many work items should be handled per day per
person?
• Some workers may handle all their work by 3pm and surf the net the
rest of the day
• Lack of visibility means
– Lack of KPIs to measure performance
– Lack of incentives to drive performance
– Lack of information to drive staffing and planning
decisions
Back Office Performance Management
• Capture AHT and number of emails, chats, claims,
and other back office work items as history for
forecasting, planning, and scheduling
• Capture agent desktop activity for historical
adherence and performance reporting
• Integrate real-time agent desktop activity for realtime adherence to schedule and to application
usage
Start with basic time and motion studies using your QM system
Advance to a full desktop monitoring platform
Measure Back Office Desktop Activity
Identify application usage by
employee throughout the day
Measure Back Office Desktop Activity
CRM Application “OUTSIDE”
Total amount of
time employee
used “OUTSIDE”
Monitor Back Office Desktop Activity
Detailed log provides specific
information.
Manage Back Office Desktop Activity
• Trigger workflows and messaging after usage of an
application hits a certain threshold
– E.g. 1 hour of internet explorer usage per day
Manage Back Office Processes
Identified Process –
“New Mortgage Customer”
Steps Identified
as a Process
12
Unified Command Centers
• People
– Job enrichment: cross train functional silos
– Resource re-allocation: reduce operations headcount while still
maintaining proper coverage
• Process
– Process documentation to identify inputs/outputs (hand offs)
between functional groups
– Co-locate functional groups
• Technology
– Well equipped command center for visualization of enterprise status
– Dual monitors for extended desktop
– Robust WFM software for enterprise-wide real time monitoring and
management
Unified Command Centers:
Chase Home Lending
Desktop Support
HR Support
WFM
Telephony
Merging traditionally siloed groups into one
organization to create operational efficiencies.
Unified Command Center: WFM
• Forecasting & Scheduling
– Long term (through next year)
– Mid range (next month)
• Capacity Planning
– Scheduled shrinkage
– Schedule changes within the current week
– Overtime and Voluntary Time Off management
• Intraday
– Same day schedule changes
– Service Level monitoring
Unified Command Center: Telephony
• Routing
– Network Level
– Post IVR
– Real-time
• Monitoring
– Mission Critical Resources
– WFM Software
– News/Weather
• Administration
– New Hire and Agent Infrastructure
– Skill Changes
– Phone Hardware Support
Unified Command Center: HR Support
• Human Resources
–
–
–
–
–
Termination Processing
Leave of Absence Requests
FMLA Requests
Job Abandonment
New Hire Orientation
• Expense Management
– Monthly headcount and expense forecast based on attrition trends and training class
schedules
– Corporate Advances
– Invoice and Expense Report Processing
– Data Changes
• Communication
– Plasma display screens for graphic communication with call center staff
– GCC Flash email notification of system issues affecting
service level
– Attrition Reporting
Unified Command Center: Desktop Support
• Support for PC Hardware and
imaging
• First line of contact for software
issues
• Reimage and cleanse PCs after
terminations
Unified Command Center
• WFM, Telephony, Desktop Support and HR Support teams
share a single large room.
– Managers are in the back of the room with analysts sitting in arched
rows facing the displays and monitoring screens.
Unified Command Center
• Each team is aware of what is happening with all other teams
• If members of one team are unavailable, members of the other teams
can take over monitoring of their operational statistics
• WFM Intraday and Real-Time screens aid in this process
– Analysts from different teams can easily see when the areas managed by
the workforce team have breached a threshold and take appropriate action.
Advantages of the Unified Command Center
• Improved Agent Adherence
– Overall schedule adherence has risen to approximately 90%.
• Flexible Schedules
– By developing and monitoring more flexible schedules, Chase decreased
total OT expenses by almost 25%
• Reduced Customer Impact
– By viewing routing, staffing and RTA for all sites on consolidated monitor
boards – along with CNN and the Weather Channel – Chase can respond
to changing conditions quickly
• Reduced Staffing
– Process automation, paperwork reduction, exception handling and resource
planning have resulted in a 40% reduction of WFM staff
– The operations management staff spends more time on coaching and staff
supervision.
21
At Home Agent Populations
• People
– Professional, mature, educated, self motivated
– Internet literate; organized; quiet work space
– Flexible availability
• Process
– Take advantage of very flexible part time or full time schedules
– New supervisory paradigms
– New training regimens
• Technology
–
–
–
–
VoIP as the enabler for the interaction
Advanced workforce scheduling techniques and algorithms
New supervisor/agent communication methods (IM, video)
No other special technology necessarily required
22
Attendee Exercise
• Split into groups of three
• Share how you have developed the next generation
contact center by focusing on the combination of
people, process, technology
– You can you use one of the preceding examples and
share your key learnings…
– Or, share a new idea.