Leveraging Technology to Create a More Agent Friendly Call Center. L.S. (Larry) Schwartz CEO, WorkFlex Solutions LLC

Transcription

1 Leveraging Technology to Create a More Agent Friendly Call Center L.S. (Larry) Schwartz CEO, WorkFlex Solutions LLC

2 About the Presenter Larry Schwartz - Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO of WorkFlex Solutions - Formerly President/EVP Global Operations - Convergys Corporation - 25 Years of Global Enterprise Software Management Experience including Executive Roles at Compaq Computer, Tandem, and Nortel - 45 Years of Ice Hockey Experience (accounts for slight accent and limp) Page - 2

3 Topics - Sources of Call Center Agent Frustration - How Traditional Call Center Technology Investments haven t fully addressed these issues - 5 Ways in which Technology Can be harnessed to improve Agent Satisfaction - Some Real World Use Cases Page - 3

4 Key Sources of Agent Frustration - High stress work environment - High call volume - Lack of coaching - Slow change request approval - Short shifted (VTO) - Missed overtime opportunities - Lousy hours - Mandatory overtime - Scheduling confusion - Supervisor subjectivity in scheduling Environment Schedule Compensation Page - 4

5 Everything about Agent Performance is Measured - Average Handle Time - After Call Work - First Call Resolution - Schedule Adherence - Agent Occupancy - Cross Sell/Upsell Rate - Number of Calls Handled Page - 5

6 But how about the things agents care about - Schedule Flexibility - Doing a Good Job - Extra Hours Opportunities - Better Coaching & Training - Timely Change Request Approvals Environment Schedule Compensation Page - 6

7 But how about the things agents care about - Schedule Flexibility - Doing a Good Job - Extra Hours Opportunities - Better Coaching & Training - Timely Change Request Approvals Environment Schedule Compensation Page - 7

8 Scheduling Flexibility Issues An Agent Perspective - My Schedule is Typically Locked Down Weeks in Advance. - My Schedule is Difficult to Change Schedule Once its Locked Down - Process for how Extra Hours and Voluntary Time Off is Assigned is Subjective and Unfair Page - 8

9 Workforce Forecasting is Like Weather Forecasting Forecast Accuracy Decreases with Time Variances Drive Intraday Staffing Activity PAGE - 9

10 So Why are Scheduled Locked Down Weeks in Advance Workforce Administration Processes Forecasting Scheduling Intraday Management Months Weeks Days Hours Minutes Agent Forecasting Agent Scheduling Workforce Management (WFM) Product Footprint Intraday Reporting WFM does a wonderful job of telling me every 15 minutes how big a problem I have to solve today. especially with intraday management being such a difficult and time-consuming manual process Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011

11 Intraday Management is Hard Work Monitoring Fatigue Multi-Issue Triage Prioritization Timely Issue Analysis & Solution Identification Timely Agent Communication Avoiding Perceptions of Agent Bias in Assigning Overtime (OT) and Voluntary Time Off (VTO) Making Timely System Updates Page - 11

12 Some Consequences of Manual Intraday Management Tendency to Preschedule to High End of Forecast because it is easier to send people home than bring in people. - Expensive approach - Agents don t generally like VTO Difficult to identify optimal solution to staffing variances - Time Pressure to respond - Subjective Decisioning - Compliance Adherence Risk - Time to Execute Hard to Balance Business Needs with Employee Needs & Preferences - Objective Assignment of OT/VTO - Accommodating Employee Change Requests Page - 12

13 Technology Solution 1 Automate Intraday Staffing Workforce Administration Processes Forecasting Scheduling Intraday Management Months Weeks Days Hours Minutes Agent Forecasting Agent Scheduling Intraday Reporting Intraday Staffing Workforce Management (WFM) Product Footprint WFM Extension Adapt Real-Time Supply Chain Technology for The Call Center Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011

14 How to Implement Automated Intraday Staffing Six Key Ingredients PAGE - 14

15 Ingredient #1: Access to Reporting Data & Scheduling - Read Access to Workforce Management Performance Data - Write Access to Workforce Management Scheduler WFM System Access PAGE - 15

16 Ingredient #2 : Business Rules Engine - Threshold for Action - Actions to be Taken - Staffing Changes - Alerting/Reporting - Agent Selection Criteria - Proficiency - Past Responsiveness - Overtime Hours Worked - Distance to Call Center WFM System Access Business Rules PAGE - 16

17 Ingredient #3: Agent Information Database Agent Database Elements Proficiency Wage Rate Seniority Distance to Call Center Overtime Hours Worked Availability Past Responsiveness Agent Data WFM System Access Business Rules PAGE - 17

18 Ingredient #4: Real-time Matching Engine Determine Optimal Agent-Criteria Fit: Proficiency Seniority Responsiveness Overtime Hours Location Agent Data WFM System Access Business Rules Matching Engine PAGE - 18

19 Ingredient #5 Automated Call-out Flexible Alert System SMS Voice call Screen-pop Agent Data WFM System Access Business Rules Matching Engine Call Out

20 Ingredient #6 Automated Schedule Update Automated Schedule Adjustment Update WFM system Agent Data Schedule Update WFM System Access Business Rules Matching Engine Call Out

21 How Auto-Optimized Staffing Helps the Agent Eliminates need to pre-schedule to the high end of the forecast - Reduces amount of VTO Eliminates Perceptions of Bias in Intraday Staffing - Replace manual subjective process with automated objective process Increase Extra Hour Opportunities - More opportunities identified - Faster Execution

22 Real-World Use Case Automated Intraday Staffing Previous Company Process (Manual) - Supervisor determines which agents should be contacted for overtime or VTO. New Company Process (Automated) - Automatically select optimal agent for VTO and overtime based on predefined criteria - Agent identified preferred/available hours - Performance, Hours Worked, Responsiveness - Alert agents of schedule opportunities/changes via , phone, or text message. - Automatically update schedules in WFM System Results - Significant increase in Agent Satisfaction due to elimination of Perception of Subjectivity/Bias - Reduced Costs of Administration - Reduced Overtime Costs - Improved Occupancy Technology Solution 1 Page - 22

23 Addressing the things agents care about - Schedule Flexibility - Doing a Good Job - Extra Hours Opportunities - Better Coaching & Training - Timely Change Request Approvals Environment Schedule Compensation Page - 23

24 Agent Job Complexity Continues to Grow Average Number of Different Information Systems being accessed for call center operations > 7(*) Average Number of Information Systems being accessed > 7 (*) Source: 2013 Customer Response Summit Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011 Page - 24

25 Agent Job Complexity Continues to Grow In my 15 years as a call center supervisor I have yet to see new technology introduced that actually Average makes Number life of Information easier my Systems agents. being accessed > 7 Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011 Page - 25

26 Agent CRM User Interface Challenges - Too many screens to navigate or too much information on one screen - Client Info not passed from IVR/web - Continual Pressure to minimize AHT/ACW Page - 26

27 Technology Solution 2 Speech Recognition Innovative Use Instead of pointing Speech recognition Technology at the Customer, Point it at the Agent. Benefits to Be Achieved Reduce AHT/ACW Improve Agent Performance - Improve Customer Sat on Problem Resolution - Improve Upsell/Cross Sell Success Improve Overall Agent Satisfaction Improved Agent Performance and Satisfaction PAGE - 27

28 Agent Speech Recognition Uses & Benefits Improved Navigation Instead of clicking through Multiple Screens agents can create verbal shortcuts to enable agents to quickly get to the screen they need. Improved Customer Information Capture Agents can capture more comprehensive information by talking versus typing. Reduced Typing Speech Macros enable multiple lines of text to be entered using a single phrase Less typing reduces risk of agents developing work related health issues (e.g. Carpal Tunnel syndrome) Improved Agent Performance and Satisfaction PAGE - 28

29 Real-World Use Case Agent Speech Recognition Mobile Services Company Process - Agents spend 5-10 minutes of wrap up time to take post-call notes (ACW) Speech Recognition Enabled Process - Allow System to capture dictation during call - Leverage Agent verbal summary to client Results - Reduction of ACW by 80% - More accurate information capture - Less typing higher agent satisfaction PAGE - 29

30 Addressing the things agents care about - Schedule Flexibility - Doing a Good Job - Extra Hours Opportunities - Better Coaching & Training - Timely Change Request Approvals Improved Agent Communication Environment Is Schedule The KeyCompensation Page - 30

31 Agent Communications tend to be Rigid and One-Way I Need to log into system to see shift changes and opportunities Management Communication is generally negative and focused on Scorecard misses. Timely Coaching & Training is Rare Talking about an issue days or weeks after it happened is not that helpful. Waiting For Supervisor Approval of Change Requests creates a lot of uncertainty and stress for me. Page - 31

32 Creating more flexible agent-friendly communications What s the best way to communicate with agents when they are outside the center? How can you make performance feedback, coaching and training more timely and relevant? How can you ensure agent communication is more balanced? How can you speed up change agent request approvals? Page - 32

33 Technology Solution 3 Communication Preference Portal Agent Preference Portal Attributes - Web Based Universal 24/7 Access - Identify preferred contact method (SMS, , Voice Call, Social Media) - Identify do not disturb periods Benefits new - Increase Agent Connection Success - Improve Extra Hours Earning Opportunities - Reduce Communications Spam-effect Improve Agent Communication Page - 33

34 Technology Solution 4 - Automate Training/Coaching Automated Training/Coaching Attributes - Dynamically schedule training during identified low occupancy periods (an Alternative to VTO) - Automatically schedule training to ensure required hours per month are achieved. - Automatically generate training effectiveness reports (Feedback loop for Training Department) - Analyze performance dashboard to optimally prioritize training and coaching focus for individual agents - Generate positive Agent KPI Performance feedback especially post training - Generate real-time supervisor alerts for timely high return coaching opportunities Benefits - Improved agent performance and satisfaction Improve Agent Communication Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011 Page - 34

35 Real-World Challenge Speech Recognition Introduction AHT benefits are not achieved if agents don t use the technology - You can still handle a call without Speech-to-Text How do you avoid having to track yet one more metric? - Speech-to-text Utilization Speech-to-text Utilization is only an indirect metric for AHT/ACW performance - What about agents that can type as fast as they can talk? - How does the real-time administrator figure out where the real issues are? Page - 35

36 Real-World Use Case Active Performance Management Wireless Services Provider Process Identify Agents with Poor KPI s - High AHT and/or ACW Correlate Relevant Related Metrics - High AHT/ACW and Low Utilization of Agent Speech-to-Text Tool Generate Real-Time Alerts - To Agent (Should have used Tool) - To Supervisor (Coaching Opportunity) Generate Daily Custom Reports - Training Department (Training Effectiveness) - Management (AHT/ACW Trend Report) Improve Agent Communication Page - 36

37 Technology Solution 5 Agent Self Service Implement FedEx Self Service Model Agent Schedule Changes - Agent Sick Line Management - Agent Schedule Swapping Benefits - Improve Intraday Performance - Eliminate Management Approval Delays - Improve Agent Satisfaction - Reduce Administrative Overhead Page - 37

38 Real-World Use Case - Automated Agent Attendance Line Current Process - Agent calls into attendance line and leaves message - Workforce administrator listens to messages and manually updates system - Real-time coordinator determines whether additional resources are required Automated Process - Agent enters sick day on IVR or Web Portal - Schedule automatically updated - Instant Agent Feedback (e.g. Sick Days Remaining) - Impact immediately analyzed and additional resources are scheduled as required Results - Improved Agent User Experience - Automated Schedule Update - Improved Intraday Staffing Management Agent Self Service Page - 38

39 Real World Use Case - Automated Agent Schedule Swap Current Process - Agents can post schedule swap requests on Workforce Management System - Requested swaps go to supervisor for approval - Uncertainty as to whether/when request is approved Automated Schedule-Swap Process - Agent can log onto system and see what agents meet approval criteria for schedule swap - Agents agree to swap shifts - Both agents submit change request and it is automatically approved and schedule is automatically updated in system Results - Elimination of Manual Approval Overhead - Improved Agent Empowerment - Improved Agent & Supervisor Satisfaction Agent Self Service Page - 39

40 Leveraging Technology to Help the Agent - Schedule Flexibility Automated Intraday Staffing - Doing a Good Job Agent Speech Recognition - Extra Hours Opportunities Tailored Agent Communication - Better Coaching & Training Automated Coaching & Training - Timely Change Approvals Agent Self-Service Environment Schedule Compensation Page - 40

41 How Agent-Technology also Helps Administrators Repetitive Manual Task Automation - Enable focus on High Value Activities - Reduce stress / Improve job satisfaction Accelerated Communication - Real-time alerting & automated reporting - Instant confirmation of change requests Better Overall Results - Real-time issue analysis and solutioning - Consistent execution

42 How Agent Technology also Helps the Business Improved Cost-Performance - Automation of repetitive manual tasks - Improved agent performance - Reduced Agent absenteeism/attrition Compliance Assurance - Regulatory (e.g. overtime) - Contractual (e.g. seniority) Page - 42

43 Leveraging Technology to Create a More Agent Friendly Call Center Agent Benefits Increased Convenience Increased Fairness Administrator Benefits Minimized Manual Activity Improved Execution Business Benefits Improved Productivity Assured Compliance Improve Employee Satisfaction and Business Performance Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011

44 Additional Resources White Papers - What s Missing from Workforce Management - Proactive Performance Management - Transforming WFM via Intraday Staffing Automation - through Intraday Auto-Optimization Newsletter Articles - Transforming Monitoring into Active Performance Management SWPP Newsletter Spring Auto-Optimization of Workforce Performance CCNG (Queued IN Newsletter September 2011) lss@workflexsolutions.com About the Gartner Cool Vendor Selection Process: Transforming Workforce Administration Through Automated Intraday Staffing SWPP Annual Conference Nashville TN March 2011 Gartner is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. or its affiliates. The Gartner listing does not constitute an exhaustive listof vendors in any given technology area, but rather is designed to identify interesting, new and innovative vendors, products and services. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Each year, Gartner identifies a Cool Vendor as a company that offers technologies or solutions that are: innovative enabling users to do things they couldn t do before; impactful have, or will have, business impact (not just technology for the sake of technology); and intriguing have caught our interest or curiosity in approximately the past six months. Page - 44