Last month, in part one of this article, we discussed Benchmarking. The premise was that there is value in being able to statistically compare your call center with other centers. Taking that concept to the next level, there is the more intense and equally more valuable Business Improvement Group.
Business improvement groups, sometimes called profit clubs, also have as their basis a quantitative element. Typically, the primary focus of these numbers is financial in nature. Operational metrics, sales numbers, and human resource outcomes can also be considered, but are generally secondary in nature.
While benchmarking benefits from a large number of participants, business improvement groups can only function successfully in small groups. Generally, four to six members are ideal, although seven to ten can be workable in the right situations. The group will meet on a regular basis to review their financial reports, exploring ratios for different cost areas, profits or losses, and may even consider upper management compensation. This delicate level of private disclosure does not happen easily. The participants must be carefully screened and selected to ensure compatibility and concurring business objectives. They will need to patiently strive to establish a rapport and build a consensus. Finally, they must be committed to the process and maintain strict confidentiality in all respects.
The Life Cycle of Business Improvement Groups
Also, be aware that business improvement groups have a life cycle. There is the start-up phase, establishing a rapport, mutual disclosure, decreased interest, and dissolution or coasting:
Start-up Phase: The start-up phase is critical for a successful group. It includes finding members, agreeing on the need for the group, and establishing basic rules and policies. Once the group is formed, additional members should not be added; this will only break the free flow of information and disrupt the dynamics of the group.
Establishing Rapport: The next step is establishing a rapport. Although some of this will have been done in the start-up phase and may have existed prior to that, it will need to be taken to a higher level. Social activities are ideal for this as it allows members to learn about each other in a safe and non-threatening environment. Even better is one of the many weekend team-building opportunities that exist. This often takes the form of presenting an intense challenge to the group, which can only be successfully resolved through teamwork and mutual trust; close personal bonds are the result. Certainly, the requisite rapport can be developed without either of these optional exercises, but it is done so at the expense of time. During the rapport step, the rules and policies are fine-tuned and must be brought to unanimous consensus.
Disclosure: The middle stage, mutual disclosure, may follow immediately after a group rapport is established or can build slowly over time. This stage is the key objective of the group, where all of the useful business data is shared, explored, and discussed. This phase can last for a year or as long as four to five years. It is unusual for it to last much longer. During this phase, some members may lose interest or develop diverging business goals and drop out of the group. It may be tempting to add new members in order to maintain a workable group size. This impulse should be resisted as the ongoing viability of the group could be compromised.
Decreased Interest: Following the disclosure stage is decreased interest. Here the members’ commitment and attention to the group decline. This could be a result of increased interpersonal tension, a loss of group cohesiveness, decreasing results, or a host of other outside influences. Some members will respond by dropping out of the group, but most will continue, if only for appearance sake.
Dissolution/Coasting: The final stage is dissolution or coasting. Dissolution is when the group concurs that no substantial progress is being made or will likely be made in the future; all work is stopped and no more meetings are scheduled. Coasting results when members continue to go through the motions, though with less vigor and frequency and/or allow meetings to deteriorate into a social assemblage. The benefit of coasting is that the group is still loosely held together and can quickly be resurrected if the situation warrants and the group wills it to happen.
The Process: Like benchmarking, business improvement groups can benefit from a facilitator to guide the process, smooth out the rough spots, and head off trouble. Generally, this guide will be involved in phase one, active in phase two, kick-off phase three, and fade into the background, being available as needed, for the remaining portions of the group’s life cycle. This person needs to be an objective and dispassionate observer with no stake in the results of the group’s work or with any conflict of interest. A knowledge and understanding of the call center industry is useful, but not required.
As mentioned, the basis for a business improvement group is financial. This, however, is not all that is covered. Using financial analysis as a foundation, considering other numerical measurements often follows, similar to those identified with benchmarking. In fact, any benchmarking metric can be used in business improvement groups, though it is common for the group to delve deeper into the numbers, share more thoroughly, and probe more intensely than is possible or appropriate in benchmarking.
As business improvement groups progress, the agenda can (but doesn’t have to) evolve beyond numerical considerations. It becomes more holistic and covering subjective issues such as hiring and firing, business strategy, marketing plans, acquisitions and mergers, and exit strategies. Close and cohesive groups can on occasionally progress still farther, pursuing cooperative buying, group marketing, joint ventures, collective investment or acquisition, and even consolidation of their businesses. This is rare; only the best of groups can handle this extreme and then only at some risk. However, if successful, the rewards can be great. It is important to state that these results should never be the original stated purpose of forming a business improvement group, but know that they can be an eventual outcome.
A Caution: There are possible concerns with business improvement groups, especially if it involves direct competitors. These concerns include the perceptions, whether real or imaged, of price-fixing and collusion. Therefore great care should be taken to avoid these areas of impropriety and illegality. It is recommended to consult with an attorney to learn what specific activities and discussions should be avoided, as well as how to protect oneself.
Conclusion: Benchmarking and business improvement groups are both valuable mechanisms to bring in outside experience, knowledge, and results into a business. With this input, business goals become more defined and realistic; direction, clearer; and focus, sharper. Benchmarking is easier to get started and quicker to produce tangible results, though the benefits and value are not as significant. Business improvement groups can produce a wealth of valuable information, likely unavailable from any other source or at any cost. However, they take more effort to get started and require more time. Using the above information can serve as a guide for getting either effort started, though benefits do abound when independent outside assistance is available and used.
North American culture salutes the solitary leader, the charismatic visionary, and the lone voice. It celebrates those boldly marching to the beat of a different drum.
It is this perspective that makes for exciting cinema, painting an inspirational picture for viewers to admire and emulate; it successfully offers to fill that longing for distinction most people occasionally desire. It is, nonetheless, not a proven path towards success.
John Donne correctly noted, “No man is an island, entire of itself…” King Solomon wrote, “A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” Aside from socialization, human nature and blind pride prompt us to go it alone; to believe we can make superior decisions in a vacuum, without the input of others.
This is generally not a wise course of action. It is a truism that there is safety in numbers. Yes, examples do exist of a lone individual who single-handedly built a corporate empire, turned the tide in a war, or invented a product that changed the world.
Unfortunately, for every well-publicized success story there are hundreds of quiet failures who tried to do “it my way” and failed, taking with them scores of devoted followers.
The tried and true formula for success is to surround yourself with talented advisors, faithful friends, and available mentors. It is through the wise counsel of many that the road to success is paved, for if one falls down, another is there to pick him up.
Although there are many ways to benefit from the valued support of others, two stand out for facilitating business improvement. These are benchmarking and business improvement groups. While both are vastly different in both scope and direction, they share several basic traits.
First, they provide input from peers that can be used to compare and contrast businesses. This provides a baseline to use to determine areas of deficiency, as well as success in your business.
The second similarity is that they provide quantifiable results. They don’t advance theoretical ideas, grandiose platitudes, or unrealized goals. They provide real numbers from real businesses, thereby offering real solutions.
Third, once done, these efforts can be easily repeated and updated on a periodic basis, providing a time line of successive snapshots of your business.
In other words, they are a regular report card showing your successes, your shortcomings, your improvements, and your relapses – all with respect to your peers. Now that we know how benchmarking and business improvement groups are similar, let’s discover what they are and how they are different.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking is the comparison of your business with statistical results from the norm of industry peers. These numeric measurements are called metrics. Metrics can be in the form of financial figures, sales numbers, operational quality and efficiency, human resource efficacy, or whatever is deemed the most valuable to the participants, though typically and primarily they are operational in nature.
“If it can be measured, it can be improved,” asserted Kelly Doran of Simcoe Message Centre in Barrie, Ontario. The “objective measurement of quality standards can help highlight areas of strength and weakness in both individuals and teams.”
Successful benchmarking follows a progressive path towards a desired outcome. First, there must be a desire to obtain, have, and use the information. Next, you need to determine who will be invited to participate.
The basic requirement is for participants to have an interest in the results and a commitment to contribute. Beyond that, it is imperative that all participants are in sufficiently similar business niches within a common industry.
In many cases, it is wise to select those using a common equipment or software platform, since operational metrics are hard to reliably compare when their source is different hardware employing dissimilar statistical standards.
The third step is to determine which numbers to measure or gather. It is recommended to start small, obtaining only a few key numbers. As participants become engaged in the process and realize the value of it, then other metrics can be added.
This is followed by developing a standard determination of how the information will be gathered or the calculations will be made. For without a standard methodology each participant will make the calculation as they see fit, rendering any results unreliable. These two steps can be both time consuming and contentious.
Assistance from someone with experience in benchmarking or a background in statistical analysis is most beneficial at this point, serving to greatly simplify the process and save valuable time. Also, if this person does not have a direct stake in the results, they are able to more objectively guide the process.
The fifth step is a critical one. It is to develop the survey form, which includes documenting the source or calculation of the data. Although this seems like a simple and straightforward process, it is one fraught with peril, as a less than ideal survey form will doom the process to misanalysis or failure.
Again, someone with experience in benchmarking or developing survey forms will be most helpful. Then, regardless of the quality of the survey form, or its developer, it is of paramount importance to test it.
What may seem perfectly clear to those who developed and reviewed the form, could cause confusion or misinterpretation among those completing it. Therefore, a small field test should be conducted.
Any problems uncovered in the test will need to be corrected before the benchmark survey is distributed to all participants.
The next two steps are the most important, as concerns in these areas can cause otherwise willing participants to decide not to complete the survey or to color their responses. Quite simply these steps are to gather the completed surveys and then to compile the results.
Concerns reside in who performs these two items. It is imperative that this person or group be trusted, respected by all participants, and that there not be any perception of a conflict of interest.
As such, it is recommended that someone not participating in, nor who will benefit from, the benchmarking results be assigned the task of both collecting and tabulating the responses.
The results of the benchmarking survey should only be presented in aggregate form and then only to those who responded. All individual answers must be fully protected.
In some cases, such as providing cross-sectional or demographic analysis, certain sections may need to be eliminated due to a small number of responses that would effectively expose one or two members. The results, often along with analysis and a commentary are distributed to all who participated.
Although conducting a benchmarking study once is valuable, the real benefit comes from repeated studies over the course of time. Therefore, it is important to follow-up with those who participated to determine any problem areas needing correction or additional data to be collected.
These changes must be made and the survey repeated. Depending on the nature of the information, the survey should be repeated at least annually, possibly semiannually, quarterly, or even monthly
Some Examples of Benchmarking Metrics
Operational
Percent of calls answered
Average time to answer
Percent of calls placed on hold
Average hold time
Occupancy (percent of time spent working)
Average call duration
Average wrap up time
Number of calls answered per month
Amount of time spent on calls per month
Schedule adherence
Sales and marketing
Number of sales made
Average amount of sale
Number of inquiries
Closing ratios
Source of leads
Human resource
Annual turnover rate
Average employee (CSR) tenure
Cost to hire one new employee
Cost to train one new employee
Starting pay per hour
Average hourly rate
Financial
Percent of revenue spent on labor
Percent of revenue spent on marketing promotions
Percent of revenue spent on all sales and marketing efforts
Number of clients
Average revenue per client
Profit margin
Summary of Steps for Benchmarking
Possess a desire to obtain, have, and use the information.
Determine who will be invited to participate.
Determine which numbers to measure or gather.
Develop a standard for how calculations will be made.
Design the survey form.
Test the form and correct problem areas.
Distribute the form.
Gather the completed surveys.
Compile the results of the collected surveys.
Present the findings.
Analyze and correct any problems for next time.
Determine additional data to collect the next time.
Repeat the process periodically (at least annually).
Growing up I remember a commercial on the radio with the tag line, “Service sold it.” Even as a young child I was able to grasp the concept that this business provided such a high level of service that their mere reputation was sufficient for them to close sales and gain new business.
Over the years, I have heard this mantra repeated, again and again, either verbatim or conceptually, by various local, national, and international companies. Yet I no longer give this grandiose platitude serious consideration. Indeed these words now have a hollow ring to them; they reek of disingenuous assurance and hold an empty promise
. What was once good business turned into nothing more than good ad copy and now simply gets lost in the clutter of messages which we no longer believe. In fact, the louder this claim is trumpeted, the less I trust it.
The greater the hype, the more I assume that their service is lousy and that their ad campaign’s only goal to convince us – and them – of the contrary. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, “He who can, does. He who cannot, talks about it.”
It seems that no one provides good service any more.
Over the past couple of months, I had to place a series of calls to my favorite computer company. They are still my preferred vendor, offering a quality package at a good price, providing fast shipment, and facilitating the ordering process.
Yet their customer service is rotten. Two prior interactions with their “customer service” staff resulted in one failure and one partial success. My latest episode, requiring a dozen or so phone calls over the span of weeks, ultimately resulted in a satisfactory outcome.
But it required great patience and persistence, long hold times, being transferred to the wrong departments and back again, and talking with “English” speaking reps who could not effectively communicate in a language I comprehended.
One of the more humorous instances was the rep who said, “Excuse please the silence while I hold you.” To accomplish my objective, I had to escalate my call, invoke their “100% Satisfaction Guarantee,” and insist that they accept the return of my entire order — not just the computer in question.
As you might suspect, I deem it a waste of money to buy their extended customer support plan.
Being a glutton for punishment, I attempted to resolve an ongoing problem with my caller ID. The feature that sold me on the product was the promise that, working in conjunction with call waiting, it would display the number of a second caller while I continued talking to the first.
Unfortunately, it never worked. I called repair and reported the problem. I was given the time and date by which it would be repaired. It was not. I reported it again. No change.
I pulled out the multi-page manual and found a small-print footnote, which said that the feature I desired needed to be installed separately. Thinking I was on to something, I called and ordered it. Again, the promised due date came and went. I called again, only to be informed that the feature was not available in my area.
Four people (and their accomplices) decided to ignore the issue, deferring it to someone else or hoping I would give up, rather then simply check to see if the service was available.
On to cable TV. With the escalating costs of my cable bill, it eventually became cheaper to switch to satellite. Now I can get 100 channels and still not have anything decent to watch.
The installation and support of the satellite system was excellent (more on that later), but the simple act of canceling my cable service took months. Each subsequent month a new bill would arrive, announcing an escalating monthly balance.
A call would be placed to the cable company; an assurance would be given that our service was indeed cancelled and that they had no idea why we kept being billed. This went on for over six months. I seriously doubt that any company can be that incompetent, so my cynical nature wonders if they were intentionally doing this to pad their receivables.
I was recently able to install DSL service, but the big challenge came in disconnecting my no longer needed dialup Internet line. Because of a previous series of orders, my Internet line somehow became the billed number and my listed number became secondary.
The representative, fortunately one knowledgeable and thorough, apologized that the only solution was to cancel the entire bill and the reinstall my main line. This would only be a billing function and my phone service would not be interrupted. However, there would be side effects.
First, I would need to call their DSL division to make sure my DSL wasn’t cancelled and to update my billing arrangement. (Apparently, this was not uncommon, because later the DSL representative immediately understood what I was asking and knew just what to do.)
Then I would need to call my long distance carrier to make sure that when my service was “reinstalled” I would be put on my same rate plan and not their higher default plan. A third call needed to be made for my white page listing.
Surprisingly, each call had its desired effect. But imagine the turmoil that would have ensued had the first representative not fully informed me of all the ramifications and exactly what needed to be done.
Exceptional customer service, however, would never have put me in the position to make those calls in the first place and even good customer service would have done so for me. Service didn’t sell it, being the only game in town did.
Everyone has been similarly frustrated with poor or non-existent customer service. (Remember the “self-service” paradigm of the dotcoms? They are still out there.)
We all know someone who left one company because of poor service and then subsequently left their competitor for the same reason. Then, after all available alternatives had be tried and consequently rejected, they were faced with the necessity of returning to a previously unsatisfactory company.
Their new goal was to pick the company that was the least bad.
Doesn’t good customer service exist anymore? Fortunately, in some cases it does. In previous columns, I mentioned my mechanic and optometrist, both stellar success stories.
In concert with this, it is noteworthy to mention that the authorized agent for my satellite television is a local company. Is this the reason for my satisfaction with the installation? Is being local the key? No.
My local credit union, bank, and doctor have all caused me great consternation on occasion. Besides, there are other good examples that are not local.
To produce this magazine, the sales, graphic design, and proof editing are all handled by extremely competent individuals who are not local, yet provide an exceptional level of service and responsiveness. A common factor here is that they are all very small organizations.
So then, is company size the key? No, many other small organizations have shown a definite ability to disappoint.
Although being local and being small are two elements that decidedly allow the potential for better customer service, they are not requirements; the real key is relationship.
With each unfavorable example I gave, I dealt with a department, not an individual – not really; the representative had no accountability to me and no stake in the outcome. With subsequent calls, I would talk to a different person.
To them I was not a customer; I had no real value to them. I was just another phone call – a problem – one to get rid of in the shortest time possible, so they could go on to the next call, and eventually punch out for the day.
However, with each company that I cited as a positive example, it was a specific person who made the difference, my primary contact. This was someone who genuinely cared and had a real interest in the outcome, someone who was willing to stay late and make me his or her most important priority if that was what was required.
While these things are critical and most appreciated, an underlying theme is that in each case we had established a rapport and developed a relationship first. It is because of this one-on-one personal relationship that exceptional customer service can exist.
Does your call center provide this same one-on-one personal relationship to your clients? What about your clients’ callers? Can you honestly say, belief, and prove that “service sold it?” If not, what changes do you need to make? Whatever you do, don’t settle for being the least bad provider.
When I write, there is often a fact that needs to be verified or supporting material to be gathered. My first recourse in such matters is my personal library, which is not small and often contains what I seek if it is business related. I also am prone to save magazine articles possessing information for which I envision a possible future use. I file these by category, which is nicely functional until I happen across an informational gem that covers multiple topics. I also tap family, friends, and acquaintances to assist in my search for information that is accurate, relevant, and useful to you.
I also use the Internet search engine, Google, where I am adept at zeroing in on the targeted data. Although the resulting list of sites is correct, the information contained within those sites may not be. Knowing what to trust and what not to trust on the Internet is part common sense and part intuition.
Through experience, I developed an informal methodology to ascertain the veracity of what I read on websites. First, I give the site a visual once-over, looking for indications that it is second-rate and of questionable merit. An unprofessional layout is a sure turnoff, as are poorly laid out designs or confusing navigation. I look at dates as well. If the copyright date on the site is from the prior millennium, it indicates that the information is not current and I ignore it. “Updated on” dates are likewise illuminating. Again, if it was last updated several years ago, I don’t give it much credence. However, I am also suspicious of sites that give the current date for the last update – especially when it is 7:30 in the morning. I have even seen “updated on” dates emanating from the future. Visitor counters smack of a novice design, doing little other than to prove the designer knows how to implement a counter. After all, if the counter says you are visitor 17, it suggests the site doesn’t have much to offer. Conversely, being visitor 2,525,640 doesn’t mean much either – especially if in increases in multiples of 10 or 1,000 every time you press refresh. Of course, passing all of these rudimentary tests doesn’t mean the site contains trustworthy content, only that it is worth further consideration.
Next, I look at the website’s address. For example, a site, www.Ihate(insert name here).com or variations thereof, is a sure tip off that the content has an agenda. Less obvious biases can be gleaned from the AboutUs page or ContactUs page; even the lack of such information gives one pause. Conversely, the website of a well-known or respected organization can be deemed credible. Links on the site may also offer insight. The expectation is that a credible site will only link to other like-minded credible sites and that a disingenuous site will link to anyone and everyone or to other disingenuous, agenda-laden sites. Lastly, I apply common sense and consider if the information seems reasonable, balanced, and responsible.
So, to evaluate a website’s value, I seek professional looking sites, without indications of bias, that present factual, balanced information. When a second such site independently confirms the same information, it is an added bonus.
I recently put all of this to the test. I went to Google and typed in two phrases, each one in quotes. Normally this would have given me a small number of matches, but given the subject matter, I was presented with 15,300 matches. (And once this article is posted on the Connections Magazine website, www.ConnectionsMagazine.com, there will be one more!) What were the two phrases? They were “I invented the Internet,” and “Al Gore.” It should surprise no one that Al Gore reportedly made this audacious claim. In fact, I can convince myself that I even heard the sound bite of such a statement. I have yet to visit all of the 2,280 sites, but of the credible ones I have gone to so far, none assert that Al actually said those words.
These sites advance a couple of theories as to what happened. One is that it was pure fabrication, a Republican ploy to discredit their opponent by repeatedly asserting that he impudently and arrogantly took credit for something he didn’t do, a claim that any reasonable person would immediately dismiss as both bodacious and ludicrous. That could be, but I favor one of their alternate explanations. Simply, they speculate that Al Gore did what every other politician has done. He started with a bill that he co-sponsored or voted for, generously assumed that this effort was the catalyst for some great benefit, and proudly trumpeted it as a visionary contribution to society and a tribute to his leadership. It is my opinion, that, in all likelihood, Al Gore voted for a bill that provided funds to advance Internet usage and that things were blown out of proportion when he promoted this fact.
Along these same lines of, “I invented the Internet” is the term, the “information superhighway.” Arguably, it was Al Gore who coined this phrase; unarguably he brought it into the mainstream consciousness and our modern lexicon. The information superhighway, it was postulated, would play an important part in society’s future. The concern was that access to the Internet or lack thereof, would ultimately result in a two-class society. Those with Internet access would have an unprecedented amount of information readily available to them and given that “knowledge is power,” the Internet would therefore empower them. Alternatively, those without Internet access would experience an information void, thereby lacking its associated power and placing them at a disadvantage. It was theorized that the Internet-less would, in fact, become second-class members of society.
Not only is the Internet important to individuals, it is even more critical for organizations. With the ubiquitousness and utility of the Internet, it is quickly becoming a business expectation, not an option. An organization without a website is increasingly viewed as second-rate, a non-player, one lacking in resources, vision, or leadership.
An often proclaimed, but erroneous requirement for websites is to keep changing content. This doesn’t mean, however, to do a one-time design and then ignore. At the very least, periodically remove outdated information, update material as appropriate, and add content useful to your target market. The basic goal of most websites should be that it will function as an on-line brochure and information packet.
Developing a website can be done rather easily by someone with a basic understanding of computers, time, and a desire to learn. Alternately, there are many options to have someone design a site for you. Carefully treat their selection as you would any other business decision. The criteria I use to evaluate a website’s credibility is a good checklist in developing yours. Also, when your domain name (that is, your Web address) is selected, make sure it is registered in your name; that gives you ownership and control over it. Lastly, once your site is working, visit it at least weekly to make sure that it remains functional.
Email is an even more expected and critical business tool that the Internet has given us. You need to have your own email address, as should all key employees – preferably every employee. This greatly aids in communication and facilitates organizational synergy. It also lets others know that your organization follows current business practices. Do not use the same email address for everyone in the call center. Not only can messages be read by the wrong person, but there is also the possibility that an important communication could be deleted by someone else. Having an email address is the first step, but it also needs to be periodically checked – at least once each business day, preferably more often. Just as no viable business would try to function without a telephone, so too, email is a given requirement to be taken seriously. In the same vein, no self-respecting person would fail to check his or her answering machine or voice mail for messages; failing to check email is no less crass.
Having an email address presumes that you have Internet access. Even today, some free (but limited) Internet access is still available. Barring that, low cost options exist for $10 to 15 dollars a month. For most organizations, once they experience the power of the Internet and its value, dialup access becomes inadequate and dedicated, high-speed access (DSL, cable modem, or T1) is pursued.
I continue to be amazed at the organizations that do not have a website and people who do not have email – as well as those who have email and don’t check it. Frankly, my opinion of such organizations is one of skepticism and my view of such people is disrespectful. Don’t be one who falls by the wayside of the Internet revolution; join it today and avoid being classed as the second rate.
As the publisher of a trade magazine, I frequently travel to conventions and industry shows. And as a consultant, I frequently travel to my clients’ call centers. Therefore, it may surprise you that I don’t like to travel, especially to fly – the unpredictability, the impersonality, and the loss of control. I am a homebody, perfectly content to stay within the comfort of my home — my castle – which is also my office. It’s not that I am people adverse, because with the telephone, email, and IM (instant messaging), I am always in communication. It is simply that I enjoy being home and anything else, including travel, pales with the comfort of home sweet home.
Like any traveler, I have many stories. One time, awaiting a connecting flight in Detroit and anxious to return home, I sat at the sparsely occupied gate, immersed in my crossword puzzle. Suddenly, an announcement interrupted my focus, “Now boarding all rows, all passengers for flight 3512 for Kalamazoo; this is the final boarding.” Strange, I mused; I had apparently tuned out all the previous announcements. Grateful that I heard this one, I walked alone to the gate and handed the agent my ticket. “We wondered if you were here,” she smiled. Perplexed at such a strange comment, I smiled back and inanely replied, “Yes, I am here,” and proceeded through the doorway. The door shut behind me. Walking down the empty jet way, I stepped onto the plane; the flight attendant informed me that I was the only passenger. She asked if I would be needing beverage service. I thanked her and joked that she could take the night off. Later, as I deplaned in Kalamazoo, I inquired if this thing happened very often. “Occasionally,” she replied. “Once the plane was empty. But we have to fly anyway, because it needs to be in Kalamazoo for an early flight the next day.” So, for the price of a normal commercial ticket, I had a private flight with a personal flight attendant.
Another time, while anxiously waiting for my flight to Chicago – where I had a tight 40 minute connection – there was an announcement of a delay: 30 minutes, then an hour, then more. Finally, two hours past the scheduled departure, we had boarded and were ready to taxi. Then an unusual announcement has made. This was to be the captain’s final flight for the airline, as he was retiring after 22 years of service. To celebrate, 22 members of his family were on the plane with him. As was tradition in these cases, we would taxi past two fire trucks, which would spray a canopy of water over and on the plane. As we proceeded, parallel to the terminal, I noticed the windows lined with airline personnel, waving their goodbyes. Soon, passengers irrepressibly began waving back. Then came another surprise announcement, “Because this is the captain’s final flight, ground control has given us priority clearance for departure; we are next in-line for take-off.” Never before had I witnessed such a speedy departure. The runway even pointed us towards Chicago. In seemingly no time, there was another announcement, “We have enjoyed a strong tail wind and we are getting ready to land in Chicago. Because this is the captain’s final flight, air traffic control has given us priority clearance to land.” Again it was a straight shot to the runway and we quickly landed. Then a third unexpected announcement was made. “Because this is our captain’s final flight, ground control has given us priority to taxi to our gate.” “Could it be,” I wondered as I glanced at my watch. My departing flight left on time – and I was on it!
For my final story, I was traveling with two co-workers. We were headed home, again connecting in Chicago. It was winter and we landed only to learn that our flight home, the last one of the day, was cancelled due to weather. As the more savvy travelers snapped up all the rental cars, we sought other options; alas, the only one was to spend the night in Chicago and fly home the next day. That was the last thing I wanted to do. I anticipated sleeping in my own bed that night and anything else would be second-rate. Plus one of my associates was ill and the other was beginning her vacation the next morning with an early fight out for a cruise. If we delayed until the next day, she would miss her flight and part of the cruise. There were no more flights, no buses, and no rental cars. We were 150 miles from home. It was a desperate time, which called for desperate measures. Outside, a city employee was orchestrating cab rides. “What would be the possibility of getting a cabbie to take us to Kalamazoo, Michigan?” I inquired. “We really need to get home tonight,” I desperately added. Glancing at our discouraged and tired faces, she responded positively, “Let me find you a good ride.” After putting local fares in the next five cabs, a nice new cab, with a competent looking driver, pulled up. “This is your cab,” she smiled, with a grand wave towards our coach. She had a preliminary discussion with the now bewildered cabbie. Once I assured him that I could provide directions, we were off. Four hours later he dropped us off at the Kalamazoo airport. I paid the $380 fare and we each headed home. Later the airline refunded our unused tickets, so the net cost of our 150 mile cab ride was only $30.
Although there were other stories I could have shared, remember I don’t like to fly, I picked these for a reason. Each one is positive: a private flight, a priority trip, and an accommodating cabbie. These represent the perspective I have when I fly. I call it travel mode. To successfully travel, I need to be in travel mode. There are three aspects to it:
Have a plan: If you don’t have a plan to occupy the idle time when you fly, you will be bored and irritable. My plan starts with magazines to read. I don’t take ones I want to keep, as each one gets thrown away when it is read, making my load a little lighter. Magazines are for sitting in gates, standing in line, and before take off. Naturally, there are crossword puzzles in the in-flight magazines to occupy the actual flight. Movies, another favorite pastime, are a welcome offering on longer flights. Plus there is the added benefit of the more objectionable material being edited out. Finally, there are the rewards I give myself at each hub airport: food; frozen yogurt or popcorn are much anticipated treats. My plan beneficially fills my travel time. (I have another plan for hotels.)
Be realistic: I used to have the expectation that an airline schedule was an accurate representation of what would happen. The fact that airlines begin padding their schedules to boast a higher on-time arrival, did little to erase my frequent disappointment. Then I realized that a more reasonable attitude was to assume the plane would be late and to rejoice with an on-time or early arrival. Here’s why. Let’s say a trip has two flights there and two flights back. If one flight is late, do you remember the three that were on time? No, you dwell on the one that was late. Now look at it mathematically. Assume that each flight has an on-time arrival of 70%. That means that for the two flights to get to your destination, you only have a 49% chance that both flights will be on time. To include your return flights, you only have a 24% chance of all four planes being on time. And if you have three flights (two hubs) in each direction, your odds of all six being on time drop to 11%. With proper and realistic expectations, your chances of being disappointed are greatly reduced. This isn’t optimism versus pessimism; it’s realism.
Make the most of it: Is business travel something to be endured or an experience to be relished? If your perspective is one of tolerance, then you will gravitate towards the negative. If your perspective is one of adventure (I’m not quite there yet), then you will remember the positive – like I have done with my three stories. And there are many more. You meet people by chance whom you will never see again, yet a lasting impression is made. A simple kindness to another traveler uplifts one’s spirit. Even spending time to check out the airport architecture or infrastructure is not without its rewards.
I have just shared my prescription for travel mode, the perspective I need for a successful trip. However, this can be applied to any task or endeavor in order to realize a positive outcome: have a plan, be realistic, and make the most of it.
It was 5:45 am. My family and I were in a hotel room in Alpena Michigan; we were there for a hockey tournament. I had just awoke, but yearned to fall back asleep. After a few minutes, the futility of attempting to do so became apparent and I got up. With my nighttime respite being a few hours shorter than normal, I was a bit groggy as I readied myself for the day.
The night before, I had made a conscious decision that I would workout in the morning. This was partly to maintain some semblance of my normal routine but also in response to the pizza that I shouldn’t have eaten at 11:30 pm. I shuffled down the hallway to the exercise room and emerged 40 minutes later with an exercise-induced euphoria that, while not negating my lack of sleep, did invigorate me for the day ahead. Since the pre-game schedule had not yet been communicated to the hockey parents, my wife and I needed a quick breakfast in order to be ready for whatever was to emerge for us that morning.
With our son already at his team breakfast, we hopped into the car and proceeded to the nearest McDonald’s. “I’ll have a number 10,” I decisively informed the perky and personable teenage-looking girl at the counter. She acknowledged my request and smiled pleasantly. This encouraged me to make small talk while my wife contemplated her choices. I said something, which was apparently not too inane and mildly humorous, causing her to laugh and brightening her smile. “What a pleasant way to start my day,” I thought, glancing at her name tag, which indicated, “Amber.”
My wife conceded that what she wanted wasn’t part of a meal deal, nor were the items listed individually. Amber was helpful. “Tell me what you want and I will see what I can do,” she encouraged. My wife listed three disparate items and Amber began pushing buttons on her cash register. After a dozen or more keystrokes, she proudly announced that she had accomplished my wife’s request. We paid for our meal and stepped aside to await it.
As the people behind us placed their order, Amber’s positive, friendly demeanor continued to capture our attention. Suddenly she saw someone out of the corner of her eye. Her smile widened as she looked up and her face beamed, “Good morning Jimmy,” she excitedly called out. In the split second that it took for my glance to move from Amber to Jimmy, I anticipated who I might see. Certainly, he would be her peer, perhaps a jock or a maybe prep, possibly even her boyfriend.
I was wrong. Jimmy was an older man with a weathered face, worn clothes, and a considerable limp. He moved with deliberate effort, alternating between a herky-jerky lunge followed by a short shuffle. As he made his way across the room, he did not attempt to get in line, but headed straight to an open space at the counter near Amber.
With considerable effort, he produced a handful of coins and cupped them in his twisted and arthritic-looking hand. He tipped his hand forward and with practiced precision, gave it a little shake. Two coins spilled out onto the counter and then a third. As if not satisfied with his progress, he poked his gnarled index finger into his open hand and moved it around as though stirring a pot. Then he flicked a fourth coin onto the counter, stirred some more, and released a fifth. With the last coin still rattling on the counter, Amber was there. She picked up four of the five coins, rang up an unspoken order, pulled a dime from the cash drawer, and carefully dropped it into Jimmy’s still cupped hand.
What happened next made me curious. Amber reached under the counter and pulled out a handful of supplies. Then she turned to the coffee pot behind her and laid the contents in her hand on the table – two containers of cream and several packs of sugar. This seemed backwards and inefficient – pour the coffee first, then get the additives. Amber grabbed a coffee cup and filled it half full. Even more curious. Did Jimmy only want a half of a cup? She then picked up one of the creams, gave it a brisk shake, meticulously opened it, and carefully — dare I say, lovingly – emptied its contents into the cup. Then she repeated the procedure with the second cream.
Amber glanced around the room to see if anyone else needed her assistance. Assured that she was not neglecting another pressing need, she picked up a pack of sugar, shook its contents to the bottom and prudently tore off the top, so as to not waste any, pouring every granule into the coffee. She repeated this a second time and then another customer’s need momentarily diverted her from Jimmy’s coffee. She returned to the partial cup and added two more sugars. But her task was still not complete. Amber then produced a stir stick and thoroughly mixed the contents. Upon being satisfied with the results, she then topped off the amalgamation with more coffee, put on a lid, and presented it to a grateful Jimmy.
She didn’t do any of this begrudgingly or with indifference, but with all the care and precision of someone making their own cup of coffee. She was there to serve Jimmy and she did so happily and without hesitation. I was touched by her kindness, gentleness, and thoughtfulness. Such a gesture was probably not found in the restaurant’s efficiency manual, but it was the right thing to do. Amber’s attitude and actions established the framework for the rest of my day. If her example affected me to such a great extent, I can only imagine what it did for Jimmy’s day.
I imagine that, when Jimmy woke up that morning, there was no question in his mind where he would go for coffee. I surmise that his morning trek to McDonald’s was routine and habitual. I suspect, however, that he wondered who would wait on him. He must have said to himself, “I sure hope Amber is there today. She treats me like I’m special; my whole day goes better when she gets me my coffee.”
Likewise, I wonder what Amber thought before work that morning. Did she make a conscious decision to make a difference in the lives of those with whom she came into contact? She may have, but I suspect it wasn’t necessary. I think that cheerfully going the extra mile was a conscious decision that she had made on many previous mornings and that she had done thus so often that it was now routine and habitual. While I had made a conscious decision that day to take care of my own needs, Amber had made a conscious decision to focus on those around her. And what a difference she made, not only for Jimmy and for me, but for the other customers and for her co-workers as well.
I was challenged by all this. Yes, I too had made a conscious decision to help those around me, giving more than I received. Yet over time that focus has blurred and my resolve has been distracted. Though it’s unlikely I could ever match Amber’s personable, outgoing disposition, I can once again aspire to her positive, helpful, serving attitude.
Do you have someone like Amber working in your call center? What if all your staff was like Amber? Then caller satisfaction would be exceeding high, complaints and service problems would be non-existent, and your company would be an even greater place to work.
Whether it’s pouring coffee or answering the phone, you can have employees like Amber — and it’s not hard; all it takes is a conscious decision. It can start today.
I’ve never met anyone who felt they were over paid. Occasionally someone will privately admit to being adequately compensated, but most people are quick to assert that their pay is not reflective of the work they do or their value to their organization. This is especially true with call center agents. I have experienced this repeatedly, both in running call centers and as a consultant. In either instance they view me as someone who can improve their pay rates, elevating paychecks to an appropriate and commensurate level. What is perplexing is that it never matters what the pay rate is, the consistent belief among agents is that their pay is too low.
But what is an appropriate rate of pay for call center agents? While employee compensation is an economic means by which they support themselves, in North America money is also an esteem issue by which workers measure their importance and value to their company, society, and family. Although I strenuously object to money as being a measure of ones’ true worth, instead favoring things like character and integrity, the money-focused, materialistic society in which we exist continues to warp our staffs’ priorities and skew their perspectives.
If agent compensation were an issue onto itself, there would be little need to worry about it; merely pay agents what they ask. Obviously it is not that simple. Agent compensation is a trade off. Pay too little and turnover shoots up, training costs increase, and morale decreases. The ensuing turmoil causes quality to suffer, callers to complain, and clients to defect. However, paying too much causes the outflow of money to exceed the inflow of cash. No business can stay in business if it continually loses money. The question is do you seek to maintain ongoing employment for agents at the possible risk of sub-standard pay or do you increase pay at the risk of losing those same jobs when the company closes its doors because it is no longer competitive?
Compensation is the single greatest expense that a call center faces. It accounts for anywhere from 40% to 85% of a call center’s total expenses, with the actual level being a factor of call center size and its economies of scale. Some managers attempt to back into appropriate pay rates. They apply an arbitrary labor percentage to their total revenue. Then they allocate the resulting dollars to the schedule that has been projected for their target service level. The resulting calculation is a scientifically derived hourly rate for their call center agents – and it is usually wrong.
Like most call center managers, directors, and owners, it has always been my aim to pay an appropriate level of compensation to call center agents. Not too much as to jeopardize the future viability of the business, but not so low as to deprive staff of what they can and should be earning. Again, that brings us back to the question of what is the appropriate rate? Fortunately the answer is close to home and easy to determine; it resides in your local fast-food restaurants. I call it the McDonalds’ factor.
I understand that when McDonalds looks for a location for a new restaurant they invest a great deal of time, effort, and money to determine the ideal spot, which will result in optimal patronage and generate maximum revenue and profitability. They look at roads and traffic patterns and consider where people live and work. They contemplate area growth trends and economic developments. They also analyze the demographics of the neighborhoods under consideration to establish the propensity of their target market to consider McDonalds as an appropriate eating venue. Once the best possible location has been ascertained, then they set about establishing a restaurant.
Conversely, the story goes, when Burger King wishes to open a new restaurant, they merely look to see where McDonalds is and build close by. Whether this explanation is factual, an intriguing explanation of why both restaurants always seem to be near each other, or merely an amusing anecdote, it does offer an important lesson: don’t duplicate effort if someone else has already done the work. What am I saying? Should you move your call center next to McDonalds? No, but you can look to them to determine what your starting pay should be for your agents.
In explaining why McDonalds, Burger King, and other successful fast-food businesses can serve as a benchmark for starting labor rates, I don’t want to appear disparaging towards their employees or the job they do. Fast-food eateries are often a teenagers’ first foray into the workforce, providing both a point of entry and a reference for their ongoing employment and future success. (You may recall past McDonalds commercials, which addressed this very point, highlighting successes achieved by former employees.) Plus, it is possible to build a satisfying fast-food career and earn a nice living for those wishing to advance within the organization. Furthermore, some employees at fast-food restaurants are excellent workers, happily providing outstanding service with pleasantness and efficiency. However, often recollections of fast-food establishments center on those employees who do not perform at that high level and the ensuing frustrations that their actions and attitudes can cause.
Quite simply, if you hire call center agents at a fast-food wage, you get a fast-food mentality and a fast-food performance. Yes, you will find the occasional star employee, but how long do you expect to retain him or her? What you will find is people with little or no work history, who view the job as temporary, have little concept of customer service, and fail to comprehend the necessity of being to work on time, much less the courtesy of giving two-weeks notice before quitting. With the average agent training time exceeding the average employee tenure at a fast-food restaurant, you can’t afford to hire someone who may quit before they are trained. Yet when you compete with fast-food restaurants for entry-level employees, this is very likely the outcome you will achieve.
Now, some managers may emphatically assert that they can’t afford to match what the local fast-food restaurant offers. Yes you can – in fact, you must – though you may need to raise your rates first in order to do so.
So, we have established the need to pay more than fast-food restaurants, but how much more? I have found that even paying a quarter an hour more can make a difference. Fifty cents to a dollar more will have a much larger and more profound effect – if you do it right. What you must avoid, when raising your starting wage, is to merely make it easier to find the same caliber of people; you need to raise your standards and expectations too. When you are paying more, it is reasonable to expect more in return.
In working with one client, the staff kept complaining that “people at McDonalds earn more than we do.” After the fifth such complaint, I wanted to discover the truth. I invested an hour and visited the seven fast-food restaurants within walking distance of the call center. The staff’s perception was in fact wrong, but the misinformation had gone unchallenged and been repeated often enough that the falsehood had become accepted and believed. Correcting the misconception was the first step in countering low employee morale and quelling worker dissatisfaction. The second step was to implement a small adjustment to the starting wage to make a better distinction between the two jobs.
At another client’s location, agents had a much higher starting wage, but they too complained of being under compensated. Again, I did my quick little survey and found their starting wage to be three dollars higher than the fast-food benchmark. No adjustment was needed. Fortunately, accompanying this higher starting wage were tighter pre-employment screening and elevated expectations. The caliber of the staff was noticeably greater than what I typically see in call centers. In addition to watching them process calls, I also saw them in action at a staff meeting. The most surprising thing was that all but one actually attended! At the meeting, they conducted themselves professionally and made positive contributions that were supportive and relevant. Some gave reports on assignments while others updated coworkers about committee work. True, the call center manager had a huge part in making this happen, but she could not have been successful had the organization’s starting pay and hiring practices not provided her with quality people.
Therefore, to determine the appropriate hourly rate for your call center agents you have four options:
Continue what you are doing (which probably isn’t working),
Pay someone thousands of dollars to do a “proper” wage study,
Refer to local wage surveys (which seldom list data for call center agents), or
Spend an hour visiting the local fast-food restaurants.
Applying the McDonalds’ factor has never let me down and, I suspect, it won’t let you down either.
From a business standpoint, I have long been impressed by Michael Dell who started assembling PCs in his college dorm room and parlayed his talent into the multi-billion dollar Dell Computer. Dell is legendary for their low-cost computers, resulting from efficient and innovative manufacturing processes.
Plus, the idea of custom ordering your exact computer over the Internet and receiving it a few days later is both compelling and inviting. Yet none of this admiration and knowledge prompted me to actually buy a Dell computer. At least not until the recent advertising campaign with the tagline, “Dude, you’re getting a Dell.”
Encouraged by the “Dell Dude,” as he was affectionately called by his admirers, I soon found myself at the Dell website ordering my first Dell computer. Although it took some patience to tweak my new system into the proper balance of features and price, I soon placed my order and the computer arrived shortly thereafter. Since then I have ordered two more Dell computers and am sold on both the value of the product and the convenience of ordering it online.
The Dell Dude promotion motivated many others to act as well. The promotion was credited with a surge in Dell computer sales and a recapturing of the top stop as industry leader. Suddenly, the Dell Dude was everywhere and there was even talk of a Dell Dude clothing line. It seems, however, that not everyone was as enthralled with the Dell Dude as I was. In fact, some found him to be irritating and annoying. Eventually he was retired in favor of the more low key but less captivating “Interns” ad campaign. Although I miss the Dell Dude and his endearing and enthusiastic hawking of Dell computers, I plan to remain a Dell customer.
When Dell recently announced their intent to do for printers what they had accomplished with computers, I was a bit skeptical. Would their “reach exceed their grasp?” Could they really manufacture a quality printer at a low price and take market share from the well-established and entrenched printer vendors?
I was determined to take a wait and see approach and resolutely decided to continue to buy from my favorite printer vendor. After all, I had been buying their printers exclusively for 15 years, racking up several dozen purchases for my company, others, and myself. Throughout that time, my experience was overwhelmingly positive. Repairs had been minimal and reliability had been high.
A few years ago, one of the oldest printers, still chugging away after 12 years, had a paper jam. After clearing the jam, however, paper would no longer feed into the unit. I discovered that a small broken roller to be the source of the problem. I tore the machine apart and set out to find a replacement part. The local dealers were no help, but the Internet was. In about a half an hour, I had drilled down into my printer vendor’s website and found a detailed parts diagram for my model. From there I determined the part number and called to order it. The order department agent informed me that the part was only 26 cents, but embarrassingly added that shipping would be $12. “That’s fine,” I replied. “Please send it.” (I was actually expecting to pay more.)
The part arrived a few days later. I installed it and reassembled the unit. It even worked when I was done!
Last month, one of my newer printers broke. It was barely a year old. I tore it apart, too, and found that a small plastic arm had broken. Slightly irritated that it was not constructed better, I confidently returned to the website. Again, I drilled down to the section with the parts diagram, but one was “not available” for my model. Try as I might, I could not locate any part numbers for that printer except for a few housing components and the ink cartridges. Gamely, I called the order department and explained my dilemma. Confidently, the agent replied, “That’s not a problem; I’ll look it up for you.” Relieved, I described the part to him.
After several minutes, the agent reluctantly informed me that the part was not available for purchase. However, I could send in the unit for repair. “That could cost more than to buy a new printer,” I whined. The agent acknowledged that could be the case, but thought it was not likely. As I thanked him for this time, albeit not as nicely as I should have, I realized that this was just the push I needed to switch printer vendors. “Dude,” I said to myself, “You’re getting a Dell.”
I was shocked at my fickleness. I consider myself to be a loyal to a company that serves me well, looking for a long-term relationship. (Astute readers may recall an earlier column, “Customer Since 1978”, where I admitted using the same brand of gas for over 20 years.) Yet here I was, ready to abandon ship at the first little trouble.
There are three insights that I gained from this experience. The first is that if a loyal, long-term, satisfied customer is willing to change brands at the first disappointment, so too, will a long-term, satisfied call center client be willing to change providers when a single phone call goes awry. With call forwarding commonplace and long distance inexpensive, it is a simple matter for a client to switch call centers. Even if they happen to be under contract, all that is accomplished is that you have a few more months of their business, while they stew and fret about that one errant call and look for other things to complain about.
The second lesson is to not lose sight of the big picture. Whether the printer vendor simply overlooked the parts diagram or if it was a strategic decision, I do not know. They may have been hoping that I would merely buy a new printer. What they overlooked is the fact that a printer’s lifetime cost of ink cartridges far exceeds the one-time cost of the printer and if they push me to another vendor, they have lost out on both. So make sure that your call center does not push clients away with policies that are “penny wise and dollar foolish,” such as charging for things that cost you nothing or piling on numerous trivial and questionable charges (such as what most phone companies do).
The third item is consistency. The printer vendor was inconsistent with their website, hence affecting my view of their company. The first time I searched for a part, I found it and my expectations were exceeded. The second time I searched for a part, the results did not match my previous experience and my heightened expectations were not met. I judged the company unfavorably as a result. I often tell my call center clients, that it is better to provide consistently poor service than inconsistent service. After all, if you provide consistently poor service, your clients know exactly what to expect and you meet their expectations every time. However, if you provide inconsistent service, the poor call one day will be judged critically compared to the excellent call the day before and your standing with your client will suffer. Inconsistent service will drive them away quicker than consistently poor service. Indeed, had I not found the first part, I never would have looked for the second one, completely avoiding the disappointing episode.
So don’t give your clients even one reason to leave you, avoid self-defeating actions, and above all, be consistent. You clients will thank you.
(For the record, I replaced the broken plastic arm with a wood screw and the printer works fine.)
By leaps and bounds, the ubiquitous Internet is becoming more pervasive and accepted, even expected, in our daily lives and the world around us. While some call centers strive to be innovators on the leading edge of this societal evolution, most are content to follow the lead and experience of others.
Both approaches are acceptable and realistic strategic decisions. The only unacceptable course of action is to ignore the Internet, shunning its benefits and potential, refusing to let it be part of one’s business in general and call center specifically.
Indeed, call centers electing to disregard the Internet today run the very real risk of not being around to lament their decision tomorrow.
The ways in which the Internet can enhance one’s business are numerous. Pursuing all possible opportunities may be best left to the larger and more technologically astute operations.
However, every call center should consider how the Internet can be optimally used to save time, generate revenue, increase communication, obtain and retain clients, and bolster the bottom line.
Here are several things to consider; use the Internet:
To Serve Clients: Using the Internet to serve clients has many advantages. First, it offers more options, greater flexibility, and increased responsiveness; it is a service enhancer. Second, innovative Internet options serve as a retention mechanism. After all, a client that grows to depend upon a specific high-tech Internet service will be reluctant to switch providers if the alternative does not match up, feature for feature. Third, Internet-based features can be revenue generators or profit enhancers. Often a particular service, when properly implemented, marketed, and priced, can meet all three of these important objectives.
In this regard, Gary Tedrick of Answer Midwest in Alton, Illinois, is moving many of his clients to email for communicating and distributing information. He sees email messaging as taking the place of alpha paging. “We can send an email or text message to a physician’s cell phone and send a copy to the office manager. That way the physician gets the message instantly and his office has a record of the contact,” Tedrick stated. “Nearly everyone carries a cell phone now with email or text messaging.”
Amtelco, Amcom, and other vendors offer a wide range of Web applications to better service clients. Amtelco recently announced several enhancements to their Infinity Web application. Essentially, these products provide a gateway to allow clients to access Infinity information and features via the Internet, including the directory, on-call scheduler, registry, and roster. This allows easy client access to information within Infinity and effectively extends features to clients.
Similarly, Amcom’s Smart Web applications enable employees and other authorized users to do directory searches, paging, and on-call scheduling from their corporate Intranet or the Internet. That means convenience and up-to-date information for clients. Smart Web makes information from the call center database available to users throughout the organization on their PC, wireless, or handheld devices (via any standard browser). Web-based services that are part of Amcom’s Smart Web include directory services, status updates, physician registry/staff roster, scheduling, and paging.
Although these leading edge services require state-of-the-art systems, investing in the latest platform is not necessarily a requirement. “There is a widespread misconception that [Amtelco] EVE systems are old school,” stated Brian Gilmore General Manager from Fallon Communications, “but an EVE system with Windows workstations is hardly uncompetitive if you know how to use it.” Fallon Communications uses late model PCs with Windows, Internet Explorer, and other Internet applications to access client databases and Web forms. “Our capabilities include the usual things that many other call centers are doing such as text, voice, and fax message deliveries via email, receiving and transmitting client data via email and FTP, and pulling reports and data from third-party databases for markup and resale to clients.” They also do Web lookup of caller data and insert it into the call record. They even had a request for a video-chat order entry application. Although they did identify some third party applications to provide the service, the account never came to fruition.
Fallon Communications generally charges “a bandwidth allowance fee for clients that need Internet access” beyond email usage. “Internet bandwidth allocation fees may sound like pocket change,” stated Gilmore, “but every additional dollar of revenue helps build a business and keep agent [service rates] competitive.”
So far, all of these discussions about using the Internet to service clients relate to the provision of service. But this is an incomplete picture; follow-up support is also important. The Internet, specifically email, can help there as well. Cheryl Campbell, Vice President of Operations at Michigan Message Center has seen a big shift from the telephone to email as a channel of handling customer service questions and concerns. She estimates that about “50% of communications with clients is now being done with email.” Chief benefits of using email include avoiding phone tag and being able to respond to email as one’s workload allows without interrupting other activities.
Some call centers also add client resources, documents, and support (such as “frequently asked questions”) to their websites to further facilitate customer service efforts. Although the goal should not be to force the client into a self-service mode, offering self-help as an option is both pragmatic and accommodating.
To Use Hosted Services: Using hosted software is like renting software and accessing it via the Internet. This software resides in a central server at the provider’s location. To use hosted software, a call center typically only needs to have Internet access and browser software at each agent station.
With hosted services, stated Shane Green of Creative Entropy, “There are no updates to worry about, no data backups to slow down your network, and no expensive hardware required to operate it. It is all handled by the provider. When the application is enhanced, there is no effort required by the call center to begin using the improved functions.” Just like renting an apartment versus buying a house, hosted software has a low initial cost, no long-term commitment, and is highly flexible as needs and usage level changes.
In some cases the software (and required hardware, if any) can also be purchased from the vendor. In other cases, the hosted version is the only option. Also, it is important to note that while most hosted software will function in any Internet-ready call center, some packages are specific to a vendor’s platform that must be installed in the call center.
There are several reasons to use hosted software, including try-it-before-you-buy, bootstrapping a new service or business, to conserve capital, or for occasional use. Angela Hightower of Answering Metro Atlanta has added appointment scheduling to her client services. Answering Metro Atlanta, uses Almond Hill’s appointment setting program with her Telescan system. Hightower believes Web browsers are the future of her business. “More clients want us to take orders and make appointments off websites. It may be slow, but business will be going in that direction and we have to be ready,” said Hightower.
David Peck, owner of Professional Answering Service in Springfield, Missouri agrees. “It is certain, as time goes by there will be more applications for the Web. The possibilities are endless. It’s just a matter of having the right hardware and software.” Professional Answering also uses Web-based appointment scheduling and order taking applications. They take orders for clients and process them through the client’s website. This makes order processing easier and faster.
Here is a list of some of the hosted software that is available to outsource call centers:
Appointment scheduling software allows agents to schedule appointments and other events for clients. Both clients and call center agents, and in some cases customers or patients, can all access the same schedule on the Internet. Hosted appointment scheduling software is available from Almond Hill Enterprises, Alston-Tascom, Creative Entropy, and TimeTrade Systems.
On-call scheduling software similarly provides a means to manage assignments and contact on-call personnel. Almond Hill Enterprises and Amtelco have hosted software to handle clients’ on-call schedules.
IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is also available as a hosted package and is available from Alston Tascom and Amtelco.
Order-taking software is available from Amtelco and Telescan.
Other hosted services include unified communications from CenturiSoft Unified Communication (marketed by Phone and Wireless) and agent scripting software, Web conferencing, and Infinity Web applications all from Amtelco.
For Agents: In last month’s Connections, we covered in depth the topic of remote agent stations and the many ways in which a remote station can connect to the call center. The Internet figures prominently for the data connection of many remote agent stations, with call centers using DSL, cable modems, and even dialup Internet access.
For the agent audio, however, many rely on dialup access, both local and long distance. Nevertheless there is increasing interest in using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to extend the audio connection to remotely located agent stations. Joe Miller, president of Checkpoint Communications Company in Greenville, North Carolina, has been successfully using VoIP for more than a year for his remote agent stations. With two disparately located call centers, each has a fractional T1 circuit connected to the Internet. This connection handles the data for the agent stations, as well as the agent audio and incoming DID traffic and agent dialouts. Miller tested the service for close to a year before rolling it out. “Voice over IP doesn’t require much bandwidth,” Miller observed, “but it does need to always be there.” Miller is sold on his VoIP service and says that the audio quality is as good as or better than normal phone conversion. Miller concluded that VoIP may be the wave of the future.
When agents work remotely – and even internally – timely and effective communication with them can be a challenge while they are on-line. David Peck, owner of Professional Answering Service in Springfield, Missouri solved this problem with the Spectrum Messenger from Telescan to improve inter-office communications. The program provides for platform-independent, secure, encrypted communications across local-area network and the Internet. Unlike email programs or simple “chat” programs, it allows control of both the client side and server side. This enables users to securely send real-time messages to each other based on their level of access.
Cheryl Campbell, Vice President of Michigan Message Center, has about a third of her staff working remotely. She uses email to keep in contact with these remote agents, particularly to distribute their schedules to them. “This has greatly reduced the calls to our supervisors by staff checking their schedules,” she stated. When agents are on-line working, Campbell and her front-line supervisors use the text chat feature that is part of their Amtelco Infinity system for quick communications.
As a Sales Tool: The Internet can also be used as a powerful sales tool and resource. The primary and most common application is a website. At its most basic level, a website is an on-line brochure. Unlike a yellow page advertisement that can only be changed annually, a website can be updated as often as needed to reflect changes and new services. And unlike a print media advertisement, which is static, a website can be dynamic or even interactive. Some call centers add useful resources and interesting content to their sites to attract users and encourage repeat visits. Other uses of websites as a marketing tool are to include press releases, list awards and recognitions, offer forms for literature or quote requests, and present printable versions of literature. Some websites include pricing information and even sign-up forms. Others have the goal to merely capture contact information or to encourage the visitor to phone or email them. Call centers with more advanced service offerings and websites, offer chat and callback options, demonstrating the expansiveness of their service, while providing two more ways for prospects and clients to contact them.
Internet marketing is not restricted, however, to websites. Email broadcasts can be used as a prospecting means and many centers that formerly relied on fax solicitations are switching strategies and migrating to email. When doing email solicitations, care must be exercised as not to alienate or mislead prospects. Just as with direct mail, the quality of the list is critical. A bad list results in a low response and a high percentage of undeliverable messages. A legitimate opt-in list is a good source, as are targeted lists. With so many people doing email marketing wrong, it is wise to take your lead from reputable direct mailers in developing a sales pitch and the manner in which it is conveyed.
Not surprisingly, call centers were not anxious to share their Internet marketing secrets or strategies for this article. With many centers competing for the same business, marketing advantages and distinctivenesses are carefully guarded secrets.
For Vendor Support: The area of vendor support is presented for two reasons. The first is to alert call centers to possible ways in which they can obtain service and support from their equipment providers. The second is illustrative, to suggest ways in which call centers can apply these ideas to better serve their own client base.
Jody Laluzerne, field-engineering supervisor at Amtelco, indicated a heavy dependence on the Internet to serve customers. He speculated that much of what Amtelco does “is pretty common in the support industry.”
For starters, Amtelco has a password-protected website for their service contract customers. It contains information about troubleshooting, cable pinouts, board descriptions and configuration information, software downloads, and even links to download Amtelco manuals. The site also has a quick reference of recent updates. “Since it is available 24/7/365, it’s been a great resource for our customers,” stated Laluzerne. Also, if users of the site need on-line help, they can use Amtelco’s text chat or callback features to contact a technician. “We also use the Internet to download software via email and FTP sites, so customers can get updates and features in minutes now, not days,” he added.
In the past, direct customer support was provided exclusively via the telephone. At one time, some vendors experimented with using the fax machine to receive routine operational questions and support requests, as well as deliver basic technical documentation and resources. Although it had its practical uses, it never caught on the way that email has. “Email is a convenient mechanism for receiving and answering client questions regarding equipment operation and features,” stated Bob Vornberg, Telescan’s director of product development. “We also use email to send software updates to our customers and receive performance reports.” Amtelco’s Laluzerne echoes this sentiment and the tremendous value that email adds to customer support. He estimates that about 20% of their support work is now done via email.
Amtelco, CadCom, and other vendors offer training seminars on the Web. Frequently called webinars, these sessions allow customers to be trained on new features and important developments from the comforts of their home or office, eliminating travel costs and greatly reducing time away from their normal work. With webinars, the visual portion of the session is accessible via the Internet, while the audio portion is generally provided by a conference bridge, although VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is available in some implementations. Also, webinars are not restricted to fixed presentations from PowerPoint or websites. They can be interactive with the presenter’s desktop displayed for participants and step-by-step procedures demonstrated.
As an alternative to the typical dialup remote diagnostics, Amtelco can connect directly to their customers’ servers and networks using secured Internet connections. “Using this,” stated Laluzerne, “we can help them with programming, configuration, and troubleshooting much more quickly and with instant access.”
In similar fashion, Telescan uses the Internet as a connection mechanism to remotely control Telescan equipment at customer sites. “With this system, Telescan technicians can update customers’ software, monitor system activity, upload performance statistics, and run diagnostics. Web access almost eliminates the problems of servicing remote locations,” added Telescan’s Vornberg.
“I think the most valuable advantages the Internet provides though, is the time it saves and the efficiency it provides when a technician can access the customer’s desktop and find solutions together,” concluded Laluzerne.
The Downside: Merely passing data over the Internet is not without the risk of being intercepted – either intentionally or accidentally. “I have always been very careful about the security of playing the raw voice file data over a LAN or the Internet,” stated Michael Stoll, owner of Record Play/Tec, manufacturer of voice logging equipment. “Most of our simple computer loggers don’t have a NIC card in them, solely because of security concerns. I also discourage PC anywhere or dial in service on loggers” for that reason. With this in mind, Stoll is currently working on a solution which will offer convenient access with the requisite security for his company’s voice recording products.
Additionally, the recent havoc caused by the Sobig-F and the Blaster worms should serve to increase everyone’s awareness of the risks associated with being connected to the Internet. While this is not justification to permanently disconnect from the Internet, it should be an adequate warning and reminder to not take a Pollyanna approach towards Internet security and to use computer common sense.
Computer security is complex issue, deserving great attention. At the risk of oversimplification, there are four simple lessons to be learned or guidelines to follow.
Have current anti-virus protection on each computer that accesses the Internet or is on a network with other computers that access the Internet.
Faithfully check and apply all critical updates for Microsoft Windows and Office products. Those programs are most often targeted because of their popularity and near universal presence.
Install and properly configure a firewall on every computer that accesses the Internet.
Practice safe computing. Don’t open unexpected attachments and practice a healthy skepticism with unsolicited warnings and well-intentioned advice. In other words, use common sense.
There is much more to these basic recommendations then the brief coverage given herein, as well as other issues to consider and address. But first make sure that these four basic items are covered and then build on that. Malevolent computer viruses and worms aren’t the only Internet concern.
The Future: The Internet will become more and more a part of our lives, both personal and professional. Failure to accept and embrace this forgone conclusion will leave one at a severe disadvantage. Certainly there are cautions to be observed and the concerns of risk will likely increase, but the Internet will continue to provide new and innovative opportunities to better serve clients, save money, market services, support staff, and generate revenue.
Do not miss these Internet opportunities.
Case Study: Web directory, paging, and on-call at Orlando Regional Healthcare
When Orlando Regional Healthcare replaced its aging CTI system with an enterprise-level PC attendant console system, it got a new feature that stirred interest throughout the organization: a Web interface for users outside the call center.
The application was an instant hit, enabling employees to perform their own paging, directory lookups, and on-call scheduling from their individual Web browsers.
“Everybody loves Smart Web,” says Mike Spencer, Telecommunications Manager for Orlando Regional Healthcare. “We now have directory lookup and text paging on every desktop in the organization. As we roll out new PCs to nurses’ stations, we’re loading a Smart Web shortcut as an icon at startup. It couldn’t be easier to access and use.”
The Web services feature has helped enable the Orlando Regional Healthcare call center to process an increasing number of calls without hiring additional agents: More than 60 percent of their one million pages per year have been offloaded from agents and are now sent directly by physicians and medical staff via IVR and Web paging.
I first heard about the ‘Net over 20 years ago from one of my electronic school buddies. He landed a job with a computer mainframe manufacturer and was assigned to work at a university. He regaled me with tales of instantaneously sending text messages across the country and doing so at no cost. “That is fantastic,” I enthused. “How can I get in on this?”
“You can’t,” he replied matter-of-factly, “not unless you’re at a major university or work for a defense contractor.” I was very disappointed. My visions of fast and free communications faded as quickly as they had formed. With little more thought or contemplation, I quickly dismissed the Internet as a non-issue, one with limited utility.
That was in 1981. Fast-forward 15 years. Suddenly, it seemed, everyone is talking about the Internet. I was perplexed. How could something so limited be treated like the next big thing? Had something changed to make the Internet a practical reality for the masses? Indeed it had.
I soon obtained a dial-up account from a local Internet Service Provider (ISP) that used our call center for overflow and after-hours calls. (I was amazed at the ease and adeptness with which our college-aged agents took to this account, proficiently using terms and easily bandying about acronyms which were foreign to me. Yet for them it was commonplace and familiar.)
Back then, using the Internet seemed to me to be a waste of time. It took eons to be connected, a bit of luck to stay connected, and patience to accomplish anything – not that there was much to do from a business standpoint. When a colleague would get email I would excitedly make note, but would invariably resort to the phone for any communications. As more people became connected, I tried to check email once a day, while checking voice mail multiple times daily. (I had turned off pager notification after receiving 57 pages in one day, mostly from voice mail.)
However, it wasn’t long before I was checking email several times a day and voice mail only once or twice. Now I spend most of my day connected to the Internet and receive and send hundreds of messages. All too often, I forget to check voicemail. Altogether, I have 14 specific email addresses, from different websites and for different purposes. Of the hundreds of email messages I get each day, the majority are from list serves. These messages are automatically routed to specific folders, which I view once a day. Fortunately, I am able to filter out most of the spam. Therefore, it is not much work to delete the few that slip through. However, this still leaves 50 or more that need my direct attention. During the summer months, email traffic slows considerably. Conversely, as the publication date for an issue draws near, email communication peaks sharply.
I recently gave some thought to what my day would be like without email. Indeed, about half of my consulting work is done via email, as is over 90 percent of my publishing work. In producing this magazine, articles are submitted electronically, then routed to our proofreaders, passed back to me, and forwarded to production. Pre-production proofs are sent as PDF attachments. Without email, we would be forced to rely on snail mail and overnight delivery services, adding to our costs and lengthening our production cycle. In fact, if I only had the phone and delivery services for communications, I would need to hire a full-time assistant just to accomplish the same amount of work. Plus, I would not be nearly as effective or efficient. In short, I can’t imagine working without the ‘Net.
Email, of course, is just one aspect of the Internet; the World Wide Web is another part. Once the realm of large companies with big budgets, websites are now common for businesses of all sizes. In fact, an organization without a website is often viewed as second rate or a non-player. Websites can be a great equalizer, leveling the playing field between major corporations, smaller competitors, and start-ups.
All told, I have eight websites and a half dozen domain names waiting to be developed. The Connections Magazine website, www.ConnectionsMagazine.com is the largest and most visited. It is currently at 639 pages and grows larger each month. Usage of the site has steadily increased. Last month we hit new records with over 60,000 hits from 5,500 different users who downloaded 1.5 Gigabytes of information and files. Depending on which of these stats are considered, the site’s annual growth rate is between 334 and 751 percent!
Another interesting tidbit is that the site contains 7,357 links (6,741 are internal, while 497 point to other sites). I make all of the updates and changes to the site, but use a service that tests the links for me each week. They email me a report of any errors, along with information about the sites that link to me that have made changes. Most of the updates are made after each issue is mailed; it takes about a day and half. But minor changes and tweaking occur throughout the month.
While the purpose of the Connections Magazine website is to provide useful industry tools and information, other organizations may have different goals. Some merely want to drive as much traffic as they can. These sites are commercial, for-profit creations which generate revenue from banner ads, pop-up advertising, and link fees. (Connections website’s banner ads about cover our costs to run and maintain the site.) Other sites are fee-based, intended to be revenue-generating vehicles, while password protected sites are used as a member benefit or to serve customers. Another common goal of websites is promotion and marketing; think of these as on-line brochures.
One seemingly obvious feature of websites is to provide a means for further communication. Therefore, a “contact us” page is a common element. It is surprising when contact information cannot be found. Sometimes this may be explicable, as the organization’s business plan does not allow direct support. Their attitude is for self-service; take it or leave it. For other sites, the lack of contact information is confounding. These presumably major companies should have a real interest in interacting with customers and prospects. But you can’t call, can’t write, and in some cases can’t even send an email message.
Of course sending a message to an email address found on a website isn’t any guarantee of dialogue. In researching a recent article, I used a search engine and contacted the first 10 companies listed via email. The results were appalling. Only one site responded within five minutes and with a personal response. Two more followed later that day, and a fourth, three days later. But six never responded or even acknowledged receipt of my message. Now it could be that the message or reply got lost in cyberspace. That does happen, but certainly not 60 percent of the time.
In another instance, I sent out a targeted solicitation (offering a listing in our Buyer’s Guide) to over 100 addresses gleaned from published directories and listings (not websites). Again, the results were disconcerting. Six percent were returned because the mailbox was full, eight percent were rejected because the domain name was “unknown,” 14 percent were refused because the user name “could not be found” and 61 percent did not respond; only 11 percent replied.
The solution is simple. Periodically test all your email addresses to insure they are working. Then confirm that the person assigned to check corporate email addresses knows how and does so frequently. Failure to verify that your published email addresses are working and being properly handled is wasting your Internet investment and alienating customers and prospects; it is little better than working without a ‘Net.
Summary: Working with the ‘Net
Test your company email and published addresses frequently
Assign and hold accountable someone to check and process email
Make it a policy to respond to all email messages
Include complete contact information on your website:
Mailing address, street address, toll-free, toll, and fax number, email address
Include key contact information on every page: Phone number and email address
