First Call Resolution and the Complex Customer Interaction

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© 2007 Upstream Works SoftwareAll Rights Reserved

First Call Resolution and the Complex Customer Interaction

By Upstream Works

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Why First Call Resolution?» 30% of call center work is re-work

» Repeat calls directly affect customer satisfaction

» Drives process formalization

»Reduces cost

»Reduces complexity

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Complex FCR

» Define a process

» Measure to a process

» Eliminate Variances

» Eliminate errors

» Reduce repeat calls

» Complex interaction in the right number of calls

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Definition of FCR for a Complex Transaction

» Not ‘one and done’

» Use of typical ‘First Call Resolution’ metrics is not obvious

Setting and meeting the expectation of the customer

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Complex Interaction Examples

» Service provisioning

» Take time to complete

» Require input from multiple outside sources

» Involves multiple contacts and cross channel contacts» Phone calls; letters ; fax

» Not measured wel l

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Complex Interaction Examples

» Technical help desks

» Initial report call

» Specification of required information

» Collection time

» May be resolved subsequently by agent

» May be forwarded to domain expert

» Requires final closure/ resolution with caller

» Often involves cross- channel (email/ phone)

» Not measured well

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Complex Interaction Examples

» Business to business

» Fewer callers; more variety of calls» You are on the callers “speed dial”» Multiple customer types

» Internal and external

» Multiple interaction types» Mix of simple and complex interactions» Not measured well

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Causes of Non-FCR» Agent ability/ training

» Access to information

» Authority

» Business process

» Customer

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Complex Interaction Definition» Any interaction that cannot be solved by an agent with the proper training, tools, authority and process

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Characteristics

» Cross channel

» There is cross channel interaction

» Consultation

» There is a consultation with a domain expert

» Call back

» The caller is given interim instructions

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Is Multi Channel Complex?» Email/ fax/ CHAT complex?

»May be hard to measure

»Not in themselves complex

»Email is most prone to complexity»Multiple interactions

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Predictable Domain Experts

» Domain experts may be scheduled in call center

» Insurance claims

» If not, the process is complex by definition

» May or may not be available for the caller

» How are expectations set?

» Response times are not predictable

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Call Center Types

» All call centers have ‘one and done’ interactions

» May be seen as complex

» High Volume; Low Variability

» Customer service» Mos tly non complex interac tions

» Low Volume; High Variability

» Knowledge workers» Triage» Significantly more complex interactions

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What Did I Do Today?

» Measure the interaction details

» Has both simple and complex interactions

» Less well defined measurements

»Complexity used as an excuse not to measure

» Less well defined processes

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Low Volume, High Variability

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Agent Work

» Work is mixed and spread throughout the day

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Complex Interactions

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The Common Thread

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Where is the Mystery?» Complex interactions

»Understand what the agents are actually doing

»Understand what the process is»For customer facing interactions

»Stop guessing!

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© 2008 Upstream Works Software Ltd.

The Key

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© 2008 Upstream Works Software Ltd.

» Mystery and measurement don’t get along!

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Define the Process

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Step 1 - Define the Process» Call reason tracking to identify patterns

» Many call types

»Look for patterns

» Determine intra-process steps

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Identify the Interactions

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© 2008 Upstream Works Software Ltd.

Step 2 – Identify the Interactions» Identify all agent activities related to interactions

»Call and after call work

»Email and after email work

»Measure elapsed times

»Correlate multiple interactions

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Measure the Process

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3- Measure the Process

» Track individual interactions used in the process

» Determine optimal process requirements

» Determine metrics of success

» FCR may or may not be valid

» Identify volumes and costs associated with this specific process

» Fix the biggest cost items

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Clarity…

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disappears in the daily noise

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and the weekly grind

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Interaction Management

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restores clarity

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Step 4 – Communicate the Process

» Train agents on each process step

» Communicate the process to callers

»Set expectations after each step

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FCR and the Complex Customer Interaction

» Each process has multiple steps

» Agents should execute process with each step ‘one and done’

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Step 5 – Eliminate Variances

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Step 5 – Eliminate Variances» Define an optimal process and measure to it

»Do each step once and only once

»Address variances from optimal

»Be sure it makes customer and business sense.

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Step 6 - Measure to Conformance

» Complex processes, when measured, lose their mystery

»Predictable

»Repeatable

»Measurable

» Improvable

» Learn and use best practices

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Complex Process Improvement» Access to the right information and tools

»Knowledge base

» Eliminate use of an IVR

»For complex transactions

» Leverage the internet if you can

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The Benefits» FCR

»Reduced call volumes

» Improved customer satisfaction

» Process improvement

»Better agent management

»Expose process holes

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Summary

» Mystery means things are complex

» Measure to eliminate the mystery» Define the process

» Break down each process into steps

» FCR from repeat calls within a process

» Eliminate variances from the

optimal process

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Business Interaction Management

Track and save the entire interaction as it happens. It’s easier to use and understand later

Provide in-your-face interaction context that’s role tailored for personalized service

Pre-built best practices analytics

©Upstream Works Software

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Customer Insights

Customer Experience

Performance

Improvement

Performance

Management

Training and Staffing

Process Improvemen

t

All customer channels

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Business Interaction Pain Points

» Problem: No methodology or technology used provides a single comprehensive and auditable view of how customers interact with a business.

» Result: Averages are used to allocate funds to drive customer loyalty and reduce costs across the multiple interaction channels in use today.

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Upstream Solution

» Upstream Works’ Business Interaction Management, makes the collective of customer interactions visible, accountable and controllable

» Combines technology and a methodology to track individual customer interactions across the business

» Links outcomes to supporting interactions

» Puts the collected information into a powerful form

» Compliments existing applications and infrastructure

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Next In Series

www.upstreamworks.comDownload the whitepaper from our website: Increasing Call

Center Effectiveness Through First Call Resolution

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