Start Planning for 2005

By Bob Furniss

It’s hard to believe that it’s already September and that we’re fast approaching the final quarter of 2004. “Where did the year go?” Of course, in the world of support centers, time always seems to fly by. You might think that it’s a little early to be thinking about 2005 but for many, it may already be a little late. Most companies create budgets six-months in advance. You may have already missed that all-important budget request cycle. For the moment, let’s assume that you still have time to request money for 2005 and put together a list of opportunities to consider.

Start by breaking down your support center into three categories: people, process, and technology. Take some time now to plan for a successful 2005.

People

We all know that people drive this industry. Application vendors have been saying for years that they can decrease the need for more people, but the reality is that the need for people to handle customers continues to grow year after year. Yes, technology does drive the support center and the Internet is adding a new dimension to customer service and support, but people are still the lifeblood of your organization. With that in mind, we know that getting the right people in the seats at the right time with the right amount of training is the number one need in most support centers. So what do you want to accomplish in 2005? Here are some areas to consider:

• Forecasting – Do you have a month-by-month forecast in place for 2005? Have you validated marketing and sales plans for 2005 to ensure adjustments have been made to cover increased business? Do you understand how proposed changes in the Internet channel will affect your center? Have you considered investing in a forecasting tool? Are you using the forecasting tool that you have to its fullest potential?

• Hiring – Based on the forecasts, what are your hiring plans for 2005? Do you have the budget to meet the needs of the center? How long has it been since you redefined your hiring plans to ensure that you’re hiring the right people for the job? The support center continues to change as we make more and more information available on the web and via interactive voice response (IVR). This requires more experienced agents on the phones. Have you upgraded your hiring specifications based on these changes?

• Training – Schedule a meeting with two teams in your center to analyze the success of your current training. Team One should be the front-line supervisors. Ask them to critique the content based on what they believe is needed on the floor. Where are the gaps? Team Two should be a group of new employees. Ask them to discuss how the training could be changed to make it better for new employees. What’s missing? What needs to be added to prepare them for their first week on the job?

Process

Consultants spend a lot of time with clients helping them analyze and improve processes. Spend some time with a group of your agents and ask them what needs to be changed and you’ll be surprised at the detailed list of “unimportant” things they believe needs to be changed. When consultants work with companies to improve processes, we typically find there are three main areas:

• Workflows – While there are hundreds of reasons customers call the support center every day, there are probably 20 call types that make up 80% of the agents’ work (desktop application problem, virus issues, email problems, back-up requests, etc.). These calls are the best place to look to find ways to streamline processes and improve efficiencies. Create diagrams of each call – taking into account all the possibilities for transfers, system issues, and the need for callbacks based on lack of information. You’re likely to find many gaps in your processes that, if fixed, will reduce talk time and improve the customer experience.

• Communications – The support center is one of the toughest places to communicate because agents usually work shifts and may be in and out on different days each week. Survey your agents to ask them where they get their information about the company. Is it the Intranet, email, weekly meeting, or memos? People are always more engaged if company strategy and plans are well communicated. Ask them how you can communicate better.

• Silos – The support center has become the center-of-the-universe for many companies when it comes to customer contact. It deals with issues across almost every department in the company. It’s paramount that the support center has a good relationship with management running the various business units of the organization (marketing, sales, distribution, operations, financial, etc.). Schedule some time with the manager of each of these business units soon and use the meeting to update the executives on the value the support center provides. Ask executives how the center can provide even better support for his or her employees and customers.

Technology

Technology is the engine that drives business these days -- the support center is no exception. While people drive the customer experience, technology can help us be more efficient and provide better access to information. Based on the feedback you receive in your process planning, define how technology can be improved to provide a better level of service to your agents and customers.

• CRM/Desktop/KMS – An entire article could be devoted to CRM and the opportunities that new CRM systems provide to the support center but for this article, let’s focus on these questions: Do agents have access to up-to-date information that allows them to do their job? Do you have some form of knowledge management system (KMS) that agents use to find answers to questions? Do you need to make changes to desktop systems to ensure that workflows are in sync with the technology?

• IVR – When was the last time that you called your center and experienced the current IVR script? Request a hardcopy of the current script and analyze it from a customer point of view. Attempt to shorten menus and ensure they’re tied to effective queues within your call routing system. Review the IVR reports to understand where callers are “zeroing-out” to determine if changes to the menu may assist in keeping callers in the IVR for their answers.

• Website/Internet – Review your website to ensure that it aligns with the service you provide in your center. Create a quiz for your agents that asks them basic questions about the website. You’ll be surprised what they know and don’t know. Schedule a class to train all agents on the website to ensure they can answer basic customer questions.

It’s hard to believe that 2005 is just around the corner. The New Year will provide a new set of opportunities and challenges. Plan for the future and set your course for success. In the book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey wrote, “If you’re proactive, you don’t have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective-expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own.” Prepare now for the circumstances that will drive your support center in 2005.

About the Author
Bob Furniss, President of Touchpoint Associates, helps companies improve their support centers by improving processes and creating strategic roadmaps for the future. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the customer service field. Bob has helped a prominent list of Fortune 500 clients design strategies and implement effective solutions within their customer-facing organizations. Bob's consultant client list includes FedEx, Delta Airlines, Corporate Express and DePaul University. Find out more at www.touchpointassociates.com.

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