CALL CENTER FUTURE: Come incrementare le performance

1. CALL CENTER FUTURE:Come incrementare le performance Luca Lorenzon Account Executive – Plantronics Italia

2. White Paper • Titolo: I fattori di successo nei contact centre del futuro • 4° User Council Meeting 17,18 Maggio 2006 Napoli • Chaired by Neil Salton – Go Corless (UK) • Azienda di consulenza specializzata in Workplace, ICT e organizzazione aziendale • Con la collaborazione di • Telecom Italia • Tim • Vodafone • Wind • Cos • Comdata • CCA – Customer Contact Association (UK) • CMMC

3. I fattori di successo • People • necessità ed aspirazioni degli agenti • Technology • IP & Mobility • Workplace • design del posto di lavoro (workplace)

4. From Call to Contact … • The Call Centre has evolved to be about customer Contact, not simply customer calls • The web gives customers many ways to make contact • Variation in contact preferences by demographic • Older generations prefer face to face, but a call is the next best option and tend to have longer calls – need to be routed to sympathetic minded agents • Customer self service options are the key • Call-me-Back’ option for when browsing does not provide the answer • ‘Click-to-Call’ e.g. Skype integration into E-Bay • SMS – Account updates etc • Email • And of course voice …

5. People: What Do Agents Say - UK survey? • 62% of agents are women • 39% aged between 18-25 • Older agents stay longer in their jobs • 50% aged 36-45 stay for > 2 years • 83% aged >46 stay for > 2 years • Most popular facilities • Training rooms, Chill-out areas, Car parking & Internet access • These facilities were quoted as reducing feelings of stress and higher feelings of personal organisation and pride • 50% of 36-45 year old agents would like flexible working opportunities, less than 18% are offered the chance • In spite of using call-routing systems, only 35% of agents are provided with the correct information to manage the call *Source : Benchmark Research 228 agents in 33 Call Centres 2004

6. People Issues • Agents must be fully acquainted with the your brand, values and products • Sustaining motivation is vital to maintain customer service levels • Softer aspects drive motivation and resultant service – most motivation is about involvement and sense of contribution • Agent discretion in situation handling • Create a feeling of autonomy and influence – meet the needs of the customer needs now - within business rules • Research has shown that these objective measures have a negative impact on motivation and productivity

7. People Issues • Training and ongoing briefing sessions • Business objectives training • Tactical role training • Integration into marketing/selling operations • Involve the Contact Centre in campaign design and development, utilise learning and avoid inefficiencies • Maintenance of the training programme – the Contact Centre must always be integrated into the business • Skill based call routing • Understanding agents skills and routing accordingly • Treating agents as individuals increases self worth & feeling of making a contribution

8. Contact Centre Standards • Interview with Anne-Marie Forsyth (CEO of the CCA) • “Staff attrition remains a challenge for the industry, and will only be fixed if staff have the right quality of work, and they feel that the work really has purpose” • CCA is lobbying for a drive towards best practice adoption • “Move away from just ‘buffering’ calls to truly handling customers in the best way possible” • Contact centres need to be placed at the heart of the business and the brand, and as stated in the earlier briefing, be fully integrated and not play the ‘bolt-on’ department role • “Stop ‘dumping’ endless campaigns on the Contact Centre and disregarding the people skills” • Ensure the Contact Centre is fully involved with campaign and activity planning and that the right agents work on programmes that suit their individual skills

9. People: workshop key findings • Motivazione • Fondamentale per il successo • Bastano piccoli gesti (condividere un successo, messaggi semplici etc) • Training • Continuo e a volte meglio se al di fuori dell’ambiete di lavoro • Non solo sulle attività ma anche sull’azienda • Opportunità di carriera • Anche in Italia le persone rimangono a lungo (6-8 anni) • Capire gli skill delle persone e farle crescere in azienda • Managment • Coinvolti e parte del team • Investire sulle persone (e non vedere questo come dei costi) • Ruolo delle Associazioni • Riconoscimento sociale del profilo lavorativo e del settore • Sostegno nella crescita professionale

10. Technology • The first few seconds of a call really count & the right technology can influence these important moments & personalising the initial routing can impact how the customer feels about the next stages of the call • Voice over IP (VoIP) • Disruptive technology : the compelling benefits • Wireless technology • Flexibility of movement while connected • Monitoring and measuring • How technology can help – contacts waiting etc. • Managing ambient noise & the impacts • Agents and customers

11. Contact Centre VoIP • IP communications changing how calls can be handled & from where they are taken • Move agents into other parts of the business • Home working ‘Virtual Contact Centre’ • Mix of virtual & production floor according to the nature of the call • 1st level contact on site, 2nd level support/escalation may be virtual • Single converged IP network, savings on capital cost + running costs • Opportunity to move agent groups more easily for agent job change, sharing, training etc

12. Wireless Networks • In-building wireless networks • Freedom of movement for staff • Ability to change location temporarily for meetings or break outs • Collaborative working & training sessions • Easier for other teams to co-locate on ad hoc basis • Meeting room booking etc • Guest WiFi networks • Improve client/supplier experience when on site • Guest portal to allow for printing, finding local information

13. Technology – workshop key findings • Ruolo della tecnologia • Partner invisibile che deve assiste e non ostacolare • Da integrare gradualmente per non impattare le operations • VoiP • Principale innovazione tecnologica degli ultimi tempi • È stato implementato velocemente ma l’evoluzione dei softphones avverrà nei prossimi anni • Aiuterà la diffusione del telelavoro (ancora limitato in Italia) • Wireless • Tecnologia ancora di nicchia • Sarà inevitabile con l’evoluzione dei nuovi posti di lavoro • CRM e software in generale • Principale area di frustrazione • I sistemi devono permettere all’agente di aiutare il cliente al momento della chiamata

14. Workplace Design - Have We Moved On? • Merrill Lynch London • Very noisy trading floor environment • British Telecom • Telesales

15. Cellular Operations • Combined 4 buildings, great deal of natural light and a focus on relaxation areas • First Direct • Large floorplan with supervisor area in the centre • Fairly densely populated but open feel

16. IBM Scotland • Investment in lighting, Colour variation, Plants, Open space

17. Orange • 450 seats in 5,600 sq metres • As you move around the Contact Centre, it is like being in an Orange retail store – brand immersion

18. Workplace – workshop key findings • Cosa si sta facendo • Cercare di personalizzare la postazione • Cura della luminosità e posizione della postazione • Qualità video – audio • Parcheggi e collegamenti con i mezzi pubblici • Ottenere servizi minimi: acqua, frigoriferi, televisioni • Protezione dal rumore

19. Workplace – workshop key findings • Dove si vorrebbe arrivare • L’ambiente di lavoro è fondamentale – investimento per migliorare la qualità del lavoro con evidenti riflessi sulla produttività delle persone • Purtroppo è ancora visto come un costo • La fase di progettazione è fondamentale per evitare che le aree relax vengano poi trasformate per mancanza di sale • Diminuzione della diffidenza nei confronti dei telelavoratori – ricerche dimostrano che la loro produttività è eccezionale • Valorizzare l’aspetto dell’educazione delle persone verso la propria salute (fare esercizio, bere molto, etc) • Incentivare le convenzioni per dare servizi agli operatori (lavanderia, cinema, etc) • Estendere le iniziative locali “best practice” in modo da trasformarle in interventi aziendali a livello macro

20. Conclusioni • People • gli operatori devono essere considerati parte integrante dell’azienda • è importante creare un senso di appartenenza tra gli operatori e l’azienda • Training e motivazione i due elementi chiave • dare riconoscibilità sociale sui media al lavoro nei Call Centre e rafforzarne la percezione nel mercato • Technology • la tecnologia è importante, ma deve creare benefici, mantenere continuità • il wireless ha un ruolo di nicchia, ma è importante per alcuni ruoli nei Call Centre • VoIP è una tecnologia che comporta costi significativi ma vantaggi operativi • Place • Posto di lavoro accogliente è di ispirazione non solo per i lavoratori ma per la comunità • E’ un investimento, non un costo

21. I fattori di successo nei contact centre del futuro Opportunity to make efficiencies Improve collaboration Shift to task/skill orientated work force Customer focus & response Learning and sharing knowledge Mobility Opportunity to save space Social demographics Reflection of varying workstyles Work/life balance Virtual environments Staff attraction & retention Parity across the organisation Employment Contract Greater speed Improved security Use of technologies for efficiency, time saving, mobility, information access, choice Decreasing cost