Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success Case Study Background Ineffective help desk support in the workplace can lead to employee frustration and loss of productivity. Even worse, 51% of employees state a computer issue will affect their mood, and therefore their productivity, for the rest of the day. So with over 50,000 employees in locations worldwide, this client could afford nothing less than superior help desk services to respond to and resolve issues quickly and completely. They came to Telerx to develop an innovative solution. The Value of X Telerx recognized that the client needed to: Reduce cost-per-incident. Enhance employee service. Increase phone coverage. Provide more flexible staffing solutions. Enable a consistent call handling process and message. Telerx developed an innovative solution which delivered: 31% reduction in call handle time and unprecedented service levels. 53% reduction in costly desk side services required when phone resolution is unsuccessful. 18% improvement in incident reporting ensures data integrity and exceeded client goals for accuracy in the capturing, reporting and trending of data. 16% overall reduction in billing plus better service exceeded expectations.
Situation Analysis A large international company of over 50,000 employees clearly recognized the vital importance of a knowledgeable and responsive help desk team. Supporting their employees by quickly and efficiently solving their technical problems was a prime directive and the organization had deployed a co-sourced solution, using both internal and external resources to meet demands. But something was wrong. Employee satisfaction with help desk services was at an all time low and costs were going up. The internal help desk team, which fields calls but also provides crucial desk-side assistance, was being stretched too thin; while their existing outsourced call center resource was unable to provide a solution. The client needed a partner who would quickly recognize and fill service gaps, create efficiencies to manage costs, adhere to strict service level guidelines in an unpredictable environment, and provide a pathway to growth should demand increase. Selecting a Partner The client s experience with other programs at Telerx had given them insight into their approach to customer care and confidence in Telerx s call center expertise. They had seen first hand Telerx s application of deliberate and strategic methodologies in the staffing, training and management of a program. They recognized Telerx s dedication to process improvement as a means to better service and reduced costs. Telerx seemed a clear choice to transform their Help Desk Support System. Setting Clear Objectives Prior to the implementation of any initiative Telerx spends time with its clients discussing and defining their short term goals and long term objectives. In this case the client had outsourced with substandard results and this presented an opportunity to pinpoint shortfalls. Clearly service and performance were issues, as was coverage flexibility. In re-inventing the client s help desk program in a co-sourced environment Telerx was charged with these deliverables: Enable staff to correctly diagnose then solve problems quickly to reduce call handle time and repeat calls. Manage calls from problem identification through resolution to reduce the need for deploying costly desk-side assistance. Establish a flexible staffing model to enable adequate coverage for planned and unplanned occurrences such as when the client s in-house team is offline. Reduce client s overall call management costs. Actively seek ways to add value to the program through innovation and the use of technology. Case Study - Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success page 2
Jumping In With Both Feet Armed with clear objectives, the Telerx Implementation Team evaluated and quickly recognized the shortfalls in the existing program and the apparent oversights of the previous co-source vendor. To remedy the immediate issues Telerx devised a plan for success which included: Re-building the team supervisory structure. Formalizing then implementing a consistent and thorough training program. Improving the content and quality of help desk tickets. Enhancing call quality through Telerx call monitoring best practices. Reducing overall costs while maintaining quality service. Re-building the TEAM Telerx began by reorganizing the team s supervisory structure: Highly skilled agents were trained as Technical Supervisors/Information Experts. Time management guidelines were established, 50% for taking calls; 25% for monitoring; and 25% for specialty updates. Supervisors became directly accountable for training, monitoring, coaching and maximizing the performance of designated agents. Group performance was measured against team performance goals. Direct benefits to the client Costly desk side service visits were dramatically reduced by 53% which has provided a significant cost savings. Highly skilled team leadership has proven less reliant on the client s internal Desk Side Services team offering increased problem resolution over the phone. Case Study - Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success page 3
Key to success: Training Training Training! Telerx has always understood the importance in-depth and personalized training has on the success of any program. In a help desk environment an analyst must be prepared to understand and interpret a callers technical needs, as well as understand how those needs can best be addressed within the client s corporate processes. For this initiative Telerx developed and implemented a new training methodology focused on consistent, progressive curriculums which included: Self-paced online modular training lessons followed by individual coaching and handson practice. Automated pre- and post-training tests to measure base-line and after training results. A scoring system measures improvements and highlights additional coaching needs. Analyst refresher and update trainings throughout the life of the program. The modular approach has reduced the typical train drain on management resources and enabled Telerx to be highly responsive to filling growth needs of the team. Direct benefits to the client The right training, monitoring and coaching, has reduced call handle time by 31%, despite numerous roll outs, network outages and a 6 fold increase in call volumes. Caller issues are resolved more quickly and there is less down time and frustration among employees. As confidence in Telerx grew, the client expanded the level of team responsibility and re-assigned specific Tier 2 type calls to the Telerx team. Better Caller Experience Telerx is the customer care specialist of choice and their goal is to manage every program to achieve the benefits of enhanced contact experiences whether by phone, email, internet, mail or fax. Telerx supports this unwavering commitment to contact quality with strict adherence to the following monitoring and coaching standards: Team supervisors work closely with Telerx s Quality and Training Departments to develop consistent measurement standards for each program. Call monitoring technology enables call recording and playback for evaluation against 27 Factors of Excellence. These factors target call content and handling of the Introduction, Body, Conclusion of the call; the reps skills in Listening, Vocal Delivery and ensuring Data Integrity; as well as customized Project Specific Standards. Analysts are congratulated on their successes and coached on areas for improvement. Data from monitoring scores feeds in to monthly incentives Case Study - Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success page 4
Direct benefits to the client The program has expanded 6-fold, from 2,000 to almost 13,000 calls each month. Telerx s success in managing this growth is directly attributable to Telerx monitoring and coaching practices which are designed to improve caller experience and satisfaction through consistent call handling. Statistical data along with caller surveys have demonstrated that callers are receiving better problem resolution and overall service. The client s appreciation of Telerx s call monitoring program has resulted in in-house implementation of the identical process. That s the Ticket Ensuring data integrity must be a governing principal in an environment where thousands of technical questions need to be captured, responded to, tracked to completion, and reported on. Data consistency in the form of having enough information presented in a consistent language is of equal importance to ensuring callers needs are met. The client had been experiencing a deficiency in both these areas which Telerx resolved with these steps: Initiating a process for tracking and measuring ticket quality which guarantees that each call has a corresponding ticket logged into the system. Guidelines for writing a ticket ensure it contains enough information to allow anyone to identify the nature of the problem, what was done, what was resolved, and the current status. One case per analyst per week is audited for quality and each analyst receives feedback and coaching. Overall team performance is tracked, reviewed for trends and reported back to the client. Direct benefits to the client The Telerx team has measurably improved the call to corresponding ticket ratio by 18%. Telerx has exceeded the client s goals for ticket quality standards through consistent training and dedication to accuracy in tracking, reporting and trending. With the addition of imbedded screen shots and other information, the client has a much clearer picture of who is calling, why they are calling, and potential next steps required to resolve the issue. Case Study - Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success page 5
Adding the WOW Factor As the category leader in customer care, Telerx has always pushed the envelope by offering its clients fresh new ideas, opportunities to increase efficiencies and critical information about industry-leading processes. Telerx s client partners have come to expect more from Telerx than simply meeting objectives and this program was no exception. Once all the critical issues were addressed the team identified and presented value-added opportunities, implementing the following with great success: ECHO: Every Call Has Opportunity Telerx and the client share a common goal of making caller satisfaction the top priority. The client conducts customer satisfaction surveys to ensure its employees are satisfied with overall help desk services. Telerx wanted the ability to capture near real time notations of caller feedback and concerns to enable immediate response to service needs and/or issues of concern not addressed by surveys. The team proposed then implemented ECHO, a system for capturing and reporting customer feedback as it is received. Today analysts create an ECHO submission as needed; they are reviewed weekly for trending and necessary action, and are reported back to the client. This valuable data may result in heads up informational memos to employees or changes to cumbersome processes which in turn aid employees in their day-to day activities. Virtual Analyst Program One of the critical challenges in managing any call center operation is ensuring adequate coverage at all times. It is Telerx s responsibility to provide adequate staffing for both planned and unplanned occurrences such as client down-time or peak periods. The counter challenge is to do so without overstaffing and artificially inflating costs. Telerx met this conundrum head on through the development and successful execution of their Virtual Analyst Program (VAP). The VAP system allows full-time and part-time analysts the opportunity to work flexible hours from home. Work schedules may include split shifts to help cover calls during peak call times. VAP also serves as a back-up plan. For emergency circumstances, analysts can be called at home and can log on in moments to provide the additional coverage required. Case Study - Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success page 6
Success is a Two-way Street This program has been successful because it represents the embodiment of a true partnership. The client sought to empower Telerx to lead them through their help desk transformation and was open to innovative ideas and willing to take on new ways of doing business in an effort to enhance the program beyond their original objectives. Together, Telerx and the client succeeded in bringing the Help Desk Support Program to the next level and (with a combination of increased efficiencies, the Virtual Analyst Program and site selection) reduced client billings by approximately 16%. Today the team is flourishing. The client can rest assured that their employees are supported with best-in-class service; and the Help Desk Support Program, which has always been viewed solely as a cost center, is beginning to emerge as a source of valuable innovation and expertise. Case Study - Innovation Leads to Help Desk Success page 7 About Telerx Telerx, headquartered in Horsham, PA is a leading provider of customer care solutions. From its contact centers in Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, British Columbia, the Philippines, and Latin America Telerx s 2000+ associates help companies maximize their customer relationships and build brand loyalty. For more information about Telerx Marketing, Inc. please visit the company s website at www.telerx.com or call 1-800-2-Telerx. 723 Dresher Road Horsham, PA 19044 1.800.2TELERX www.telerx.com