Business Assessment

MEMO

To: Regional Director

From: (Student Name), Manager, Customer Service Call Center

Date: 4 November 4, 2024

Subject: Initial Analysis of New Protocol (PE) Versus Traditional Protocol (PT) Test Results

Overview of New Protocol (PE) Performance

Based on the first-order analysis of the call center metrics around Time in Queue (TiQ) and Service Time (ST), it seems that each metric has been impacted differently by the PE protocol. The PE protocol was intended to “reduce” both time in queue and time in service by routing calls to a CSR with specialized expertise related to the customer’s problem. That would enhance the service quality and effectiveness: TiQ will remain below the benchmark of 150 seconds, whereas ideally, ST will be reduced from our baseline figure of 210 seconds.

Impact on Time in Queue (TiQ)

Preliminary data shows that, in the case of the PE protocol, there was a slight reduction in TiQ compared to PT, but it has not consistently met the benchmark of less than 20 seconds. The routing scheme of the PE protocol for the issue identified could have filtered the first queue of customers. However, the results are highly inconsistent due to several variables involved, such as call volume and availability of CSRs. Meeting the industry benchmark for TiQ requires not only protocol changes but perhaps additional resources, such as more staffing at peak hours.

Impact on Service Time (ST)

The data shows that the ST was significantly reduced for the PE protocol. The CSRs who resolved issues within their areas of expertise did them faster than generalized routing. This, therefore, verifies that subject-specific routing has a potential scope for increasing CSRs’ efficiency. On the other hand, though promising, the reduction in ST remains marginal and might need further adjustment or extra training for CSRs to realize full efficiency gains.

Recommendations on the Implementation of the PE Protocol

At this stage, full deployment of the PE protocol across the entire call center may not be advisable. While results are promising, a longer test period and a more substantial sample size warrant further testing. An extension of the multiweek PE trial will allow us to get a better idea of day-to-day fluctuations in call volume and whether these early improvements are stable. Also, there would be more support if an official analysis were conducted on how individual CSR expertise correlates with a decline in service time (Ilk & Shang, 2022).

Additional Data and Analysis Needed

The relevant measures to begin refining our analysis of data on various determinants of CSR efficiency under the PE rule may include:

1. Level of Experience related to CSR: Data on how experience levels interact in the case of the CSRs for issue-specific calls.
2. Resolution Rate per CSR Expertise: It is the effectiveness of every CSR to resolve calls for their own field of specialization.
3. Customer satisfaction ratings: Feedback about the quality of the service rendered from customers under each protocol directly.

These metrics would explain whether the observed ST reduction in the PE protocol is because of the alignment of CSR expertise or merely an effect of initial adjustments.

Impact of PT Protocol Retention

If the PT protocol remains in place, which is it, then both TiQ and ST will continue to stay at existing levels, occasionally breaking through during high call volumes due to generalized routing. This would further support the trend of marginally striving above industry benchmarks, resulting in negative customer satisfaction and potentially perpetrating an above-average abandonment rate at peak times.

Effect of an Increase in Call Volume by 20% on TiQ and ST

Should call volume increase by 20%, significant rises are possible for TiQ and ST, particularly for the PT protocol. For PE, a similar rise might be dampened by the use of specialized routing, provided that CSRs are available in sufficient numbers in all areas of expertise. This case highlights the importance of scalable staffing solutions and advanced automated responses for routine inquiries.

Conclusion and Recommended Indicators

While early results indicate that the PE protocol has a positive effect on ST, full implementation of the data cannot be justified at this time. Other metrics that will provide ongoing performance management include CSR-specific resolution times, customer satisfaction ratings, and call abandonment rates. Together, these metrics provide a comprehensive look at call center performance under both protocols, thereby driving data-based decisions with respect to service enhancement.

References

Ilk, N., & Shang, G. (2022). The impact of waiting on customer‐instigated service time: Field evidence from a live‐chat contact center. Journal of Operations Management, 68(5), 487–514. https://doi.org/10.1002/joom.1199

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Managers need to make informed decisions. Using data, or research, to analyze your business is an important part of making decisions and evaluating business performance. An IT manager analyzes service levels, a marketing manager tries to predict results of planned campaigns, and virtually any business manager needs data to identify relationships between relevant variables. Your skill in business research to analyze data and drive decision-making helps you to add confidence despite uncertainty, draw conclusions about organizational performance, and add value to your organization.

Scenario

As the manager of a customer service call center, you are evaluating the quality of the call center’s operations. One of the most important metrics in a call center is time in queue (TiQ), the time a customer waits before a customer service representative (CSR) comes on the line to help. To provide the best customer experience, you want your customers’ wait to be less than the 2.5-minute (150 seconds) industry standard. You know that when they wait for too long, customers are more likely to have a negative experience or hang up before being helped.

Another metric you measure in the call center is the handle time, or service time (ST), the amount of time a CSR spends servicing the customer. Last month’s average ST was approximately 3.5 minutes (210 seconds). Your industry experience tells you that average ST can be influenced by a CSR’s level of training, amount of experience, and whether the CSR can provide resolution to the issue quickly. Recently, you tested a strategy to have callers identify the type of issue they are calling about and then route calls to CSRs with expertise in that issue.

The new protocol (PE) is being tested side-by-side with the current protocol (PT) to see if ST is improved with this strategy. The regional director was hesitant to test the PE protocol for two weeks, already concerned about the customer experience, but agreed to the test. After the first few days, the regional director is anxious to know the results and asks you to send a report. You ask the user experience (UX) team to pull a report for the TiQ and ST for both protocols to analyze.

Preparation

Review the call time analysis provided by the UX team. You may also review the call time data in Excel, if desired.

Assessment Deliverable

Write a 350- to 700-word email, or memo, about the PE and PT test results after the first few days. Address the following in your email:

• Analyze the impact the new protocol (PE) has had on time in queue and service time.
• Determine if the PE protocol should be implemented widely in the call center with what you know so far.
• Identify what additional data and analyses would be helpful to determine if the PE protocol is working.
• Explain what is likely to happen to TiQ and ST if the PT protocol is kept.
• Explain how a sudden increase of 20% more calls might influence TiQ and ST.
• Justify whether the data is sufficient to determine if the PE test is successful.
• Suggest additional metrics and supporting data needed to determine the performance of the call center’s operations.

Format references according to APA guidelines.

Format references according to APA guidelines, and your analysis and recommendations must be based on clear and specific test results. It is a memo; therefore, do not use the rubric to answer the questions. It is a graduate-level class, and you must assume you are preparing this memo in the corporate world.

Submit your assessment.