contact center capability & training team articles

Articles Written by the BPO Process and Training Team

Sect ion

EDS BPO Newsletter Articles

Contact Center Capability and Training Team

5400 Legacy Drive | Plano, TX 75024

Mission StatementTo develop and deliver transforming processes, training and standards,

driving EDS and client results efficiently for cost reduction, and

effectively through service excellence, loyalty, partnership and commitment.

Contact for additional Information: Brian Hughes

Call Center Capability and Training Team Newsletter Articles

Table of Contents

1. Team Sets No Boundaries on Delivery …………………………….3

2. Recognition and Appreciation – Investing In EDS Employees…...5

3. Linking Agent’s Daily Performance to Scorecard…………………..6

4. Transforming the Culture Of EDS’ Contact Centers.………………8

5. Olympic Challenge – Rapid Assessment…………………………..10

6. Return On Investment As A Training Component……………..….12

7. NA Contact Centers Celebrate National C/S Week………………14

8. CRM Supervisor Academy 1 Improves Leadership Skills ….……16

9. Diverse Skills For Diverse Challenges.…………………………..…18

10. Scorecard Reduces Employee Turnover & helps Credibility…...21

11. Team Delivers For Sun Microsystems…………………………….23

2


EDS Call Center Capability and Trainingteam sets no boundaries on delivery

19 February – Plano, TX

When you think of a "classroom", what comes to mind?

Traditional physical classroom Virtual session via your computer Teleconference

For some of us, it is a memory of a fifth grade cinderblock classroom with the teacher at the front directing students.

The Call Center Capability and Training Team is helping to dispel some of those traditional images for you. They are transforming BPO vision into reality by removing classroom boundaries.

In today's EDS, either a classroom can be a traditional room with four walls, or a virtual environment where reaching out across the globe is the norm. The EDS team has embraced both throughout the past several years.

Adult learning theory says adults learn best when they are personally engaged in the topic being taught. For all platforms, trainers engage learners by starting with what the adult learner already knows. Using a "hey you" approach establishes an immediate connection between instructor and participant.

Before a class is delivered, the team's instructional designers integrate activities and exercises for these settings that appeal to visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners. Many learn by seeing actual images such as PowerPoints, graphs, charts, job aids, whiteboard drawings, participant guides, while others prefer to hear verbal descriptions and participate in discussions. Finally, some learn from hands on experience.

What helps people learn in groups – such as discussions, activities and hands-on exercises – may be adjusted for deployment via various platforms. For example, the team creates and provides job aids for visual learners to reference after they leave the virtual and/or face-to-face classroom training. These job aids reinforce key concepts, which help learners retain the knowledge transferred.

The first and most familiar delivery platform is referred to as synchronous delivery (instructor-led classroom). This traditional method is effective for involving participants by use of questions, conversation, targeted dialogue, group activities, and immediate feedback, both from the instructor and from fellow participants. In the face-to-face classroom, participants feed off each other's energy and begin to network, creating bonds that last far beyond the end of class.

3


"Each instructor and participant has a favorite type of classroom. In addition, in this time of cost leadership, we are all involved in media that does not require travel dollars. However, when an opportunity exists for students to gather face-to-face, I find the benefit and value to be powerful. I have seen long time existing problems solved because we had the right people face-to-face in a classroom. The synergy is awesome. In addition, relationships are built that guarantee future problem solving advantages no matter the geographical location."

A second type of delivery platform is also synchronous; it has sometimes referred to as the "virtual classroom" and typically delivered via Microsoft Windows NetMeeting. This can often be the "best of both worlds", since participants gather together in a large conference room, even though the instructor may be thousands of miles away. Synergy, group energy and interaction can still occur in the virtual classroom through carefully planned activities.

Yet a third delivery platform is being piloted by the BPO Process and Training team. Using LearnLinc, with support from EDS Global Learning & Development (GL&D), instructors are learning to deliver on a platform that takes interactivity and engagement to a new level.

LearnLinc offers unique instructional tools such as:

Instructor glimpse of a participants desktop Breakout groups in virtual breakout rooms Chat feature (including private chat viewable only by the instructor or assistant

instructor) Hand raise Instant feedback Pre-prepared or on-the-fly question and answer

Finally, the team has reached out globally via the Global Broadcast Network (GBN) for some BPO sessions where large remote audiences were involved. GBN involves an instructor broadcasting live via satellite to other GBN sites where participants can interact via the conference line.

“In the increasingly competitive call center world, our team designs the best practices, writes training curriculum to support them, and delivers training via the most effective platform,” Brian Hughes, manager of EDS BPO Capability Process and Training. “This training helps enable our EDS BPO Service Delivery teams to delight their customers.”

"Our flexible training approaches represent EDS as the agile company making success happen for our clients and their customers.”

BPO Service Delivery Communications Contacts:

Brian HughesCall Center Capability and Training Manager

4


Recognition and Appreciation – Investing in EDS employees

9 March – Plano, TX

Ever ask why EDS reinforces, encourages and expects its leaders to practice employee recognition and appreciation?

The efforts of maintaining a consistent and sincere practice of showing appreciation and recognizing performance achievements has long been proven to be evidence of creating a partnership between leaders and employees. EDS is very proud of the way its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact Center sites in the United States and Canada have embraced the Recognition and Appreciation process.

A few highlights include site visits from celebrities such as Susan Lucci (Erica Kane on ABC’s “All My Children”) and spokesperson for Guthy-Renker’s Youthful Essence product during Customer Service Week at the Des Moines, IA Contac Center.

At the EDS Toshiba site in Irvine, CA, agents have been shown appreciation for their commitment by providing them with EDS paraphernalia including T-shirts, lunch bags, pens and badge holders to exhibit company pride.

The infamous and coveted “Toadie” award is given to agents at the Boise, ID, site in recognition of customer delight. Earning “Toadie” bucks provides agents with the chance to go shopping for gift certificates and prizes.

All EDS CRM Contact Center sites regularly share letters of appreciation from leadership, clients and customer commendations with “Wall of Fame” displays.

This attention to recognition and appreciation benefits the business with attendance improvement, increased productivity and reduced attrition. Events are often shared between sites, providing variety and saving planning time.

Since implementation of the Recognition and Appreciation process in EDS CRM Contact Center sites, many sites have reported an increase in job satisfaction and employee loyalty.

For more information about the Recognition and Appreciation process, see contacts below.


5


Linking a Contact Center agent’s daily performance to the EDS Performance Management Process and Scorecard

19 February – Plano, TX

Scorecard is no longer just a buzzword to be used with clients. It is a performance-tracking tool as well as a process. In addition, guess what?

EDS has now linked the scorecard to the Performance Management Process (PMP) process.

It is relevant and clear for EDS contact center agents. They understand the correlation between what they do on a daily basis and how that translates to the cumulative PMP process. Agents are also fully aware of the four business initiatives that will drive customer satisfaction levels, EDS service levels and targeted financial goals.

The initiatives are:

Growth Change Challenge Accountability

These four initiatives depend on the scorecard to be the vehicle by which each agent develops skills, changes any behaviors that do not support the client, and challenges him or her to achieve the next level of professional development for future recognition and reward.

In addition, it establishes a system of accountability that is a shared responsibility between agent, supervisor and contact center leadership.

No longer does an agent have to wait for a yearly check-up to understand:

What to improve What skills are excellent What to do for the next level in career planning

Contact center agents know where they stand each month and throughout the year, making it faster and easier to change performance as needed.

The EDS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact Center Agent’s PMP is a process that provides a consistent and streamlined integration of agent performance data between the monthly scorecard and the annual PMP review.

The purpose of the Agent PMP process is to combine the activities of the monthly scorecard process with goals of the current corporate PMP process.

6


Using the Employee Scorecard Process, agents receive monthly, quarterly and annual feedback about their performance.

While the employee scorecard is the source of employee performance data, the Agent PMP Process provides annual performance level results in the corporate PMP tool for use in reporting and other corporate systems. These results are determined from the employee scorecard information.

With the implementation of the Agent PMP earlier this year, sites in North America have derived the following benefits:

Facilitate consistency between Scorecard and PMP measurements Use Scorecard scores to update each agent’s PMP record on a quarterly

basis Reduce expense and administration time Reduce PMP tool to two pages and eliminate use of shared competencies

which are not applicable for agents Improve agent satisfaction through focused consistent performance

management through regular feedback

Because of the more streamlined and efficient approach of this process, leaders are able to spend more time coaching and reinforcing agent’s skills to deliver a more delightful customer service experience.

But the benefits don’t stop there.

As EDS moves toward a more agile enterprise, this scorecard process will enable leaders to gather data quickly to make adjustments as needed to better meet client requirements and exceed expectations.

Another advantage that should not be dismissed is, as EDS competes for the contact center business of the future, measurement standards are general basic requirements. EDS’ ability to link the scorecard to the EDS PMP sets a standard in the marketplace and may be seen by potential clients as a consistent process across EDS’ global Contact Center business.

To learn more on how your contact center agents can participate in this process, and how to document your success for future EDS Contact Center pursuits, see contacts below.


7


Transforming the culture of EDS’ Contact Centers

20 July – Plano, TX

The EDS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Capability Process and Training Team, lead by Brian Hughes, introduces new operational processes to EDS contact centers around the globe. The team consists of process developers, facilitators and curriculum developers.

"An ability and attitude to embrace and celebrate change is required in this organization, so we work hard to create safe environments for our students where everyone can listen, ponder, think out loud, try out new skills in practice sessions, and voice opinions," said Hughes. "We interact daily with both CRM and Service Request Management (SRM) centers, with both the leadership teams and their agents. Change, and paving the way to it, is what our team is all about!"

"In an increasingly competitive call center environment, the fundamental cornerstones of success are firmly rooted in learning and integrating best practices. We have laid a framework of consistent, best practices operational processes in our EDS centers that are supported by training. We write and deliver not only classroom interventions, but also one-on-one, person-to-person coaching and consulting to develop those skills necessary to win in our competitive marketplace."

"We help our contact center teams understand where we want to go as an EDS CRM team – what it will take to become best in class. We use slides and other materials to generate classroom discussions about what they can do as individuals and as leaders, to make this vision a reality."

"Our team has a solid background in the contact center world (inside and outside of EDS), BPO accounts, client relationships, process development, technical writing, user documentation and workload migration - not to mention our educational and professional backgrounds in adult learning, secondary education and corporate training. The team has a combined experience of nearly 200 years working with adult learning strategies."

"Initiatives such as the Supervisor Academy 1, a training program for new supervisors, and Coaching for Success, a program to teach existing supervisors how to give appropriate feedback to agents, show our commitment to providing relevant training and building lasting partnerships in the EDS contact center community."

"We also have built strong and lasting relationships with the EDS site trainers in the field, and consider them adjunct team members. They are our single point of contact for all process implementations and one-on-one coaching and training that EDS delivers in the centers."

8


One example of the EDS Call Center Capability and Training Team 's partnership building is the New Agent Essential Skills Program. They developed twelve modules to equip newly hired agents with the skills necessary to ‘delight’ customers by agents performing their responsibilities more effectively. This training is then integrated with the account-specific training to create world-class new hire training.

"Our success is built on participants embracing the material," Hughes said. "And the field has responded favorably."

To learn more about the value-added services and thought-leadership programs the EDS Call Center Capability and Training Team offers, see contact below. BPO Service Delivery Communications Contact:


9


Olympic Challenge – Rapid Assessment Development and Delivery Team (RADD)

21 September – Plano, TX

It is no wonder that all eyes were glued to the Olympics in Greece. Is there anything more exciting than meeting a challenge head-on and winning the top award for your efforts – the Gold? Meeting challenges head-on requires hour after dedicated hour of training and discipline.

Olympic competition is about:

Who is the fastest?

Who is the strongest?

Who can turn a mistake into a winning initiative?

It is all about pride in teamwork and company pride.

It is no wonder that the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Capability Process and Training Team see new challenges and opportunities within BPO and EDS as a chance to be the fastest, and strongest. While their focused specialty is process and training development and delivery within the BPO contact center space, all the world is their stage. With new EDS initiatives being launched globally, this team's track record of successfully completed implementations is reaching new heights.

The latest initiative is a new team capability called the Rapid Assessment Development and Delivery Team (RADD). It is focused and ready to help global clients and customers with immediate training needs.

“This is a competitive capability that can be used immediately by an organization,” said Brian Hughes, leader of the Call Center Capability and Training Team . “It may be of specific interest to our sales and marketing teams as they see immediate training needs when they work under tight deadlines in the pre-sales or post-sales environment.”

The RADD team can deliver curriculum based on objectives and arrange for assessment both pre-and post-training with a very quick turnaround time.

For example, on one Friday afternoon, potential client requested information on training materials that EDS would have available on “How to Diffuse Angry Customers.” The RADD team members, John Gennusa and Linda White, immediately presented a module within the New Agent – Essential Skills Program (ESP). After review, the client requested a more in-depth module. The RADD team then worked throughout the weekend producing, by Monday morning, the necessary in-depth module as requested by the client, as well as recommendations for delivery and post- assessments.

10


All materials were ready for presentation to the client within hours of the initial request.

“Although the client has not determined how they will proceed, they have recommendations, newly-developed curriculum, and target assessments ready for implementation as soon as final decisions are made,” said Linda White, Call Center Capability and Training Team . “This closes the time gap for the client and now frees up our RADD team to move on to the next RADD request.”

Depending on scope and requirements, the RADD team is prepared to work 24 x 7, as many of our calls centers do, to immediately meet client and customer requirements. The energetic, experienced and highly-skilled staff is prepared to assist U.S., A.P., L.A., Canada and EMEA organizations.

The RADD team's success rate lies in the ability to meet short turnaround times, staying focused on executing a turnkey job within a strict timeframe.

“Our RADD members rotate on and off the team as required by subject matter expertise needed. This rotation also helps to balance and provide growth opportunities to all our team members,” said Hughes. “We are proud to be able to make significant gains for our clients in profitability, process improvement, reduction in attrition, increase in employee morale and overall service excellence.”

If you would like to submit a RADD request, or if you would like more information on how the BPO Capability Process and Training RADD team can partner with you for client benefit and value, see contacts below.



11


Corporate EntrepreneurshipReturn on Investment as a Training Component

11 August – Plano, TX

Is return on investment (ROI) a new concept for those of us in the corporate world? Why would we need to think like an entrepreneur?

Searching for that return on investment is something every person knowingly or unknowingly contemplates.

You may have wondered if you are getting your money’s worth when you make a small or large personal investment or purchase. Statistics show the single largest purchase an adult will make their lifetime is a home. One carefully considers what their return on the investment will be in one year, three years or thirty years. How will this purchase bring me value in the future?

Now, translated to your workplace, the question is, are you getting your money’s worth?

We each make daily decisions that influence our corporate revenues and results. As we search for ways to become more competitive in this aggressive and ever-changing world of technology, the idea of an entrepreneurial spirit should be encouraged.

For the EDS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Capability Process and Training Team, corporate entrepreneurship finds a stronghold.

‘’Our clients continue to ask us the right questions,’’ says Brian Hughes, manager of the Call Center Capability and Training Team . ‘’They want to know what value our training will bring to their participants individually, and to their work group as a whole. It’s our job to explain the results they can expect from our instructor-led classes that may ranging from two to forty hours.’’

Hughes’ team has researched the accepted standards for measuring training in the corporate environment. For technical training, the pass/fail measurement is easy to assess and document. However, for training requiring future measurement, this is a more complex feat.

The Kirkpatrick Model is the standard used for measuring a return on investment. It requires four levels of assessment to be administered after training is completed.

The assumption exists that evaluators have a systems tool and access to class participants in the future.

“Due to the complex environment of the BPO call centers across the globe, this is both a challenge and opportunity for us,” says Hughes.

The New Agent Essential Skills Program and the upcoming Management Development Program will be the first training curricula to be measured by the Kirkpatrick Model. It will be piloted as a grassroots effort. It’s a manual process at this time.

12


In the past, training initiatives have depended on the results from a class satisfaction survey, which will still be used, as it is level one of the Kirkpatrick Model. This type of evaluation is usually distributed at the end of the class, and asks participant for general feedback.

However, the second level of the assessment requires follow up with each participant to evaluate the program’s objectives and its value three to six months later. This benchmark will be used to evaluate curriculum development and facilitation.

Data will be available to document processes and their benefit to the organization. This data will also be used to revise existing or develop new curriculum.

“This enhancement to our program takes our team to the next level and assures we continue to provide our clients with value-add training that results in a positive return on investment,” Hughes said.

Should you or any of your clients be interested in the benefits and value of the Kirkpatrick Model or need future training assessments, contact Brian Hughes for more details.

Look for future articles from the Call Center Capability and Training Team on training, assessments, corporate entrepreneurship, and a positive return on investment.



13


North American EDS CRM Contact Centers to Celebrate National Customer Service Week

27 June – Plano, TX

EDS’ North American CRM Contact Centers are preparing to join many other industries across the nation to celebrate National Customer Service Week. Customer Service Week is an international event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and honoring the people on the front lines of the service revolution. In 1992, the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October.

This has become an annual event within EDS’ CRM organization. It builds on the foundation of the recognition and appreciation guidelines that have become a part of EDS Contact Center culture. The theme for this year is “Dedicated To Service.”

The celebration will occur from 4 to 8 October. All EDS North American CRM Contact Centers, totaling 24 sites and more than 6,000 employees, will collaborate to plan and execute a week of high-energy, customer-focused, fun-filled events. The week will highlight ongoing efforts to display employee commitment and contribution to EDS CRM Contact Centers’ number one priority - client and customer satisfaction. EDS clients such as Guthy-Renker, Hewlett Packard, Dow Chemical and Franklin-Covey embrace and promote the importance of celebrating the efforts of customer service professionals.

Site leaders sponsor various events such as:

Wall of Fame - Client/Customer commendations

Walk of Fame - Red carpet treatment for all agents

Spotlight on agents - Leadership dresses up as waiters and serves snacks to agents

“Last year's customer service week was an eye opening experience on how the little things in life really do mean much to our agents," said a supervisor of EDS' Guthy-Renker account in Des Moines, Iowa. "I think that we created such excitement on the floor that they could not wait to come in the next day to see what was next.”

14


Agent and leadership feedback from previous Customer Service Week celebrations reflect a boost in employee morale. It helps agents become more energized, ultimately strengthening EDS’ business relationships and new pursuits.

Related Link:

National Customer Service Weekhttp://www.icsa.com/csweek/proclamation.cfm

By BPO Service Delivery Communications Contact:


15


EDS CRM Supervisor Academy 1 improves leadership skills creating leaders who take charge and practice

business ownership with a spirit of teambuilding

23 September – Plano, TX

The EDS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Leadership Academy’s role is to create and deliver developmental training venues to frontline supervisors, trainers, quality assurance and Help Desk leaders. Leaders are provided the tools, resources and techniques to help make them successful leaders, while building a foundation of practice consistencies within EDS contact centers.

Since Supervisor Academy 1 was launched in the first quarter of 2008, more than 85 leaders, ranging from newly promoted to several years in tenure, representing 17 EDS client relationships have experienced Supervisor Academy 1 session.

BPO regional directors sponsored and helped create the Supervisor Academy 1 agenda that includes a full week of ‘platoon’ driven activities. Armed with their EDS issued agendas, participants and their leaders prepare for the academy 1 experience with orientation sessions and pre-work assignments that include gathering client specific metrics to be shared as part of the invaluable networking environment.

A Wall of Officers is created from the participants’ profiles that highlight their roles and responsibilities. This is also used to establish and foster ongoing relationships after Supervisor Academy 1 has concluded.

During the weeklong training, leaders are actively engaged in understanding tools needed to:

Successfully represent EDS to clients

Employ innovative solutions techniques and effectively coach and mentor agents

Leaders are challenged to address topics related to Human Resources, EDS Business Code of Conduct, Quality Monitoring, Workforce Management, Employee Recognition and Teambuilding with roles plays, problem resolution exercises and building communications plans.

16


The dawn to dusk training hours and the daily regime are built on theories that support adult learning and focus on being highly interactive with the support of subject matter experts for guidance.

At the completion of Supervisor Academy 1, participants leave with a recharged awareness of their accountability as a leader and a ‘charge’ to manage the business as an owner. Additionally, the participants are given ‘field assignments’ that must be completed with the support of their manager to foster continued development. Field assignments include completing course studies in time management, teambuilding and change management in preparation for the next phase of leadership development.

“In the five sites that have served as a base of operations for Supervisor Academy 1 the agents are able to see the investment that is being made to help their leaders become better equipped to support them,” said a Supervisor Academy 1 Facilitator. “The camp experience is designed to prepare leaders for handling real-life business operations and people management responsibilities.”

The following sites have hosted Supervisor Academy 1 session:

Fort Des Moines, IA

Fort Auburn Hills, MI

Fort Boise, ID

Fort Mechanicsburg, PA

EDS managers and supervisors commented on the Supervisor Academy 1 session:

“There has been a definite positive impact resulting from the sharing of best practices among supervisors and a greater understanding on the part of many of my supervisors about the business and the policies in place.”

- Manager, Boise, ID

“I found my experience in the Supervisor Academy 1 informative, rewarding, interesting and fun. I would recommend this training to all supervisors, beginners and experienced.”

- Leverage Supervisor, Des Moines IA

The Supervisor Academy 1 session curriculum can be customized based on the specific needs of a particular region, country or site.

For additional information or to schedule a class at your site, see contact below.



17


Call Center Capability and Training Team - Diverse skills for diverse challenges

29 May – Plano, TX

Offering a full range of process, documentation and delivery servicesThe Call Center Capability and Training Team consists of professional best practices designers, curriculum developers and facilitators. This team has successfully introduced new operational processes to EDS Contact Centers around the world.

With the ability and attitude to embrace and celebrate, the team places a top priority on creating safe environments for global participants where everyone can listen, ponder, think out loud, try new skills in practice sessions, and voice opinions. Its’ team members interact daily with both CRM and Service Request Management (SRM) centers including leadership teams and agents.

The key to this flexibility is diverse professional backgrounds and personal work experiences about how change should – and should not – be implemented. Bringing home tangible results to BPO through positive change is the team's driving focus.

Within the past 18 months, BPO Capability Process and Training, led by Brian Hughes, has expanded its offerings portfolio beyond its original charter of process and training design, development, delivery, and implementation. In addition, the team's diverse skill set has enabled quick turnaround and responses to an assortment of requests, including:

Responding to Request for Proposals (RFPs)

Performing Due Diligence

Writing and creating graphically-enhanced documents and templates using advanced word processing features

Editing a wide range of document types

Writing technical documentation for new and upgraded systems/applications

Providing Business Partner Agreement (BPA) services outside of BPO

Developing Web-based training and files

18


Components of a Call Center Capability and Training RFPThe Call Center Capability and Training Team is often requested by the EDS Sales force to assist with new business pursuits. One way they offer expertise is to quickly respond to process and training RFPs.

The RFP process is used by companies to survey vendors to solicit competitive bids on products and services. Hughes’ team specializes in writing RFPs for process and training development, as well as deployment and implementation. To date, the team has assisted the EDS sales force with new business pursuits for multiple industry groups.

An RFP includes information about the team's organization, business processes, and curricula, as well as responses to statements and questions designed to differentiate competing companies. Because companies request RFPs from numerous vendors, it’s important that an EDS RFP stand out among the crowd.

Call Center Capability and Training Team RFPs include the following components:

Overview of the process and training team - paints a picture of the team that will support the client’s business needs

Differentiators setting EDS apart from the competition include the following:

o The team’s global vision and experience

o Customized training materials - none of the off-the-shelf training materials will do in this day and age

o Train-the-Trainer (T3) programs

o Content and skills testing

o Companywide and client-specific training programs to ensure effective and efficient agent training

o Dedicated process and training resources

o Training processes rolled into overall Quality Assurance

o Training delivery platforms and methodology for multiple-site synchronous instruction

o Measurements of effectiveness of trainers and training

o Participant pre-work, in-class, and follow-up requirements/assignments

o Training and Human Resources communication strategy

o Training environments

19


In their RFP responses, they emphasize the benefits that EDS can provide the client over the competition. Client benefits from EDS BPO Capability Process and training include the following:

Improved client service enabled by a consistent customer/employee experience

Reduced total cost of ownership by sharing in EDS’ globally leveraged delivery

Heightened customer relationships enhanced by tailoring interaction channels to individual customer preferences

A global view of customer/employee contact center workflow and data

Proven best practices in resource allocation, processes, and technology that accelerate return on investment without upfront capital requirements

Redundant capabilities, backup facilities and information storage around the world

An RFP should also solicit cost quotes that allow the requester to gauge both initial and ongoing costs of the product or service.

Hughes sums up his team's mission, "In support of the EDS BPO mission to become the leading global CRM contact center outsourcing provider, my team is the differentiator for BPO services in three areas: agent development, management training and quality model.”

“While all other processes are designed around best practices, these three key areas have been developed to far exceed competitors' capabilities – all designed and integrated around creating customer delight. Change and paving the way to it is what our team is all about!"

If you have any questions, suggestions or comments about this article, see contacts below.



20


EDS Contact Centre Scorecard Process Reduces Employee Turnover and

Increases Credibility with Clients

04 October – Plano, TX

It didn’t take long for the practice of contact centre agent scorecards to be common place in EDS’ world of metrics. EDS contact centre organizations in BPO Service Delivery are eagerly implementing an agent scorecard to show benefit and value to their client(s).

In 2008, as EDS sought to optimize its’ global contact center business, an agent scorecard was introduced to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact Centers in the United States and Canada. Since then, a year has gone by and the program has been going quite well.

The scorecard process is designed to provide on-going feedback to agents and assess performance using data and metrics specific to work performed.

It benefits EDS Contact Centre agents by:

Providing performance feedback and recognition

Encouraging a coach relationship

Providing regular means for performance guidance

Feeding into the agent Performance Management Process (PMP)

The scorecard process benefits EDS by reducing contact centre employee attrition and increasing credibility with clients.

EDS has had great success in North American delivery sites. They have provided positive feedback on the program.

Here are some of their comments:

Agents look forward to the feedback sessions. Once agents understood the objectives and how they were measured, the scorecard became an instrument that promotes growth.

I value the scorecard feedback sessions. They allow me to provide substantial feedback to the agents without having to wait for the PMP session.

Sessions serve not only as a time to review deficiencies but a time to acknowledge the improvements as well.

Agents like receiving the monthly feedback as it gives them information they need helping them increase their stats for shift bid rankings.

21


The process clearly shows performance expectations, results and areas for improvement.

I have seen an improvement in attendance and tardiness, as well as in productivity.

Scorecard implementation continues on a global basis

In Latin America (LA), sites in Mexico were trained on the scorecard process in June 2008, Brazilian sites are scheduled to be trained in early October, and plans for Argentina will soon be finalized. All of this is being done by LA’s implementation team.

Europe, Middle Eastand Africa (EMEA) has introduced the scorecard process to key country representatives from both the Request Management Centre (RMC) and CRM organizations. Their implementation team, will soon finalize plans for scorecard training and the next steps involving implementation in several sites in the United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium, Italy, and Hungary.

For Asia Pacific (AP) North, the Mumbai, India facility has used scorecards since its opening in 2008. AP South has finalized scorecard metrics, which were reviewed and validated for compliance, and its implementation team will soon be finalizing plans for scorecard introduction to sites in Australia and New Zealand.

It is projected that more EDS Contact Centers will have interest in using a standardized scorecard approach in communicating performance to their agents, reducing contact centre employee attrition and increasing credibility with clients.

For assistance in the sales cycle where scorecard process discussions may prove to be valuable, or to learn more, see contacts below.



22


EDS Call Center Capability and Training Team designs, develops and delivers for Sun Microsystems

21 January – Plano, TX

During EDS’ negotiations with Sun Microsystems to assume responsibility for Sun’s Global Resolution Center Help Desk operations, and transition its operations to the EDS Mumbai Shared Services Center, EDS Client Delivery Executive, realized he had a “training problem”. As he had done in the past, the manager called on the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Call Center and Training Team to help.

To be prepared to take Sun’s Global Resolution Center Help Desk calls, the EDS Mumbai Shared Services Center agents would need to very quickly learn up to 50 new applications and processes. However, there was no documented training curriculum.

Historically, agents had been trained on-the-job, sitting alongside an experienced agent, which often took up to three months.

The EDS Client Delivery Executive called on the BPO Call Center and Training Team for consulting services to conduct a due diligence assessment to determine the scope of the training requirements.

So, the BPO Call Center and Training Team conducted a due diligence assessment and made recommendations.

The EDS Client Delivery Team not only requested due diligence assessments to be done for other new business opportunities, but they asked if the BPO Call Center and Training Team could design and develop the curriculum for deployment to the Mumbai Shared Services Center, quickly.

BPO Call Center and Training Team members, began instructional analysis, design and development, and delivered a comprehensive technical training curriculum that allowed the EDS agents in Mumbai to receive Global Resolution Center Help Desk Training in a fraction of the time that the historical method took. Additionally, EDS’ ability to repeat the training process and maintain updates through continuous improvement practices was improved.

EDS Mumbai Shared Services Center agents are taking calls and making the gradeAccording to Vanita Datwani, EDS Mumbai Shared Services Center, “The Sun Global Resolution Center Help Desk operation is one of the larger processes at the Shared Services Centre in Mumbai with a total of 124 full time equivalents, out of which 40 have gone live with handling tickets for 2 processes.”

“The month-to-date statistics look great. EDS is meeting the client expectation during transition phase daily. The Customer Satisfaction Index figures have started to come in and look good. The first ever Sun ticket taken by EDS’ Shared Service Centre in Mumbai was closed and resolved within the specified time frame.”

23


This has been a great collaborative effort that we would like to learn from as new business opportunities become available.

Should you or any of your clients be interested in the consulting services offered by the BPO Call Center and Training Team, or need future training assessments, instructional design, development, or delivery, see contact below for more details.

Look for future articles from the BPO Call Center and Training Team on training, assessments, corporate entrepreneurship, and a positive return on investment.



24

contact center capability & training team articles

Documents