Customer Services and Information Technology

Friends Not Foe

Alisa MannCustomer Services Manager

Las Vegas Valley Water District

Metering America 2005

Top ten ways to make “IT” work

Based on 4 years of near continuous Information Technology renovations at LVVWD Customer Services

Interactive Voice Response – Avaya ConversantSkills based ACD – Avaya CMSQuality monitoring - NiceWorkforce Management – Blue PumpkinScreen pops – Avaya Interaction CenterMulti-media blending – Avaya IC and RightFaxCIS – PeopleSoft CIS coming 8/05

Focus on CIS – most complex project of all

#10 – Senior business analysts

Have senior business analysts act as liaisons between your operations and IS, especially for larger projects like CIS where there are major business process re-design opportunities.

BA

#9 – Use a forklift to upgrade CIS system and business processes

Don’t make the new system look like the old system and disguise this as “customization” to your business

Embrace new technologiesStudy how others use it first before deciding to change or customize it.

#8 – Recognize that product knowledge = business knowledge

Don’t rely solely on product vendors to be consultants on your business – their business is generally their products.Use trained utility business process specialists (internal or consultants) to help re-engineer your processes to take advantage of the new CIS system.

Out of BoxProduct

Your Business

#7 – Look at end-to-end processes

Don’t work in silos! Re-design end to end processes across work areas for best return on your investment

#6 – Set your alarm clock on a typical timeframe and budget

Don’t underestimate $$$$$, resources or schedule – research similar implementations for benchmarks.Focus on priorities

Gaining efficienciesMandatory requirements for go-live

Live in the house before re-modeling it

… otherwise projects can take forever and spiral out of budget control

#5 – Monitor progress closely & recognize it

Implement strong management controls with simple measurement tactics

Scorecard of Monthly ProgressTrack % Completion On Key ItemsManagement Flash Reports

Recognize milestones – CIS projects are long, so you need to have interim gratification to keep teams motivated

#4 – Be a bottleneck breaker

…not a Belly-acherSet up escalation paths for decision making, especially across departments

New business rulesBetter processesCustomizationsReporting

As a manager you can become a bottleneck or be a bottleneck breaker

DECISIONS

#3 Focus, don’t juggle

Don’t take on too many overlapping technology projectsEmployees cannot be constantly in change mode, especially contact centersCIS implementations are enormous – don’t expect to get much else done

VS.

#2 – Simulate real use during testing

Focus Groups and Usability Testing with Customer Service Associates, Support Staff and CustomersPerformance Testing to make sure there are no surprises in full scale operation Parallel billing tests with old and new systems Independent audit programs to balance converted data and billed dollars

#1 – MOST IMPORTANTRemember that CIS is not an “IT” project

CIS is a business project.

Dedicate business resources in each functional area and backfill their positions to get the best results

Questions ?

Thank you for your time!

Alisa MannLas Vegas Valley Water DistrictCustomer Services Manager(702) 258-3180alisa.mann@lvvwd.com