customised operations for customsied research at casro
TRANSCRIPT
Customized Operations for Customized Operations for Customized ResearchCustomized Research
PresentersSameer Inamdar, AGM, Datamatics Global Services Ltd.
Eleanor Dilworth, VP TRS Project Services/Sampling, Synovate (USA)
2
Plan for the Hour
Introduction
Objective of the paper
Customized Operations Model
Our Experience
Conclusion
Introduction
3
1. Projects are becoming more challenging
a. We are moving from a world of ‘OR’ to a world of ‘AND’
b. Of course, costs of operations today has to be less than yesterday!!
2. Technology in MR operations is still pretty standard (compared to the pace outside of MR)…
Market Research Today
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• High volume• Unique requirements that need different
approach• Multiple deliverables• Monthly/weekly/daily• Extended period of time
Projects Today
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• How do you meet requirements and remain cost efficient and cost competitive?
• How can you differentiate from your competition on turn around time and quality?
• How can you maximize project margins and ensure that the project will have long term savings?
Challenges
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Typical Approach• Try to fit these large/unique projects into current
processes and technology
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• One-size-fits-all approach causes over runs leading to extra efforts & resources
Problem
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Plan for the Hour
Introduction
Objective of the paper
Customized Operations Model
Our Experience
Conclusion
Objective of the paper
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• Propose a Conceptual Model for Customized Operations
that will help in:– Determining suitability of a project to be adapted for customized
technology operations
– Maximizing Process-Technology alignment for that project
– Decision-making for resource planning, KPI/metrics, & alignment with
long term organization goals
– Determining total cost of operations for different approaches and
suggest the best approach with minimum cost
Objective of the Paper
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Plan for the Hour
Introduction
Objective of the paper
Customized Operations Model
Our Experience
Conclusion
Our Experience
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Customer Satisfaction Project
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Scope of the study• Customer follow-up program for a car company• Three year program with estimated 1.5 million interviews per year; 120,000
per month; 5,000 per day• 100% of interviews to be recorded - respondent comments not typed in by
interviewer (Qual-Quant methodology)• Open end comments to be transcribed then coded• Tight turn around time requirements
– Email sent to client within 30 minutes containing transcribed and coded information for any interviews flagged as Hot Alert
– Remaining transcribing and coding completed by 6am following morning
• Complete transparency – data, recording, resulting transcription and applied codes visible to client at respondent level via website
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Challenges• Turn-Around-Time – 30 mins for Hot Alert (4% of files) and all
remaining files processed by 6:00 am
• Logistics – large number of files to be transferred across multiple locations and then consolidated
• Quality – stringent quality norms to be followed
• Resource Planning - small time window to execute the entire process
• Outsourcing – transcription not a service provided internally and timing constraints
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CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm Audio file per
interview
File Transfer to
Partners
Interview start
Transcription &
Coding
Consolidation
Transcription+ coding
data
Upload to website
Existing Technology
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CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm Audio file per
interview
File Transfer to
Partners
Interview start
Transcription &
Coding
Consolidation
Transcription+ coding
data
Upload to website
Existing Technology
• CATI Dialer automatically generates audio wave file per interview
• Files classified per type of interview and language
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CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm Audio file per
interview
File Transfer to
Partners
Interview start
Transcription &
Coding
Consolidation
Transcription+ coding
data
Upload to website
Existing Technology
• Every 30 minutes, files batched and sent to partners for transcribing and coding
• The file transfer is by FTP
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CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm Audio file per
interview
File Transfer to
Partners
Interview start
Transcription &
Coding
Consolidation
Transcription+ coding
data
Upload to website
Existing Technology
• Audio Files are downloaded by partners
• Team transcribes and codes using software available
• Transcription and coding data combined
• At periodic intervals, the transcription/coding data file is batched and uploaded to Synovate servers
18
CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm Audio file per
interview
File Transfer to
Partners
Interview start
Transcription &
Coding
Consolidation
Transcription+ coding
data
Upload to website
Existing Technology
• Once files downloaded by Synovate, they are matched back with other structure data and audio file
• Files are then uploaded batch-wise to website for client
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Wait a minute – Was that the BEST way??
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Can we make it better, i.e. more profitable operations?
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Of course we can and we did!!
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How you ask??• Followed a conceptual model for Customized
research which focused on
– Establishing an efficient Process after understanding project requirements
– Getting the Technology to fit the Process
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The “Out of Box” Process
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CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm File per interview
Interview start
Transcription & Coding
Download individual files
and Consolidate
Continuous upload -
Transcribed + coded data
Upload to website
Continuous transfer to partners
Process Technology Fit
File conversion &
routing
25
CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm File per interview
Interview start
Transcription & Coding
Download individual files
and Consolidate
Continuous upload -
Transcribed + coded data
Upload to website
Continuous transfer to partners
Process Technology Fit
File conversion &
routing
26
CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm File per interview
Interview start
Transcription & Coding
Download individual files
and Consolidate
Continuous upload -
Transcribed + coded data
Upload to website
Continuous transfer to partners
Process Technology Fit
File conversion &
routing
27
CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm File per interview
Interview start
Transcription & Coding
Download individual files
and Consolidate
Continuous upload -
Transcribed + coded data
Upload to website
Continuous transfer to partners
Process Technology Fit
File conversion &
routing
28
CST 6:00 am
CST 4:00 pm File per interview
Interview start
Transcription & Coding
Download individual files
and Consolidate
Continuous upload -
Transcribed + coded data
Upload to website
Continuous transfer to partners
Process Technology Fit
File conversion &
routing
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Process Technology Fit
In Short - Automated all manual tasks
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But the story does not end here….
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Few weeks later• Software provided real time metrics to measure efficiency at each
stage
• Further Process Re-engineering possible
– Integration of transcription and coding software
– Classification of audio files into buckets which helped in allocations
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Software Snapshot
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Software Snapshot
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Productivity Tracker
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Productivity Tracker
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Benefits• Quality & TAT – As per client requirements
• Well managed
• Process and technology dependent – Human intervention rarely required
• Transparency – Real time metrics available for every activity
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Savings• Resources – 20% less number of resources required
• Software – 40% savings on licensing/transaction costs
• Total Cost of Operations – Estimated savings of $630,000 over three years
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Ramp-up
020000400006000080000100000120000
Oct Nov Dec Jan
Period
Volu
me
Managed increased volumes
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Improved Quality
Quality Score
7684 84 84
92 95
0
20
40
60
80
100
November December January February March April
Scor
e (%
)
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So what did we learn from this?
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• It pays to think out of the box and design your own process
• Metrics is key requirement for process reengineering
• For Large/Long term projects look closely at existing software (transaction) & resource cost.
• Using your own technology can give you more control over your process and metrics
Learning
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Plan for the Hour
Introduction
Objective of the paper
Customized Operations Model
Our Experience
Conclusion
Customized Operations Model
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Organization
Process Automation
Simulation
Long term / large projects
Project Document
Processes
Understand the project
scope & requirement
sDesign
process as per project requiremen
t
Technology & process alignment
Technology
& organization
alignment
Conceptual Model
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Technology Process Alignment Parameters used for checking alignment
• Fitment of technology with process flow and Data flow
diagrams
• Productivity
• Training
• Monitoring performance
• Resource planning
• Costs
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Technology Organization Alignment Parameters used for checking alignment
• Adaptability
• Flexibility
• Scalability
• Scope for further process re-engineering
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Plan for the Hour
Introduction
Objective of the paper
Customized Operations Model
Our Experience
ConclusionConclusion
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• Technology is an enabler not solution by itself
• Large ongoing projects need a different approach
• Understanding project score and designing efficient process is first and most important step followed by appropriate technology solution
• Metrics is key to process re-engineering. The technology solution selected should provide real time data
• Process re-engineering and automation is an ongoing process
• Move from outsourcing which is “Lift & Shift” to Smart-Sourcing and partnership with service providers
Conclusion
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Questions
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