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ASSIGNMENT

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A CALL CENTRE

Submitted to

Professor B. K. Srivastava

March 17, 2011

Submitted by:

K. VenkateswaraRao D-40

Konica Tayal G-17

Service Operations Management

MBA (General) Batch of 2011


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

A call centre is a workplace where several customer problems are solved through the help

of telephone. This whole process of assisting the customers has to be laid down with utmost care

so that effective and efficient working of the call centre can be ensured. Calls are received at a

call centre and in case certain query of the customer is not solved instantly then solution to the

problem is found by the employees of the company and thereby a call is made to the customer,

giving him the solution to his previously addressed problem.

Callcenter business represents about two-thirds of an organizations operating expenses.

With so much of the industrys cost and energy concentrated in this area, it makes sense that the

centers facilities should be designed with its staff, both agents and managers, in mind.The term

contact/call center design can mean different things to different people. To some it refers

exclusively to the edifice or building shell, while to others it means just the interior design or

ambience of the work environment. Both are critical aspects of the contact/call center workplace.

However to the organization and to their clients, design refers to the effective layout of floor

plans, ergonomic furniture solutions and effective utilization of space that yields fewer injuries

and greater individual and team productivity.

When pressed for time or money, there can be a tendency for organizations to think only

about the big picture of their call center design. However, this thinking can be short-sighted.

Instead, planners should think about, and even mentally walk through, the details of the

workspace to ensure that all aspects of design have been addressed.Provide ergonomic

accessories so that each station can be customized for the agent.Some of the most important

ergonomic furniture accessories include heavy-duty chairs with multiple adjustments, adjustable

keyboard mechanisms or keyboard trays, adjustable monitor arms, wrist rests and even foot rests.

While initial capital expenditures may be significant, progressive call centers know that these

costs usually pale in comparison to long-term staffing and operating costs of a center.Theimportance of creating a pleasant work environment should not be underestimated. Make the

most of your space by creating versatile areas in training rooms.


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INTRODUCTION

A call centre is a centralized office which is used for the purpose of receiving and

transmitting a large volume of requests by telephone.This is usually operated by a company to

administer the information about the product from the consumers. A call centre is set up by acompany in order to provide assistance to customers and to do away with their queries and

problems regarding the product or service provided by the company. Calls are received at a call

centre and in case certain query of the customer is not solved instantly then solution to the

problem is found by the employees of the company and thereby a call is made to the customer,

giving him the solution to his previously addressed problem. The whole concept of call centre

has been set up to provide better services to the customers. This helps the organization in

maintaining efficient customer relationship. It is an important interface between the customers

and the organization and thus requires careful planning prior to its set up.

A call center is often operated through an extensive open workspace for call center

agents, with the work stations that include computers for each desk and a telephone set or a

headset which is connected to a telecom switch and it also needs one or more supervisor stations

or also called the server stations. This can be independently operated with additional centers,

which are often linked to a corporate computer network that includes mainframes,

microcomputers. The voice and data paths into the center are linked through a set of new

technologies called computer telephony integration (CTI).

Through these call centers, valuable information about the company is given to the appropriate

people, even the contacts are tracked and the data is gathered. It is generally a part of companys

customer relationship management (CRM). Today, customers contact companies by calling,

emailing, chatting online.

The technology at the call center is subject to improvements and innovations. Some of these

technologies we are very much aware of in our day to day life. One being the speech recognition

software which allows the computer to handle the customers at the first level of support so that it

allows better customer handling and agent will be having the information on his screen of the

past interactions with the same customer and many other technologies to improve agents

performance and the customer satisfaction. There are also technologies where the inbound calls


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are directly routed to the appropriate agents to handle the task, while minimizing the wait times

and the calls are routed to those agents whose past performance is good and who can close the

call at a faster rate and can also make a sale.

Designing a Call Center for an IT Industry

When the decision has been taken by the top management to setup a call centre for its

organization, there are various aspects which have to be looked into before starting the setup of

the call centre. The areas which have to be looked into are as follows:

1) Capacity planning

2) Site location and selection3) Floor space design

4) Furniture selection

5) Technology design and selection

6) Organizational structure

7) Hiring/training programs

8) Compensation and incentive plans

1) Capacity PlanningThis refers to deciding and working out the strength of workforce to be kept in the callcentre. For this it is necessary to deduce how many calls per person is o be handles andthereby people can be hired for the job.

2 ) Site Location and SelectionThe location of the call centre has to be decided, keeping in mind the reach of thecustomers. The location must be such that the customers can easily reach throughtelephone, that is, the signal of the telephone must be excellent at the call centre so thatthe customers do not face any problem in contacting the company. Also, in casecustomers do have a major problem which they are not able to solve through thetelephone then the customers must be able to easily visit the call centre.


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3 ) F loor Space Design

Keeping in mind the budget and time, the company has to work of the floor design for the

call centre. The floor space design must be done keeping in mind the layout and flow of

agent workstations, supervisor, management andscheduler offices, as well as meeting

rooms. Also, the location of restrooms, break rooms and common areas have be

considered. Some of the other critical elements are the often-forgotten design obstacles

such as corners,columns, and utility access panels. In most cases, the best way to

determine the ideal floor plan is by trying a varietyof different floor plan options to

maximize the number of agents per squarefoot while still providing an effective flow for

the contact center floor. The floor design of a call centre must be such that it fosters

teamwork and open communication.

The importance of creating a pleasant work environment is essential in order toensure effective and efficient working of the employees. Incorporating such features as

inviting break rooms, securestorage for employee personal items, proper lighting,

aesthetically pleasingcolorsincluding furniture fabrics and colors, as well as paint/wall

paper/graphic designsand space-efficient traffic patterns. Also, make the most of the

space by creating versatile areas in training rooms. For example, maximizetraining space

by using flip-top tables that can be rolled away when not neededand reconfigured for

alternative uses.

4 ) F urniture selection

The furniture selected for the call centre must be such that it adapts to the environment

and fulfills the needs and requirements of the employees working at the call centre. It

should not be that the employees have to adapt themselves to the furniture chosen but the

other way round. The furniture selection must be such that each employee is provided the

most productive individual area. This will enhance the working of the employees which

in turn will result in their efficient delivery of services to the customers. This will ensure

that the customers avail a high quality call centre services. The goal is toprovide furniture

that can best meet the needs of the call center and its workers.

For the layout of the wiringand cables careful consideration must be given to the

furniture systems that both concealunattractive wires, yet also allow for accessibility


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when required. Such furniture systems should be implemented which offer generous

channels for wires and cablesand that allow connections between stations.

Everyone wants to save time and find vendors they trust to help streamlinetheir

decision-making. When selecting the furniture, full-service manufacturers that provide

notonly agent furniture systems, but also storage cabinets, meeting tables, chairs,and

administrative and executive office furniture must be selected. Using one furniture

providermakes it easy to find replacement or additional parts and makes new

purchasingeasier when expansion is required. Choosing one manufacturer also meansthat

the organization is more likely to qualify for volume discounts. In the end, the

bestapproach for effective call center furniture design is to: plan ahead, consider a

holistic approach to workspace and partner with experts who will create solutions to fit

your centers unique needs.

5 ) Technology design and selection

For the set up of a call centre, various equipment have to be set up in order to provide an

efficient working environment for the employees. The technology of the call Some of the

basic equipments needed for the set up of a call centre should be such that it should be

able to be able to perform in a way that the customers feel they are warmly welcomed.

Differentiation must be made between the loyal customers of the organization and the

first time o not so loyal customers. This is just a strategy to give a feel good factor to the

existing loyal customers and encourage other customers to become loyal to the

organization so as to receive better attention from the organizations employees.

The Call center setup requirements will consider available agents profile, their

skill and the expected waiting time, to calculate the best compromise and route the call in

the best skills/waiting conditions. A prior access can be provided to VIP customers, with

the help of certain databases. The set up must be such that, as soon as the call arrives, the

number must be immediately checked into the database of the company to know the

customers priority level and position it in accordance of waiting queue data. At once, the

details of the customer must be displayed in front of the employee so that the employee

can refer to the customer in a warm fashion and give him a feeling of superiority and

concern. Also, during the communication, the agent should have the facility to ask for


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help from his supervisor, who can provide him advices discreetly by chat or whisper

efficiently managed by the Call center setup requirements. From the Call center setup

requirements toolbar, the agent must be able to take advantage of a range of up-to-date

communications tools like voice mail, calls, email, fax, mobile messages, which will be

efficient and perform assets.

As soon as the call is answered, it will be route to agent with the highest skill set

to treat it. Indeed, the Call center setup requirements offers a high-level skills settings

tool, customizable for each agent, or a group of agents. The Call center setup

requirements allows for any kind of skill (language, junior, expert, emails treatment, web

surfers contacts) to define a level from 1 to 10. Therefore, the Call center setup

requirements allow management of human resources in an extreme precise way. An

algorithm is set up to detect the waiting time. This is the time between the ringing of thetelephone and the call being attended by the agent of the call centre. This expected

waiting time is known by the Call center setup requirements as soon as the call is

answered by the system. This allows the Call center setup requirements to evaluate the

best compromised between available resources and maximum waiting time objective.

Premise-based Call Centre Technology :

Call centers have been built on PBX equipment that is owned and hosted by the operator.

The PBX might provide functions such as Automatic Call Distribution, Interactive Voice

Response, and skill-based routing.

V irtual Call Centre Technology:

With the advancement of the Software, the virtual call center has come into picture. In a

virtual call center model, the operator does not own, operate the equipment that the callcenter runs on. Instead, they subscribe to a service for a monthly or annual fee with a

service provider that hosts the call center telephony equipment in their own data center.

Agents connect to the vendor's equipment through traditional telephone lines, over Voice

over IP. Calls to and from customers or contacts originate from or terminate at the

vendor's data center, rather than at the operator's premise. The vendor's telephony


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equipment then connects the calls to the call center operator's agents.Virtual Call Centre

Technology allows people to work from home, instead of in a centralized, call center

location.

There are two types of calls and these are often divided into outbound and inbound.Inbound calls are those calls that are made by the customer to obtain information, report a

problem, or to ask for help. These calls are completely different from outbound calls,

where the agents place calls to potential customers mostly with idea of selling the service

to the individual or the customer.

The staff of the call center is organized into different support systems for efficient call

handling depending on their area of expertise. In the first stage the model consists of

operators or agents who handle those calls which are direct and consists of just providinggeneral information. If the caller requires assistance then the call is transferred to the

second stage and in that model the agents have an expertise on such subjects and most of

the cases are resolved here. If the caller is not able to give proper assistance then the call

is forwarded to the third stage where further assistance is provided and this support is

generally provided by the highly skilled technical support staff of the product.

6 ) Organizational structure

The organization structure must be such that there should be proper co-ordination and

communication within the organization. This is essential in order to ensure that the

employees are able to work efficiently which in turn will ensure that the customer

satisfaction level is high.

7 ) H iring/training programs

It has to be ensured that the employees hired for working in the call centre are competent

enough to handle calls from customers. They must be able to solve the problems faced bythe customers and provide them with satisfying solution. Also, the employees must be

efficient enough to handle a stipulated number of calls in a given time. This has to be

ensured so that the company can meet its target of each day. This methodology is

implemented to ensure that a standard quality is maintained within the organization. For

instance, a standard can be laid down that the phone must be picked up within two rings.


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STRATEGIC SIGNI F ICANCE O F CALL CENTER

A call center has a lot of significance in the growth of a companys business. The much

talked about topics while setting up a call center is the cost effectiveness and the quality of the

call center services provided by the company. Call centers have excelled the expectations of the

clients or customers and the demands of the market irrespective of the needs, requirements, size

and the type of business. Outsourcing to some extent has become very necessary if we want the

business of a company to be run smoothly. The services of call centers have always been there

when needed to increase the productivity, meet the ever changing demands of business and to be

in touch with customers to solve their problems on a 24/7 basis. Up-selling and cross selling

techniques help to sell more by convincing the customers to purchase value added extra benefits

or discounts with the main product.

For product promotions, getting sales deals and business development through telemarketing,

outbound call centers have worked to spread the awareness and increase the visibility in the eyes

of customers. Client interaction through telephone communication, chat, and e-mail increases the

credibility of customers on the products. Being in touch with the representatives enables us to

create an efficient and always available image for them. The agents working at the call centers

address your extended business needs. Call centers increase the return on investment and

decrease the costs to the company. Call centersincrease the productivity of the team by lettingthem concentrate on the core and strategic parts of business.

Call centers have particular significance in three areas:

y Customer service and retentiony Direct marketingy Sources of management information and customer feedback.

Customer service and retention:

Call centers have become so important in everybodys life that as of now they are the primary

contact point with customers in business and serve as one of the best means by which the


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organization creates a long-term relationship with customers and maintains customer

satisfaction. In its turn, customer satisfaction will generally lead to retention and to word-of-

mouth recommendations. If talking about distance education, call centers can help create the

same type of relationship. If regarding the context of a purchasing an electronic item and for that

the customer requires information and for processing such information and making deals or

answering calls and messages, call center staff are the consistent point of contact with the

customer, and he become their best friend.

Direct marketing opportunities:

The support that is being provided by a call center is increasingly seen as a service that

customers expect to find integrated with product offerings, and to be available by phone and on

the Internet through chat and email. The contact with the customers who, in the case of online is

a customer who wants to purchase electronic items may result in opportunities to help the

customer choose additional products that are provided along with the main purchase and services

that are offered with it (e.g., advising, counseling, and tutorial).

Source of management information and student or customer feedback:

A call center with good software and technologies gather a great deal of information about

customers. Such information is collected by analyzing the call documentation data, or by directly

presenting questions to the customer.


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CALL CENTER DESIGN & IMPLEMENTATION

MANAGEMENT

The proper function of the professional Call Center in today's business environment can mean

the difference between just being in business and being successful in the business. The correct

equipment, proper software, most efficient network or services and effectively trained staff will

ensure that the business will be successful well into the future. Providing the ultimate in Call

Center Design & Implementation management, utilizing integrated voice recognition - IVR - call

vectors, and Internet based call center solutions optimally designed for customer solutions.

A properly designed and equipped call centers, whether a large telemarketing operation, a help

desk, a small order taking department, a large mail-order firm or an outbound collection agency

will enable us to take the edge over our competitors and provide exceptional Customer service

when the Call Centers are well planned and Call Flow is properly designed and managed.

Automatic Call Distribution (ACD ) System Operation Evaluation

ACD systems operations evaluate to assure the clients that their ACD operations are providing

customers the services expected and required. We have to work with the clients to identify the

scope of the project and detail report formats and then the review should be started.

We should review the reports for operational detail and perform the following functions:

Develop an average of how many agents typically are working in each group during each

week.

Develop an average number of answered calls per agent, per each group. Develop the average talk seconds per each group, per each call. Develop an average wait per each call, per each group.

Flag any high number of non-ACD calls, in and out, per particular agent in any group,where applicable. Also note out-of-average times. This data is used when observing the

group and the official needs for the generation of non-ACD in and out calls.

Show the total of any not-ready time, per agent, per group and develop an average.


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Using the summarized performance reports, calculate average delay, delayed

announcements, both first time and second time, and abandoned calls, per each group and

service level provided.

Evaluate the reports providing the delay before abandonment information to determine

the number of seconds the abandoned calls wait before they drop the attempt, per each

group.

Observe Agent Groups - Each of the agent groups is to be observed while in operation to

determine the call flow patterns and work-state and rest-state actions. Additionally, each

agent group is observed to determine the related non-ACD actions associated with each

transaction.

Calculate Deviation - A set of ACD Management reports is obtained during this

observation phase to detect any behavioral deviation promoted by the observationprocess.

Verify Call Distribution - Each agent group is observed to denote the even distribution of

the incoming call flow volume.

Audit Agent Groups - Each agent group is audited to document standard actions required

to accomplish a complete transaction. A composite of these observations becomes the

norm for that group.

Compare Norms - Timing samples will be established for the norms and compared to the

system reports.

Define Causes - Each agent group is observed to define what contributes to any potential

transaction delays, incoming call delays or incoming call abandonment.

Observe Outgoing and Non-ACD Calls - Outgoing calls and non-ACD calls are observed

to assess the necessity during client transactions.

Observe Data Entry - Agent transactions are observed in context to the response of the

data entry element of the transaction.

Identify Task Interference - Agent transactions are observed to detect any task-

interference associated with call flow and related management.

Identify Job Aids - Each group is observed to determine the completeness of associated

materials and any job aids that are required to complete a normal transaction.


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Develop a Final Report - A report denoting the findings and results of the management report

evaluation and the operational evaluations is to be produced. This report is to be divided into

observation elements with related recommendations. The recommendations combine a blend of

software, hardware, and procedural and/or training components.

The report has to contain the following sections:

Executive summary. Section presenting the management report profiles and some examples of standards. The observations and recommendations relating to the operational evaluation. A comparative analysis of the operational norms gleaned from the test month, to the data

gathered during the observation of the actual operations.

An action or implementation plan.

DESCRIPTION O F T H E DESIGN PROCESS

There are two distinct areas of design required in setting up this call center facility. The

questions which must be answered are:

How many call center agents do I need? How many trunks do I need?

As call holding times depend upon average queuing times (which depend upon the number of

agents deployed), these two questions must be addressed before we plan to set up a call center.

H ow Many Agents Do I Need?

Calculating the number of agents required is a continuous process which will require regular

reassessment as the circumstances of a call center change. Assessments may be made for each

working hour of a day, and should take such factors as marketing campaigns and daily call peaks

into account.


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In order to estimate the number of agents required in a particular hour, the following information

relating to that hour is required as a minimum:

Number of calls received

Average duration of these calls Average delay that you accept that incoming callers may experience.

Number of calls received and Average duration of the calls describe the incoming traffic levels

and must be established from call statistics or from estimates based on your understanding of the

business. Average delay that you accept that incoming callers may experience is the performance

criterion. Another performance criterion which can be used defines call handling in terms of the

percentage of calls answered within a target queuing time (e.g. 85% of calls answered within 20

seconds of ringing).

Wrap up time (or wrap time) is the time an agent remains unavailable to answer a call after a call

has been completed. It is usually the time taken to carry out administrative tasks relating to a call

such as entering an order on a terminal.

H ow many trunks do I need?

The number of agents required can and should be dynamic, changing from hour to hour, the

number of lines required to connect a call center with a central office exchange is fixed (at least

in traditional circuit switched technology) and must cater for the maximum anticipated traffic

levels which will be encountered. Engineering the number of lines required is known as

dimensioning a trunk group.

The Erlang B traffic model can be used to estimate the number of lines required. This traffic

model requires the following inputs:

Busy Hour Traffic Blocking


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B usy H our Traffic

This figure represents the quantity of traffic expressed in a unit called Erlangs. For the purposes

of these calculations, 1 Erlang can be considered equivalent to 1 hour of calls.

The busiest hour must always be used for busy hour traffic calculations. But, wrap up time is not

included. In working out the number of lines required, the busy hour traffic must be based on the

duration of the calls and the queuing times as these account for trunk occupancy; wrap up time

does not occupy a trunk.

B locking

The blocking figure describes the calls which cannot be completed because insufficient lines

have been provided. A figure of 0.01 means that 1% of calls would be blocked; this is a normalfigure to use in traffic engineering.

Reasons for Caution

The Erlang traffic model can make certain assumptions about the nature of the call arrivals.

Amongst them is the assumption that call arrivals are random. Although this is quite reasonable

in most applications, it can cause inaccurate results when there is a sudden peak of calls.


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REQUIREMENTS F OR T H E CALL CENTER

1) Technologies

Software: No one size or type fits all. Applications should be selected on the

basis of features, interoperability and usability. Custom software is best, but off-

the-shelf applications can be used as long as they are customized to meet the call

center's needs.

Voice Network: We would want to base your network on VoIP technology to

take advantage of the technology's cost, software integration and call-routing

benefits.

Servers: Look down the road and acquire systems with enough speed, memoryand storage scalability to handle the call center's operations for at least three

years.

Displays: LCDs save power and space, and they're easy on the eyes. The screens

should be large enough to accommodate the software's graphical interfaces

without creating eyestrain.

H eadsets: Ear gear should be tight yet comfortable. Detachable components

promote good hygiene.

K eyboards: To prevent repetitive-motion injuries, make sure the keyboards are

adjustable and aren't too stiff or lightweight.

2 ) Layout

F loor Plan: The best way to determine the ideal floor plan is to try a variety of

different options to maximize the number of agents per square foot while still

providing an effective flow. A program like Autodeks's AutoCAD can be a big

help in designing an efficient layout. Space: Is there enough physical space to accommodate the number of planned

agents? Have you planned for future growth? Aisles: The aisles between workstations should be wide enough to allow for

efficient movement and meet local building-code regulations.


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W orkstations: Workstation furniture should be selected and configured to help

agents handle their tasks efficiently and with minimal wasted movement. Look for

full-service manufacturers that provide not only agent furniture systems, but also

storage cabinets, meeting tables, chairs, and administrative and executive office

furniture.

Supervisor Stations: Supervisors need to see and be seen. Make sure the layout

has positioned supervisory personnel in central and prominent locations.

Noise Control: Noise-abatement techniques, such as wall and cubicle

soundproofing, as well as noise-canceling headsets, will enhance call quality

while boosting agent productivity.

Ergonomics: Workstations, chairs and computer-input equipment should all

feature ergonomic designs.

3 ) Power

Design: Will power be dropped in from the ceiling or will it come up from the

floor?

Outlets: Are there enough outlets to support all the equipment that will be used? W iring: To prevent dangerous snags and trips, wiring and cables should be

totally concealed in the flooring, the walls and the furniture.

B ackup: An emergency generator can keep the center running independently of

the main power grid. At the very least, in the event of a power failure, a generator

can allow the center to power down gradually and safely.

4 ) Environmental Considerations

H eating/Cooling: People and equipment both need adequate environmental

controls. Call centers that are too cold or hot degrade agent performance and

potentially shorten equipment life.


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Air F iltering: Dusty, dirty air can make agents drowsy, burn their eyes and

provoke allergies. Dust can also gum up equipment, so invest in a high-quality

air-filtering system.

Lighting: Good lighting is an often-overlooked design element. Dim, overly

bright or improperly positioned lights can drain agent productivity. The money

spent on hiring a lighting expert won't be wasted.

Security: Closely analyze your call center for security weaknesses. You'll need to

address three areas: technology security (affecting networks, servers, software and

other technologies), physical security (affecting the call-center site) and employee

security (including background checks, security-level administration and security

training). Overlooking any of these areas can lead to serious long-term

consequences.

B lueprint for a Contact/Call Center

The process is probably something along the lines of:

Customer calls This is purely the design of the existing telephone call. It does not

reflect any background process issues affecting the customer.

Agent handles call Whilst with a simple process such as this the call routing is easiest,

the customer has no idea of how they stand in relation to the rest of the calls arriving.


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Although the system is simple, the scope for customer dissatisfaction is high.

a ) Simple ACD Call Routing

In this case at least the customer knows they are calling the correct company. Once in the

ACD the customers call is then routed to the next available agent, NOT the next personprepared to take a call.

The welcome message can also incorporate an out-of-hours message advising of opening

hours or an emergency contact.


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b ) Skills B ased Routing

By the addition of a single voice menu, calls are now routed by team. The customer has one

choice to make and can almost immediately speak to the next available agent in the section they

require.

c) H old System

Note the area in the dashed line is a loop until an agent is available. The timings are

between messages and the agent availability check is continuous. Music can be added

between the hold messages.


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TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT O F A CALL CENTER

AGENT/EMPLOYEE

The Strategic Perspective

The Strategic Perspective covers the first three activities of the Call Center Training

Development Roadmap. These activities provide the necessary foundation for creating an


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effective training program and organization. The final output will be a Needs Assessment and

Training Strategy Document.

1) Review business strategies and direction Vision and mission of organization Integration plan Commission of training group by management

Budget2 ) Conduct needs assessment Data gathering methodology Summary of needs and requirements


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3 ) Develop training strategy document Includes items listed above Outsourcing Strategy Training organization sizing

4 ) Design training organization Organization chart Job descriptions Budget

5 ) Secure resources

Request for personnel Outsourcing contracts Space planning Architectural rough draft Equipment list

6 ) Prepare operations plan Project timeline Roles and responsibilities Budget

7 ) Design curriculum Curriculum design document Curriculum map

8 ) Develop training content Course objectives Course descriptions Course development


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9 ) Select delivery method Research summary Cost/benefit analysis A/V equipment list

10) Develop courseware Training material Instructor guides Evaluation criteria

11) Assess individual competencies

Competency assessments Testing administration procedures Test records system

12 ) Prepare development plans Training plan format Counseling schedule Record system

13 ) Initiate record keeping Records procedures Resource request

14 ) Schedule individual training Training schedule

Coverage plan


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CRITICISM AND PER F ORMANCE

Criticisms of call centres generally follow a number of common themes, from both

callers and call centre staff. From callers, common criticisms include:

Operators working from a script Non-expert operators (call screening) Incompetent or untrained operators incapable of processing customers' requests

effectively[19]

Overseas location, with language and accent problems Touch tone menu systems and automated queuing systems Excessive waiting times to be connected to an operator Complaints that departments of companies do not engage in communication with one

another

Deceit over location of call centre (such as allocating overseas workers false English

names) Requiring the caller to repeat the same information multiple times

Common criticisms from staff include:

Close scrutiny by management (e.g. frequent random call monitoring) Low compensation (pay and bonuses) Restrictive working practices (some operators are required to follow a pre-written script) High stress: a common problem associated with front-end jobs where employees deal

directly with customers

Repetitive job task

Poor working conditions (e.g. poor facilities, poor maintenance and cleaning, crampedworking conditions, management interference, lack of privacy and noisy)

Impaired vision and hearing problems Rude and abusive customers


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The net-net of these concerns is that call centres as business process exhibit levels of variability.

The experience a customer gets and the results a company achieves on a given call are almost

totally dependent on the quality of the agent answering that call. Call centres are beginning to

address this by using agent-assisted voice solutions to standardize the process all agents use.

However more popular alternatives are using personality and skill based approaches.

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