CALL CENTERS (CENTRES) - Faculty of Industrial Engineering and ...

Abstract. The organizational structures of call centres are based on standardized and rigorously
controlled tasks. This paper, based on studies in companies located in Sao Paulo, Brazil,
during the 1990s, discusses the difficulties of learning and work-related anxieties present in these
types of organization.
(Appears also in Section IV.)
17. Benninghoven, A. Working conditions in call centers: Successful and healthy. WWDU 2002 -
World Wide Work. Proceedings of the 6th International Scientific Conference on Work with
Display Units, H. Luczak, A.E. Cakir and G. Cakir (Eds.). Ergonomic Institut fur Arbeits- und
Sozialforschung, Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin, 2002, 188–189.
Abstract. Successful and healthy work is determined by many factors, which can be condensed
into four main topics: equipment (software ergonomics, hardware ergonomics, office equipment),
work environment (acoustics, climate, office design), work organization (working tasks, workflow,
work structure) and employees (resources, qualification, training). The main problems in
the field of working environment and equipment are: 1) climate: it is too warm or too cold, the
air has an insufficient quality; 2) ergonomics: unhealthy postures often must be adopted while
working; 3) acoustics: the noise level is often too high, the audibility is bad; 4) office design: the
workspace is often not sufficient; and 5) light: it is too light or too dark, there is too much glare
(blinding).
Keywords: Workstation design, General environment, General workplace design and buildings
18. Bushey, R.R., K.M. Joseph and J.M. Martin. Design approach does affect customer behavior:
“Action-Objects” increase “Cut-Throughs”, Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics
Society 46th Annual Meeting, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, Santa Monica, CA, USA,
2002, 578–582.
Abstract. This paper investigates the impact of touch-tone IVR design styles on user behavior.
The design of the touch-tone IVR systems is a critical component of delivering customer service.
A well-designed system allows the customers to accomplish their goals and sets a positive tone
to their interaction with the organization. Four design styles were considered: Action-Specific
Object, Action-General Object, Specific Object, and General Object. Three user behaviors were
considered: Cut-Through, Full Menu, and Beyond Full Menu. A usability study was conducted
to quantify the impact of design styles on user behavior. Results indicate that design style
does impact user behavior. The Action-Specific Object style produced the most Cut-Through
behaviors and the fewest Beyond Full Menu behaviors compared to the other design styles. The
results from this paper suggest that the interface design style should match the customer’s mental
model.
Keywords: Call centers
19. Ferreira Jr., Mario and Paulo H.N. Saldiva. Computer-telephone interactive tasks: Predictors
of musculoskeletal disorders according to work analysis and workers’ perception, Applied Ergonomics,
33 (2), 2002, 147–153.
143