Operations Center Customer Service Initiative

Intervention
Needs Analysis suggested:
• Performance objective collaboration – Communication plan created and presented in
order to share the customer satisfaction survey and its results. Facilitated sessions were
held where technical operations teams developed performance objectives that specifically
addressed survey metrics. Themes: expectation setting, feedback, ownership, social
contracting (fully implemented)
• Customer Service Skills Training – Several operations teams exhibited a lack of
fundamental customer service skills. A call flow process was documented and integrated
into training. Training was customized to include telephone customer service role play
scenarios that reflected specific examples from the technical operations team’s
environment. Themes: new process and skills transfer, practical application, re-usable call
flow process model, skills underpinned team performance objectives (fully implemented)
• Manager coaching and reinforcement plan – Coaching sessions with operations team
managers offered tools and methods for implementing real-time objective based
performance feedback, call review model, fun reinforcement games and “energizer”
exercises. Themes: motivation and incentives (rewards and consequences), feedback,
communication, accountability (25% implemented – full implementation in progress)
• Equipment upgrades – Automated Call Distribution (ACD) infrastructure was poorly
implemented and/or utilized. Use of telecom headsets, call review, integration
into individual performance plan and review system recommended.
Themes: supportive work environment, feedback, team and individual
accountability (10% implemented – full implementation in progress)
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