Case Study
Call Center/Telephony Assessment
Client Background and Overview
Turnkey Solutions was tasked with assessing a municipal call center that was handling an extremely high volume of calls— approximately one and a half million calls per year. Despite their best efforts, the call center was experiencing several challenges, including long wait times, high abandon rates, and frequent busy signals. Furthermore, the monthly call volume far exceeded the expected volume based on the number of customers being serviced, which raised concerns about the efficiency of the call center. The purpose of the assessment was to discover the root cause of the challenges and to both recommend and implement approved solutions.
Solution
Turnkey Solutions accurately assessed the symptoms and diagnosed one main issue and two subsidiary issues contributing to the call volume. By conducting a traffic study, Turnkey Solutions determined that the primary rate interface (PRI) trunks were being shared with another department, causing both departments to experience service disruptions during peak hours. By reconfiguring the trunks, the team found a more efficient way to handle the call volume without increasing the number of PRI trunks.
Additionally, the interactive voice response (IVR) and automated attendant were reconfigured to provide customers with more user-friendly options and self-service capabilities. As a result, the IVR soon accounted for 63% of automated customer payments.
From a personnel perspective, the agents were divided into unique groups of expert agents who were trained for specific tasks, and calls were routed accordingly. Because these agents focused on specific issues all day, they were better suited to help customers more quickly.
A large percentage of the former call volume was based on repeat calls from frustrated customers who were hanging up and calling back. Over a period of about a month after implementation, repeat calls from frustrated customers decreased significantly, and 80% of calls were answered within 30 seconds meeting the industry standard. The new, more efficient call routing system, along with additional self-service options for the IVR, reduced the overall volume. The success of these solutions demonstrates the value of strategic planning and expertise in optimizing call center performance.