paper -
43 The Modernization of a Call Center
Karen
Reasoner, University of Wyoming
The evolution of any technical support center can go
through various phases. Due to
increasing client demands, diversity of services and requests, and ever changing
technologies that are being supported, IT departmental and procedural changes
can be anticipated. This growth has required innovative strategies to be
adopted across the industry; Client Support Services (CSS) at the University of
Wyoming also reflects this national trend.
Our goal was to incorporate call center technologies yet retain our
present efficiencies and sound business practices.
In order to take advantage of new strategies, the
following changes and goals were proposed:
Providing a central call center staffed by technical
personnel (Previously, each department
on campus was assigned only one User Consultant, who would handle most calls
individually.)
Tracking all client contacts, including phone, office
visits, e-mail, etc.
Increase communication and accountability between IT
departments
Integrating call distribution technology
Measures of our success:
Increased customer satisfaction in that a technical
answer can be obtained quickly.
Decreased overall response time
Increased first-call resolution at the newly created
central help desk
Decreasing CSS's front desk, IT's main phone number,
and individual User Consultant's call volume
Since these points continually presented themselves as
interrelated, we also were faced with issues of changing departmental
structure. Coupled with our technology
and structural change investment, we could now implement efficiencies not
attainable in our previous environment.
This paper outlines processes used to establish a more effective call center, integrating basic technologies and work load management techniques. As this is an ongoing project, the presentation will also provide a status report of the University of Wyoming's Call Center project. Intended audience: those interested in implementing automation tools, call logging, and centralizing a previously decentralized call center.