SupportIndustry.com - Contributed Articles

Calculating Support Center Staff Requirements

By Penny Reynolds, Founding Partner, The Call Center School

Running a successful support desk operation means managing by the numbers. And the most important number of all is the number of bodies in seats each hour to respond to incoming calls. Since over two-thirds of operating costs are related to personnel, getting the “just right” number of staff in place is critical in terms of both service and cost. This article outlines the step-by-step process to calculate support center resource requirements and evaluate the most important service and cost tradeoffs.

[Full Article] Feb-13-2008

Are You Taking Care of Your Employees?

By Rosanne D’Ausilio, Ph.D.

It's reported that customer service/technical support positions are one of the 10 most stressful jobs in America today. As a matter of fact, 45% of all manager and 75% of all workers say "my job causes me stress." Further it's estimated that employee absenteeism costs companies $660 per employee per year, up from $610 in 2004. And, low morale continues to take its toll in higher costs and rates of absence. What are companies doing? This survey found that 67% of companies have programs for work-life balance, absence-control programs (leave for school functions), alternate work arrangements, etc. as compared to 16% in the past.

[Full Article] Feb-13-2008

Emergence of Quality Management/Liability Recording Suites for Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises

By Donna Fluss, founder and President of DMG Consulting LLC

Quality Management (QM)/Liability Recording (otherwise known as Workforce Optimization, or WFO) suites have been growing rapidly in both popularity and breadth of functionality in recent years. Given the traditional cost and complexity of these suites, many of the early adopters of capabilities beyond recording tended to be large (250+ seat) contact centers. Now that pattern is changing. Sales to small and mid-sized enterprises are expected to be a significant trend for the WFO vendors in 2008.

[Full Article] Feb-13-2008

The Benefit from Offering Account Management Services

By Tom Sweeny, ServiceXRG

Corporate sales organizations have long employed account management programs -- in which a designated individual or team serves as the primary point of contact for customers -- to maintain relationships with key clients. Recognizing the benefits gained through these associations, support organizations are increasingly embracing the account management concept as a way to not only sustain profitable, high-value relationships, but generate new top-line revenue streams. The following article offers insights from a study conducted by ServiceXRG to understand the current use, program structure and impact of account management programs.

[Full Article] Jan-17-2008

Escaping Groundhog Day

by Pete McGarahan, McGarahan & Associates

There is nothing worse than spending time and resources on delivering services not valued by your customers. There is also little value in delivering services that are not properly aligned with business goals and objectives or not focused on achieving any end 'business value' results. Many of us live the same day over and over, symbolically if not literally. The only way to escape our predicament is to change, if not ourselves, then at least our circumstances. This article discusses some of the most common Groundhog Day (a term that is emblematic of repetitive) situations faced by support organizations worldwide.

[Full Article] Jan-17-2008

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