S.O.M.

Project

Designing a Call Centre

Submitted by :

Shamsher Jang
Uday Airun
 1. INTRODUCTION

Today’s call centers have evolved to becomesophisticated, high-tech showcases of

service, support, and sales. Meanwhile, the look andlayout of call centers is changing to
keep up with the new demands being placed on them.Call centers are getting more
respect as their image morphs from backroom to corporate centerpiece.

No longer do executives dismiss their call centersas a necessary evil best operated on a
shoestring.Instead, many progressive companies are coming around to the opposite view,
one that recognizes the potential of call centers to have an unrivaled impact on the bottom
line—for better or worse.“The boiler room mentality is disappearing,” saysLaura
Sikorski, managing partner of Sikorski, Tuerpe and Associates, a call center consulting
firm inCenterport, New York. “Today, executives are realizing that the call center just
might be their mostimportant asset—and are treating it accordingly.”

What’s responsible for the elevated status of callcenters? Mainly this: Nowadays, many
companies interact with their customers primarily—if not solely—through their call
center. In effect, the call center isn’t just another department, it’s the front door—often
the only opportunity companies have to build a relationship with customers they’ll never
see. “Call centers are increasingly the main point of contact between a company and its
customers,” says Roger Kingsland, managing partner of Kingsland ScottBauer
Associates, a Pittsburgh architectural firm thatspecializes in call centers. “And that trend
will continue as the technology becomes more sophisticated and our economy becomes
more reliant on information and services.”

2. Strategy and Objectives

When an agency is considering the establishment of a Call Centre as part of its overall
service strategy, some fundamental decisions must be made before the process begins. It
is important that the agency's current service strategy is assessed and the range of
possible alternatives considered. This section concludes with a brief overview of some
typical implementation and management issues that may occur when establishing a Call
Centre.
2.1 Why do you need a Call Centre?

There are many reasons to consider establishing a Call Centre. Often a number of critical
events provide the catalyst for re-evaluating existing service strategies.
Some examples include:
 • An increasing number of customer complaints, perhaps escalating to
ministerial complaints, are received;
• Adverse publicity regarding the level of customer service;
• A departmental focus on reducing costs while increasing service levels;
• Increasing customer contact and call volumes throughout the agency, with a
growing number of agency staff required to take telephone calls;
• The development of agency initiatives, such as specific hotlines and
community campaigns, leading to expected and unexpected increases in
call volumes;
• Unpredictable crisis or emergency situations, such as contamination of
drinking water, oil spills and hailstorms;
• Agency business with a large number of customer interactions;
• Higher level agency staff providing basic customer information;
• Recognition that the role of the agency’s switchboard is more than simply
connecting customers to various sections in the department and that
existing facilities are not up to standard.

Agency-wide reviews may also conclude that the delivery of customer service
needs to be improved. The process of identifying areas in need of improvement
invariably focuses on how an agency can provide more efficient and cost-effective
service. Adopting a Call Centre as part of the agency’s future service strategy is
one alternative that should be considered.
2.2 How can a Call Centre enhance an agency's service?
A Call Centre can provide a number of important benefits. First, an increased
focus on customer service is likely to lead to more efficient methods in handling
significant levels of customer interactions. This, in turn, leads to a reduction in
transaction costs where the majority of simple customer interactions are handled
by dedicated, well-trained, frontline staff. The more senior and experienced staff
can then be assigned to more complex tasks.
Achieving further internal efficiencies may also allow the agency to initiate
contacts Call Centre Establishment Guideline Page 5 of 44
 with clients and can streamline the handling of incoming calls to a central area,
rather than being spread across various sections throughout the agency.
By replacing over-the-counter transactions with telephone contacts, agency and
customer costs can be reduced. As long as telephone contacts are handled
efficiently, customers who do not have time for, or access to, face-to-face
transactions will view the change favourably.
A variety of customer contact channels may also be utilised, ranging from
facsimile to technology-based services, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
units and Web-based services via the Internet.
2.2.1 ACHIEVING SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
When considering the need for a Call Centre, an agency should begin by
looking at the specific outcomes that are required. Existing New South Wales
(NSW) Government agencies with Call Centres cite many reasons for using
this strategy. The main ones are the need for uniformity, cost efficiencies,
reducing complaints and improving customer service and access.
Key reasons for establishing a Call Centre include the following:
• An increased or new business role;
• A need to provide information and advice;
• Public education;
• Greater access to agency services including equity of access;
• A desire to raise the agency's profile;
• Consolidation / centralisation issues - concentration of expertise;
• Achieving greater understanding of what the customer wants, through
feedback and comments;
• Tracking of customer needs and determining the marketing direction of
an agency.

There are a number of improved customer service delivery outcomes that may
be expected from an effective Call Centre. Call Centres improve customer
access and choice while lowering the cost of service. They can provide
consistent responses and improved quality of information, which leads to
higher customer satisfaction. There is also less customer frustration as
inquiries are directed to the proper area, reducing the common problem of
caller run-around. Analysing calls to the Call Centre can also prevent
problems by allowing early identification of customer service trouble spots
and problem issues.

2.3 Assessing the current situation

Once a decision to establish a Call Centre to improve customer service levels is

made, current telephone call handling strategies should be assessed to determine
the extent of the improvements required.
2.3.1 EXISTING CALL VOLUMES
Details of the current level of call volumes need to be collected. Most
agencies can conduct a basic analysis of telephone traffic through their
telecommunications provider at the telephone exchange level. The analysis
will help to identify basic calling patterns and provide information on call
frequency.
As an example, call volumes of about 500 calls per day equate to 2,500 calls
per week, 10,000 calls per month, and more than 100,000 calls per year.

An evaluation of the nature and complexity of the calls should also be made.
By categorising the calls into the levels of expertise required, it may be
possible to identify, for example, that the majority of calls (80 per cent) may
be simple transactions that can be handled in less than three minutes and
usually relate to 20 or 30 common questions.

2.3.3 CURRENT RESOURCE ALLOCATION

At first glance, assessing the extent of resources currently allocated to
telephone call handling may appear to be relatively straightforward. If,
however, staff handling calls also have other administrative duties and / or
face-to-face customer contact, it can be difficult to get an accurate count of
the time staff spend on calls. This can result in difficulties in managing calls,
particularly when staff absences occur.

2.3.4 THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERTAKING CUSTOMER RESEARCH

The requirements and preferences of customers who contact an agency must
be understood before deciding on which technology will be most useful and
have the greatest acceptance by callers. While Government agencies can get
some type of feedback from their customers on an informal basis, by studying
complaints received, exit surveys and customer feedback, it may also be
necessary to conduct targeted market research.
Customer feedback collected within the previous 12 months would be the
most useful, and should be focused on measuring customer satisfaction levels.
If customer feedback is not readily available, then primary research should be
undertaken. If the agency does not have the relevant expertise to conduct the
research, the agency should engage an external market research firm, with
knowledge of call centre.

2.4 Range of alternatives to consider

Agencies should consider all of the options before developing a service strategy
using Call Centres. The major options include the use of hotlines, shared
infrastructure arrangements, outsourcing, or establishing an internal Call Centre.
2.4.1 HOTLINES
Agencies with short-term needs can use hotlines for the management of new
or changing community or business issues, crises management and event-
 predictive demand peaks. Election announcements or changes tolegislation
that will cause an increase in calls from the public are typical examples.
2.4.2 SHARED ARRANGEMENTS
There are considerable costs involved in establishing a Call Centre, when all
associated expenses are recognised. Before making that decision an agency
should carefully consider an alternative option, such as shared arrangements.
A shared Call Centre facility can become an efficient contact strategy for
smaller agencies. Such a strategy provides significant savings on
infrastructure, advanced technology and ongoing running costs. In a shared
arrangement only the personnel and the information provided is specific to
each agency, along with 1300 and 1800 numbers.

2.4.3 OUTSOURCING
Outsourcing is another option for agencies considering a Call Centre. There
are two main types of outsourcing: full customer contact outsourcing or
partial outsourcing, involving a specific task, function or campaign. The latter
option is generally considered when organisations wish to focus on their core
business or may already have a Call Centre that is operating at full capacity.
2.4.5 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
Effective contract management of external service suppliers is vital, whether
the suppliers are an outsourced bureau or telephony and information systems
vendors. There is more likely to be a problem if there is no department or
individual within the agency responsible for the contract management.
Prior to entering into any contractual arrangements, an agency should
undertake a full risk analysis of all the factors associated with service
continuity. The analysis should include a requirement for the service
contractor to develop redundant systems and contingency plans in the event
of loss of service.
An unconditional financial undertaking in the form of a bank guarantee may
be appropriate should the contractor be unable to provide the required service,
for whatever reason. Non-performance issues must also be addressed from a
legal perspective. Service contractors may also be required to pay
compensation to the agency when unsatisfactory service performance occurs.

2.5 Overall implementation and management issues

.
These include:
• Adequate resources;
• Senior management commitment and support;
• Recruiting the right staff;
• Accurately forecasting call volumes;
• An appropriate technology infrastructure in place with vendor support;
• Buying-in expertise;
• Effectively managing latent demand.
3. Planning and Development

Once the decision has been made to implement a Call Centre, a business plan needs to be
developed. The plan must clearly set out the customer contact strategy and relate it to the
agency’s overall strategic direction. The plan must also establish a sound financial and
organisational justification for the adoption of such as strategy. This includes describing
the role of the Call Centre and its service level objectives and outlining size and site
considerations, financial requirements, the extent of organisational process re-engineering
and the time-frame for implementation.

If internal expertise is not available, the decision to obtain outside assistance

should be made at this stage. The selection of an appropriate person should be
based upon the consultant’s experience in start-up operations, reputation in
the market and value for money for service provided.

3.1 Role of the Call Centre

The primary role adopted by the Call Centre will be a major influence on a
number of critical decisions regarding its function, call-handling strategies,
internal or external contact strategy and its configuration, namely, centralised
or Decentralised.

A Call Centre typically serves as a first point of contact for the majority of
customer inquiries or service issues of a basic nature. This means that 80 per
cent or more of Call Centre calls can be answered without the need for referral
to other parts of the agency. More complex inquiries can also be managed,
provided that adequate training and knowledge-based systems are developed.
The primary goal of any Call Centre is the delivery of quality service to
satisfied customers. The basis for delivering this quality service is to develop
enhanced relationships with customers.
Decisions must also be made on just where the Call Centre fits in to the
overall organisational structure. It may be beneficial for the Call Centre to
have direct reporting lines to an executive manager within the agency's line
management structure. This ensures that the Call Centre remains integral to
the achievement of the agency’s service outcomes.

3.1.1 VISION STATEMENT FOR THE CALL CENTRE

Creating a vision statement for the Call Centre can have an impact on service
level objectives, call-handling strategies and the way the Centre fits in to the
organisation. The vision statement can articulate the basic purpose of the Call
Centre and identify its objectives as part of the agency’s overall strategies and
service delivery aims. This will help shape the long-term development of the
Centre.
3.2 Outsourcing vs Insourcing
Once the need for a Call Centre is established, a detailed analysis of internal
expertise and available resources should be made to decide whether the Centre
should be based internally or externally.

3.3 Call-handling strategies

The specification of the way calls will be handled determines the overall
resource requirements of the Call Centre in terms of required staff numbers,
training and extent of organisational support. Key decision criteria associated
with call-handling strategies include the overall call objectives, the functional
operation of the Call Centre, and the extent of inbound / outbound call
orientation needed.
3.3.1 CALL OBJECTIVES
The overall call-handling objective needs to be carefully determined. This
directly influences the length of calls (call talk times), the staff numbers
required to handle the calls, the experience levels of staff, and the overall
information systems and telephony requirements.
For instance, if the call handling objective is simply to provide a call referral
service to more experienced staff within the agency, then the call talk times
will be considerably reduced (under 90 seconds). This will mean shorter
training and fewer staff are required. However, staff must also have the
appropriate knowledge to switch calls through to the proper sections within
the agency and to track the ultimate resolution or outcome of the calls.

3.3.2 INBOUND AND OUTBOUND

The Call Centre’s role needs to be clearly defined from the outset. There will
be different resource requirements for Centres handling inbound calls only,
outbound calls only or a combination. This has an effect on the staff skill mix
required as well as the use of particular technology, such as predictive diallers
(to filter engaged or no-answer callers) for outbound calling.
3.3.3 ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS
As well as clearly defining the role of the Call Centre, the agency's marketing
channels or customer contact strategies need to be considered. This can range
from straight telephone and facsimile services to electronic mail and Internet-
based strategies. Service level objectives should be established for each type
of access, in terms of response times and workflow procedures. This will
allow performance to be measured for each access area.

In addition, the hours of operation of the Call Centre and after-hours service
requirements need to be specified. Extended hours of operation will increase
resource requirements in terms of shift length, supervision levels and staff
numbers. If the Centre will be operating on a 24-hour basis, one alternative is
to use an external service bureau for after-hours services.

3.4 Service Level Objectives

 An important part of the business plan is to identify the likely impact of the
introduction of the Call Centre, both internally within the agency, and externally
on customer satisfaction levels.
If the service level objective is set at industry standards, where 80 per cent of all
calls are answered within 20 seconds, then much higher staffing numbers will be
required than if the objective is set at 70 per cent of calls answered within 30
seconds.
Too often, service level objectives are set without considering the appropriate
level for the customer segments that are being served. For instance, many
organisations use Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology to answer all
calls and then require customer to select particular numbers in order to direct
their inquiry to the most appropriate person. Measurement of the call
answering time should only begin once the call is held in queue and not when
the IVR initially answers the call. Furthermore, many customers do not like
using IVR technology when dealing with an organisation. It is essential that
research be conducted on customers’ preferred contact methods.

3.5 Centralisation vs Decentralisation

Another key decision in establishing a Call Centre is the determination of the

overall configuration of the Call Centre in terms of centralisation, decentralisation
or a distributed Call Centre network.
Some important issues that relate to choosing a configuration are:
• Capital costs: costs generally will be higher with a decentralised and
distributed configuration and lower in a centralised arrangement, since
centralised operations allow significant economies of scale and capital
utilisation.
• Culture change visibility: the introduction of a Call Centre will be much
more visible in a centralised operation.
• Communication flows: internal communication will be much easier in a
centralised Call Centre than in a decentralised option.
• Performance management: experience shows that it is much easier to
maintain consistent service levels and performance standards in a
centralised operation than in a decentralised one.
• Motivation and support dynamics: maintaining staff motivation and
productivity is much easier in a centralised operation.
• Defined accountability: accountability is much more easily defined and
maintained in a centralised operation. Lower levels of accountability are
more common in decentralised operations.
• Staffing: a decentralised Call Centre may require the appointment of
additional levels of team leaders.
• Expansion costs: expansion costs tend to be higher in a decentralised
operation, because of the duplication of expansion costs. Often, the
capacity to expand has not been factored into the overall planning process.
 • Local response: a decentralised operation or distributed network can
arguably respond more quickly to local regional issues than a centralised,
universal operation.
• Backup site: the need for uninterrupted operation is an important
consideration. If this is essential, multiple sites, such as those in
decentralised or distributed Call Centre arrangements, may be the best
configuration.

3.6 Size considerations

Planning the size of the Call Centre fundamentally begins with the determination
of the volume of calls, average talk time and after-call work processing time
involved.
If an average talk time is based on three minutes per call, then 15 calls will take
one hour with time added for after-call processing. That breaks down to 45
minutes call time and 15 minutes after-call work time. On an eight-hour shift there
would be six hours of actual work time (assuming two hours for breaks and other
downtime), for a total of 90 calls per day for a Customer Service Officer (CSO). If
900 calls per day are received, then 10 staff will be required.
As the number of staff increases at the Call Centre, a corresponding increase
in office space and facilities, telecommunications and information systems
equipment and supervision will be required.

3.7 Location (site) considerations

Deciding on the actual location of the Call Centre is a major part of the overall
planning and development process. Governments actively encourage the siting of
Call Centres in regional areas, instead of prime city locations. In addition, local
councils often offer attractive incentives to encourage organisations to locate in
their areas.
The decision on locating the Call Centre is not a simple one. Often, the initial site
advantages and location incentives are not sufficient to overcome another
important factor, the availability of an adequate staffing pool. As an example,
Queensland Transport located a Call Centre in Emerald but now has to deal with a
staff turnover in excess of 30 per cent, because of a transient workforce in this
mining area.
There are a number of other important factors to be considered when
choosing a location. These are identified as:

• Occupancy costs of the Central Business District (CBD) vs other site locations;
• Labour pool availability - profiles of area demographics, unemployment rates;
• Access to public transport, parking;
• Telecommunications infrastructure;
• Building requirements - universal power supply (UPS), cabling, security, ease of access,
building suitability, extent of required modifications;
• Proximity to suppliers.
Occupancy costs are a major part of the ongoing operational costs associated with
a Call Centre and tend to be higher in CBD locations. This situation is likely to
worsen as the demand for inner city locations continues to escalate. Outlying areas
and regional locations, such as Newcastle and Wollongong, may be attractive
alternatives. Ultimately, given recent advances in technology, it does not matter
where the Call Centre is located, provided an adequate labour supply is available.
Assessing labour availability in the various locations under consideration is an
important part of the overall site evaluation process. A demographic profile of the
area should be obtained, including unemployment rates and the location of various
tertiary institutions. Universities and TAFE colleges represent an excellent source
of part-time and casual staff.
Transport is an important issue to staff and information on the availability of
transport services will be required. Security issues, such as the site’s proximity to
reliable public transport and busy streets, on-site car parking, exterior lighting and
well-lit and secure exits need to be considered. The question of car parking should
also be addressed at the time of site selection as staff will want access to adequate
staff parking facilities, particularly if they work extended hours. Convenience and
safety issues take on added significance if the Call Centre intends to operate
outside of the traditional five days per week, 9 am to 5 pm work patterns. Instead
of selecting a remote industrial site, a site near shops will make attracting staff
easier.
If the Call Centre will be serving interstate customers, Australia's different time
zones and changes to and from daylight savings need to be factored into the hours
of operation.

An adequate telecommunications infrastructure that can cater for growth is also

required. Not all telephone exchanges in outlying regional areas are fully
equipped to handle the large volume of calls that might occur.

Building considerations include the need for basic infrastructure requirements,

such as access to a universal power supply, telecommunications, and IT
(information technology) and electricity cabling. Other considerations include the
extent of building modifications required and whether the Call Centre will be
located on one level or multiple levels. Ideally, a one-level structure is more
suitable as it encourages better communication and team development.
The building selected should also allow room for expansion as responsibilities
increase. Adequate space requirements are an essential component of growth
strategies.

The proposed site will also have to meet all of the normal legislative
requirements, such as the availability of fire equipment, first aid areas and access
and support facilities for physically challenged staff. The location’s proximity to
suppliers is important in both the start up phase and
 during ongoing operational maintenance. Many suppliers charge significant
additional travel expenses when the Call Centre is located in a remote area. The
availability of suppliers to quickly restore telecommunications and information
systems to prevent business interruptions is of paramount importance to efficient
service delivery.

3.8 Financial considerations

It is clear that the decision to establish a purpose-built internal Call Centre can be
an expensive exercise, and one that should not be undertaken without adequate
planning and development. It is vital that adequate resources are allocated to the
Call Centre to enable agreed service level objectives and call volumes to be
effectively met.
A critical consideration is the extent of support and understanding from senior
management. Without their full support and commitment from the original
planning phase, there is a danger that ongoing resource allocation may not be
available.
3.8.1 ESTABLISHMENT COSTS
Among the fixed costs incurred in the establishment of a Call Centre are
purchases of hardware and software. Labour and telecommunications are the
major operational costs, but there are also ongoing costs for items such as office
supplies and stationery.
One option to consider that will cut capital costs is to lease equipment, rather than
purchase it. Leasing provides advantages in areas other than costs. It can make
affordable a higher level of required technology and can provide the latest models
in telephony and communications equipment, important tools in a mission-critical
Call Centre.

3.8.2 OPERATING EXPENSES

One of the most significant operating expenses in a Call Centre is the cost of
labour, which is estimated to be 65 per cent of a Call Centre's overall budget. One
method of calculating operational costs for a Call Centre is based on an industry
per seat allocation of $75,000.

Check Check list for Call Centre Operating Costs

1. Facility costs: electricity; maintenance.

2. Telecommunications: maintenance and development.
3. Information systems: maintenance and development.
4. Recruitment and training – ongoing;
5. Salaries, plus on-costs;
6. Advertising and communication;
7. Miscellaneous, such as consultancy fees.
 3.10 Key implementation stages

Once the initial decision is made to establish an internal Call Centre and the role and
function of the Centre is identified, specific decisions on the size, configuration, location,
and financial requirements will be needed to justify the business case.

Key PKey process Elements in Establishing a Call Centre

• Justifying the business case;

• Agency-wide involvement;
• Managing expectations;
• Launching the project;
• Implementing the Call Centre – going live.

Part of justifying the business case involves obtaining both executive and budget
approval. This includes an overall strategic analysis that specifies time-frames and a
comprehensive description of operations requirements and both capital and operating
budgets.

Obtaining agency-wide involvement is critical to the long-term success of the Call

Centre. Communicating the expected benefits and outcomes is an important part of
gaining support. Key stakeholders should be identified and involved early in the project,
and asked to participate in all aspects of the planning process. Regular stakeholders
meetings should be held throughout the planning and establishment process.

Managing expectations is another a key aspect. It is important to decide who will be

affected by the establishment of the Call Centre, who should be involved in the planning
and what are the cultural expectations of the agency. Part of the process of managing
expectations is to establish a communications strategy that reaches all of these parties and
includes executive briefings.

Once executive and budget approval has been obtained, the next step in launching the
project involves identifying members of the project team. The project team needs to be
cross-functional to ensure that key stakeholder involvement occurs. A Call Centre
manager should be recruited at an early stage to ensure his / her input into the
establishment and operational issues.
4. Major Establishment Factors

Timing issues
The timetable for the effective implementation of a new Call Centre depends on a number
of key factors, both internal and external. With careful project management and
allowance for supply problems, realistic deadlines are achievable. However, if there is a
large degree of customisation in the plans or building information systems, then the
implementation process will take longer
Developing a Facility Plan
Facility planning for a 200-seat Call Centre can take up to 14-16 months to complete,
from deciding on the size to moving-in. Obtaining the appropriate technology for a Call
Centre can result in significant cost savings and efficiencies from both an organisational
and customer perspective. An overall technology platform for a Call Centre would
typically include a PABX or exchange-based switch, an ACD-MIS, rostering software, a
customer database and an Internet site.

4.1 Telecommunications
It is important to put the right telecommunication systems in place from the beginning, as
mistakes are expensive and difficult to rectify. The right technology for a Call Centre is
very difficult to determine as understanding technology requires a comprehension of the
terminology that is being used. Compounding the problem is the rapid advances in
technology and its deployment .

Telecommunications Options

There is a wide range of telecommunications equipment available, from the basic to very
sophisticated exchange-based technology. A basic option is to adopt a single contact
number. A common service is FREECALL 1800, a free telephone service to callers.
Other special number services allow customers to call in for the price of a local call, such
as the 10-digit 1300 number. There is also the six-digit 13 number, a service that can
identify the source of a call and direct it to a single answering location. The 13 number is
also available at the cost of a local call, but the annual rental to the agency will be
significantly higher than for a 1300 number.

A basic telephone system for a Call Centre begins with a key telephone system, where the
telephones have multiple buttons and allow the user to select lines for outgoing or
incoming calls directly.
A PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) is specialised equipment that acts
as an extension of the public network. It allows different telephones within an
 organisation to have their own number (or extension) where calls can be made or
transferred internally. Outside callers can dial a specific extension to reach a
person or section. PABXs are normally purchased or leased from associated
vendors.
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) systems provide flexibility in distributing and
managing inbound calls by automatically keeping callers on hold until the next
CSO is available. An ACD can also prioritise calls in a queue.
Automatic Call Distribution-Management Information Systems (ACD-MIS) give
comprehensive management information in real-time, as well as historical information,
for effective call management analysis and reporting. It provides reports on 15-minute
and 30-minute call traffic patterns and individual groups or CSOs. Overall Call Centre
performance can be reported and aggregated on a daily, weekly, monthly and year-to-date
basis.

4.2 Information systems requirements

One of the key building blocks of a Call Centre is the information systems that will be
installed. The suitability of the existing information system will need to be assessed. A
consultant and / or systems integrator should be consulted to help choose the most
appropriate technology for the agency's needs.

4.2.1 HARDWARE

Hardware, the physical equipment used to operate the software, includes the screens,
processing unit or drive, CD-reader, keyboard and printer. There are a number of
different hardware figurations, including stand-alone personal computers (PCs),
networked PCs that are part of a local area network (LAN) linked to a central database
and management control system, and an existing mainframe computer.

If an existing mainframe computer is used, check that its processing capacity will give
fast response times (instant access to information). It may be possible to have a separate
processor dedicated to the Call Centre, but on-line to the mainframe’s client and
transactional database.

4.2.2 SOFTWARE
One of the most important considerations in choosing software is the question of
compatibility with the hardware that will be used. Customer contact software should
provide CSOs with relevant customer information so that they can handle inquiries
properly. The system should have the ability to manage new callers as well as regular
customers, and allow for easy and flexible scripting. It should also incorporate automatic
tracking of call outcomes and have a calendar and diary that records date and time
automatically when entries are made and can schedule follow-up calls as appropriate.

Designing in-house systems can be difficult and time-consuming, but there are already
sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs available that can be
customised for an individual organisation's needs.
In general, the criteria for selecting the right type of software should be based on the
following:

 R elationship management capabilities;

• Compatibility with existing hardware;
• Ability to meet required response times (processing speed);
• User friendly;
• Call management and scheduling facilities;
• Input / output options to link with other systems;
• Local support when things go wrong, training and ongoing
maintenance;
• Compatibility with other systems, eg, windows-based, Microsoft.
A corporate database interface is used when a database already exists. By integrating the
key fields from the database with the customer contact software, CSOs can view
appropriate screen information. The interface allows data to be transferred between the
corporate mainframe and the customer contact system.

There are also software enhancements for existing information systems that can help
organisations achieve significant efficiencies. Using fewer keystrokes and developing a
simpler process for inquiries and / or amendments are two such examples.

A well-maintained customer database is critical for managing ongoing customer

relationships efficiently. A relational database links data from all parts of the organisation
and allows the development of a useable database. A customer contact management
system collects, stores, organises and updates information so that it can be easily
retrieved and used within the Call Centre. Customer information, transactional
information and call contact information can all contribute to identifying trends and
customer segments for the development of marketing and communication strategies.

Workforce Management Systems

One of the most difficult challenges within a Call Centre is to achieve efficient staffing
levels. Specialised software tools are available to predict the staffing levels required,
based on historical call traffic volumes together with key service parameters. A
workforce management system can be installed to work in conjunction with the ACD, or
as a stand-alone system, to forecast call volume and associated staffing requirements. The
ultimate goal of workforce management is to determine the optimum ratio of staff to call
volumes and service level standards. The use of rostering software can provide
significant staffing efficiencies.

4.3 Facility planning

A primary goal in the design of a Call Centre facility is to maximise staff performance.
Effective Call Centre design can be the difference between a comfortable, teamwork-
oriented, low stress environment and one that is confused, cramped and likely to cause
high staff turnover. The work environment has a direct impact on staff satisfaction and
job performance.

The Call Centre environment should take into consideration ergonomic design, acoustics,
lighting levels, air quality, and personal space and privacy. Well-designed furniture will
minimise repetitive strain injury and allow staff to work in comfortable surroundings.
Consideration of occupational health and safety issues is a key component in the design
of an effective workplace.
Proper facility planning will have a major impact on the operational performance of the
Call Centre.

4.3.1 CALL CENTRE LAYOUT

Planning the layout of the Call Centre is an important step in providing the right
environment for maximum staff performance. The plans should be made with a view to
future expansion as the volume of calls may be underestimated and the Call Centre may
take on additional responsibilities at a later date.

4.3.2 WORKSTATIONS
An appropriate ergonomic workstation design is a critical factor in staff productivity. A
good design for the placement of workstations will prevent the staff from feeling like
battery hens.
Chairs should be adjustable to provide both comfort and good back support. Casters on
the chairs will give free movement around the workstation. CSOs spend a lot of time
sitting, so the importance of quality chairs cannot be overestimated.

The size of the workstation should be large enough to accommodate computers,

telephones, manuals and shelf space. Adjustable desk heights are preferable, but they are
also expensive. The workstation partition should be just high enough to allow for privacy
and to retain the workstation's acoustic advantages, but low enough to ensure staff
members don’t feel isolated from the rest of the team.

4.3.3 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Lighting: natural and diffused lighting should be used where possible within the Call
Centre to minimise glare, reflections and shadows. One option is installing vertical blinds
for daylight control and using glare guards to prevent problems with glare from artificial
lighting. The standard lighting in most offices is not suitable for a screen-based Call
Centre environment. Anti-glare options include fluorescent lights with triphosphor tubes
and up-lights on the top of workstations.

Ventilation: the Call Centre should have its own air conditioning temperature controls
and provide comfortable and consistent temperature and humidity. If there are extended
shifts, the air conditioning in the building must be programmed to accommodate these
requirements.

Noise: background noise can be stimulating within a Call Centre environment, but
excessive noise levels can cause problems with communication. A relatively noise-free
environment is desired. Soft furnishings, such as carpets, partitions, and window blinds
will help to absorb sound and minimise noise levels. Headsets with built-in noise
reduction facilities will also help.

Recreational Space: given the repetitive nature of telephone call handling and the desk-
bound nature of the job, it is important that CSO’s have a recreation area separate from
the workplace. Here they can get away from the phones for short and longer breaks.
Special breakout or quiet rooms with comfortable chairs are ideal for this activity.

Kitchen and Lunchrooms: a dedicated kitchen / lunchroom area for staff will help
minimise food consumption at workstations and encourages staff to have a proper break
away from the phones.

Other rooms: where possible, fit out of the Call Centre should include training rooms,
interview rooms and a utility area. A dedicated area for specialist coaching and training
sessions and a confidential meeting room for discipline or other issues are also
worthwhile inclusions.

4.3.4 OFFICE EQUIPMENT

Among the resources required for the efficient day-to-day running of the Call Centre are
office equipment such as fax machines, photocopiers and printers, whiteboards, training
room furniture and equipment, TV / VCR, overhead projector and shelves for stationery
and other office items. Place noisy and distracting support equipment away from the Call
Centre.

4.3.5 SECURITY

Adequate provision should be made for security in the Call Centre. This includes
restricted access to customer records and the database, confidential material, and
personnel files. Secure areas for files, together with a system of passwords to restrict
access to information, are two methods that can be used.
The telecommunications and information systems room is also likely to be a restricted
area with access codes required. In addition, access codes are likely to be required for
overall access to the Call Centre facility.

4.5 Staffing
Appropriate staffing is one of the most critical aspects in establishing a Call Centre.
Ensuring that correct numbers of staff are recruited and deciding on what levels they will
be hired are two key decisions in effective human resource management.