How can a tool that provides real time reporting of agents' performance impact on the overall performance of the business? 

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BY SHARON RUSHWORTH, COMMERCIAL MANAGER, TSC

What inspired the development of this innovative tool?

Any business that stands still is destined to fall behind. And it was from listening to and learning from our people that TSC was inspired to develop a tool that would revolutionise our contribution management systems.

Employees told us that they wanted feedback on their individual work more frequently than the standard once a week review that is routinely practised in the contact centre industry. They wanted to be able to self-motivate and self-manage by seeing their contribution in real time. Team leaders expressed frustration at the need to allocate time to producing reports when they would rather be coaching.

From a business perspective, TSC wanted to improve the service offered to our clients by linking business outcomes to the front line teams and advisers.

How did we devise the concept?

Firstly, we looked at a best practice performance scorecard. It was based on a set of four key criteria: crucially, to involve everyone at every level of the business in the development and creation of the score card; to train and support supervisors in its use; to maintain consistency with the TSC culture; and to demonstrate to the advisers the impact their contribution has on the business's bottom line.

From the outset, agents told us they wanted a fun tool, and not one that looked like on excel spreadsheet on their dashboards.

Together, focus group members designed a one-armed bandit. The score card highlights the four key contribution areas, each weighted in keeping with the priorities of the business: individual contribution, internal quality, first opportunity resolution and customer feedback. We were keen to demonstrate to clients TSC's emphasis on quality, which is why this area has a greater weighting within the contribution yardstick.

The focus group also built into the tool a barometer by which advisers can measure their performance against that of their peer group.

We as a group also introduced an on-line piggy bank which gives advisers the option to bank their bonus from the previous period, and a Jack in the Box which offers agents extra bonus amounts during promotional periods - for example, when we have a focus on quality.

By clicking on a hints and tips button, agents can access advice on how to improve their performance in an area of weakness identified on the score card. By providing on-the-spot reminders, the function operates as a back-up by complementing training.

How was it rolled out?

Each of the TSC sites that would receive the system had appointed 'champions' - people-focussed team leaders who would act as change agents.

We engaged advisers in helping to make the tool a better product, providing a link between management and the TSC IT people who were building the tool. We were able to influence the design to make it presentable and interesting for all the users. It was very much a collaborative approach.

We drew up a communications strategy in preparation for the launch, and gave advisers support to let them understand what we were attempting to deliver. We also spent a lot of time educating the team on how they could use the tool to maximise their time dealing with customers whilst watching their bonus grow.

After four months of planning and refining the model, this innovative tool - named by advisers as 'Get Minted' - went live last August at the three TSC sites, with a total of 500 advisers.

What were the results?

Since the introduction of 'Get Minted', we have seen an up-lift in quality scores and an improvement in contribution.

We've received very positive feedback from the team manager population - the amount of time they have to spend on administration has decreased, freeing up their ability to coach and focusing on the right things!

The system is constantly evolving, and the operations manual is immediately updated with every change.

Advisers - who receive information from the facility about their average call handling time - can now drill down to help them understand how the tool has arrived at their scores. The tool will highlight developmental calls, which the advisers can then listen to with their team leader to understand where they could improve the interaction and in turn earn more money. Conversely, it draws attention to very positive calls, which can then be shared with colleagues as an example of best practice.

Because they are now seeing at a glance how their contribution compares with that of their peers, 'Get Minted' has sparked a lot of healthy competition.

And because they can see in an instant the areas on which they need to improve in order to achieve the maximum bonus, advisers
are now the masters of their own destiny. Equipping them with the tools and ability to identify what they need to change has clearly empowered and motivated them.

Clients have also warmly received this initiative, which demonstrates TSC's commitment to innovation and our determination never to stand still. In fact, we have now had some request to offer this tool to a number of interested parties.

The next step is to roll the system out to TSC's other eight sites in the UK and in India, and to embark on the planning process for our next bold new initiative, which will revolutionise shift patterns. Watch this space!

Sharon Rushworth
Commercial Manager,
Telecom Service Centres Ltd,
1 Central Park Avenue,
Central Business Park,
Larbert,
Falkirk
FK5 4RX

T: 01324 575000
W: www.tsc.co.uk
E: sharon.rushworth@tsc.co.uk