Centralized Workflow

[trinka]

We are in the process of consolidating operations. In most contact center environments, calls, e-mail, fax and internet/intranet requests are the common ways to receive work. I'm curious if any contact centers have a process in place to distribute work to other areas in their operation? We are researching the possibility of having all operational work come into a centralized area via fax, web, etc. and one group divide and deliver the work to the respective processing areas. The goal is to limit the quantity of fax/phone numbers, web sites, etc. our clients would have to remember. I am interested to find out if anyone is structured this way and any benefits that have resulted. I am also interested in the opposite, anyone who is structured this way and thinks the costs outway the benefits, etc. Thanks

[mikael]

Trinka,

At first glance, what you are describing is a multi-queued organizational structure and a gatekeeper. In process terms, it's a "sorted-model." The work would come in to a central point and then be distributed via the gatekeeper to the group deemed most appropriate to receive it.

Having a centralized receiving point for the various communications channels from your customers is a good idea, for exactly the reason you suggest -- it makes it easy for your customers to contact you. It gives you more certainty about managing the operation so that nothing falls through the cracks.

In terms of use of resources, the gatekeeper and sorted model is very inefficient, and can have significant effects on your stats. For example, I took a support group with 35 people who typically picked up about 60% of their calls in 5 minutes, and the balance in about 8-12 minutes. They used a sorted model process flow, and separate numbers instead of a gatekeeper. After we re-engineered the flow, they picked up 99.9% of their incoming call volume in less than 60 seconds, and got the rest in less than 30 seconds more -- with no additional headcount.

Most incoming cases typically fall into the "known answer" category. The answer already exists within the company, the task is to access it and deliver it to the customer. That task is most efficiently and effectively done by a centralized group who is charged with handling and closing all of the simple stuff as quickly as possible, and escalating only those things that require more time, knowledge/skill or authority. The key issue is therefore to quickly identify those tasks that will require escalation and get them on their way, clearing the central receiving group to concentrate on their primary mission.

That a generalized overview, of course, but I hope that it's useful. I almost always encounter this question in every engagement, regardless of the industry, so you're definitely not alone in considering it. What I recommend is that you adopt the centralized receiving point for all incoming communications, but then think through very carefully what you do next with those requests.