CSR Tricks

[lisafire]

Hi

I've tried before to create custom reports on agent exceptions to try to spot any unscrupulous CSRs, but to no avail - has anyone ever been able to create a custom exception report ?

On a related subject - I've been searching the web for any info on the most common CSR tricks (little dodges like transferring their call back to the end of their queue) to avoid doing work, but I just can't find very much at all - any ideas ? Anyone got any really good tricks they remember spotting ?

[mikael]

Lisa,

Just off the top of my head, here's a few of my favorite ones.

Going into the call-tracker database, finding simple cases that were closed, and changing the ownership of that case so that it boosted the FCRR stats for the rep. (The software allowed the change, but nobody but the particular rep knew that it could be done.)

"Cherry-picking" from the open-cases queue in the call-tracker; selecting only the easy stuff while ignoring the higher-priority cases that looked harder.

Reopening old cases, adding a comment to the bottom of the notes (something very general, of no help at all) -- which had the effect of boosting the "cases-worked" stat for the rep.

Giving a caller busy-work to do, and then closing the case. When the customer calls back in five minutes later to report no success, open a new case record. This trick does nice things for your FCRR and your overall case-count, while also helping you to stay well within the target AHT. To catch this game, write yourself a report that identifies multiple calls from the same customer within a short time frame. Pick some cases from the list, and investigate to see if they are in fact the same case.

Contact center operations are like a river flowing downhill. If a new channel opens up that is easier/quicker, within a very short time, it will become the riverbed -- all the reps will be using it.

And it's not just the reps that will play games -- their supervisors and managers are not always above such things. When ordered to reduce abandons, for example, one manager instantly got his center into full compliance with the directive -- by changing the definition of "abandon" in the ACD table. Anybody that waited on hold for at least 72 hours and then hung up before being connected was an Abandoned Call. If they hung up before 72 hours, then they were not counted...

[ADnashville]

I'm sorry Lisa to see only one response to your request, as this is a real problem facing call center managers. I've seen discussion on this in a number of other forums and user group associations; and too from my own experience I know this to be a wide spread problem.

In the past, with the help of some of my staff, we'd come up with a number of reports that we manually created to stop CSR tricks. However--no longer. We purchased an "off the shelf" solution called N-Focus from Netlert and we can now automatically monitor CSR activity--as one of my group managers recently said, "the can't cheat on me anymore".

You can find the company at www.netlert.com/nlnfocus.htm

AD

[lisafire]

Thanks AD

I had a look at the weblink, and it looks like a great tool.
Unfortunately, we're not in a position to buy any new software.
You don't happen to have a kist of any the kinds of reports you were using ?

Cheers
Lisa

[CASR]

What ACD software/vendor are you using?

[lisafire]

Thanks for responding - it's Avaya Definity - CMS for reports.
Lisa.

[dj_eddie]

Hi There,

Another trick for increasing Service Levels is by a staff member consistantly calling the CC and having the call answered then immediately hang up. If they do this a few times (20 or 30), it could bump up the Service Level.

[headsetguy]

hi lisa,

this has nothing to do with metrics but, a really small overlooked way to cheat is to break the equipment, i.e. headset/handset, to get out of taking calls. since most call centers only have enough headsets on hand for the staffing level, some states it's required to issue them, they get out of taking calls.

another on of my favorites is rep not available. depending on what you use this can be expoited.

i'm sure there's a million more but these are the one's that i run into a lot.

hg

[ArleneP]

Here's some of my favorites:

Hang up on the caller as soon as the call arrives: decreases agent average handle time - agent looks like a star. Caller just thinks it was an equipment malfunction. Have to write a report on short calls - something like how many calls to that agent were less than 10 seconds in length. Found one agent who disconnected hundreds per month.

Don't say anything when the call arrives: same as above, but now harder to catch as callers can stay on the line for 30-60 seconds. Have to actually listen in to the call.

Agent changes state to idle/not available for a second while waiting for a call. Since ACD delivers calls to agent waiting longest, the agent has just reset him/herself to the end of the delivery queue. Have to write a report that monitora state changes (agent events)

Have their friends/family call in and ask specifically for that agent - especially with 800 numbers. Looks like a regular call. Have to write a report that lists/groups ANI by agent. Similarly with outbound - write a report that lists/groups outbound call dialed digits.

Agree with Mikael - once one agent finds a trick, everyone learns it in days.