ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008 - (Page 39)

EXPERT’S ANGLE events, but also from the slow erosion of performance that can take place over time. The activities most likely to erode are those in which we have some strength and achieve some level of success. We get lulled into believing that they require little or no attention from us, but then the gains slowly start to evaporate while we tend to more obvious concerns elsewhere in the enterprise. How do we ensure that we’re able to hold on to these strengths? We do so by complementing our more typical business continuity, disaster, and succession planning with “strength maintenance. ” Instead of focusing merely on surviving a quick-strike event, our plans should also address how to at least maintain (if not build on) our current strengths far into the future. GETTING STARTED gained by the exercise. THE IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTH MAINTENANCE So where do you begin? Two questions help to pave the way: 1. WHAT? What qualifies as a strength? Utilizing performance metrics, survey results, third-party assessments and other forms of feedback, you need to identify where your strengths exist. 2. WHY? Why are you successful in these specific endeavors? Asking why is how you get to the real source of success, and to protect it, you must first identify it. “Why” is not always easy to define, and almost always includes more than one factor. As managers and executives, we are trained to focus mainly on opportunities and performance problems. The parts of the operation that function correctly often receive little attention, since they cause us no pain. These questions force us to put some thought into those areas, and there is much to be icmi’s insight My colleague’s situation provides a great example to illustrate the difference between continuity planning and strength maintenance. Most business continuity plans for larger contact centers address workforce management and how analysts can safeguard data and information so that, even if a key system crashes, forecasts and schedules can be produced. That’s an important activity that can turn a potential disaster into a non-event — exactly what you want from your business continuity plan. But if forecasting and scheduling is a strength, a business continuity plan typically does little to ensure that it won’t slowly erode in the future. Strength maintenance digs deeper. For example, it might uncover that forecasts are produced outside of the WFM system and require considerable expertise from the analysts. When you ask why the analysts are so skilled, you might learn that they received some external training, or perhaps they’re required to attend a conference or two each year, or maybe they attended statistical classes at the local community college. They also may have cultivated strong relationships in the marketing department to allow them to stay on top of events that can impact call volume. Knowing this can help you to determine whether or not the analyst position should be included in succession planning, and to consider a strategy for locating and training backups for the position. It may also cause you to rethink the compensation program and the importance of high employee satis- faction in that department. While this example focuses on workforce management, the process is just as applicable in any function that you might consider a strength today. Great customer satisfaction scores, for instance, are an indication of many potential strengths throughout the contact center, from hiring to training to leadership and beyond. The answers to the “why” question will give you greater insight into the specific reasons for your success, and with that you learn what needs to be protected. All forms of contingency planning for quick-strike events are critical to business success. It’s not easy, and truth be told, many managers either don’t have the necessary plans in place or readily admit that they are not as robust as they should be. But at least there is an awareness of the risk. Erosion is much more mysterious and less often discussed, but it’s every bit as dangerous as a service disruption from a disaster. A strength maintenance program helps to highlight your success and ensure that it remains a strength in the future. Without having to worry about taking “two steps back, any positive ” change from innovation will then truly leave you one step ahead. • JAY MINNUCCI is ICMI’s Vice President of Consulting Services. jaym@icmi.com | JANUARY 2008 www.icmi.com 39 http://www.icmi.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008

ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008 Contents Customer Care Technologies Ad Index Editor's Page Contact Center Spotlight People: Prehire Tests In The Center Strategy: Video Contact Centers Show Preview Operations: Knowledge Management Industry Research Contact Centers Face Today's Realities: A Case for Consolidation 2.0 Is Your Agent Training Process Evolving with the Role? The Key to Innovation Is Maintaining Your Strengths Becoming Strategic: Using Customer Contact Analytics to Empower the Contact Center's Role

ICMI's Customer Management Insight - January 2008

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