CallCentreVoice Topic Service levels

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Dawn Maddock on 7/11/2001 13:45:19.
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Dawn Maddock
Call Centre Mgr
Mail Order

2 posts
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Service levels  [7/11/2001 13:45:19]

Hi, I am looking for some information regarding service levels. We are a mail order company, taking on a new fulfilment contract. The Company are requiring an answered telephone service level of 95% answered within 30 seconds. Can anyone give me any feedback whether this is around the norm?

Thanks
Dawn

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Adelle Wedlock
Consultant
Freelance

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Service Levels  [8/11/2001 13:51:22]

Hi Dawn

in new callcentres i've implemented we've always gone for the 80/20 rule, which seems to be typical. When we've set it at this we then observe dynamics as the Call centre matures, such as call volumes, number of agents. When setting a service level (particulary if you are outsourced) you need to be careful that you don't put the pressure on too much for the agents, similarly if the service level standards are too low this can have a negative impact. I suggest you put a stake in the ground and then assess the performance to guage a realistic target and not expose yourself (especially if this is a contractual agreement)

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Brent Preece
Vice President
Destination Excellence, Inc.

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Agreed...  [8/11/2001 16:48:57]

...and you must factor in the costs to your company for the overstaffing required to attain a 95% service level. 80/20 is the 'standard', for lack of a better word, and requires accurate forecasting and very good schedule adherence to maintain a reasonable outsource profit. As overstaffing to a 95% CSL is going to do nothing but cost you money, your client must be willing to pay for it.

A few figures that I hope will help:
1. Assuming a minimum of 125 seats, an 80/20 CSL will allow you to run between 80-85% occupancy.
2. Assuming the same 125 seats, a 95/30 CSL will only be accomplished at a 60-65% occupancy.
3. Both of these figures assume a forecasted call volume that is within 5% of accurate on a daily basis.
4. If your center is <125 seats, the occupancy figures will be significantly lower.

As this is a sales organization (mail-order), they want to maximize the number of contacts in order to maximize the number of sales, which is reasonable. You may wish to counter this with a promise of a higher conversion rate, or even a higher revenue per sale figure. But I agree with Adelle: put a stake in the ground. The costs to you for achieving a 95/30 must be accounted for in the contract negotiations.

Hope this helps.
Brent

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Dawn Maddock
Call Centre Mgr
Mail Order

2 posts
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Thanks  [12/11/2001 12:00:01]

Thanks, really useful information....

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