Hong Kong Call Centre Awards 2003

1
How "1823 Citizen's Easy Link" Has Improved the
Enquiry Service to Citizens of Hong Kong
HK Tang, Chief Executive Officer Efficiency Unit,
HKSAR Government
2
Outline

• Background
• Operation of Call Centre
• Performance Measurement
• Key Strategy
• Customer
• People
• Process
• Technology

3
Too Many Numbers Too Difficult to Find
HKSAR Governmenthas over 1 200published
numbers for enquiry and complaints
4
Too Difficult to Get Through

• Always busy, not answered, or answered by machine
• Over 40 call abandon rate

5
Inconsistent Service Levels

• Response Times
• Information Quality
• First Call Resolution

6
IVRS Solution or Problem ?
Over 60 callers choose to talk to an operator
7
Solution An Integrated Call Centre
8
Vision
The most caring and convenient government call
center to provide quality services.
9
Participating Departments
10
Ad-hoc Projects

• Continuing Education Fund by Student Finance
  Assistance Agency
• Environmental Hygiene and cleanliness hotline for
  Team Clean
• Tax Return hotline for Inland Revenue Department
• SARS Enquiry Hotline for Department of Health
• SARS Home Confinement Hotline for Home Affair
  Department
• Various promotion programme by Tourism
  Commission, e.g. Symphony of Lights, CLP
  Lighting Up Hong Kong, Hong Kong Mega Sale, etc
• MTR Tseung Kwai O Extension Hotline and Westrail
  Hotline by Transport Department
• Hong Kong Infrastructure Experience by Planning
  Department

11
Overview

• Established in July 01
• Monthly calls around 120K and 40K emails
• 7 days X 24-hours
• Easy to remember 4-digit number 1823
• Multi-access channels
• Multi-lingual
• Queue position / voice mail
• Trained agents 140
• Well-equipped positions 91

Internet
EMAIL
12
Mode of Operation
Consult Knowledge Base
Depts
Slope Location Etc. etc.
SLOPE Slopejkjkj jkwjek Locatiojksk n Etc.
etc. y Kjkj jkjekkrkejre kflkfldkf kksldk ksld
Jkjuwi iuiuiu iui kkdk
Enquiry handled
Open contacts file Log details
13
Performance Measurement
Nature Items Target
Service Call Answered More than 90 of call received
Service Abandoned Rate Less than 10
Service Telephone Service Factor More than 80 of calls answered within 12 sec
Quality First Time Resolution More than 90
Quality External Customer Satisfaction More than 3.8 (out of 5-point scale)
Productivity Average Call Handling Time Less than 340 seconds
Productivity Occupancy More than 70
14
Call Received vs Call Answered
15
Email from Citizen
16
Call Answered within 12 Seconds
Target gt 80
17
Average Speed to Answer
18
Abandon Rate
Target lt 10
19
First Time Resolving Rate
Target gt 90
20
Customer Satisfaction
Target gt 3.8 (5 point scale)
21
Complaint vs Comnpliment
22
Average Call Handling Time
Target lt 340 Seconds
23
Key Strategy
Customer
Strategy
People
Process
Technology
24
Customer - External

• On-going Customer Satisfaction Survey
• Monitor customer satisfaction towards the service
  and individual staff
• Continuous customer satisfaction survey to all
  callers through an automated IVR system
• Internal Call Monitoring
• Supervisors will monitor at least 100
  calls/emails per month
• Voice and screen monitoring with well-structured
  guidelines
• Calibration by QA Officer to align assessment
  standard
• Intensive coaching to drive on-going improvement
• Complaint Compliment analysis
• Monitor trend
• Understand nature for improvement

25
Customers - Internal

• Flexible charging scheme to departments
• Savings achieved by departments by transferring
  enquiry service to 1823 CEL
• An agreed sum based on call volume
• Fee per call
• Agreed number of call agents
• Principle break-even not profit making

26
Customers - Internal

• Partnership with Departments
• Regular departmental Liaison Meeting and ad-hoc
  meeting to discuss department-specific issues
• Dedicated Liaison Officer from ICC to work
  closely with department to ensure smooth daily
  operation, timely update of information in
  Knowledge Base and response to requests from
  departments
• Dedicated Business Process Re-engineering Team to
  review and streamline the process, procedures and
  knowledge base
• Service Level Agreement with Departments
• Roles and responsibilities of ICC and Department
• Service standards
• Internal escalation to ensure timely action and
  response to enquiries/complaints

27
Organization Chart
H K TANG
CEO
Business Process Re-engineering Team
Ming PANG Senior
Call Center Mgr (Ops)
Jenny LAI Call Center
Mgr (Ops)
Terry YIM Mgr (System
Support)
Training QA Officer
Venus YAU
Prudence SZE
Assistant Call Center Manager (Adm)
Wickie LAM Patrick PI
Assistant Call Center Manager (Ops)
Ricky CHEUNG Arthur CHOI Becky LEUNG
Chris CHU Assistant Mgr
(System Support)
Technical Support Officers
Call Center Supervisors
Senior Call Center Agents / Call Center Agent
Admin. Assistant
Admin. Assistant
28
People - Recruitment

• Recruitment criteria tightly tied to job
  requirement, e.g. for agents
• Qualification F5 standard with pass in English
  Chinese
• Experience Minimum 1 year customer service or
  call center experience
• Skills Typing skills
• Personal competency customer service and
  communication skills
• New recruits will go through an intensive
  assessment on the followings during the training
  period before qualified to handle call
• Customer Service skills
• System computer skills
• Department knowledge and procedures
• 1823 CEL standard
• QA officer will closely monitor the performance
  of new recruits on a daily basis for one month
  before handling over the staff to operation
  division

29
People - Training
Induction Training for New Recruits
Nature Content Course Duration
Orientation Orientation 1 Day
Soft Skill Training Effective Customer Service Training 2 Days
Soft Skill Training Team Building Effective Communication 1 Day
Soft Skill Training Quality Assurance 0.5 Day
System Training Use of Telephony System 0.5 Day
System Training Siebel Operation and Procedures 4 Days
Departmental Knowledge Training Departmental Knowledge Training 4 Days
Field Practice Assessment Field Practice Assessment 5 Days
30
People - Training
0.5 1
0.5
0.5
0.5 1
31
People Motivation
Motivation Scheme

• Smart Agent of the Month
• Smart Agent of the Year
• Smart Team of the Month
• Best Coach of the Year
• Call of the Month
• Award
• Gift (e.g. hotel buffer coupon)
• Certificate
• Higher priority for Training or Visiting

32
People - Communication

• Weekly operation and QA meetings with supervisors
  to review agent performance
• Monthly team meeting amongst supervisors and
  agents to build team spirit and enhance peer
  learning
• Tea meeting with agents to enhance communication
  in an informal manner
• Bi-monthly lunch gathering with all staff to
  build up morale and to present awards
• Annual retreat day for all staff to cultivate
  call centre culture and align vision
• Annual Staff Satisfaction Survey to collect staff
  feedback

33
Support

• Help staff set up a Recreation Group (????)
• With the support of management, the Group itself
  organizes
• Staff opinion poll
• Visit to client departments
• Bi-monthly tea gathering and birthday party
• Recreation activities such as outings
• Competitions

34
Process

• Management Process
• Performance Management
• Quality Assurance
• Recruitment Training
• Resources Management
• System and Procedure Enhancement
• Customer Handling Process
• Knowledge Base Updating
• Procedure and Standard Script
• Siebel Operation

35
Process Performance Management

• Assess individual staff performance based on a
  set of measurable Key Performance Indicators in
  the areas of Service, Quality and Productivity to
• Drive performance of individual staff and
  self-motivation for improvement
• Provide clear guidelines for performance
  assessment and contract renewal
• Provide a basis for the incentive scheme

36
Process Performance Management

• Incentive Scheme
• Each of the staff is assigned personal
  performance targets
• Achievement of targets by staff will affect their
  entitlement to
• contract-end gratuity
• additional annual leave

37
Process Performance Management
38
Process Performance Management
Average Performance Score of Gratuity Payment Extra Annual Leave Day
90-100 100 1 Day
80-89 90 1 Day
70-79 80 0.5 Day
60-69 70 0.5 Day
50-59 60 Nil
Below 50 0 Nil
39
Process Quality Assurance
Regular call monitoring
Management Information Report
Complaint from caller/department
Supervisor / Manager observation
Call evaluation and calibration
Identify and prioritize areas for improvement
Agent coaching
Refresher training
Knowledge base update
Procedure review
System enhancement
40
Process - Call Monitoring

• 100 calls recorded by voice logger system
• Supervisors carried out call monitoring and
  complete evaluation form in system
• Each supervisor evaluates a minimum of 100
  calls/emails per month
• Call evaluation emphasizes on accuracy of
  information given
• Carry out coaching and arrange training if
  required
• QA officer carried out calibration for evaluation
  by supervisor to align standard

41
Process - Call Monitoring

• Scoring
• Accuracy of Information 50
• Call Handling Procedures 10
• Customer Service Skill 15
• Use of Siebel 15
• Knowledge Base 10
• Frequency
• 1-2 calls were monitored
• Supervisors submit weekly report

42
Process KB Update

Ad-hoc Updating
Annual Review
Initiated by ICC
From departments
From ICC
From callers

• Ensure information accurate
• Change KB structure to facilitate call handling

Update information to Knowledge Base
43
Technology Architecture
44
Technology Solution

• Voice
• Telephone System (Avaya)
• Interactive Voice Response System (Apex)
• Computer Telephony Integration (Avaya, Q-Phone)
• Voice, Screen Logger (Nice)
• Data
• Email System (Microsoft Exchange)
• Fax System (Faxgate)
• Web Site (Microsoft IIS)
• Application
• Work Force Management System (IEX Totalview )
• Customer Relationship Management System (Siebel)
• Customer Satisfaction Survey System (Apex)
• Analytics
• Call Management System (Avaya)
• Performance Management System (Custom-made)
• Others
• Backup Server (Veritas)
• Antivirus (Symantec)

45
CRM Solution

• Siebel 2000 (Service) is applied as the CRM
  Solution.
• Enquires and complaints are handled via different
  channels, telephone call, email, fax and e-form.
• Enquires are handled by agents consulting the
  Knowledgebase with Keywords and Subject matter.
• Complaints are logged based on the specific
  questions of the selected Subject Matter.
• Complaints are referred to action parties
  according to the assignment guidelines via
  e-mail/ fax or phone call for urgent cases.
• Reminder and escalation for non-action will be
  sent to action parties based on the Service Level
  Agreement.
• Cases are retrieved by caller contact telephone
  number, email address, case reference etc.
• Case status enquires from different channels can
  be handled
• Cross department cases can be handled

46
Contingency

• 2 levels of contingency plan
• Disaster Recovery (Fire, Bomb Threat, ACD, CRM
  server, Telephone network, electricity supply,
  air conditioning)
• Business Continuity (IVRS, Email system, Fax
  system, CTI)
• In case of Disaster, operation floor will be
  vacated. Call flow of Disaster will be activated
  to inform the disaster and caller may leave voice
  mail if necessary and server (except ACD and
  voice mail) will be shut down.
• Setting up a backup site.

47
Disaster Recovery Plan
System Trigger Impact Recovery Action
Fire Fire Alarm Vacate floor Disaster announcement.
Bomb Threat Reported bomb threat Vacate floor Disaster announcement.
Telephone Network Monitored by Technical Support No incoming call No incoming call Disaster announcement.
ACD Monitored by Technical Support No calls to agent No calls to agent Disaster announcement.
CRM Server Monitored by Technical Support No access to knowledge and case logging Complaint logged on standard form and jot Enquiry cannot be handled and call back caller when system recovered
Electricity Supply Alarm in Server room No power supply UPS step by automatically to support server and workstation. After 1 hr vacate the operation floor and change call flow to disaster announcement
Air conditioner Staff in operation floor Hot and poor air circulation Open window After 1 hr vacate the operation floor and change call flow to disaster announcement
48
Business Continuity Plan
System Trigger Impact Recovery Action
IVRS Monitored by Technical Support Calls cannot be routed to agents Change call flow to route direct to agents
Email Server Monitored by Technical Support No incoming and outgoing email Outgoing email by internet mail instead of email server
Fax Server Monitored by Technical Support No incoming and outgoing fax Print the fax and send it out by fax machine
CTI Server Monitored by Technical Support No screen pop up Agent change to another CTI client Greet caller by standard 1823 greetings
49
Future Plan External Customer
Department Schedule Additional calls per annum
Rating Valuation Department account and billing enquiry March 2004 210,000
Labour Department June 2004 600,000
Companies Registry December 2004 110,000
Hongkong Post - Calls diverted from branch offices September 04 to March 05 100,000
50
Future Plan External Customer
To cope with expansion

• Rented 16 positions from the private sector
• Setting up a second call centre with 50 positions
• To build another training room to free up
  existing training positions for call handling

51
Future Plan Internal Customer

• To introduce a Web-based Case Management System
  to enhance co-operation between ICC and
  departments

• Departmental officers can retrieve details of
  their cases through the internet
• Departmental officers can update the case
  progress and provide interim/ final reply through
  the internet
• The system enhance the transparency of case
  handling by 1823 CEL and departmental officer

• To conduct Internal Customer Satisfaction Survey

52
Future Plan - Staff
Introduced a computerized Performance Management
System

• For staff to keep track of their own performance
  and award of incentives
• As a data warehouse to consolidate performance
  statistics for management planning

53
Q A