Turning Your Call Center into a Resource Pool for the EnterpriseTurning Your Call Center into a

Resource Pool for the Enterprise

Understanding the Benefits & Managing the Inherent Challenges

Leslie BrooksDirector, Kroger Support Center

About our Help DeskAbout our Help Desk

• Provide tier 1 & 2 technical support for over 330,000 enterprise Associates.

• Provide 24x7 support, managing over 1 million inbound and 300,000 outbound contacts per year.

• Two locations – Blue Ash, Ohio and Portland, Oregon• 200+ Associates

Measure Goal Result

Resolved (or Dispatched) on 1st Contact >=65%/calls 88.42%

Adjusted Abandoned Rate(ABA) <=5% 4.17%

Average Speed of Answer (ASA) <=60 sec 74 sec

Customer Satisfaction 97% >=Satisfied 97.36%

(Represents current period metrics and performance)

2012 Key Kroger Support Center Strategies

2012 Key Kroger Support Center Strategies

• Understanding the “Customer”• Metrics – “What is Good Enough?”• Service Planning – A Process for Managing

Incoming Work• Understanding the Difference between “Help

Desk” and “Escalation Team” Resources

• A New Paradigm – Insourcing• Associate Career Path Planning• Preparing for Positive Turnover

Insourcing – A New ParadigmInsourcing – A New Paradigm

How Valuable Are Your Resources?• Contracting agencies can cost over $75/hour for

certain IT positions.• Help Desk Associates cost far less.

• Help Desk Associates are experienced.• They have worked with many of the tools utilized by

the escalation teams.• They understand the “culture”.

• More quickly trained and contributing to the projects.

• They interface with the escalation teams daily.

Insourcing – A New ParadigmInsourcing – A New Paradigm

How Can You Maximize the Value of Your Resources?• Set up your Help Desk as a “resource pool”

for other areas of the organization.• Loan out your resources.

• Define the timeframe of the engagement.• Reduced cost for the first x months of the

engagement (until concept is proven).• Full cost for remaining term, enabling your

organization to backfill.

Insourcing – The AdvantagesInsourcing – The Advantages

What Are The Benefits?• Improved Collaboration

• Enables escalation teams visibility to the true talent within your team.

• Results in better communication across various levels of support.

• Imbedded resources bring valuable knowledge back to the team.

• Significant knowledge and documentation improvements.

Insourcing – The AdvantagesInsourcing – The Advantages

What Are The Benefits?• Associate Development/Satisfaction

• Gives your Associates a chance to “experience” roles prior to applying for open positions.

• Enables the development of career path planning for interested Associates.

• Increased variety = increased job satisfaction.

• Cost Savings• Utilizing Help Desk Associates can significantly

reduce the costs of project rollouts.

Case Study – Telecomm VoIP Initiative

Case Study – Telecomm VoIP Initiative

• Engaged by Telecommunications team to provide resources for a VoIP project.• Two resources required.• 18 month engagement.• Contracting firm quoted $85/hr.• Total Estimated Cost of Resources:

• KSC - $156,000• Contracting Firm - $534,000

• Total Project Savings - $378,000!

Insourcing – The ChallengesInsourcing – The Challenges

• Maturity• Your organization MUST properly prepare for

this initiative.• Do not roll out without proper planning.

• Training• Your organization MUST have robust and rapid

training processes.

• “Pitching”• Be prepared to provide data to your leadership

on the impact of the program.

Insourcing – The ChallengesInsourcing – The Challenges

• Eligible Candidates• Not everyone is a viable candidate for this type of

initiative.• Select high performers who can represent the

organization well.• Full-time vs. contractor resources should be used to

avoid legal issues.

• “Selling”• Identify escalation teams with headcount needs and

present the concept.• Sell by providing no or reduced costs for a set term.

Insourcing – The ChallengesInsourcing – The Challenges

• Supply vs. Demand• Once the process is proven, demand WILL

exceed supply. • Forecast the number of resources your

organization can afford to supply.• Stick to it and prepare to increase headcount if the

concept proves viable for your organization!

• Turnover• Expect higher POSITIVE turnover as the

Associate value is realized.

In SummaryIn Summary

Many Benefits• Improves collaboration

with escalation teams• Contributes to further

Associate development• Increases Associate

satisfaction• Exposes career

opportunities

• Reduced cost of high-value projects

Mitigate Risks• Ensure organizational

maturity• Pitching/Selling• Define Eligibility• Demand WILL exceed

Supply• Positive turnover will

increase

Questions?Questions?

Thank you…Thank you…

Leslie BrooksDirector, Kroger Support Center

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