Reduce Repeated Calls into Call Centers

Details

1. What:  BellSouth wanted to decrease the repeat non value-added calls to a servicing center.
   
   Key measures: % Repeat Calls, % Calls Placed on Hold, Average Handling Time, Customer Satisfaction

2. Who:  Servicing Call Center
3. Where: Tennessee and Florida
4. How Long: 3 months (includes 3 weeks of testing)
5. How:  Six Sigma Approach
6. Why:   To reduce overtime and streamline work flows

Collect Ideas:  Ideas were collected from the front line (over 800 were collected) from 5 separate call centers. 

Ideas Tested/Time Frame:  The ideas were reduced to 32 testable ideas.  All 32 were tested at the same time for a period of three weeks.  There were 8 significantly helpful ideas, 2 significant hurts and 2 that made no significant difference.

Some of the ideas tested:  job aid to help deal with irate customers, offer to call them back, offer payment arrangements, bill explanation, recap the order