Best Practices in Headset Management in Call Centers · The headset was further miniaturized and...

Best Practices in Headset

Management in Call Centers

Author

Dr. Jon Anton Purdue University

Director of Benchmark Research Center for Customer-Driven Quality

Principal Investigators

Cory Gunderson

Communications Manager BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

John Chatterley Data Analyst

BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

Greg Van Zandt Project Manager

Feb. 17, 2005 Version 1.0

Research Sponsored by

Copyright © 2005, BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

This report may not be copied, scanned or reproduced without the written permission of BenchmarkPortal, Inc. Additional copies may be purchased at a reasonable price by e-mailing [email protected] or by calling (805) 614-0123 ext. 10.

PU74-021705

i Copyright 2005 BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose of Study ...................................................................................................1 1.2 Summary of Key Research Findings ....................................................................1

2 Introduction ...................................................................................................................3 2.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................3

3 Best Practice Study Defined.........................................................................................5

4 Research Objectives and Methodology.......................................................................7 4.1 Objectives ..............................................................................................................7 4.2 Methodology ..........................................................................................................7

4.2.1 Survey One ...................................................................................................7 4.2.2 Survey Two...................................................................................................8

5 Best Practice Recommendations.................................................................................9 5.1 Centralized Accountability for Headset Management.........................................9 5.2 Headset Selection Process ....................................................................................9 5.3 Budgeting for the Purchase and Repair of Headsets .........................................12 5.4 Agent Training in Headset Usage, Care, and Hygiene......................................13 5.5 Theft Deterrence .................................................................................................13

6 Summary and Conclusion ..........................................................................................15

7 Selected Findings and Interpretations.......................................................................17 7.1 Survey One..........................................................................................................17 7.2 Survey Two..........................................................................................................30

About the Author...............................................................................................................35

About Plantronics .............................................................................................................39

Appendix A: Survey One Tabular Results.......................................................................41 Best in Class Practices of Headsets Management in Call Centers ............................41

Appendix B: Survey Two Tabular Results.......................................................................61 Headset Management Costs in Call Centers ..............................................................61

References.........................................................................................................................65

ii Copyright 2005 BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

List of Figures

Figure 1. Industries represented by call centers participating in Survey One ...................... 18 Figure 2. Satisfaction with present headset management system....................................... 19 Figure 3. Reasons for purchasing new call center headsets ............................................... 20 Figure 4. Percentage of participants purchasing new headsets during the past

year............................................................................................................................. 21 Figure 5. Reasons for selection of the particular brand of headset purchased .................... 22 Figure 6. Percentage of call centers that measured call-handling statistics

before and after implementation of headsets .............................................................. 23 Figure 7. Headset training offered ...................................................................................... 24 Figure 8. Training offered on proper headset usage for monitoring of calls......................... 25 Figure 9. Percentage of call centers with centralized headset management ....................... 26 Figure 10. Percentage replacement units on hand.............................................................. 27 Figure 11. Respondents’ rating of their current headset service provider............................ 28 Figure 12. Likelihood to recommend the brand they use to other call center

professionals............................................................................................................... 29 Figure 13. Average price paid for a new wired headset ...................................................... 31 Figure 14. Average price per new wireless headset............................................................ 32 Figure 15. Ratio of call centers that expense versus capitalize the cost of their

headsets ..................................................................................................................... 33 Figure 16. Most important factor in deciding which brand of headset to

purchase..................................................................................................................... 34

1 Copyright 2005 BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 Purpose of Study

The purpose of this study was to document current best practices in headset management in call centers. This study focused specifically on headset:

a. selection b. usage c. budget d. maintenance e. replacement

While the cost of even the highest quality headsets is low when compared with call center staff salaries, computer software, and telecom expenses, the mismanagement of headsets can contribute to poor customer service, increased agent stress, and unnecessary budgetary expense. And, yet, organizational accountability for this essential piece of equipment and its related parts is sometimes loose at best in the fast-paced, pressure cooker environment of today’s call center.

A primary driver of this study was our conviction that there is much more money at stake when headset management is neglected than busy call center leaders might realize. Often the focus of call center cost reduction initiatives is the obvious—reducing agent turnover, increasing agent efficiency, upgrading technical capabilities to reduce wasted time, and the like. The results of our study will illustrate that effective headset management is an often-overlooked endeavor that will not only result in improved agent job satisfaction and increased customer satisfaction—but in cost savings worth pursuing.

1.2 Summary of Key Research Findings

a. All respondents purchased headsets in 2004; 83% of respondents purchased new units while the remainder purchased used.

b. When it came to headset brand selection, 36.8% of survey respondents indicated that their choice was based on “quality, performance, and reliability;” this was higher than any other selection criteria, including price.

c. Nine out of every ten respondents indicated that they felt comfortable with their current headset service provider.

d. Only slightly more than one-third of the centers are using current technologies (USB and Blue Tooth), and less than one half of the centers that use wireless headsets employ 2.4 GHz technology.

e. About three-quarters of respondents indicated that they were “fairly satisfied” or “satisfied” with their present headset management systems.

Best Practices in Headset Management in Call Centers


f. Surprisingly, only 1 in 12 respondents offer their agents training in the hygienic use of headsets.

g. Training in the proper use and storage of headsets was somewhat better though still surprisingly low.


2 INTRODUCTION

2.1 Introduction

Headsets were originally worn by telephone company operators who helped callers place long distance connections. This was circa the early 1900s—before the term call center had been coined. In those days, the headset was a large, cumbersome contraption that was worn using an over-the-shoulder harness that placed a long, curved funnel-looking device face up in front of the operator. The earphones covered both ears. This technical wonder weighed more than ten pounds and depended on large, heavy, bolted-to-the-floor power supplies to make it operable. Back then, both carbon microphones and ear speakers depended upon large amounts of electrical current to run, and distortion ruled.

In the late 1930s, carbon microphones (a.k.a. button mics) were introduced. They were smaller and somewhat more comfortable than their predecessor but still required a significant electrical current that, unfortunately, still created significant distortion.

The advent of miniaturized hearing aides in the 1960s benefited not only the hard-of-hearing but those who depended on headsets to do their job, too. Headset makers placed into the microphone and earpiece the same small circuits and tiny coils found in the mini hearing aides. This redesign resulted in a much-improved one-pound headset that didn’t require the heavy electrical components it had before. Distortion reduction, as well as comfort, was greatly improved.

The headset was further miniaturized and its performance enhanced in the 1970s. The actors who played NASA technicians in the movie Apollo Thirteen sported these “minis,” which weighed only five ounces—a boldly go-where-no-man-had-gone before invention of that day.

Today, headsets have literally gone “unplugged.” Though wired headsets still dominate today’s call centers, wireless units offer the independence from being tied to a telephone base. Instead, they rely on rechargeable power supplies. The luxury of increased mobility within the call center is certainly a lure for those leaders who want their supervisors, managers, and performance coaches to walk the floor and remain connected to their agents and/or customers. They may also find them helpful for those agents who must repeatedly have access to remote fax machines and other remote job-help sources to do their work. Their higher cost and frequency limitations, however, remain as obstacles to their wider use.

Though headsets truly have come a long way, baby, their purpose in call centers remains unchanged—to effectively connect someone who requires service to someone remotely located who can deliver it. And, while one could reason that the job of those dependent on headsets to service customers should get increasingly easier with each new advance in technology, today’s agents would likely confirm that their jobs are anything but easy.



Consider the current conditions in most call centers. Executives, under the gun to grow their customer bases in the most cost effective ways possible, depend upon their organization’s call center staff to deliver loyalty-inducing service as efficiently as possible. And, as if that alone doesn’t feel like a mighty tall order, consider the number of “headsetted” agents squeezed into cubicles in close proximity to fellow agents—all trying to respond effectively to a wide variety of customers who come in a wide variety of moods.

Compounding the agents’ challenge of providing good service is the increased number of customers who use cell phones to contact call centers. That means that agents aren’t just dealing with their own call center’s background racket —they’re also up against the static, interference, and background noise arising from the customer’s calling environment.

With all this noise potential swirling around each service experience, it is likely that agents are unwittingly increasing their own voice level. This cacophony is obviously detrimental to the entire service experience. Agents and customers may have to repeat themselves to be heard, thus reducing the agent’s productivity and the customer’s level of service satisfaction.

And every tenured call center leader knows that, considering the large volume of customer calls their agents handle each shift, every second of inefficiency adds up to a considerable loss in profits. A benchmark that illustrates how time-sensitive a call center should be is the following: In a center of 500 agents, if you can reduce the call handle time by just one second per call, this equates to an annual savings of one full-time equivalent agent position.

Consider not only the loss of agent efficiency but the increase in telecom costs, too, when agents and customers have to repeat themselves. Previous studies we’ve conducted show that each less-than-extremely-satisfied customer experience has the high potential to transform a current customer into a former customer.

What this all adds up to is a clarion call for today’s call center leaders: Don’t ignore the importance of something too easy to take for granted—headsets. More specifically, effective headset management systems. Consider the reading of this Best Practice Report the first step you take to better manage this invaluable resource.


3 BEST PRACTICE STUDY DEFINED

Dr. Anton’s team, referred to from this point forward as the “Team,” defines “best practices” as those planned workflow delivery steps that have proven to achieve the highest effectiveness and efficiency for a given process. Best practices include the strategy and operational implementation of articulated steps to deliver the defined end-goal of a given process.

The Team uncovers best practices by gathering targeted information on specific call center processes and practices (in this case, on the topic of headset management) from a wide variety of centers. Centers known for their effectiveness are the main source of the Team’s research. The data gathering occurs through the use of comprehensive surveys, on-site visits, and telephone interviews. The Team documents those steps in the centers’ implementation that have had a substantial impact on achieving and/or exceeding process end-goals.

The concept of benchmarking to find best practices is simply described by the following statement:

“All of us are smarter than any one of us.”

What this means is that there is seldom one call center that is better in all areas than all others. More typically, effective centers are doing one or more things really well but may be unaware of the creativity and effectiveness of others. Our research discovers the best practices and makes them known to those interested in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their center. This document is such a report of the best practices in headset management.

Other best practice reports available through BenchmarkPortal include:

a. Agent Monitoring and Coaching b. Workforce Management c. Up-sell and Cross-sell

Please visit <www.BenchmarkPortal.com> for more information on ordering these reports or call 805.614.0123 ext. 10.


4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

4.1 Objectives

The main objective in conducting this study was to document best practices in headset management. Specifically, we believed that documentation of the best practices of the following headset management practices would reveal ways call center leaders could improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their organizations:

a. Centralized accountability for headset management b. Headset selection process c. Budgeting for the purchase and repair of headsets d. Agent training in headset usage, care, and hygiene e. Theft deterrence

4.2 Methodology

The Team created two separate, but related, survey instruments to collect headset management practices information using consistent criteria.

4.2.1 Survey One

The first survey, ‘Best Practices in Headset Management in Call Centers’ (Appendix A), was the more comprehensive of the two. It focused on gathering data on: the call center itself (e.g., industry served, number of call centers within organization, number of agents, etc.); headset brand and model used in the center; headset selection and purchasing criteria; service management; storage and logistics management; and satisfaction level with brand and distributor, etc.

4.2.1.1 Determination of Whom to Survey/Fielding the Survey

Call Centers that have been determined to be Centers of Excellence—both effective and efficient—were invited into this study. A variety of headset brand manufacturers were also asked to provide us with the names of their largest product users for invitation into the study. Those product users were also invited to participate.

a. Twenty-five call centers responded to our invitation, completed the survey, and returned their responses to us via e-mail.

b. Ten in-depth follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to explore the specifics related to the survey’s open-ended questions.

c. Three on-site visits were conducted to observe and discover unique and effective processes as they pertained to headset management.



4.2.2 Survey Two

The second survey, ‘Headset Budget and Selection’ (Appendix B), focused specifically on headset selection criteria and headset budget matters.

4.2.2.1 Determination of Whom to Survey/Fielding the Survey

Call centers that are part of BenchmarkPortal’s community were sent invitations to participate in the survey.

a. More than 2500 surveys were e-mailed to a randomly selected group, and over 300 call center professionals responded to the survey, indicating a response rate of 16%.


5 BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 Centralized Accountability for Headset Management

a. It is considered best practice to centralize headset management accountability. Having headset procedures and systems in place will save you time and money. The goal is to eliminate the all too common practice of having headsets and parts crammed in boxes, stuffed under desks, scrapped in cabinets at the end of the hall, etc. In these less-than-ideal scenarios, whenever a headset breaks, someone has to leave the floor in hopes of retrieving a working unit. The result in lost time and a negative impact on performance metrics. The team member responsible for inventory should ensure that working headsets are always available and those that are not are quickly turned around for repair and/or return.

b. Decide who will manage your headsets. In smaller call centers, the best practice is to assign a call center leader who can own the process and start to implement procedures and be accountable for managing all headset-related inventory. This accountability is a portion of the leader’s position description.

c. In larger call centers (500+ agents), managing headset-related inventory may require a full-time person.

d. Those centers that manage their headset inventory typically track headsets on three different spreadsheets: 1) headsets in stock/available, 2) headsets waiting for repair, and 3) headsets out for repair. Some manage their inventory electronically, while others choose to track theirs on paper.

5.2 Headset Selection Process

a. Your business relies on clear, effective communications with your customers, and the headset is the most important link between your agents and your customers. Selecting headsets, and a headset company, is an important decision for your business. A call center’s management team, with members from training and/or quality assurance, is typically given accountability for headset purchasing decisions. This team’s responsibility is to research headset brands and model features and order several different ones. After agents have the chance to “test drive” the headsets and critique them, the management team makes purchasing decisions.

b. When selecting new headsets, best practices include a thorough comparison of headset brands and models. Most centers typically buy one brand but have 2—3 wearing styles available to accommodate agent wearing preferences and the call center environment. Typically, ordering one brand from one supplier results in volume purchase discounts.



c. A thorough headset selection comparison should include addressing the following issues to ensure you make the best selection choice for your center’s needs and budget:

i. Noise level. Determine your call center’s noise level so you can select the appropriate headsets. Does your vendor offer a complete line of headsets available with both Voice Tube and Noise Canceling microphones? Investing in features that you may not need, or skimping on those you do, can leave you with headsets that don’t function well in your particular call center environment.

ii. Know your vendor. Consider your headset vendor as you would any other critical business partner. Do they have the necessary experience? Do they understand call centers? Can they support you throughout the sales and support process? Are they financially stable for the long term?

iii. Product range. Does the vendor of choice offer a full range of products? Comfortable agents are productive agents, and there are many headset styles to meet individual needs. It’s never a “one size fits all” situation. To increase agent productivity and monitor customer satisfaction, choose a vendor that has a cordless option for coaches or supervisors to move freely from agent to agent.

iv. One supplier. Consider standardizing on one headset manufacturer and supplier. When developing a call center, or looking to update your inventory, identify one solid supply chain that can meet all your needs. This will lower your transaction costs, which can lower your overall cost of ownership.

v. Inventory management. Be thorough in considering inventory management. Where are you going to store and how do you keep track of your headset inventory? Identify a vendor that offers inventory management solutions.

vi. Sales and support. Think about how your headsets will be serviced post-sale. Make sure that you identify a headset supply chain that will provide you 24-hour support. Having headsets work around the clock is crucial. Without headsets, agents don’t answer calls, and sales don’t get made.

vii. Agent training. Remember that agents need training on how to use, care for and maintain headsets. Trained agents will protect your headset investment. Some vendors provide onsite training, computer-based training, training videos and interactive tutorials.

viii. The sound of the future. Consider if your manufacturer is continuing to invest R&D dollars in the call center. The headset is the last link between agents and customers; it should provide superior sound quality, fit, comfort, and stability, allowing agents to focus on calls and close sales, rather than being hassled by inadequate headsets.

Best Practice Recommendations


ix. Determine what you’re getting for your money. Due diligence requires that you compare not only one headset price to others but ensure that you are buying the best value your center can afford. The cheapest headset will seldom prove to be the best value. Don’t forget to consider each headset’s ability to deliver the kind of service your customers expect while managing to budget.

x. Determine if the sound quality heard by both the agent and the customer is strong and clear.

xi. Determine if the headset will be comfortable for a call center agent to wear for a full shift.

xii. Ensure the headset offers a snug fit that will stay in place.

xiii. Be sure the volume controls can be adjusted easily and offer an adequate range of control.

xiv. If you are considering the purchase of a wired headset, ensure the cord is long enough to allow adequate agent movement.

xv. Be sure the quick disconnect is truly quick and easy. And ensure the agent can reconnect without hassle. Without an effective quick disconnect system, agents might not have ready access to remote consulting sources. If the agent has to hang up on callers and call them back later, she is not only increasing her Average Work Time (AWT) but is incurring unnecessary telecom charges, too.

xvi. Determine if binaural (both ears) or monaural (one ear) headsets are more appropriate for your agents. If your agents seldom have the need to consult with others in their call center, binaural headsets may be the better choice because they increase call clarity. Monaural headsets will likely be more effective for those agents who depend more heavily on the consultation of other team members within their call center.

xvii. Check to see if the microphone is easy to adjust and one that won’t get in the agent’s way.

xviii. If your center is considering going wireless, consider the user density of your center. Ask yourself: What is our building’s layout and employee distribution within this space? User density refers to the number of wireless units that can be used in one space before interference begins between those units. This can be a critical issue in environments where a large number of employees use wireless units within close proximity of each other.

xix. If your center utilizes wireless headsets or is considering purchasing them, ensure the supplier offers a money back guarantee on security and density. This offers greater assurance against



transmission interference. This reduces the occurrence of cross talk (when one receiver picks up the conversation of another transmitter).

xx. Check to see if the headsets you’re considering are compatible with USB (Universal Serial Bus). USB is a high-speed digital connection directly into your PC. The USB connector is now ubiquitous, as it has been included on virtually every PC sold over the past several years. Connecting a headset via a PC’s USB port allows you to bypass the sound card entirely, resulting in a cleaner, stronger signal. Headsets are currently available that utilize the USB port of an agent’s workstation commonly used in VoIP applications.

Some advanced USB types of headsets have remote call detection and answer/end capability utilizing specialized software that produces superior sound quality.

5.3 Budgeting for the Purchase and Repair of Headsets

a. Analyze your headset expenses over a two to four year period – not just upfront purchase price. The purchase price accounts for only half of the costs over time. Repairs, spare parts, shrinkage, mismanaged inventories, and warranties comprise the remainder of the expenses. Identify all costs up front so you have a complete picture of your financial investment.

b. Seventy-one percent of respondents to Survey Two indicate that their call centers consider headset and related purchases as expense items, rather than capitalized items.

c. Almost 90% of call centers in Survey Two report that they spend less than $5,000 per year on headset repair/replacement.

d. Of the call centers who responded to Survey Two, 71% reported that they pay between $51 - $150 per new wired headset.

e. Only 34.5% of the call centers that responded to Survey Two indicate that they use wireless headsets. Of this group, over 90% indicate that they pay between $101 to more than $200 per wireless unit.

f. It is considered best practice to maintain a separate budget for headset repair and replacements. Expenses are more easily monitored and managed this way.

g. Best practice is to secure a service guarantee from the headset distributor that promises to send out a replacement headset before receiving the damaged unit.

h. Best practice is to turn in damaged, out-of-warranty headsets for a credit towards the purchase of new units.

Best Practice Recommendations


5.4 Agent Training in Headset Usage, Care, and Hygiene

a. While the number of call centers that provide agents training on headset cleaning and hygiene, proper storage, and usage was disappointingly low, best in practice centers provide this education in initial training. Further, during the cold and flu season, these centers offer agents e-mail refreshers on headset cleaning and hygiene.

b. Best in practice centers advise agents returning from sick leave to turn in their headset for a refurbished, clean unit. The headsets that are turned in are sprayed with an antiseptic and thoroughly cleaned with alcohol wipes before being reassigned.

c. Some best in practice centers offer agents replacement earmuffs and alcohol wipes for a nominal fee via vending machines within the call center.

d. One best practice center cut cost on disinfectant wipes by discontinuing their use of pre-packaged ones in favor of “home made” wipes. Call center leaders purchase in bulk Kimberly Clark paper towels and Top Job industrial-use antibacterial powder. Leaders then make their own disinfectant wipes for a fraction of what they had been paying for the ready-made ones.

e. Another best practice is to provide agents headset pouches for storage when their headsets are not in use (overnight and throughout extended time away from the call center). These pouches are then stored in locked file drawers, lockers, or cabinets. This practice not only reduces the risk of spreading germs and infections but also protects units from damage and theft.

5.5 Theft Deterrence

a. While the majority of centers in our study did not report issues with headset theft, this was more of an issue in large call centers where multiple shifts of agents shared the same workspace.

One center deals effectively with this issue by mounting large, self-designed platforms (16” wide by 24” long) with curved tops, which hang over the top of workstation walls. The ACD phone base, headset interface amplifier, and headset jack are attached by screws and fastened to the platform. The agent simply affixes her own earmuff and microphone cover or voice tube to set up for work. While few, if any, theft deterrents are 100% effective, this platform is large enough to make carrying it out of the building difficult.

(This same center eventually contracted with a headset maker to build these platforms. The center’s procurement group is responsible for affixing the hardware to the platforms.)

b. Another practice is to have agents purchase their own headsets. This agent-centered accountability is a way some centers choose to manage costs. When headsets require repair, the call center provides the agent with a loaner.


6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The equipment used by call center agents—particularly headsets—has a greater impact on productivity than is sometimes acknowledged by busy call center leaders. To reduce after call work time and increase Return on Investment in their call centers, leaders would be wise to acknowledge that consistent call clarity is job number one. An effective headset management system—including money spent on high-quality headsets—is an investment in agent stress reduction, customer satisfaction, and the all-important bottom line.

Following are some summary points pertaining to effective headset management worth remembering:

a. The cheapest headsets available are not typically the best values available. Savvy call center leaders know that real value most often comes in the form of competitive product performance, reliability, service agreements and warranties.

b. Effective headset management often requires a centrally managed inventory system. In small call centers, this may be a portion of one team member’s role. In larger centers, it may require the full dedication of a team member.

c. Training agents in proper headset use, storage, and hygiene practices will most certainly pay for itself in terms lower agent sick leave and fewer occurrences of headset theft and damage.

d. Though headsets are inexpensive when compared to call center salaries, telecom costs, computers, and other equipment, the effective management of them can result in tangible savings such as lower headset repair and replacement, telecom, and agent sick time expenses, and improved productivity.


7 SELECTED FINDINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS

7.1 Survey One

The following pages present key findings and interpretations of a custom survey, titled “Best Practices in Headset Management in Call Centers,” conducted in Q4 2004 by BenchmarkPortal, Inc. in association with the Purdue University Center of Customer-Driven Quality, and sponsored by Plantronics Corporation.

The survey questionnaire of key performance indicators (KPIs) for headset management and usage consisted of over 102 individual data points and represents the responses of call center managers across the entire spectrum of industries that use call centers as their primary contact point for customer service and support. This report is aimed, in particular, at call center managers and senior executives. The complete custom survey and its results can be found in Appendix A.



What Industry does your call center serve?

20%

16%

12%

12%

12%

8%

8%

4%

4%

4%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Insurance

Telecom, Wireless, Cable

Financial Services

Publishing

Utilities

Government

Health Care

Consumer Electronics

Consumer Products

Help Desk / Technical Support

Figure 1. Industries represented by call centers participating in Survey One

Question: What industry does your call center serve?

Finding: One-out-of-five call centers participating in the survey belongs to the insurance industry.

Interpretation: The call centers participating in this survey represent a broad cross-section of the whole call center industry.

Selected Findings and Interpretations


How satisfied are you with your present headset managementsystem?

4.35%

21.74%

30.43%

43.48%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

We have an excellent H/S modeland H/S management system and

others could learn from it.

Our H/S usage and managementsystem could use some work.

We are looking for betterequipment and a better H/S

management system.

We have a fairly typical usage ofH/S and H/S management

system. They generally work.

We have a basically solid H/Smodel and H/S management

system that works most of thetime for us.

Figure 2. Satisfaction with present headset management system

Question: How satisfied are you with your present headset management system?

Finding: More than one call center manager out-of-every-five surveyed indicated that they are not fully satisfied with their present headset management system and are looking for better equipment as well as a better headset management system.

Interpretation: While most call center managers indicated general satisfaction with their current headset management system, they did not claim that their headset management system worked for them to their complete satisfaction. In fact, only 4.35% responded that they were 100% satisfied with their headset management system and that they have a system that other call centers could learn and benefit from. This small group would be regarded as having a “world-class” headset management system.



Why did you purchase new call center headsets?

17%

17%

17%

33%

36%

64%

26%

74%

10%

20%

20%

50%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

New management influence

Use up budget funds

Enable mobiity of agents

Stock replacement inventory

OTHER ISSUES:________________

Upgrade to new technology

New phone system

TECHNOLOGY ISSUES:__________

Maintenance costs better value

Replacement of old H/S

MAINTENANCE ISSUES:_________

Call Center expansion

New call center

Seasonal headcount Increase

Increase in agent headcount

GROWTH ISSUES:_____________

Figure 3. Reasons for purchasing new call center headsets

Question: Why did you purchase new call center headsets?

Findings: Of the reasons for purchasing new call center headsets stated above, the most revealing finding is that 26% of the respondents indicated that the new headsets represented a better value with respect to maintenance costs. All other reasons for purchasing new headsets were to satisfy other needs such as growth, compatibility with new systems or technology, stock replacement, using up budgetary funds, etc.

Interpretation: Maintenance costs of older headsets increase over time, reaching the point where purchasing newer headsets actually is more cost effective than continuing to repair them or replace them with refurbished units.



Were the headsets you purchased this past year new orused?

USED17%

NEW83%

Figure 4. Percentage of participants purchasing new headsets during the past year

Question: Were the headsets you purchased for your call center during this past year new or used?

Finding: Although all survey respondents indicated that they had purchased headsets for their call centers during the past year, one-sixth reported that they purchased used headsets rather than new ones.

Interpretation: While purchasing used headsets will be less costly than new headsets initially, the ongoing cost of repair and replacement is likely to offset, if not exceed the difference in cost over time. In addition, more frequent replacement of agent headsets, with the accompanying loss of agent productivity that is inevitable while the unit is being replaced, adds to the total cost of headset management.



What led to the selection of the particular brand H/S youpurchased?

Price10.5%

Compatibility7.9%

Other13.2%

Quality, Performance, &

Reliability36.8%

Warranty & Service13.2%

Comfort &Durablity

18.4%

Figure 5. Reasons for selection of the particular brand of headset purchased

Question: What led to the selection of the particular brand of headset you purchased?

Finding: Of the call centers surveyed, 50% cited quality, performance, reliability, warranty & service rather than price as the primary reasons for selection of the headset that they purchased for their call centers.

Interpretation: Although we traditionally think of price first when making a purchasing decision, considering the value of the purchase with respect to quality, performance, reliability, warranty and service may actually result in a lower cost investment overall.



Did your center measure call-handling statistics before andafter the implementation of headsets for comparitive

purposes?

YES15%

NO85%

Figure 6. Percentage of call centers that measured call-handling statistics before and after implementation of headsets

Question: Did your center measure call-handling statistics before and after the implementation of headsets for comparison purposes?

Finding: According to the survey responses, only 15% measured call-handling statistics before and after the implementation of headsets for comparative (benchmarking) purposes.

Interpretation: As with any improvement initiative, benchmarking call-handling statistics of a call center before and after implementation of headsets is a best-practice that enables management to determine the impact that the initiative produced and permits management to calculate the return on investment (ROI) of the initiative.



Does your center offer agents any of the following headsettraining?

56%

12%

8%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Proper agent headsetusage, care and

maintenance

Proper agent headsetstorage

Proper headset cleaningand hygiene management

Figure 7. Headset training offered

Question: Does your call center offer any of the following headset training?

a. Proper headset cleaning and hygiene management b. Proper agent headset storage c. Proper agent headset usage, care and maintenance

Findings: Over one-half of the call centers surveyed offer training to their

agents on proper headset usage, but few offer training on the proper storage, cleaning, and hygiene management of their headsets.

Interpretation: This chart shows the significant room for improvement call center managers have in terms of headset management. Without training in these headset management areas, it is difficult, if not impossible, to properly manage headsets and costs associated with their upkeep and maintenance, which inevitably leads to higher breakdown and failure of headsets, and greater headset management costs.



Does your center offer any of the following training on properheadset usage for monitoring of calls?

56.00%

63.64%

52% 54% 56% 58% 60% 62% 64% 66%

Training on doublejacking for side-by-side

monitoring

Training on wirelessmonitoring

Figure 8. Training offered on proper headset usage for monitoring of calls

Question: Does your center offer any of the following training on proper headset usage for monitoring of calls?

a. Training on wireless monitoring procedures

b. Training on double-jacking procedures for side-by-side monitoring

Finding: About five-out-of-eight call centers surveyed that use wireless headsets offer training on proper wireless headset monitoring procedures, but only slightly more than one-out-of-two center offer procedural training on double-jacking for side-by-side monitoring.

Interpretation: Improper usage of headsets for monitoring can result in unintended and undesirable consequences such as lost calls or interruption of calls, both of which produce customer irritation and dissatisfaction. Centers that train their agents, supervisors, and quality staff in the proper usage of headsets, both wireless and wired, for call monitoring are engaging in best-practices for headset management.



Storage/Logistics Management

8.70%

13.04%

13.04%

91.30%

86.96%

86.96%

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%

Does your center have acentralized location for storage

and maintenance of H/S?

Are spare H/S parts (earcushions, voice tubes, cords,etc.) managed by a centralized

inventory?

Are full unit H/S replacementsmanaged by a centralized

inventory?

NO YES

Figure 9. Percentage of call centers with centralized headset management

Question: Is your headset management system centralized?

Finding: Across the board, the overwhelming majority of call centers surveyed indicated that they have a centralized system for headset management.

Interpretation: Centralized headset management with respect to spares and spare parts, as well as storage of replacement headsets assures the optimal efficiency, as well as control of shrinkage due to loss or theft. Centralized control of headsets enables management to track headset usage, manage inventory, generate usage reports, forecast future requirements, and avoid costly out-of-stock situations. Centralization is a mandatory element in world-class headset management.



On average, what is the percentage of replacementunits on hand?

NONE15%

NEW30%

REFURBISHED55%

Figure 10. Percentage replacement units on hand

Question: On average, what is the percentage of headsets on hand?

Finding: Survey respondents reported that, on average, they maintain an on-hand inventory of 30% new and 55% of refurbished headsets. However, 15% of the centers reported no on-hand headset inventory.

Interpretation: Prudent headset management dictates that call centers should maintain an on-hand inventory of headsets, both for immediate replacement of defective headsets as well as for short-term growth in agent staffing. Centers with no on-hand replacement headsets are bound to experience loss of agent productivity while awaiting delivery of replacement headsets, even if they use overnight or express delivery service from their headset supplier.



How would you rate the service you are getting from yourcurrent headset service provider?

Good57%

Poor4%

Excellent39%

Figure 11. Respondents’ rating of their current headset service provider

Question: How would you rate the service you are getting from your current headset service provider?

Finding: Nearly all respondents rated their headset service provider “Good” to “Excellent” with respect to the service they are getting, with only 4% giving their service provider a “Poor” rating. The top three service providers used by respondents to this survey (listed by percentage reported) are:

a. Plantronics (32%) b. Comfort Telecommunications (12%) c. GN Netcom (8%)

Interpretation: With so many headset service providers to choose from, there is no

reason for a call center to continue to use a poor service provider.



What is the likelihood you would recommend the brand youuse to other call center professionals?

43.5%

34.8%

17.4%

0.0%

4.3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Extre

mely

like

ly

Very

likely

Somew

hat li

kely

Not like

ly

Would

abso

lute

ly not

Figure 12. Likelihood to recommend the brand they use to other call center professionals

Question: What is the likelihood you would recommend the brand you use to other call center professionals?

Finding: Over 95% of the call center managers surveyed indicated that they were likely to recommend the brand of headset they use to other call center professionals, with the percentage that are extremely likely at 43.5%.

Interpretation: It seems that most call centers are satisfied with the brand of headset they use to the extent that they are at least somewhat likely to recommend the brand to others. The differentiating element in headset choice is service provider support rather than brand, as reported earlier in our findings.



7.2 Survey Two

The following pages present selected results of a “One-Minute Survey™”, titled “Headset Budget and Selection,” conducted in January, 2005 by BenchmarkPortal, Inc. in association with the Purdue University Center of Customer-Driven Quality, and sponsored by Plantronics Corporation.

The survey questionnaire was sent to more than 2500 participants selected from a random cross-section of our industry database, with a response rate of 16%. The complete One-Minute Survey™ and its results can be found in Appendix B.



What is the average price your organization currently pays fora new wired headset?

14.33%

39.49%

31.21%

9.55%

5.41%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Less t

han $5

0

$51 -

$100

$101

- $1

50

$151

- $2

00

More th

an $2

00

Figure 13. Average price paid for a new wired headset

Question: What is the average price your organization currently pays for a new wired headset?

Finding: Of the call centers surveyed, 71% reported that they paid between $51 and $150 per new wired headset.

Interpretation: When taken in context with the other costs of call center operation, the average cost per headset is relatively minor.



What is the average price your center currently pays for a newwireless headset?

3.23%

9.03% 10.32%12.90%

64.52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Less t

han $1

00

101 -

$150

$151

- $2

00

More

than

$200

No wire

less h

eadse

ts u

sed

Figure 14. Average price per new wireless headset

Question: What is the average price your center pays for a new wireless headset?

Finding: The response to this questions revealed that 64.5% of the call centers surveyed do not currently use wireless headsets.

Interpretation: Of the 34.5% of the call centers that do use wireless headsets, over 90% indicated that they pay between $101 to more than $200 per wireless headset, which is on-average more than double the cost per wired headset (as compared with the previous figure).



In your organization, are headset purchases and related costs considered expense items or capitalizeditems?

Capitalizeditems15%

Expense items71%

Don't Know14%

Figure 15. Ratio of call centers that expense versus capitalize the cost of their headsets

Question: In your organization, are headset purchases and related costs considered expense items or capitalized items?

Findings: Most call centers expense rather than capitalize the headset purchases and related costs.

Interpretation: Taking into account only call centers that reported knowing whether they expense or capitalize their headset and related costs, the percentages increase to 82% that consider headset and related costs as an expense item rather than a capitalized item. This suggests that the majority of call center management regard headsets as a tool that will likely be replaced within the first couple of years of use, and therefore all costs related to the purchase of headsets and related items are fully recognized during the year purchased.



Which of the following was the most important to you indeciding which brand of headsets to purchase?

7.6%

1.4%

3.1%

7.9%

14.5%

18.6%

46.9%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Other

Durability

Service and warrantyagreement

Agent comfort

Audio quality

Competitive price

Performance &reliability

Figure 16. Most important factor in deciding which brand of headset to purchase

Question: Which of the following was the most important to you in deciding which brand of headsets to purchase?

Finding: By a margin of 2.5 to 1 (46.9% vs. 18.6%), call centers surveyed indicated performance & reliability rather than cost as the most important consideration in their decision which brand of headset to purchase.

Interpretation: The results of this question in our One-Minute Survey™ closely parallel the response to question 5 of Survey One. Given the much larger sample size of the One-Minute Survey™, this data is more indicative of the general attitude across the entire contact center industry regarding factors that dictate the selection of a particular brand of headset. However, it is important to note that both surveys showed that call center managers share similar preferences regarding reasons for headset brand selection purchases.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Jon Anton (also known as “Dr. Jon”) is the director of benchmark research at Purdue University’s Center for Customer-Driven Quality. He specializes in enhancing customer service strategy through inbound call centers, and e-business centers, using the latest in telecommunications (voice), and computer (digital) technology. He also focuses on using the Internet for external customer access, as well as Intranets and middleware.

In anticipation of the offshore outsourcing phenomenon, Dr. Jon wrote Offshore Outsourcing Opportunities in 2002. In researching this book, Dr. Jon visited call centers in India, Indonesia, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, British Guyana, England, and Canada.

Since 1995, Dr. Jon has been the principal investigator of the Purdue University Call Center Benchmark Research. This data is now collected at the BenchmarkPortal.com Web site, where it is placed into a data warehouse that currently contains over ten million data points on call center performance. Based on the analysis of this data, Dr. Jon authors the following monthly publications: “The Purdue Page” in Call Center Magazine, “Dr. Jon’s Benchmarks” in Call Center News, “Dr. Jon’s Industry Statistics” in Customer Interface Magazine, and “Dr. Jon’s Business Intelligence” in the Call Center Manager’s Report.

Dr. Jon has assisted over 400 companies in improving their customer service strategy/delivery by the design and implementation of inbound and outbound call centers, as well as in the decision-making process of using teleservice providers for maximizing service levels while minimizing costs per call. In August of 1996, Call Center Magazine honored Dr. Jon by selecting him as an Original Pioneer of the emerging call center industry. In October of 2000, Dr. Jon was named to the Call Center Hall of Fame. In January of 2001, Dr. Jon was selected for the industry’s “Leaders and Legends” Award by Help Desk 2000. Dr. Jon is also a member of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

Dr. Jon has guided corporate executives in strategically re-positioning their call centers as robust customer access centers through a combination of benchmarking, re-engineering, consolidation, outsourcing, and Web-enablement. The resulting single point of contact for the customer allows business to be conducted anywhere, anytime, and in any form. By better understanding the customer lifetime value, Dr. Jon has developed techniques for calculating the ROI for customer service initiatives.

Dr. Jon has published 117 papers on customer service and call center methods in industry journals. In 1997, one of his papers on self-service was awarded the best article of the year by Customer Relationship Management Magazine.



Dr. Jon has published twenty-four professional books:

1. Enabling IVR Self-Service with Speech Recognition, 2005

2. Contact Center Management “By the Numbers”, 2005

3. Managing Web-Based Customer Experiences: Self-service Integrated with Assisted Service, 2003

4. From Cost to Profit Center: How Technology Enables the Difference, 2003

5. Customer Service and the Human Experience: We, the People, Make a Difference, 2003

6. Customer Service at a Crossroads: What You Do Next to Improve Performance Will Determine Your Company’s Destiny, 2003

7. Offshore Outsourcing Opportunities, 2002

8. Optimizing Outbound Calling: The Strategic Use of Predictive Dialers, 2002

9. Customer Relationship Management Technology: Building the Infrastructure for Customer Collaboration, 2002

10. Customer Obsession: Your Roadmap to Profitable CRM, 2002

11. Integrating People with Process and Technology, 2002

12. Selecting a Teleservices Partner, 2002

13. How to Conduct a Call Center Performance Audit: A to Z, 2002

14. 20:20 CRM A Visionary Insight into Unique Customer Contact, 2001

15. Minimizing Agent Turnover, 2001

16. e-Business Customer Service, 2001

17. Customer Relationship Management, The Bottom Line to Optimizing Your ROI, 2nd Edition, 2001

18. Call Center Performance Enhancement Using Simulation and Modeling, 2000

19. Call Center Benchmarking: How Good is “Good Enough”, 1999

20. Listening to the Voice of the Customer, 1997

21. Contact Center Management by the Numbers, 1997

22. Customer Relationship Management: Making Hard Decisions with Soft Numbers, 1996

23. Inbound Customer Contact Center Design, 1994

24. Computer-Assisted Learning, 1985

Dr. Jon is the editor for a series of professional books entitled Customer Access Management, published by the Purdue University Press.

About the Author


Dr. Jon’s formal education was in technology, including a Doctorate of Science and a Master of Science from Harvard University, a Master of Science from the University of Connecticut, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame. He also completed a three-summer intensive Executive Education program in Business at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.

Dr. Jon can be reached at 765.494.8357 or at <[email protected]>.


ABOUT PLANTRONICS

Plantronics introduced the first lightweight communications headset in 1962 and is recognized as the world leader in communications headsets. A publicly held company with approximately 3,900 employees, Plantronics is the leading provider of headsets to telephone companies and the business community worldwide. Plantronics headsets are also used widely in many Fortune 500 corporations and have been featured in numerous motion pictures and high-profile events, including Neil Armstrong’s historic “One small step for man” transmission from the moon in 1969. Plantronics, Inc., headquartered in Santa Cruz, California was founded in 1961 and maintains offices in 20 countries. Plantronics products are sold and supported through a worldwide network of authorized Plantronics marketing partners. Information about the Company and its products can be found at www.plantronics.com or by calling (800) 544-4660.


APPENDIX A: SURVEY ONE TABULAR RESULTS

Best in Class Practices of Headsets Management in Call Centers

Question Response / Average 1.1. What led to the selection of the particular brand H/S you purchased? Performance, cost

We primarily use Plantronics headsets and are phasing out the GN Netcom. The Plantronics headsets are durable, comfortable and they provide us with many options and styles of headset. Price, durability, and usability for agents Price and ServiceHad used GN Netcom before, work well with our Nortel phonesPrice & WarrantyIT did some caparisons and found reception and usability were better than what we had.

Employee research

It was a corporate decision when the G3 switch was changed. Product Quality, return policy, ease of ordering, and pricing.Past Experience Reliable, good service, comfortableTesting we did for comfort and background noise.Price & QualityCommittee ReviewTrial and error.Testing we did for comfort and background noise.A chance meeting of one of our VPs and a Plantronics rep on a plane trip.I was not involved in the original purchase…that being said my understanding is that durability played a large role, next to that was the ability to adjust personal base and treble outputs and finally the noise reduction and volume control in the microphone

Previous equipment investment.Peer recommendation and quality.

Purdue University Center of Customer-Driven QualityBest in Class Practices of Headsets Management in Call Centers

Section 1: H/S Brand



Section 1: H/S Brand (continued)

Question Response/Average 1.2 and 1.3 What is the primary headset brand and model used in your call center(s)? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brand Model PLANTRONICS (71%) H51; P-series; Encore Noise Canceling Monaural;

H51; H51; H61 Supra Binaural; M12;T20; H141N; H91N; H51N; H51; Monaural with adjustable headband; Polaris; H51; Plantronics; Monaural with adjustable headband; Plantronics cordless; H51N; H101N

GN NETCOM (21%) GN-2110 ST; GN-2115 ST; GN Netcom; Ellipse 2.4; Ellipse 2.4; Series 300 ST-I; GN Netcom OTHER (8%) VXI 10-6 HGT; ADP 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.4 What is the highest number of 123 headsets simultaneously used in your center? a. Percent of wired headsets? 81.69% b. Percent of cordless headsets? 17.01% 1.5 Total number of agents all shifts? 205

Appendix A: Survey One Tabular Results


Question Response / Average 1.6. Are you participating in this study because you feel your company is currently using best in class headsets or because you would like to know more about what others are doing in this area?

5- We have an excellent H/S model and H/S management system and others could learn from it.

4.35%

4- We have a basically solid H/S model and H/S management system that works most of the time for us. not necessarily anything to highlight specifically.

43.48%

3- We have a fairly typical usage of H/S and H/S management system. They generally work.

30.43%

2- Our H/S usage and management system could use some work. We are looking for better equipment and a better H/S management system.

21.74%

1- We need H/S. We do not currently use headsets.

0.00%

Section 1: H/S Brand (continued)



Question Response / Average 2.1. What led to the decision to purchase the particular brand H/S you use in your call center?

We want standard head set at good cost and good durabilityPurchased P series Plantronics headsets as new telephone sets were purchased for the call centre; Nortel Networks 3904 with a built in amplifier.Good value for moneyPrice and ServiceOur phone switch partner recommendedPrice & warrantyAvailable through internal procurement system

IT stated better sound and usability.Employee researching headsetsIt was a corporate decision when the G3 switch was changedMore than 20 years experience with Plantronic Headsets.Past Experience with Model/Brand historicalComfort, reduced background noise and versatility.PriceThey were recommended with our new telephone systemThat’s what we were always usingComfort, reduced background noise and versatility.Reception for mobility of Phone Reps.A representative from a vendor stopped by to evaluate our needs and what would best fit

1. durability , 2.adjustible base/treble outputs 3. noise reduction and volume control in the microphoneRepairs to existing headsets no longer feasible. Quality degrationBest reviews.Recommended by an internal department, Telecommunications

Section 2: Presale



Question Response / Average 2.2. Why did you purchase call center headsets? (select all that apply)

a. Call center expansion: 10.00%

New call center 20.00%Increase in agent headcount

50.00%

Ramp up for busy season Increase in seasonal agent headcount

20.00%

b. Maintenance issues:Replacement of old H/S – out of warranty

73.91%

H/S maintenance costs made the purchase of new headsets a better value

26.09%

c. Technology:New phone system 63.64%Upgrade to new technology

36.36%

d. Other: New management influence

16.67%

Use up budget funds 16.67%Other (Please explain) 66.67%

Always keep new headsets in stockX historically used model which was working wellReplacement of lost and stolen Initially, headsets were purchased when the Call Center began operation in 1997 due to standard practice guidelines. Remote head-sets were purchased after analyzing business needs and employee satisfaction data. Agents needed to frequently fax documents which required them to be away from their desk. We needed the mobility.

Section 2: Presale (continued)



Question Response / Average 2.3. What led to the selection of the particular brand H/S you purchased?

a. Fashion/ style 7.81%b. Comfort 17.19%c. Audio quality to the agent 21.88%d. Durability 20.31%e. Support / Service 12.50%f. Microphone (voice tube) design 6.25%

g. Other (Please explain)PricepriceX Employee picked outX- it was a corporate decision with the purchase of a new G3 switchBest quality.X – Reliabilty based on past experience PriceReplacement policyX Mobility for the Phone Reps

2.4. What do you specifically like about the microphone (voice tube) design?

a. Easier to position 32.50%b. Stability 12.50%c. Lighter 30.00%d. Durability 15.00%

e. Other (Please explain) 10.00%Easy and cheap to repairNo longer use voice tubes.Noise CancelingNoise canceling feature eliminates background noise




Question Response / Average 2.5. Have you purchased new H/S in the past year?

YES: 83.33%NO: 16.67%

From which company/vendor? PlantronicsComfort Telecommunications and Canadian Communication Products IncPlantronics GN Netcom, PlantronicsplantronicsBoiseJ M DistributorsHeadsets.comPlantronics/SKCGrayBarPlantronics Comfort Telecommunications – Cape Coral, FloridaKGP TelecommunicationsAhernPlantronics (Telecommunications, Inc.)GBH PlantronicsHello DirectGN Netcom/Communitech

2.6. Have you purchased used H/S in the past year?

YES: 16.67%NO: 83.33%

From which company/vendor?

PlantronicsVXI and Plantronicsplantronics

2.7. Do you lease H/S?YES: 0.00%NO: 100.00%




Question Response / Average 2.8. Did you purchase a service program through this Brand?

YES: 12.50%NO: 87.50%

a. Is the service program administered through this brand?

YES: 16.67%NO: 83.33%

b. Is the service program administered through the distributor?

YES: 62.50%NO: 37.50%




Question Response / Average 3.1. Does your center offer agents any

76.00%a. Training on proper agent usage?

56.00%

b. Training on proper agent storage?

12.00%

c. Training on cleaning / hygiene management of headsets?

8.00%

70.29%a. Training on double jacking for side-by-side monitoring? 56.00%

b. Training on wireless monitoring? 14.29%

Section 3: Training

3.2. Does your center offer any of the following training on proper H/S



Question Response / Average 4.1. Did your center measure call handling statistics before the implementation of H/S?

YES: 15.00%NO: 85.00%

4.2. If so, what were the results before H/S implementation?

a. ASA (in seconds) 20.00b. ATT (in seconds) 180.00c. ACW (in seconds) 115.00d. Agent turnover 55.00%e. Repetitive strain injury f. Productivity 89.00%g. Shrinkage (agents not showing up for work / scheduled time on the phones)

24.00%

4.3. If so, what were the results after H/S implementation?

a. ASA (in seconds) 14.50b. ATT (in seconds) 147.00c. ACW (in seconds) 87.00d. Agent turnover 39.50%e. Repetitive strain injury f. Productivity 95.00%g. Shrinkage (agents not showing up for work / scheduled time on the phones) 20.00%

Section 4: Call Center Statistics affected by H/S



Question Response / Average 5.1. How did H/S service / support play a role in the decision to purchase the particular brand H/S you use in your call center?

our supplier very knowledgeable and was able to answer all of my questions. It did not play a roleMajor componet was the type of service and length of the full warranty period.Our partner for the phones (SBC) provides all serviceLarge roleNot a factor.NoneNoneNoneNone since the corporation purchased these to go with the new phones. This company has had an excellent arrangement with headset vendor for more than 15 years.None the service and our long standing relationship and our discounts.Service not our primary focus as we were more concerned with comfort and audio quality.

Warranty is always a plus.The provision of the contractors’ bid that allowed us to trade in broken headsets was a major factor in their acceptance as successful bidder, but we have always used Plantronics

The sales vendor took time to explain.It was not our primary focus as we were more concerned with comfort and audio quality.

Our IT division handles the overall support relationship with the H/S vendor(s).

The vendor was in the community and has shown top notch customer service. Great turn around on repairs. This played a major role in my company switching from the GN Netcom vendor out of Florida to the Plantronics vendor in our community.

Section 5: H/S Service Management



Question Response / Average 5.2. Does your company have a service contract in place for the repair/replacement of H/S when they break?

YES: 36.36%NO: 63.64%

a. Is the service contract with the brand?

100.00%

YES: 33.33%NO: 66.67%

b. Is the service contract with distributor from whom they were purchased?

YES: 80.00%NO: 20.00%

c. If from another source, who is that source?

5.3. How available are replacement H/S for agents to use? (Enter %) 81.96%

5.4. What % is on reserve for on-the-spot replacement? Wired

40.09%

5.4. What % is on reserve for on-the-spot replacement? 14.38%

Section 5: H/S Service Management (continued)



Question Response / Average 5.5. How does an agent primarily obtain service for their H/S at their workstation?

a. Visibly signal on the floor to their team leader or supervisor?

YES: 47.62%NO: 52.38%

b. Call a designated extension?

YES: 55.56%NO: 44.44%

c. Get up from their workstation to go find a replacement?

YES: 50.00%NO: 50.00%

d. What is the average time it takes for an agent to obtain a replacement H/S?

1 - 20 min

Minutes 6Days 1.5

e. Other?

Section 5: H/S Service Management (continued)



Question Response / Average 6.1. Does your center have a centralized location for storage and maintenance of H/S?

YES: 91.30%NO: 8.70%

6.2. Are spare H/S parts (ear cushions, voice tubes, cords, etc.) managed by a centralized inventory?

YES: 86.96%NO: 13.04%

6.3. Are full unit H/S replacements managed by a centralized inventory?

YES: 86.96%NO: 13.04%

6.4. On average, what is the % of new replacement whole units on hand to refurbished replacement whole H/S units?

30%

NEW 30%REFURBISHED 55%

6.5. On average, what is the number of replacement H/S whole units (new and refurbished) typically kept on hand at any given time?

49

6.6. On average what is the number of units waiting to be sent for repair at any given time?

17

6.7. Does your center use the Plantronics H/S Service Station?

23

YES: 13.04%NO: 86.96%

6.8. How is inventory tracked? a. On paper 10.53%b. Electronic spreadsheet type of tracking

68.42%

c. Automated that is tied into supplier

0.00%

d. Other 21.05%

Section 6: Storage/Logistics Management



Question Response / Average 6.9. Through which avenue do you contact the service provider you are shipping units in for repair/ replacement?

a. By telephone 76.92%b. On line 23.08%

6.10. Which of the following methods do you use for shipping the H/S in need of repairs to the service provider?

a. Overnight 4.55%b. Economy ground 95.45%

6.11. Do you have to first ship the broken H/S (s) and have the service provider receive them before replacements are sent back to you?

YES: 72.73%NO: 27.27%

6.12. Does the service provider automatically return the replacement units by an overnight carrier?

YES: 30.00%NO: 70.00%

6.13. Do you track units sent for repairs?

YES: 76.19%NO: 23.81%

6.14. Do you track the expense of H/S repairs & maintenance?

YES: 66.67%NO: 33.33%

Section 6: Storage/Logistics Management (continued)



Question Response / Average 6.15. How would you rate the service you are getting from your current H/S service provider?

a. Excellent 39.13%b. Good 56.52%c. Poor 4.35% Why? (Please explain your rating.)

We receive what we order in timeTurn around time.Could be better, don’t like having to first send in broken units for new ones – have to keep too much of an inventory on hand that way

Bases they send are not working properly We’ve had problems with cordless headsets, but have received great service for corded headsets.

If service was poor new vendor would be selectedFriendly, responsive, reasonable pricesThey receive them, get them fixed and have them returned by FedEx usually with 1-2 weeks time (depending upon how many are sent in).

6.16. What do you estimate to be the H/S product life expectancy?

a. 5 years 13.04%b. 4 years 8.70%c. 3 tears 34.78%d. 2 years 26.09%e. 1 year 13.04%f. Less than 1 year 4.35%g. Other. (Please explain.)

We have had very little problem w/headsets

We have A LOT of older headsets that are still in use.




Question Response / Average 6.17. Is your service provider knowledgeable when you have questions concerning:

a. Usage? YES: 85.71%NO: 14.29%

b. Trouble shooting? YES: 85.71%NO: 14.29%

c. Service? YES: 95.45%NO: 4.55%




Question Response / Average 7.1. Are the H/S used in your center compatible with the following technologies?

a. Blue Tooth YES: 5.26%NO: 94.74%

b. USBYES: 30.00%NO: 70.00%

c. Wireless – 2.4 GHzYES: 45.00%NO: 55.00%

Section 7: Supported Technologies:



Question Response / Average 8.1. What is the likelihood you would recommend this brand to other call center professionals?

a. Extremely likely 43.48%b. Very likely 34.78%c. Some what likely 17.39%d. not likely 0.00%e. Would absolutely not 4.35%

8.2. Why do you use this brand? Cost, performance, durablityThe Plantronics headsets are durable, comfortable and they provide us with many options and styles of headset

Good value for money, easy to exchange parts

Client preference.Recommended by switch partnerServiceabilityWe are currently looking for new headsetsIt works well and has the best procedures for fixing headsets by sending us a new one right away while we send back the broken one if under warranty.

It is compatible with the brands we currently have on hand Proven to be reliable Comfort, audio quality and versatility.Price & ComfortabilityAlways given us excellent service. Happy employees

Mobility for Pone RepsMainly the level of customer service from the vendor. It's the brand that was chosen by my predecessorPrice/Durability

Section 8: Likelihood to refer to others



Question Response / Average 8.3. Have you used other brands?

YES: 50.00%NO: 50.00%

a. If so what other brands? (Please list brands.)

GN NetcomPlantronicsPlantronicsNorthern TelecomPlantronicsGN NetcomACSPlantronicLucentPlantronicGN NetcomACSPlantronicsFellowes

Section 8: Likelihood to refer to others (continued)


APPENDIX B: SURVEY TWO TABULAR RESULTS

Headset Management Costs in Call Centers

Question ChoicesResponse

Percentage1. What industry are you in?

Aerospace 0.30%Airline 1.52%

Automotive 1.82%Cable/Broadband/Satellite 0.61%

Catalog 5.47%Chemical 0.30%

Computer Hardware 1.82%Computer Software 4.56%Consumer Products 3.95%

Data/Internet Service Provider 0.30%Federal Government 0.91%

Financial Services 13.37%Food/Beverage 0.61%

Fuel 0.30%Government 3.04%

Healthcare Provider 3.65%Hotel/Resort/Cruise Line 0.91%

Insurance (Health) 4.56%Insurance (Life) 3.04%

Insurance (Other) 1.22%Insurance (Property/Casualty) 4.56%

Media 1.22%Other: 16.12%

Pharmaceuticals 1.22%Publishing 0.30%

Retail 3.65%Telecommunications 9.12%

Transportation 0.91%Utilities – Electric / Gas 3.65%

Utilities – Fuel Oil 0.30%Utilities – Other 0.61%

Utilities 4.56%Wireless 1.52%TOTAL: 100.00%

One-Minute Survey 449




Percentage

< 50 agents 38.27%51 – 100 agents 14.81%

101 – 250 agents 18.21%251 – 500 agents 12.65%

> 500 agents 16.05%TOTAL: 99.99%

Less than $50 14.33%$51 - $100 39.49%

$101 - $150 31.21%$151 - $200 9.55%

More than $200 5.41%TOTAL: 99.99%

Less than $100 3.23%101 - $150 9.03%

$151 - $200 10.32%More than $200 12.90%

Our center does not utilize any wireless headsets. 64.52%TOTAL: 100.00%

Expense items 70.65%Capitalized items 15.48%

I do not know. 13.87%TOTAL: 100.00%

2. What is the total number of agents in your organization’s call center(s)?

3. What is the average price your organization currently pays for a new wired headset?

4. What is the average price your center currently pays for a new wireless headset?

5. In your organization, are headset purchases and related costs considered expense items or capitalized items?

Appendix B: Survey Two Tabular Results



Percentage

Less than $10,000 79.33%10,000 - 24,999 9.67%

$25,000 - $49,999 4.67%$50,000 - $100,000 3.33%

More than $100,000 3.00%TOTAL: 100.00%

Less than $10,000 95.25%$10,000 - $24,999 1.69%$25,000 - $49,999 2.03%

More than $100,000 1.02%TOTAL: 99.99%

Less than $5,000 88.28%$5,000 - $9,999 5.17%

$10,000 - $19,999 2.76%$20,000 - $25,000 1.03%

More than $25,000 2.76%TOTAL: 100.00%

Performance & reliability 46.90%Competitive price 18.62%

Audio quality 14.48%Agent comfort 7.93%

Service and warranty agreement 3.10%Durability 1.38%

Other 7.59%TOTAL: 100.00%

6. What was the total amount of money your organization spent on the purchase of new headsets (wired and wireless combined) in 2004?

7. What was the total amount of money your organization spent on the purchase of used headsets (wired and wireless combined) in 2004?

8. What was the total amount of money your organization spent on the repair/replacement of damaged/broken headsets in 2004?

9. Which of the following was the most important to you in deciding which brand of headsets to purchase?


REFERENCES

Lee, Mie-Yun, “Ease Neck Stress with Headsets,” BuyerZone.com (April 29,2002)

O’Herron, Jennifer and Keith Dawson, “Comfort in Sound,” Call Center Magazine (Jan. 5, 2004)

Rosenberg, Allan, “A Headset is a Headset…Or Is It?” Call Center Magazine (Jan. 5, 2005)

Whearty, Bill, Joe McGrogan and Tobe Cohen, “Headsets,” Contact Professional <www.contactprofessional.com/issues/article.asp?ID=179>

BENCHMARKPORTAL’S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES LISTING

To further our mission of providing contact center leaders with the tools

they need to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their contact centers, we offer the following products and services.

1. RealityCheck™

RealityCheck™ is a free Web-based tool that allows contact centers to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of their current contact center performance as compared to those in the same industry.

RealityCheck™ includes a Balanced Performance Matrix, which plots your efficiency and effectiveness against your industry peers. Call quantity (efficiency) is plotted on the x-axis. Call quality (effectiveness) is plotted on the y-axis; combined, these provide you with a high-level view of your call center performance.

Call centers that are able to optimize customer-centric results, while containing costs are “Call Centers of Excellence;” these are centers positioned in the most desirable upper-right quadrant.

Recommended for: All contact centers. Centers that do not have sufficient analytical staff are encouraged, but not required, to use a Purdue-certified consultant (see Web site) to help them with data gathering and report interpretation. Centers with their own analytical staff should consider sending their specialist to us for training in the proper use of our benchmarking reports.

To access RealityCheck™, go to www.BenchmarkPortal.com and click on the RealityCheck™ logo or for more information call 805.614.0123 Ext. 77.

2. Peer Group Benchmark Subscription

Managers may want to a) see additional metrics that are specific to their sector; and b) know that the peer group is composed of their direct competitors. BenchmarkPortal is the trusted research organization that collects the additional data from all parties and produces the sector-specific report. ONLY anonymous and aggregate data are included as peer information in the reports.

Recommended for: Operations that are part of an identifiable competitive peer sector and that have key performance metrics that are specific to that sector.

For more information call 805.614.0123 Ext. 77.

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Contact center leaders who want their centers to be certified as a Center of Excellence have urged us to develop this program, which utilizes our database, expertise and proprietary performance indices.

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The customer feedback collection component of Echo may be purchased as a stand-alone tool. However, we recommend the full Echo product as your ultimate service solution. We can help you develop and implement our revolutionary monitoring and coaching approach without loss of precious time in confronting technology and implementation issues. In most cases, we can launch Echo in just 60 days.

Recommended for: All contact centers that are interested in leveraging customer feedback to improve customer satisfaction.


5. FairCompare™ Agent Satisfaction Benchmarking

Finally, BenchmarkPortal introduces a new benchmarking tool designed specifically for Contact Centers. This tool allows you to compare the satisfaction results of your Contact Center agents to the results of other Contact Center agents!

As a Contact Center Professional, you know the importance of retaining your talent. Our FairCompare™ benchmarking surveys and reporting system quickly pinpoint areas of risk to proactively resolve them.

FairCompare™ lets you compare your Contact Center agents based on any category captured, including:

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FairCompare™ provides the ability to compare your Contact Center results to those of agents who’ve already participated in the survey. And when our database is sufficiently populated, you will also be able to compare your results to:

• Your Peer Group • Your Industry • Best-in-Industry • Your Demographic Region • Similar Environments

Customizable, always available, Online Reporting is a central feature of FairCompare™, providing results that you can act on quickly. Survey results help you pinpoint exact areas to focus on for immediate improvement initiatives, giving you the “Why” behind each “What.”

Recommended for: • Contact centers that are experiencing change management issues.

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For more information call: 805.614.0123 Ext. 63 or visit www.BenchmarkPortal.com and click on the FairCompare logo.

6. Benchmarking 2005: Performance Optimization Through Quantitative Benchmarking

This NEW hands-on workshop is for all call center professionals who need a sound benchmark methodology to audit current performance results, then prioritize solutions toward achieving a competitive ROI. Participants will calculate the cause/cost of poor/excessive performance by case studies and quantify a 30-day impact plan. Attendees earn Certification as a Benchmark Specialist through Purdue University’s Center for Customer-Driven Quality.

What Will I Learn?

• Benchmarking the Difference: Satisfaction, Retention, Operations, Cost containment

• Competitive Performance: Peer Reports, Gap analysis on effective/efficiency metrics

• Solutions Savings: Root Cause impact, Simulation charts, quantifiable action plan

Recommended for those who need a Peer-Industry Benchmark


7. College of Call Center Excellence

The College of Call Center Excellence provides training courses that result in certification of contact center team members. Courseware is available for managers, supervisors and agents. Courses are taught both in-person and online. Some are taught in conjunction with BenchmarkPortal.

Recommended for: All centers. Training is a budget item for all centers that is rarely optimized. We can help you to get more for your training dollar.


8. Industry Reports Available From BenchmarkPortal, Inc.

These industry reports contain hundreds of call center benchmarks and best practices for a specific industry:

Aerospace

Airline

All Industries

Automotive

Banking

Brokerage

Cable/Broadband/Satellite

Catalog

Computer Hardware

Computer Software

Consumer Products

Credit Card

Financial Services

Government & Non-Profit

Healthcare Provider

Help Desk

Insurance

Insurance – Health

Insurance – Life

Insurance – Property & Casualty

Outbound Teleservices

Publishing & Media Transportation

Retail Travel & Hospitality

Technical Support Utilities

Telecommunications Wireless

Secure online ordering is available at: http://www.BenchmarkPortal.com/bookstore

or call (805) 614-0123 Extension 21

9. Best Practice Reports

The team of researchers from BenchmarkPortal and Purdue University’s Center for Customer-Driven Quality are turning their focus to your most vital resource: Your People.

Best Practices in Quality Monitoring and Coaching

We are pleased to announce our Best Practices in Quality Monitoring and Coaching study. This report is the fruit of almost nine months of research and analysis by the team of experts headed by Dr. Jon Anton, of Purdue University’s Center for Customer-Driven Quality.

This study involved over a dozen carefully-selected call centers of distinction. This is the first study of its kind and resulted in a work of extreme interest and insight.

Best Practices in Workforce Management

Highlights of the reports:

• Study Findings: What are the impact factors in best practice companies.

• Workforce Optimization Cycle and Components

• Forecasting and Scheduling Alternatives

• Workforce Management Roles & Responsibilities

• Workforce Management Metrics

• Developing Optimal Schedules

For more information on these reports, call: 805.614.0123 Ext. 21.

10. The Anton Press

The following pages contain a listing of our current books as well as an order form. Secure online ordering is available at www.BenchmarkPortal.com/bookstore.

Business Navigation Only two centuries ago, early explorers (adventurous business executives of those bygone days) were guided primarily with a compass and celestial navigation using reference points like the North Star. Today’s busy executive also needs guidance systems with just-in-time business intelligence to navigate through the challenges of locating, recruiting, keeping, and growing profitable customers. The Anton Press provides this navigational system through practical, how-to-do-it books for the modern day business executive.


Available from The Anton Press

20:20 CRM A Visionary insight into unique customer contacts The contact center is at the heart of many businesses today, and CRM initiatives are making customer contact even more critical to the health of every company. 20:20 CRM provides a strategic view of where businesses should be going with their customer contact operation, with practical examples of how to get there. ISBN 0-9630464-5-4 By: Dr. Jon Anton and Laurent Philonenko Price: $24.95

Benchmarking at its Best for Contact Centers Done right, and done regularly, benchmarking provides improved work life, career advancement and substantially increased earnings on a consistent basis. This book is an essential manual for continuous improvement peer group benchmarking that shows convincingly why proper professionalism in today’s environment requires benchmarking. Includes valuable information on how to benchmark through BenchmarkPortal and describes the latest products and processes to help you get the most from this crucial activity. Also addresses emerging best practices in key areas such as: customer satisfaction measurement and using the voice of the customer for monitoring and coaching, agent satisfaction measurement, as well as the new symbolic language for desktop software that will reduce the time of data entry and interpretation for your agents in the future. ISBN 0-9719652-1-8 By: Bruce Belfiore with Dr. Jon Anton Price: $9.95

Call Center Benchmarking “How ‘good’ is good enough?” This “how to” book describes the essential steps of benchmarking a call center with other similar call centers, with an emphasis on “self assessment.” The reader learns how to plan a benchmark, how to collect the correct performance data, how to analyze the data, and how to find improvement initiatives based on the findings. ISBN 1-55753-215-X By: Dr. Jon Anton Price: $39.95

Call Center Performance Enhancement - Using Simulation and Modeling This book provides its readers with an understanding about the role, value, and practical deployment of simulation - an exciting technology for the planning, management, and analysis of call centers. The book provides useful guidelines to call center analysts, managers, and consultants who may be investigating or are considering the use of simulation as a vehicle in their business to responsibly manage change. ISBN 1-55753-182-X By: Jon Anton, Vivek Bapat, Bill Hall Price: $48.95

Contact Center Management “By the Numbers” With the ever increasing complexity of multi-channel customer contact handling, it is significant that this book addresses the challenges of managing such a contact center comprised of customer service agents, documented workflow processes, and enabling technology. Integrated reporting of calls, e-mails, Web-chat, and Web self-service becomes key. The authors have written a very practical guide to managing a customer contact center “by the numbers.” In contrast to most other departments in a company, the contact center has a constant flow of available performance metrics that are critical for the manager to use in making real-time decisions. The challenge is always what action to take when the “numbers change,” and what remedies are best suited for specific performance gaps. ISBN 0-9761109-0-3 By: Dr. Jon Anton and Kamál Webb Price: $32.95

Customer Obsession: Your Roadmap to Profitable CRM Finally, here is a book that covers the complete “journey” of CRM implementation. Ad Nederlof and Dr. Jon Anton have done the near impossible: to position CRM in such a way that it makes practical sense to C-level executives. Beginning with the title of the book, “Customer Obsession,” on through the last chapter, this book positions CRM for what it really is, namely, a complete change in corporate strategy, from the top down, that brings the customer into focus. ISBN 0-9719652-0-X By: Ad Nederlof and Dr. Jon Anton Price: $24.95

Customer Relationship Management: The Bottom Line to Optimizing Your ROI Customer Relationship Management recommends effective initiatives toward improving customer service and managing change. Creative methodologies are geared toward building relationships through customer-perceived value instruments, monitoring customer relationship indices, and changing the corporate culture and the way people work. ISBN 0-13-099069-8 By Dr. Jon Anton and Natalie L. Petouhoff Price: $33.33


Customer Relationship Management Technology: Building the Infrastructure for Customer Collaboration From our research on the American consumer, it has become very clear that potentially the best customer service strategy is “to offer every possible channel for the customer to help themselves, i.e., self-service.” Customer actuated service is mostly driven by technology, and the “art” of self-service is to ensure that the technology is intuitive, easy to use, and that the customer is rewarded for “having done the job themselves.” This book delves into all the technology solutions that enable self-service. The reader will find a robust description of the technology alternatives, and many examples of how self-service is saving companies money, while at the same time satisfying customers. ISBN 0-9630464-7-0 By Dr. Jon Anton and Bob Vilsoet Price: $39.99

Customer Service and the Human Experience: We, the People, Make the Difference One of the leading challenges for today’s managers is the training and motivating of excellent agents. While much attention has been focused on the technology and benefits of providing multiple channels for customer contact, little attention has been paid to handling the human part of the equation—training CSRs to field more than just telephone communications. Great statistics and benchmarking help the customer service/call center professional keep ahead of the ever-changing business environment as the authors successfully blend the critical human aspect of the center with the ever growing need for metrics and the bottom line. ISBN 0-9719652-7-7 By Dr. Rosanne D’Ausilio and Dr. Jon Anton Price: $34.95

Customer Service at a Crossroads: What You Do Next to Improve Performance Will Determine Your Company’s Destiny By consistently delivering information about products, services and information to customer service agents, based on their individual skill levels—at the right time in the right way, organizations are also delivering a consistent, clear understanding of corporate objectives and vision. The result: thousands of customer interactions that delight the customer and improve retention as well as corporate profitability. Optimizing agent performance can quickly deliver incredible returns beyond customer loyalty. That is what this book is all about. ISBN 0-9719652-6-9 By Matt McConnell and Dr. Jon Anton Price: $15.95

e-Business Customer Service: The Need for Quality Assessment With the advent of e-business technology, we suddenly find ourselves with completely different customer service channels. The old paradigms are gone forever. This books details how to measure and manage e-business customer service. The book describes the key performance indicators for these new channels, and it describes how to manage by these new rules of engagement with specific metrics. Managing customer service in this “new age” is different, it is challenging, and it is impossible to migrate from the old to the new without reading this book. ISBN 0-9630464-9-7 By Dr. Jon Anton and Michael Hoeck Price: $44.00

Enabling IVR Self-Service with Speech Recognition Everyone is talking about speech recognition and its many applications. The hype is loud and clear. However, in reality, most contact center practitioners are still on the sidelines watching and waiting to hear more about the success stories and the realistic applications of this marvelous new technology. In this book, the authors report on actual case studies where speech recognitions has been successful applied to enable self-service through the IVR. Readers will learn: a) who are the major players in speech recognition, b) how to determine what applications are best suited for speech recognition, c) what results can you expect from speech recognition implementations, d) which companies have successfully applied speech recognition, and e) where will you find the biggest financial pay-back for speech recognition. ISBN 0-9719652-9-3 By Dr. Jon Anton and G.P. Paul Kowal Price: $34.95

From Cost to Profit Center: How Technology Enables the Difference This book is a series of case studies in which we collected performance metrics before and after implementation of specific technology solutions for call centers. In each case study we saw varying levels of improvement, and were then able to quantify the financial impact in terms of ROS, and in some cases, in terms of earnings per share. For call center managers contemplating the addition of new call center technology, this book will be an asset in better understanding the impact of technology in enabling higher performance. ISBN 0-9719652-8-5 By Dr. Jon Anton and R. Scott Davis Price: $44.95


How to Conduct a Call Center Performance Audit: A to Z Call centers are an important company asset, but also a very expensive one. By learning to conduct a performance audit, readers will be able to understand over fifty specific aspects of a call center that must be running smoothly in order to achieve maximum performance in both efficiency and effectiveness of handling inbound customer calls. ISBN 0-9630464-6-2 By Dr. Jon Anton and Dru Phelps Price: $34.99

Integrating People with Process and Technology: Gaining Employee Acceptance of Technology Initiatives This book contains valuable information regarding the “people” side of technology initiatives. Many companies buy the best hardware and software, and spend thousands of dollars implementing technology only to find out that the employees resist the changes, and do not fully adopt the new, and possibly, improved processes. By understanding how to manage people during change, managers will see a much quicker ROI on their technology initiatives. ISBN 0-9630464-3-8 By Jon Anton, Natalie Petouhoff, & Lisa Schwartz Price: $39.99

Listening to the Voice of the Customer With the help of this book, the professional skills you need to measure customer satisfaction will lead you to different approaches until you have found the one that best fits you, your company, and your organization’s culture. ISBN 0-915910-43-8 By Dr. Jon Anton Price: $33.95

Marketing Sucks! (and Sales, Too!) Time-and-time again, great ideas become less effective, the marketing department’s efficiency is diminished, there is the constant finger-pointing between sales and marketing, and presidents, CEOs, and others are frustrated over revenue goals that continue to go unmet. Marketing Sucks! (and Sales, Too!) captures the frustration felt by many parts of the organization when marketing and sales are not aligned. There is a better way. The authors write from direct experience. When your marketing and sales teams are aligned (on the same page) your bottom-line results will improve exponentially. These improved results can create a positive, perceptible shift in your company’s finances and mood that will be valued in the boardroom, in the trenches, and ultimately, by your customer. ISBN 0-9630464-4-6 By Fred Janssen, Tom Marx and Tom Herndon Price: $25.99

Managing Web-Based Customer Experiences: Self-Service Integrated with Assisted-Service The time to grow your call center into a multi-channel customer contact center is now. This book has the power to help you increase customer satisfaction through the implementation of Web self-service. The value of this book can be calculated in terms of calls deflected from your call center, increased customer retention, an ultimately in a healthy return on your investment. In this book, the authors take you step-by-step through the best practices that lead to a successful self and assisted-service strategy. ISBN 0-9719652-4-2 By Dr. Jon Anton and Mike Murphy Price: $35.95

Minimizing Agent Turnover: The Biggest Challenge for Customer Contact Centers Some agent turnover can be functional, but most turnover is dysfunctional and can be very expensive. This book explores the types of turnover, including internal versus external; and documents the typical causes of agent turnover. Most importantly, this book describes a methodology for diagnosing the root causes of your agent turnover, and suggests improvement initiatives to minimize agent turnover at your customer contact center. ISBN 0-9630464-2-X By Dr. Jon Anton and Anita Rockwell Price: $39.99

Offshore Outsourcing Opportunities For call center executives wanting to explore and understand the benefits of offshore outsourcing, the authors have brought together ‘under one cover’ a comprehensive guide that takes the reader through each step of the complex issues of outsourcing customer service telephone calls to agents in another country. With the pressure of today’s competitive climate forcing companies to take a hard look at providing higher quality customer services at lower costs, this book is a “must read” for every call center executive. ISBN 0-9719652-3-4 By Dr. Jon Anton and John Chatterley Price: $34.99


Optimizing Outbound Calling: The Strategic Use of Predictive Dialers The content of the book is organized in such a way as to assist the reader in understanding the complete end-to-end process of automated outbound call dialing. Specifically, the reader will find the following steps described in detail: a) preparing a needs assessment, b) selecting and contracting a predictive dialer supplier, c) implementing a predictive dialer solution, d) applying change management principles to ensure “buy-in” by existing agents, d) handling and using dialer reports, and finally, e) benchmarking dialer improvements to ensure attaining the anticipated ROI. ISBN 0-9719652-2-6 By Jon Anton and Alex G. Demczak Price: $39.99

Selecting a Teleservices Partner: Sales, Service, and Support This book tackles one of today’s hottest topics: Customer Contact Outsourcing. Companies are in a quandary about the myriad of teleservices questions they’re faced with, such as deciding to outsource, cost / benefit analysis, RFP development, proposal assessment, vendor selection, contractual requirements, service level performance measurement, and managing an ongoing teleservices relationship. With the authors help, readers will find this complex issue straightforward to approach, understand, and implement. ISBN 0-9630464-8-9 By Jon Anton and Lori Carr Price: $34.99

The Four-Minute Customer: Getting Jazzed about Your People and Quality Management in Your Call Center This is a very unique book directed at developing and maintaining “Top Reps” that are uniquely motivated to deliver the highest possible quality of caller customer service at your center. Learn what it takes to find and lead the best of the best. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Instead, learn how to manage the best in class customer contact center by attracting and keeping Top Reps at your organization. ISBN 0-9630464-1-1 By Michael Tamer Price: $34.99

Wake Up Your Call Center: Humanizing Your Interaction Hub, 3rd edition With new and up-to-date material, this third edition speaks volumes about the need to reinforce the human element in the equation. This is a straight forward guide for humanizing the impersonal, with practical to-do’s, real life examples, and applications to delight your customers. In depth chapters include mixed messages, change and stress management, conflict resolution, rapport building, and communicating powerfully, just to mention a few. ISBN 1-55753-217-6 By Rosanne D’Ausilio, Ph.D Price: $44.95

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