Enhancing Customer Experience for a Federal Civilian Contact Center

Introduction:

A KGS civilian federal agency customer plays a vital role in American’s lives. To effectively serve the public and address their concerns, the customer recognized the need for a comprehensive and user-friendly platform to interact with the American public. The Contact Center, implemented by Arlluk Technology Solutions (ATS) in collaboration with the customer, aimed to provide efficient and effective customer service to all stakeholders. This case study explores the unique challenges faced by the customer, the solution implemented through the Contact Center, and the achieved results supported by data and statistics.

The Unique Challenge:

The KGS customer faced several challenges in delivering timely and accurate information to its diverse stakeholders. These challenges included:

  • Short Lead Times: The execution of the Call Center contract required quick mobilization and initiation of services, resulting in the need for rapid hiring, training, and service initiation.
  • Pilot Program Transition: The Call Center was initially staffed by federal employees on detail from its various agencies, leading to limited turnover and a unique transition process for the contractor.
  • COVID-19 Impact: The COVID-19 pandemic presented significant obstacles, requiring the implementation of remote work arrangements and adjustments to operational processes.
  • Ongoing Refinement: As a pilot program, the Call Center underwent continuous refinement, necessitating flexibility and adaptability to accommodate changes.

The Solution:

To address these challenges, ATS implemented a new Contact Center, providing a comprehensive solution that included the following elements:

  • Rapid Staffing and Training: ATS successfully recruited and trained entry-level personnel for Tier 1 positions in two different geographic locations, Washington, D.C., and Dallas, Texas, ensuring adequate staffing levels.
  • Effective Onboarding Process: ATS developed an efficient onboarding and training process, enabling new hires to quickly provide call center support and meet the demands of the KGS customer and its stakeholders.
  • Streamlined Reporting: ATS provided weekly and monthly reports, along with regular status meetings, comparing actual performance to service level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) defined by our customer.
  • Technology Integration: ATS implemented a workforce management software to forecast call volumes and schedule resources effectively, ensuring adherence to SLAs.
  • SAFe: ATS deployed a group of highly qualified developers into the project. This team utilized Salesforce Lightning, a robust and innovative development platform, to enhance the functionality and user experience of the Contact Center. The integration of this development team brought agility, expertise, and cutting-edge technology to the project.

The Results Achieved:

The implementation of the Contact Center yielded significant results, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing customer experience and service delivery:

  • Improved Call Center Operations: The new Contact Center successfully handled a high volume of calls, meeting or exceeding SLAs for call response times and customer satisfaction.
  • Efficient Staffing and Training: ATS’s rapid staffing and effective onboarding process enabled the Contact Center to maintain adequate staffing levels and provide timely support to all stakeholders.
  • Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: User feedback surveys indicated high levels of customer satisfaction, with positive ratings for the professionalism, knowledge, and responsiveness of the Contact Center agents.
  • Streamlined Reporting and Performance Monitoring: The regular reporting and performance monitoring provided by ATS allowed the customer to track and evaluate the Contact Center’s performance against SLAs and KPIs, ensuring continuous improvement.
  • Seamless Feature Enhancements: The scrum team successfully implemented a range of feature enhancements, such as improved search functionality, personalized user dashboards, and integration with external data sources. These enhancements improved the user experience, allowing stakeholders to access information more efficiently and effectively.

Conclusion:

The implementation of the Contact Center successfully addressed the unique challenges faced by the USDA in delivering timely and accurate information to its stakeholders. The achieved results, supported by data and statistics, demonstrate the Contact Center’s effectiveness in enhancing customer experience, improving call center operations, and ensuring customer satisfaction. The Contact Center stands as a testament to the power of efficient staffing, streamlined processes, and technology integration in delivering exceptional customer service in a government agency setting.