Hewlett-Packard Call Agent Performance-Centered Design
Closing the Gap Between Training & Working

Performance-Centered Design (PCD) Competition 2001 Entry

Results from the pilot program were outstanding and exceeded the highest expectations. Agents were monitored for performance in two major areas of business impact:

• First Call Resolution - Agents using the EPSS showed a 16% increase in first call resolution over their peers.

• Call length -Agents using the EPSS demonstrated average call lengths between 28% – 40% SHORTER than their peers! Average call length reductions were between 5 and 8 minutes per call on each product.

As an example of the magnitude of these results, a call length reduction of 30-60 seconds is considered substantial in a high volume call center environment. A 60 second reduction on 1 million calls per month would yield an average yearly savings of 9 million dollars. However, reductions in call length must not negatively impact first call resolution or the savings will be lost on repeat calls. Large reductions in call length are typically very hard to achieve. Call length reductions coupled with increased resolution rates are exceptional.

Evaluation and Measurement Process

To reduce the influence of a Hawthorne effect during the pilot agents were not told that their behavior would be monitored. Agent behavior was observed both through call monitoring and web tracking. Average EPSS page hits per call were 18.1, however there was no correlation to the timing of the calls. In other words, EPSS usage occurred at various times before, during and after customer phone calls. HP's web SOURCE EPSS provided an always-on, learning-on-demand environment that was used by agents whenever needed.

Moving Into the Future

As mentioned earlier, production version 1 has been introduced across all product lines during the First Half FY’01. The results are proving so powerful that version 2, using meta-tagged RLOs, will roll out in beta form on September 4, 2001. Usability testing is receiving phenomenal acceptance, indicating new agents teach themselves to use the tool very quickly when simply given an activity and asked to use it. Agents no longer receive training classes on new product introductions, they’re simply notified in advance of the new product they’ll be supporting, and are invited to explore the site and complete the on-line lab activities. Agents who need to answer questions across product categories or across different product types are able to easily transition, since they already know what the navigation structure and content will be for all products.

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