PRESS

PRESS RELEASE - JANUARY 2005

What is Customer Service Worth?

TelePerformance UK partner with 3C Associates to research Return on Investment in Customer Service Agents for Clients

Leading outsourcer Teleperformance UK and specialist consultants 3C Associates have completed the first stage of their research into the value of Customer Service Agents.

“Our aim is to provide clients with the best possible information for investment decisions'” said Teleperformance UK Sales Director Keith Price “and the first stage of that is to be able to measure when a new agent has made a sufficient contribution to pay back their costs. We have worked with 3C Associates as part of their HATS™ (Human AsseT Statements) programme to develop a method and metrics for measuring how many days it takes to recoup the cost of the initial investment in an agent." (including contact centre training, customer service training)

TelePerformance has piloted the approach with their client BAA Advance. Over the last 3 months 3C has worked with TP UK staff to gather data and analyse the results.

“We now know how long it takes for a new Customer Service Agent at BAA Advance to break even” said Price. “This means we can put a value for clients on investing in potential changes in the induction process to reduce the time to break even.”

3C Associates Managing Director Hedda Bird said “Contact Centre managers know that people are their most important asset. Yet most managers only have metrics to measure what their people cost, rather than the value that each agent adds. With recruitment becoming more difficult, and standards of call handling needing to rise, the pressure is on for all Call Centre managers to be able to put a credible value on their people and the service they deliver.”

3C has developed practical methodologies that enable call centres to put a value on their services, and provide a realistic Return on Investment in training for value adding activities like extra coaching, better management and higher motivation.

Hedda Bird continued, “For as long as ROI calculations focus on cost savings it will be very hard for call centres to win the support they need to add value. Using the HATS™ approach, Call Centres can start to focus on the Returns they will make from investing in improving customer satisfaction, increasing retention and adding genuine value.”

For more info contact:    3C Associates on  01491 411 544 or by email.

Note to Editors:

3C Associates is an innovative learning and development organisation, with a range of unique tools designed to help organisations get the most out of their most valuable asset – their people.

HATS™ is a leading edge programme from 3C to design and deliver Human AsseT Statements for Senior Managers and Boards of Directors. The approach provides robust methodologies for valuing people and their skills.

TelePerformance UK is a leading provider of outsourced CRM and contact centre services. With the strength of a worldwide group behind us, and domestic, nearshore and offshore outsourcing solutions, we enable companies to manage and optimise the value of their customer relationships at all stages of the lifecycle.