Building a Quality Assurance Program for 2-1-1 Centers Using ‘Voice of the Customer’ Research

1. Building a Quality Assurance Program for 2-1-1 Centers Using ‘Voice of the Customer’ Research Barry Maners, Managing Director, The Fraser Group Lisa Austin, Director of 2-1-1 Strategic Enhancements and Disaster Recovery United Way Worldwide

2. United Way Worldwide

3. The Fraser GroupVoice of the Customer Solutions RARoad America A MAPFRE Company • National 311 Performance Benchmark amadeus

4. The 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • Consensus reality, aka “Why does quality assurance matter” • Lessons learned from the 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • The path forward The Agenda

5. The 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • Consensus reality, aka “Why does quality assurance matter” • Lessons learned from the 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • The path forward The Agenda

6. The 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program Pilot creation The Agenda

7. How the 211 “Mystery Caller” was created • Consultation • Determined Scope of Work • Worked with 211 US Steering Committee • Utilized AIRS Standards • Fraser Group Best Practices • Florida • Involved 211’s

8. 1 - Broward County 2-1-1 2 - NJ Partnership 2-1-1 3 – United Way of Escambia County 2-1-1 4 – United Way of Northeast Louisiana 2-1-1 5 – WIN 2-1-1 6 – United Way of Greater Atlanta 2-1-1 7 – United Way of Greater Cleveland 2-1-1 8 - 2-1-1 LA County 9 – United Way Association of South Carolina 10 - NJ Partnership 2-1-1 (second location) 11 – 2-1-1 Palm Beach 12 – Michigan 2-1-1 (Gryphon Place) Participating 2-1-1 Centers

9. The 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • Consensus reality, aka “Why does quality assurance matter” • Lessons learned from the 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • The path forward The Agenda

10. Assuring the caller has the best experience. Does it matter? Referral /Loyalty The Customer Caller Perceived Value Overall Quality of Products & Services Market Presence & Reputation Cost of Acquisition & Usage The Contact Center Support Marketing Events Promotions

11. Understanding the filter. Referral /Loyalty Caller Perceived Value Overall Quality of Products & Services The Caller Cost of Acquisition & Usage Market Presence & Reputation The Contact Center The Filter The Contact Center Strategy The Organization Goals/Objectives Mission Vision

12. Understanding the filter. Referral /Loyalty Caller Perceived Value Overall Quality of Products & Services The Caller Cost of Acquisition & Usage Market Presence & Reputation The Contact Center The Hawthorne Effect The Contact Center Strategy The Organization Goals/Objectives Mission Vision

13. Referral /Loyalty Caller Perceived Value Overall Quality of Products & Services Cost of Acquisition & Usage Market Presence & Reputation The Contact Center Frederick Taylor The Contact Center Strategy Goals/Objectives Mission Vision

14. Referral /Loyalty Caller Perceived Value ASA Key Performance Indicators – Set 1 Talk time Overall Quality of Products & Services Cost of Acquisition & Usage Market Presence & Reputation The Contact Center Frederick Taylor The Contact Center Calls handled per hour Strategy Goals/Objectives Etc. Abandon rate Mission Vision

15. Key Performance Indicators – Set 2 What percent of calls are placed on hold properly by the SPECIALIST? What percent of calls contained questions that were never answered by the specialists, causing call backs? What percent of calls contain hold patterns that cause abandons and call backs? What percent of calls would cause the caller to call back hoping for a different specialist? What percent of calls contain irrelevant conversation thereby increasing talk time? What percent of calls contain tragic phrases?

16. # 1 From the inside out, drives consensus reality # 2 From the outside in – the callers perception! (the specifics of what the caller encounters and the criteria the caller uses to evaluate the center's performance) Difference between #1 and #2 – CONSENSUS REALITY

17. The 211 Specialist Monitoring Program Objectives Performance Improvement Outcomes Improved Allocation of Technical Resources Improved Caller Satisfaction Reduced Cost of Center Operation Patent Pending, 2007

18. The 211 “Mystery Caller” Benchmark Program * Built on Fraser’s SETS Program (Service Excellence Tracking ) * Fraser’s model based on multicollinearity and regression modeling of over 10,000 call center observations * Refinement of the model, iterative between Fraser and 211

19. The 211 “Mystery Caller” Benchmark Program Fraser’s SETS Research Results: • 5 major categories • The Greeting (The Initial Contact) • Listening, Confirmation, Questioning (Assessment and Clarification) • Appropriate Solution (Information and Referral Giving) • Professionalism (Communication Techniques) • Closing (Closure) Total of 50 specific criteria (results in a total of 2,500 observations for the Benchmark) • 36 specific attributes of measurement • Augmented with 211 specific requirements developed qualitatively with 211

20. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

21. How was the pilot executed

22. 1 - Broward County 2-1-1 2 - NJ Partnership 2-1-1 3 – United Way of Escambia County 2-1-1 4 – United Way of Northeast Louisiana 2-1-1 5 – WIN 2-1-1 6 – United Way of Greater Atlanta 2-1-1 7 – United Way of Greater Cleveland 2-1-1 8 - 2-1-1 LA County 9 – United Way Association of South Carolina 10 - NJ Partnership 2-1-1 (second location) 11 – 2-1-1 Palm Beach 12 – Michigan 2-1-1 (Gryphon Place) Participating 2-1-1 Centers

23. The Fraser Assessment Scoring Methodology • Each Attribute scored 0 or 1 • Most attributes of call scored are objective, i.e. • Thank the caller for calling 211 of ________ • Did the Specialist really listen to the caller’s statements/questions? • Did the Specialist paraphrase the purpose of the call? • Did the Specialist handle the proper number of needs as noted on the scenario used? • Did the Specialist avoid the use of jargon and tragic phrases, unless explanation of the jargon was given?

24. Magic and Tragic Phrases MAGIC Phrases (a partial list) • I can help you with that right now • I can look into that for you • I can take care of that for you • I’d be glad to help you • I’m sure I can do that • That would upset me too if that happened to me • Mr. XXX. It would help me get your answer quicker if I knew your order #, do you have that available? • I’m glad I was able to help

25. Magic and Tragic Phrases TRAGIC Phrases(a partial list) • Please hold • Give me your ZIP • Hang on a minute • What’s your problem? • If you had read your confirmation more closely • That would be too hard for us to administer • Let me tell you what you haven’t considered • You don’t understand our problem • We have too many calls holding right now for that • You have to • Let me be honest with you

26. Outbound calls based on 23 scenarios covering • Housing and Utilities-34% • Food and Meals – 26% • Information Services • Income Support • Individual& Family &Community support • Legal, Consumer &Public Safety • Health Care • Mental Health & Addictions • Clothing • Transportation – 2% • Other Govt./ Economic Services – 10% • Employment • Education • Disaster Services • Volunteers and Donations • Arts, Culture

27. Outbound calls based on singular needs and unspoken needs • SCENARIO • Caller: • 43 YO • Male (or Female) • No children • Zip Code - • Needs – 2 • Need type - 3 • “Hi. I live in (CITY FROM 211 AGENCY BEING CALLED) and my electric is turned off. The Electric Company isn’t being very nice because I can’t pay a bunch of money to get hooked back up. They want $250 to reconnect and I can only pay about $100. I just lost my job and I just paid them $150 last month and they still disconnected me. I think I owe $400 total, can you guys help me get my electricity back on?

28. Outbound calls based on singular needs and unspoken needs • SCENARIO • Caller • Male or Female • 26 YO • Lives in city that agency being called is in • Has had one leg amputated due to an auto accident • Zip Code - • Needs – 1 • Need type - 12 • I need help with moving. I have a lot of stuff and don’t have a truck and can’t afford to rent one. Is there anything you can do for me?

29. Outbound calls based on singular needs and unspoken needs • SCENARIO • Caller • 23 YO Female • Not married • 2 children, 4 and 7 • Lives in city that agency being called is in • Zip Code - • Needs – 2 • Need type - 4 • I need to find a food pantry to get some food to feed my kids but I can’t leave my job during the day. Are there any that are open at night?

30. The 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • Consensus reality, aka “Why does quality assurance matter” • Lessons learned from the 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • The path forward The Agenda

31. Specialist places caller on hold immediately upon connection • Specialist uses profanity • Specialist sets headset aside • Specialist makes any disrespectful remark toward or laughs at the caller • Specialist makes any disrespectful remark toward 211 • Specialist makes any disrespectful remark toward another agency • Specialist talks to neighbor during the call • Specialist asks the caller to call back (due to specialists or 211). If caller not prepared with information, do not make a red call. • Specialist is eating, smacking gum or has hard candy Red Calls

32. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

33. Overall Calls Score HighLow Benchmark Total Standard Minimum 80%

34. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

35. Contact Standard Minimum 80% Portray a warm, welcoming tone Identify him/ herself by name Thank caller for calling Agency Personalize call Validate the ZIP Code

36. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

37. Assessment & Clarification Standard Minimum 80% Para-phrase caller’s question/ concern “I will help” or some variation Used open and closed end questions No inappropriate interruptions Really listen

38. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

39. Information Giving Standard Minimum 80% Appear knowl. and accurate Did the AC repeat spelling of addresses / vital info Response clear and understandable Handled proper number of needs No further prompts

40. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

41. Communication Techniques Standard Minimum 80% Ask permission to gain more information Avoid the inappropriate use of “we” Controlled Silence Gaps Apologize for repeats Avoid Jargon Diffused Anger Expressed Empathy 0 indicates criteria was NA in all calls scored

42. Communication Techniques Standard Minimum 80% Use the caller’s name twice during the call Correct pronunciation, enunciation and volume Speak clearly Speak courteously Positive, upbeat tone 0 indicates criteria was NA in all calls scored

43. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

44. Closure Standard Minimum 80% 0 indicates criteria was NA in all calls scored Attempt to collect demos. Did the agent avoid Irrelevant conversation Demos at correct time Other Issues?

45. Closing – Overall Centers Report Standard Minimum 80% 0 indicates criteria was NA in all calls scored Closer to a resolution at the end of the call Thank the caller for calling agency or 211

46. Understanding the filter. Referral /Loyalty Caller Perceived Value Overall Quality of Products & Services The Caller Cost of Acquisition & Usage Market Presence & Reputation The Contact Center The Filter The Contact Center Strategy The Organization Goals/Objectives Mission Vision

47. The 211 Specialist Monitoring Program Objectives Performance Improvement Outcomes Improved Allocation of Technical Resources Improved Caller Satisfaction Reduced Cost of Center Operation Patent Pending, 2007

48. Specialist Monitoring Using the Voice of the Customer Through Mystery Calling Overall Quality of Specialist Performance Contact The Initial Greeting and Building Rapport Closure Communication Techniques Build the Relationship with Professionalism Assessment and Clarification Information and Referral Giving Patent Pending, 2007

49. Overall Calls Score HighLow Benchmark Total Standard Minimum 80%

50. The 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • Consensus reality, aka “Why does quality assurance matter” • Lessons learned from the 211 “mystery caller” benchmark program • The path forward The Agenda