The challenge

Our client has been working with us for many years. They originally asked us to develop an independent call evaluation process to help identify a more accurate reflection of the quality of service being offered, as well as making recommendations around how their service could be improved. During this time, our client developed the quality monitoring programme to include emails. From 2020, we started working with the client to:

• Develop a quality monitoring programme for webchats
• Achieve alignment and consistency of quality measures for each contact channel; calls, email and webchat
• Drive improvement and consistency in quality scores for all contact channels
• The introduction of quality monitoring for webchats also coincided with the launch of the client’s new customer portal – and with COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the client’s services had to be suspended during the first lockdown in March 2020, and the client saw a 15% drop in call contact volumes.

  However, once the first lockdown was lifted and services slowly resumed, the client saw an increase contact through the customer portal webchat facility and via email (54%), whilst call volumes quickly returned to pre-lockdown levels.

Solution

The client’s first requirement in developing a monitoring programme for webchats was to agree the quality measures and design a scorecard. We provided guidance on what these measures should be and shared best practice with our client to help produce the quality guidelines and the scorecard.

The client has used our proprietary quality software, Quality PLUS for a number of years, and we knew exactly the type of reporting they wanted in order to provide a detailed view of the quality of interactions at Organisation, Team and Individual level. Quality PLUS also enabled them to identify the lower-performing measures and to focus on driving improvement in these areas.

Once the quality measures were agreed, quality monitoring was undertaken on a random sample of webchats, as a ‘temperature check’ to see where the client was, and the improvements required.

The first set of quality scores produced results of 79%, and through Quality PLUS reporting capability, the client was quickly able to identify key areas on which to focus and drive improvement. They also identified the need to ensure all colleagues understood the guidelines and the measures they were being marked against.

In addition to aid coaching and development of colleagues, Team Leaders needed a greater understanding of the client’s quality monitoring model and the measures being introduced. This was achieved through 6-weekly Calibration sessions, alternating between, webchat, emails and calls.

Results

The introduction of quality monitoring on webchats to run alongside the call and email quality evaluations gave the client a centralised model for quality monitoring. It helped ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and enabled them to focus and drive improvement in lower-scoring quality measures.

The client’s key learning takeaway was the importance of investing sufficient time in bringing all stakeholders together to share objectives, learnings and to carry out extensive calibration sessions.

Frequent and open communication enabled them to build confidence, knowledge, share best practice and build a strong partnership with BPA.

95 % Call quality KPI consistently achieved at over 95%

11.58 % Webchat quality scores improvement in 9 months

6 % Email quality scores up 6%

Feedback

“We have worked with BPA for a number of years and we have been really pleased with the quality monitoring model we have built. BPA has worked with us getting to understand our business and provide valuable insight into our service. This has enabled us to share best practice and focus on driving improvement to deliver the best customer experience.”

Emma Abrams, Customer Service Training and Quality Manager