Lots of managers face pretty much typical problem when trying to implement BSC or at least make the first step in BSC implementation. By the way, these initial mistakes are the most common destabilizing factors in further creation of company or department BSC. Call centers are business units that have unique structure and goals. On the one hand customer support services do not earn money and thus do not seem to help companies in generating revenues. On the other hand, customer satisfaction is all important for every manufacturer or service provider simply because every organization aims at retaining customers who then become regular clients.
Major call center measures
For this reason excellent performance of a call center is a must. Moreover, as a rule completion of strategic goals is simply impossible without achieving local goals (those of individual departments). Strategic management always implies use of specialized software and strategic management frameworks, such as Balanced Scorecard. BSC, created by Norton and Kaplan, has become popular in a variety of industries, including call centers. Moreover, since call centers are customer oriented business units BSC is even more effective as Balanced Scorecard concept implies achievement of customer satisfaction.
Call center BSC does not differ much in structure from Balanced Scorecards created for other business units. Of course, every department has own goals and organizational structure. However, BSC uses the same principles in a call center industry. Traditionally, BSC includes 4 categories which are called perspectives: financial, customer, internal business processes, learning and growth. Many inexperienced managers put excessive focus on financial results. Without any doubts, financial results of a call center are important, however, spending less on the customer support services in no way implies excellent performance. For this reason, it is important to adequately share efforts and focus among the 4 categories and choose effective KPIs (key performance indicators).
Sample perspectives and measures of call center bsc
Call center KPIs must be necessarily hand picked. Sure, there is a good option of buying ready to use sets of KPIs. At the same time, it is important to “personalize” these measures and customize them as per call center’s goals. As a rule, managers take into account lots of factors, such as internal problems, outside challenges, problems in organization structure etc. Probably, the best option is to start implementation of call center BSC with making yourself familiar with Balanced Scorecard concept and peculiarities of using this framework in this particular business unit.
Tags: call center bsc, call center KPI