The first thing any call center has to overcome is the functional separation of work.  Scientific management theory if you will. Frederick Taylor started all this.  Separate the work into functions and maximize each function.  The problem is it worked for a long time and now that there is better thinking organizations have trouble shifting to the new thinking.  Call centers were not exempt from this thinking.  They became a function.  The call center has its own set of measures and processes to navigate.

As a systems thinking consulting company, we see no reason that the call center should be any less a part of the system in which they belong.  The call center can provide vital customer information and when used appropriately can be the place of innovation and creativity.  Instead they are viewed as a function that has to be optimized with AHT (Average Handle Time) and other measures of productivity.  These are no more than handcuffs to the organization as a whole.  Targets become blinders to the ability to improve service.

The call center contains information that is readily malleable enough to become knowledge when we view organizations as systems.  A lot of customer demand, especially failure demand (problems, chase calls, missed appointments, etc.) enters the call center.  This is information to make business improvement.  Instead we find organizations looking for ways to reduce talk time rather than possibly increase it to make sure we get an understanding of customer demands and ultimately optimize the system.

New measures and new thinking would not only raise the stature of call centers as part of the system, but can provide tremendous opportunity to an organization that recognizes the possibilities when we look at our organizations as systems rather than functions.

Tripp Babbitt is a speaker, blogger and consultant to service industry (private and public).  His organization helps executives find a better way to make the work work.  Download free from www.newsystemsthinking.com “Understanding Your Organization as a System” and gain knowledge of systems thinking or contact us about our intervention services at info@newsystemsthinking.com.  Reach him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TriBabbitt or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/trippbabbitt.