Presented by: Stella Garcia

May 2007

Service Standards for the Telephone

Presented by: Stella Garcia

• The Gordon Institute of TAFE has been providing quality education and training since 1887

• Location – Geelong, Victoria

• Campuses: City, Colac, Corrections Education, East Geelong

• Offering more than 220 nationally accredited courses at the Certificate, Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Apprenticeship and Traineeship levels

• Degree – Bachelor of Arts (Visual Arts)

• Over 600 Staff Members including Teachers and

Administration Staff

• 20,000 enrolments a year (approx)

Background

• New Telephone System (Nov 2005)

• Call Centre established

• Service Standards for Call Centre developed

• Presentation to Management

• Recommendation for the development and implementation of Institute Telephone Service Standards

Background

Development of Telephone Service Standards

• Consultant appointed (2006)

• Project group formed (Institute wide invitation)

• Three meetings of project group between April to August

• Mystery shopper contracted (selected from 3 quotes)

Mystery Shopper• Mystery Shopper research was undertaken over a

20 day period between:

– Monday 9 June – Friday 16 June 2006– Monday 3 July – Friday 14 July 2006

• Gordon Institute of TAFE provided a list of relevant and specific survey questions and also telephone numbers to be dialled.

Mystery Shopper

Q: You want apply for the Cert IV in Aged Care (part time) but need to know if the classes are held at night or during the day. How long does it take to complete part time?

A: Classes are held during the day between 9 – 4 pm and the course will take 6 months to complete.

• 93 calls were placed into the organisation (average 4-5 calls per day)

Time to answer:• 65% answered in 1– 4

rings

Greeting: • 54% answered with a

greeting, department name & their name (very low percentage)

Mystery Shopper Feedback

Tone of voice: 29% were excellent: friendly, enthusiastic and genuinely interested in responses; 1% were poor

Knowledge of staff:24% vague (lower than benchmark)32% excellent

In addition:• some staff having difficulty

using the functions of the phone eg. hold, transferring

• It was discovered that many phones were not set up with voicemail.

• average time to receive requested information was 4.9 days (1 took 8 days)

• 21 voicemails left (8 not returned)

Mystery Shopper FeedbackWillingness to help:Staff members are willing to help answer their callers queries96% rated as acceptable or excellent (positive result)

Impression at end of call:Subjective criteria71% rated as good or above (pleasing)29% poor and average

Project Group MeetingsMeeting 1 (Apr 06)• Defining purpose• Scope• Project stages• Request for collection of

‘What Cheeses You Off’ feedback

Meeting 2 (May 06)• Revision of ‘What Cheeses

You Off’ feedback• Service expectations• Development of Standards

Meeting 3 (Aug 06)• Review ‘Mystery

Shopper’ feedback• Review draft Standards• Planning for launch:

– Communication plan, – Timeline – Promotional campaign

Telephone Service Standards Publication

• Telephone Service Standards document was prepared and covered the following:

• Endorsement from CEO• Role of the Call Centre• Your Responsibilities

– Managing Office and Mobile Phones– Voicemail– Answering Calls– Transferring Calls

Implementation of Institute Service Standards

• Notification and endorsement of TSS from CEO via “Staff All” email

• Presentations booked across the Institute – to date 200 staff have seen the presentation

• Presentations delivered using hard copy of standards, PowerPoint presentation, DVD and t-shirts

• Quick reference sheet provided to attach to all phones

• Documents listed on Intranet, teachers handbook etc.

Service Standards - Overview

• Your Responsibilities

• Managing Office and Mobile Telephones • Voice Mail

• Answering Calls

Standards incorporated in Staff Inductions

• Telephone Service Standards reminders during the year by Student Services

• Recognition & rewards for roll-out and demonstration of exceptional Telephone Service Standards – prizes donated

• 2nd mystery shopper survey in July 2007

• Review of Telephone Service Standards implementation in October 2007

• Sharing our model with other TAFE’s and Universities

The future: Strategies for Success

Questions?

Contact:Stella GarciaTeam Leader – Student ServicesPh: (03) 5225 0441Email:

sgarcia@gordontafe.edu.au