Virtual Hold Technology
Implementation Results
1
The Challenge:
Recession Driven High Call Volumes
• TeleCenter expanded to maximum staffing
levels
– Recruiting/Hiring
– Training
– Facilities
• Telecommunications tools at full capacity
– Despite adding network capacity, callers
still experienced blocked calls and long
hold times
2
The Solution:
Virtual Hold Technology
• New way for claimants to interact with
TeleCenters
• Claimants can choose a return call from the
TeleCenter rather than waiting on hold
• Immediate SBR-funded solution
• Used in many commercial call centers
nationwide
• ESD is the first Washington State agency to
utilize Virtual Hold
3
The Project
• Three month implementation delivered over
the holidays
• Cooperative effort between ITSD and UI
divisions
• Implemented by combined team already
experiencing high claims load and managing
existing systems and projects
4
TeleCenter Basic Call Processing
5
Genesys/VHT Call Processing
6
Genesys/VHT Call Processing
7
Genesys/VHT Call Processing
8
Daily Configuration
• 8:00 Standby
– Fills the Queues
– Builds Estimated Wait Time (EWT)
• 8:15 Normal Operation
• 4:00 Q Speak – gives EWT only
• 5:00 Standby
9
Rendezvous' vs Concierge
• Concierge
– Keeps caller’s place in line and calls back
when they reach head of the line
– High volume queues
• Rendezvous
– Allows caller to schedule the call back
– Low volume queues
10
Virtual Hold Management System
EyeQ
• EyeQ allows you to view statistics and see calls in queue
real-time, generate historical reports over a wide range of
data, and make real-time parameter settings to the Virtual
Hold system.
• QueueInfo reporting package provides rich detail on all
calls that interact with the Virtual Hold system, and can be
used to complement existing ACD reports. In addition to
monitoring Virtual Hold system utilization, these reports
also serve as tools for optimizing the system and
calculating return on investment.
Average Numbers Per Month
• 64% of calls offered a callback option
• Of those, 73% choose the callback option
• 1,359,886 on hold minutes saved
• ~ 22,665 hours
• ~ 567 weeks
• ~ 11 years
• $32,000 in monthly toll free costs avoided
12
Concierge
• The premier product of the Virtual Hold solution,
Concierge is a virtual queuing technology that educates
and empowers callers. When customers are faced with
hold time, Concierge tells them their estimated wait time
(via Queue Speak Settings), and allows them the choice
to receive a callback in the same amount of time as if
they had waited on hold.
This area of EyeQ allows you to make changes to the
Concierge settings.
Impacts on Business
• With the Virtual Hold treatment, T1 circuit capacity for
Inbound calls increases, eliminates long hold times, and
reducing toll costs.
• Abandoned calls dropped by 50%!
•
Busy signals and high volume messages diminished.
• Improved contact center efficiency and morale.
• Decreased call volumes by mid day and by mid week
enabling back end office work to be scheduled and
completed during normal business hours.
• Overtime reduced.
• Breathing Room!
Queue Statistics
Real-Time View
Queue Name
Op Mode
EWT
Holding
Queue
Virtual
Queue
Priority
Queue
Calls in IVR
Total Calls in
VH
Appts
SEA
Apprentice
Normal
0:26:08
3
40
1
1
45
0
SEA Basic
Normal
0:12:29
4
8
1
0
13
1
SEA Complex
& Questions
Normal
0:23:16
14
143
0
1
158
9
SEA EmployersDate Book
0:00:00
0
0
0
0
0
0
SEA Spanish
Apprentice
Normal
0:00:00
0
0
0
0
0
0
SEA Spanish
Basic
Normal
0:19:42
2
4
1
0
7
0
SEA Spanish
Employer
Standby
0:00:00
0
0
0
0
0
0
Spokane
Apprentice
Normal
0:02:20
5
0
1
0
6
3
Spokane Basic Normal
0:00:00
0
0
0
0
0
0
Spokane
Complex &
Questions
Normal
0:32:15
5
114
3
11
132
8
Spokane
Employers
Date Book
0:00:48
3
0
0
0
3
0
Spokane
Spanish
Apprentice
Normal
0:00:00
0
0
0
0
0
0
Spokane
Spanish Basic Normal
0:01:45
1
0
0
0
1
0
Spokane
Spanish
Employers
0:00:00
0
0
0
0
0
0
Standby
Customer Satisfaction
•
Empowers customers with options that improve the customer
experience.
•
Reduction in cell phone minutes used by claimants in the past.
•
Allows callers to resume their normal activities while waiting to
speak to an agent.
•
When claimant reaches an agent they are not frustrated about being
on hold for an extended period and agents are less stressed by irate
callers.
•
Claimants able to get through earlier, streamlining the call volumes
throughout the day and week.
•
Customer quote, “I really like the ‘call back’ option. I am so happy I
don’t have to keep the phone posted to my ear while waiting for
someone to help me. This is really a good idea. And you actually
call back.”
Impacts on Staff
•
Increased morale
•
More time to complete off phone assignments.
•
Shifted weekly claims queue with issues previously answered by
Adjudication to our Intake Staff, assisting with a reduction in
backlog.
•
Training staff on Virtual Hold was easily done during one of their
team meetings.
•
Talk time reduced, resulting in increased calls per hour and
performance ratings.
•
Training and development opportunities increased.
•
Fewer complaints
•
Reduction in claimants going into WorkSource Offices for help on
their unemployment claim.
The Result
• Everyone loves it
– ESD TeleCenter Operations, Unemployment Insurance
Central Office, Information Technology Services
Division
– Governor and Legislature
– Business
– Labor
• Most of all the claimants love it!
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