CHAPTER 5: FROM DESIGN TO REALITY
This chapter explains the concept of the USD as an integral front office for the service organisation. We also discuss the design and development of improvements to the USD, for example the hiring and training of staff.
Five phases are posited, each with a number of steps. We begin with ambition and the necessary tasks, and end with an operating USD. After reading this chapter, the reader should understand the approach to creating, developing and improving a USD.
5.1 Action plan: from design to realisation
An action plan structures thinking and development. You can compare this with building a house. Not the USD, for sure we cannot compare a USD to a house, except for the sleeping occupants, we mean just the principles. When building a house, you would not start with the roof when you have not built the foundations; (unless you are a mollusc, or maybe a tree dweller, or Salvador Dali). First, you need to establish the goal of the USD and what products and services will be offered and then you can commence building. To design, build or develop a USD you will need to take the following steps:
Ambition and tasks
1. Formulate goals and mission
Tune USD and back office
2. Document an inventory of products, services and resolution processes
3. Document an inventory of common customer questions and needs
4. Identify any matches (or obvious omissions) between customer demand and products and services
5. Understand and synchronise USD and back office activities and processes
6. Select channels and technologies
7. Coordinate the current USD activities to ensure they are efficient
Design
8. Manage, design and organise the USD
Building and construction
9. House the USD
10. Build the information function
11. Build the virtual USD
12. Design the call centre functionality
13. Organise account management
14. Organise the USD human resources
15. Go live with the USD
An optional item 16 is ‘find someone to blame if it all goes wrong’.
Figure 5.1 shows the action plan of the different tasks (phases and steps) to build or develop a USD.
5.2 Step 1 – Ambition and tasks
1. Formulating goals and mission
The design of the USD begins with the strategic principles. As we have said, front office to back office principles are the Bible; however, that should not restrict choices regarding ambitions of the USD. The mission and goals of the USD must be carefully formulated.
A mission statement needs to be simple, short and easy to understand (and not nicked from the Internet).
Here are some questions to help you formulate the mission:
• What are we good at?
• What is our reason for existence?
• Who are our commissioners, users and customers?
• Which competencies and capacities are unique to us?
The mission should be described in goal statements. The goals should concern the quality of service and creating an efficient and effective operating organisation. These goals set a frame (or blueprint) for the final design of the USD. The goals will be used to populate a strategic plan that will focus on necessary resources (people and capabilities). Of course, the mission of the USD should fit with the mission and goals of the enterprise. It is of little value to have a USD which focuses on customer intimacy when the enterprise is only interested in operational excellence. The mission and goals of the enterprise will in a perfect world exist somewhere and can be used to ensure some form of business alignment. Or for a laugh, you can tell the business that the IT framework/model/method xyz is an instrument of business alignment. For a real hoot try telling them xyz is an instrument of business integration. Always good for a laugh…
Figure 5.1: Design, build and development of the USD
Table 5.1: Examples of USD Principles
USD Principles |
• Opening times are matched to user attendance hours • Enquiries are easy to make • Call centre is accessible • There are clear channels for redirecting enquiries • A products and service catalogue is available |
In this phase in the process, you should also think explicitly about the costs and finances: investment costs, maintenance costs and budgets (including, for example, details of the depreciation of equipment). Costing data will be part of a business case for the USD.
Table 5.2: Examples of a Mission and Goals of a USD
The mission and goals should be aligned with general business goals and agreed to by the party for whom the business case was created (otherwise you can forget getting any financial backing).
5.3 Step 2 – Tune the USD and back office
2. Create an inventory of product, services and service resolution processes
The USD products and service catalogue needs to be inventoried. It must be clear which products and services will be offered and delivered through the different USD channels (intranet, call centre, email and desk). The delivery process is considered a transaction.
The inventoried products and services need to be described from the demand perspective. This means it must be clear what the product or service comprises, for whom it is available, and what its purpose is. Descriptions should be short, clear and simple (or you can follow the hilarious ideas in some IT best practices and imagine that you are impressing someone out in the real world). Service levels, conditions, possible costs and lead times must also be determined and published. A products and service catalogue for the enterprise should be made available.
The mission and goals must be clear about which tasks should be processed by the USD and which by the back office. This is the resolution process sometimes known as ‘service settlement’. The service settlement for a product or service can be defined as the extent to which a product or service will be executed, delivered and monitored by the USD.
From a quality of service perspective, the highest level of service settlement involves the USD, meaning that all customer demands will be handled and executed by the USD. This of course is not always possible, as specialist tasks from the back office sometimes need to be executed, or specialists need to be consulted. Sometimes it is necessary that customers need direct contact with the back office, though where possible this should be avoided to ensure that the process of resolution is fully controlled. In such circumstances, the USD should monitor such direct contact.
3. Create an inventory of common customer questions and needs
The scope of customer demands must be assessed, analysed and documented. The end to end process of many activities should be known to ensure efficiency; an example is that the entire process of on-boarding new employees should be documented (though kept hidden), so that the new employee is fully confused because they must visit several offices to get everything they need (account, access, phone, laptop etc.). Ideally, make sure they think they have everything they need but ensure they have to take a long walk to a well hidden office to get an ID. Apologies we of course meant that the procedures should not be hidden; we were thinking of our old office…When procedures are clear and efficiently organised, they can also be automated.
Steps 2 and 3 can be amalgamated. Based on the results of these two steps the products and services can be clearly described and the descriptions should be business focused. The delivery channels should be clear, as should indications regarding expectations about delivery time. For example, a call might be answered within 30 seconds; but depending on the nature of the call or enquiry it should be clear that settlement/resolution times will vary. Listing call/enquiry types will assist in the understanding for customers. This step could be considered as an assessment of customer expectations and what the USD can commit to providing.
4. Identify any matches (or obvious omissions) between customer demand and products and services
In step 4, the products and service catalogue inventory of step 2 and the scoping of customer demands of step 3 are connected. This leads to a complete understanding of the needs of customers and the offerings of the USD, from request to delivery. Based on this analysis, it will be possible to formulate standard solutions to specific needs and to create different service categories for customers, or to define different customer groups depending on their needs. In other words, you have your routing plan.
When there is only one type of customer, the connection of both perspectives is simple. But when there are many customer groups the connections will be more nuanced. The overall USD design for selective connection is determined by the services available to the different customer groups. This could mean that the USD has to create specialised desks for enquiries relating to, for example, foreign travelling, different forms of patient care and owners of lease cars. It may also necessitate different authorisation processes for different services; for example, there may be different rules about who can use the intranet for room reservations and room services.
5. Understand and synchronise USD and back office activities and processes
Successful processing of customer enquiries requires solid synchronisation and cooperation between the USD and the back office. In this step, you will execute the routing plan and define the work procedures that will achieve this goal. Having identified the intake processes and channels for enquiries and how resolution through to service settlement will be achieved, the necessary components of the USD and back office can be defined and organised.
Selection of service catalogue products, services and the definition of service settlement in work processes provide guidance for the division of authority and responsibilities between the USD and back office. Coordination activities to be defined include points of contact in the back office, structure of meetings, policy and principles, protocols etc.
Procedures might need to be different in the USD to those in the back office. The enterprise may be offering integrated products and services (e.g. onboarding), and these so-called plural services might require a request to be channelled in different ways to obtain multiple products and services. Initial processing (and delivery) may begin in the USD though completion is in the back office. The USD however is responsible for monitoring the entire transaction and for its overall delivery.
6. Select channels and technologies
IT applications make it possible to fine tune the service offerings and processing. The organisational structures can be made more flexible because of IT. Depending on investment and process design, the entirety of the delivery logistics can also be automated. IT is an enabler, but be aware that simply buying software does not guarantee either an efficient process, delivery or even cost savings. Unless the design is complete and the processes already simplified and working well, your automated services will not satisfy customer demands.
So, IT makes the USD more accessible (with the Internet and intranet) but it is not a substitute for failing to design the services in detail. IT efficiency will be limited by the enterprise’s ambition, as well as by the efficiency of any intake systems and databases (containing information about procedures, status, products and policies).
When it comes to automation, think carefully before buying and be aware of total costs.
7. Coordination of the current USD activities to ensure they are efficient
In this phase, it is necessary to determine the responsibility of the USD regarding overall delivery and monitoring of service delivery. The pre-conditions for final authority and responsibility of coordination are, or should be derived from, the mission and goals of the USD as well as by the choice of structure and position of the USD in the enterprise. From the inventory made about products and services and accompanying processes, responsibility and authority often can be clarified, allocated and assigned.
5.4 Step 3 – Design
8. Management and organisation
The results of all of your investigations and designs should now be brought together to build the organisational structure of the USD. You will need to work out your staffing: How many people you need depends on how much work they have to do, how long it takes to complete the work and the number of hours they are working.
The most basic question to answer is that of necessity; work should be necessary to achieve a goal. Once that need is established how should necessary work be organised, what responsibility does it carry (leading to establishing a hierarchy of authorities), and how many people are required to get things done? This in turn depends on the USD goals, how the different components should be organised, quality of service, how the USD is intended to operate. Is it only a point of information or does it have total control over all operational service deliveries? Is account management part of the function and if so, is it integrated in the USD?
Once you know the scope, focus on the effort; once you know all of the tasks, figure out how long they will take, remember that no one outside a sweatshop works eight hours a day. Then you need to factor in things like vacation and training, as well as what the supervising structure will be. Ambition may be beyond capability (or funds), so you might need to compromise. You might benefit from a plan for growth rather than starting big.
When you have completed this step, you can finally start building the USD.
5.5 Step 4 – Building and construction
9. Housing of the USD
Housing of the USD concerns the physical location, but it is predicated on the overall design. One or more desks? Headsets? Nice shiny iPhones? Many requirements will be the result from the analysis and choices in earlier steps, but which can you afford, and which do you really need?
Pay attention to marketing the services within your enterprise (how do you want to be perceived?). You also need to think about workspace for employees (that work in the office), the needs of those who work at home, labour policy on workspace, accessibility and more (do you want free range or battery farm?). And the answer to that will come from the board and the culture of the enterprise, and will determine whether you are a Poundstretcher or Selfridges…
10. Building the information function
Depending on the size of the service catalogue it is unrealistic to expect that USD employees know all about the products and services, including every procedure and point of contact. IT provision of a knowledge management system can support this as a depository of the necessary procedures; but don’t forget that someone still has to know what they are and put them into a well-designed system.
One can only start to construct the information function when wishes and needs of the customers are matched to the USD offering of products and services, and when the boundaries to deliver are set. Boundaries are a result of budget restraints and when the desired service levels are set.
11. Constructing the virtual USD
To effectively construct the virtual USD and information management functions, they must be considered simultaneously. The virtual USD is the first level of service: it is the service portal intranet where a majority (sometimes all) of the products and services can be delivered. Through the service portal, most enquiries can be placed and channelled as appropriate. However, the products and service catalogue’s standard processes will also mean that most enquiries are immediately directed to the relevant back office. Automation is the most cost effective and efficient solution to handling enquiries, though be aware of the pitfalls described earlier.
The service portal can be designed and developed based on the principles and choices made in relation to the service settlement processes. The portal can be a basic digital information service or a more innovative solution offering self-service for all enquiries. Many service desk management information systems have self-service processing via the Internet. Ensure that any virtual USD matches the capability of the IT infrastructure and the services that fulfil customer needs.
12. Designing call centre functionality
The second level of service is the resolution and settlement of products and services via phone, email and post. These activities are described as call centre functionality and pertain to any USD. Interaction between the USD and customer is not physical. Call centre services can be offered from almost any geographic location, though placing a physical desk in Mumbai for ‘walk-in’ customers based in the UK may not be a good idea.
Since email and text apps are widely available, this channel of service is the most important to design correctly. Welcome to the 21st century.
Finally, physical mail or post (‘snail mail’) may remain a channel for service. Although post is rare, delivery of physical items is still part of the process (ask Amazon). In some instances, original signatures are still needed, although more solutions are becoming available to digitise even this process.
At this point, you should think about how you intend to test the USD organisation. It is never too early to consider ‘dry running’, ‘test packs’, creating enquiries to test clerks (prior to going live) and of course, training recruits.
13. Organising account management
Not everything can be automated or standardised (no matter what anyone tells you). In some instances, direct interaction with the customer is necessary to understand the motivation behind an enquiry. In general, there are two options. First, try a conversation with the USD clerk. This will usually work, but sometimes the clerk will not have enough knowledge or have no mandate for compliance. In these cases, the second option is to make the request through account management. The reason is that account management is a specific function created for settlement and delivery of many non-standardised services. Account management is also responsible for good customer relationships, dealing with more involved requirements, analysing and generally monitoring customer satisfaction. During delivery of large-scale programmes or projects of change or improvement, account management is the bridge function between customers and users on the one hand, and suppliers on the other.
14. Human resources of the USD
Human resources (qualitative and quantitative) of the USD are dependent on the scope of the work. To begin with keep in mind what we discussed about the need for work under Management and Organisation.
There are three more criterial that contribute:
1. Guarantee of continuity of the USD services – This relates directly to availability of USD services and the support provided through cross training, and properly assessing workload to ensure cover during absences such as vacation and training.
2. Effective deployment of the employees – Clerks can never be fully productive during the time that they are available, for example, an irregular distribution of customer calls, or because of major incidents.
3. Expertise of employees – A USD requires specific expertise and skills to execute the tasks. These skills include being customer centric, solution-oriented, communicative and flexible, with a wide knowledge of the enterprise and the ability to turn water into wine.
5.6 Step 5 – In use
15. Go live with the USD
All components should be brought together according to the project plan you have had approved (you did have one, didn’t you?) to make the USD work. This means for example that after successful testing, the virtual USD and the MIS/service desk software are moved to the production environment, accounts are prepared and enabled so that staff have appropriate access to all systems, and all organisational and management agreements are in force.
When everything is prepared and ready, the USD can operate. There will be a grand opening no doubt, or inauguration where customers are invited to the Mall and photographed to prove it is the biggest inauguration ever in history or in any galaxy.
Sorry, we mean where services are ‘walk through’. It is highly improbable that everything is FULLY operational or works as it should; problems will arise. Well, they may not, but be prepared for trouble shooting and keep smiling or use the ‘fake news’ button.
Remember that the USD needs to mature. Staff need to become accustomed to their new tasks, and dry running services is not the same as running live. Relationships need to be established across the enterprise and, in particular, between the USD and back office. The role of account management needs to be developed, and, if it is part of the overall USD function, it must be integrated.
Going live is one thing, but maturation is another. Through experience, you will discover new working processes and identify your efficiencies. At this stage, development of the USD is no longer related to the project plan but towards ongoing improvement. The USD manager is responsible for both further development of day-to-day processes and for improvement and innovation.
5.7 How do I use the action plan in my own situation?
The design parameters (use of different channels, physical locations, degree of automation and so on) depend on the goals of your enterprise. These parameters will form the scope of your project plan, so make sure that they are clear and that you understand project planning (once you have your parameters, the guidance in this book should help you decide what you need to do).
Remember your USD will certainly not be finished after going live. As a consequence, it is not necessary to fully describe all processes, this is probably not even possible until things start up. It will also be unlikely that all steps in all phases will be fully detailed.
There are three reasons why your plans will still be provisional:
1. No one person is likely to have complete insight into requirements. Total design will continue to evolve over time in response to experience;
2. Skills, experience and knowledge of the employees will need to be actively grown; and
3. It is impossible to predict every possible consequence of your planning.
Regular monitoring is needed to discover whether decisions lead to the right outcomes, and sometimes it will be necessary to correct or adjust original ideas, principles or goals. Most importantly, you should check that all parties, especially management, remain committed to their decisions and plans.
In many cases, a USD is already in place and your plan may be to focus on development, improvement or innovation. In these situations, you will focus on the components of the USD. The scheme in Figure 5.1 will help you understand the relationships between the different components. Do not be alarmed when you discover that dependencies between components force you to redesign some elements, and include others that were not part of your original thinking.
The USD is an organisation and like all organisations, it is shaped by humans and therefore continuously subject to change and screw-ups. Employees of a USD will get more and more experience and learn from mistakes, as well as from their successes.
Erm, check that last one…