Case Study

In year 2008, one of the telecommunication mobile operator changed the policy of its call center number from a 'free of charge' service to payable. One of key reason to convert it because of number of prank calls stats data. The research showed, 10%-25% callers dialed the call centers free of charge for for no reason or just for prank, it was not because of the need help. The End user think its free after all, do no pain from their side. Though, the other side the business have to pay the cost of the interaction-which is not free at all. The company try and define all alternative ideas and practices untul they came up with payable one. Some for us believe that people will take it for granted if they just get it for free. There should be an effort to get the help, than nobody will miss use it.

This policy goes to the high level Management of the Company, and not decided within the cal center management. Therefore, the management assessed the cost and benefit of payable call center management had to create a Business Case (some company call this as Feasibility Study or Justification Paper) to be submit to the Board of Director. This whitepaper was not only covering feasible or not if the service payable, but up to the extent of action plan to be taken.

What I will describe here is an example of Business Case for payable Call Center Number. I am using this Business Case framework, in order to assist the company's executive to make decision. There are a lot of other template for Business Case but key topics usually covering the same content.

The following are the major segment of Business Case. We use specific Payable Call Center Number as the background here.

Background

• Purpose of the Operational Business Case
• Challenges
• Other Purposes

Option and Justification

• Some solution options for Solution Plans from all aspects: operation (statistic data of call number, interaction, type, number of complant, etc) component of people, processes of work process, location and other aspects
• Risk Identification and mitigation
• Benchmark to the Market or to the main Competitor
• Cost Benefit Analysis

Conclusion and Recommendation

• Recommendation from some options available
• Project management and accountability
• The next step and Work Plan

At the end the message that the company to their user that this policy being implement to ensure those customers that are in real need will get better service. However, if in the future, there is misuse and waste of resources due to this policy, it is time for the organization to make a review. Is the call center free service are mandatory for better service or is it overkill practice? All of those are optional and in accordance with their respective purposes. However, a capacity waste due to this prank caller is just waste of resources moreover everybody knows that 'service is not free'.

Grace Heny, May 28, 2018