Case Management - Given a set of KPIs, determine the appropriate case management solution

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KPI Overview

Key Performance Indicators are metrics used to measure the performance of Business or Organization. Case Management is a critical process and KPIs play a vital role in understanding the efforts of customer service representatives in resolving cases and helping customers to be successful. Entitlement Management and Escalation rules play an important role in giving life to these KPIs and Analytics can be used to measure them.

Tools Used for Improving KPIs

Entitlement Management Assignment Rules Auto-Response Rules Escalation Rules Process Automation

Tools Used for Measuring KPIs

Analytics Third Party Tools

KPI Metrics

Business Process KPI Metrics

A business process is a collection of linked tasks which find their end in the delivery of a service or product to a client. A business process has also been defined as a set of activities and tasks that, once completed, will accomplish an organizational goal.

In Case Management, every company wants to ensure that customer is satisfied to a much extent with the support. Support is a continuous revenue generator so it is very much required to establish certain processes and measure them. Multiple Key Performance Indicators as stated below needs to be measured and the processes adjusted accordingly for a successful contact center.

  • Average process overdue time
  • Percentage of overdue processes
  • Average process age
  • Average time to complete a business process task

SLA KPI Metrics

A service level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider (either internal or external) and the end user that defines the level of service expected from the service provider. SLAs are output-based in that their purpose is specifically to define what the customer will receive. SLAs do not define how the service itself is provided or delivered.

It is very important to make sure that SLA is not breached and hence it is required to measure the Key Performance Indicators. Some of the KPIs are as below

  • Percentage of service requests resolved within an agreed-upon/acceptable period of time

  • Downtime – the percentage of the time service is available

  • Availability – the total service time = the mean time between failure (MTBF) and the mean time to repair (MTTR)

  • The number of answered phone call per hour

  • Total Calling Time per Day or week.

  • Average queue time of incoming phone calls

  • Number of un-responded emails

  • Average after call work time (work done after call has been concluded)

  • Number of complaints received within the measurement period

  • Cost Per Case - Average amount of resources spent on resolving a case.

    • To reduce cost per case,
      • reduce the Average Handle Time for cases
      • Implement Salesforce Knowledge for repetitive questions, known issues, product limitations
      • Use Case Automation features.
      • Reduce the number of clicks and time spent by the agent to respond to each case.
      • Make sure that experts are available as and when required and not much time is spent in boarding them to look into a case.
    • Using custom reports to measure cost and time spent on the case by Support Rep.
    • Some Examples where Cost per case goes up include
      • Time spent between skill groups without any productive work
      • Time spent in boarding SMEs on case.
      • Time spent on drafting responses.
      • Time spent in asking questions about the issue in bits and pieces by the agent.
      • Time spent in Waiting on Customer for inputs.

  • Agent Productivity - Time spent by Support reps on productive tasks to resolve cases.

    • To improve agent productivity
      • Schedule activities
      • Enable Service Console so that they have everything required for case resolution at one place
      • Provide Knowledge base and proper training on how to use it.
    • To view case related activities of Support Reps, create custom report for cases and related activities grouped by support rep.

  • Case Escalation Rate - Percentage of cases escalated to next tier

    • Case Escalation rates can be reduced
      • by configuring the entitlement process with milestones and warning, violation and success actions as agreed up in in the Service Level Agreement.
      • by training agents
        • to listen carefully to customers,
        • to ask right questions
        • to apoligize without blaming
        • to empathize rather than sympathize
        • to ask customer what would be acceptable solution
        • to explore options and find ways to help
        • to negotiate a solution.
        • to understand the SLA and its impact if not followed.

  • Initial Response Time - Time taken by Support rep to respond on a case after submission

    • Initial Response time can be improved by
      • creating a warning milestone action that sends an email alert to support rep before the First Response milestone is reached.
      • creating a First Response Milestone within an entitlement process.
      • By Configuring Auto Response rule for a case that is created.
      • By adding Interaction Channels like Chat, SOS, Community and public knowledgebase.
    • It can be measured by creating a custom resport with a formula field for response time by support rep.

  • Time to Resolution - Total time taken by a support rep to resolve a case

    • Time to resolution can be improved
      • Improving Knowledgebase
      • Utilizing case automation features like assignments, omni-channel routing
      • Ensure the technical skills of agents, the more your rep knows about an issue, not just in understanding it but in troubleshooting it, the better the outcome will be; both in terms of time-saving and customer satisfaction.
      • Make sure agents communication skills are good. It is one thing to understand a technical problem, but your techs have to be able to help the customer understand as well.
      • Hire and train a dedicated support team so that they can concentrate on the support.
    • It can be measured using custom report with a custom formula field for total case resolution time for each case by support rep.

  • Average Handle Time - Average time taken by support reps to resolve a case.

    • Improving Knowledgebase
    • Utilizing case automation features like assignments, omnichannel routing
    • Recording calls and analyzing ways to improve. Call center software features that facilitate recorded versions of the calls enables managers to access the desired insights and single out the reasons that increase handle time.
    • Call center agents should be trained at frequent intervals in order to help them reduce AHT. They should know how to use the customer service solutions and tools such as CRM and chat to ensure that the call is answered at the lowest time possible leaving the customer satisfied.Agents should know whom to contact in case of any doubt and from where to extract any relevant information. They must thoroughly understand the company’s product and services to resolve the issue at the earliest.
    • AHT can be drastically reduced if the agent’s workflow and processes are tailored to optimize their productivity. Managers should work hard to spot inefficiencies and cut out anything that inflates handling time and doesn’t lead to a good customer experience.
    • Upgrade Call routing with advanced technology. For example, enable skill-based routing using Omni-channel.
    • By using IVR and chatbots for improved customer experience.
    • Evaluate call types in case of IVR and configure the routing accordingly.
    • Always value experience within the team. Managers must identify the ones who manage to maintain low AHT and deliver exceptional customer experience and try to uncover the tactics they use.

  • First Contact Resolution - Percentage of cases resolved in one response to customer

    • Improving Knowledgebase
    • Routing cases to the right agents using Skill-Based routing through Omni-Channel
    • Provide 360-degree view of the customer through Service Console and helps to configure automated tasks.
    • To analyze the FCR create a case report with Closed When Created field grouped by Support Rep.

  • Customer Satisfaction - A score used to measure the percentage of customers who are satisfied by service experience

    • This can be improved
      • by enabling automation features like escalation rules and workflow rules to ensure customer satisfaction
      • by using any Survey app and collect Customer Satisfaction metrics and continuosly measuring it.
      • by treating every customer as if they were a VIP
      • by keeping an eye on what customers say about you on social media
      • by listening to customers
      • by being proactive and transparent
      • by practicing honesty and managing expectations.
      • by understanding customers pulse.

  • Net Promoter Score - Percentage of customers who would recommend the company’s products to friends or coworkers and family based on their support experience

    • This can be improved
      • utilizing survey apps for collecting relevant information from customers.
      • by gaining trust and confidence
    • These are influenced by overall customer service experience so make sure customers are happy at all levels of service.

  • Customer Effort Score - A measure of amount of effort spent by customers when they interact with support reps.

    • This can be improved
      • by increasing agents professional, communication, interpretational and interpersonal skills through training.
      • by improving the knowledge base

  • Number of Closed Cases - Total number of cases closed

  • Number of New Cases - Total number of cases created

  • Case Distribution - Number of cases created by Channel

Service Quality KPI Metrics

  • Cycle time from request to delivery
  • Call length – the time to answer a call
  • **Volume of calls handled **** **– per call centre staff
  • Number of escalations how many bad
  • Number of reminders – how many at risk
  • Number of alerts – overall summary
  • Customer ratings of service – customer satisfaction
  • Number of customer complaints – problems
  • Number of late tasks – late

Efficiency KPI Metrics

  • Cycle time from request to delivery
  • Average cycle time from request to delivery
  • Call length
  • Volume of tasks per staff
  • Number of staff involved
  • Number of reminders
  • Number of alerts
  • Customer ratings of service
  • Number of customer complaints
  • Number of process errors
  • Number of human errors
  • Time allocated for administration, management, training

Compliance KPI Metrics

  • Average time lag between identification of external compliance issues and resolution
  • Frequency (in days) of compliance reviews

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