Call Center Case Study: ServiceKey® – A Game Changer – Matthew Robinson

I have been working with a C level executive implementing our sales platform for the past four years and always admired his ability to move quickly and decisively, seemingly always in the right direction. His firm experienced a 183% increase in sales productivity within 14 months of implementing our sales platform. The results he posted in every organization he has run led his company to look to him to help move the call centers into more of a profit center without losing a focus on excellent service. When he called to tell me about the future of his role, a vision I had four years ago was about to turn into reality. In 2004 I convinced my partner Dr. Dave Barnett to develop a platform for service that would integrate with our sales platform. I knew that the combination inside a company would lead to dramatic results, creating a shared culture and driving results-oriented coaching on both sides of the house. There were two major problems that needed attention inside this company: 1) Attrition; and 2) Growing the sales potential of customer service.

You have to leverage ServiceKey®, I told him. Combining SalesKey® and ServiceKey® will allow sales and service to function more effectively as a team and lead to significant business results from every angle. I am telling you this could be Wall Street Journal type material. Few executives and firms have figured out a way to maximize service and sales with each leveraging the other.

That was a little over a year ago. Recently, during a lunch break at a speaking engagement, I went to the Director of Training to see how our client was doing with the attrition problem. Here is the state of things today verbatim from HR:

16 months ago attrition was at 80% (average turnover in the call center industry is 44%)

Today the attrition rate is at 33%. There are multiple factors involved in that reduction, no doubt, not the least of which is the worsening economic climate that has tightened up the job market. But the downward trend had started before the economic crunch. The Company credits ServiceKey® as a critical component upon which they have changed the culture of the call center.

Based on company studies the training costs associated with a new hire in the call centers is $13,658. This means the drop in attrition over the past twelve months has led to savings in excess of 7 million dollars ($13,658 x 517 hires = $7,061,186). Assuming the ServiceKey platform (Hire Smarter) contributed to only 10% of that savings (very conservative estimate, we believe the impact is much higher), this client has still doubled their entire 2 year investment with PsyMetrics Global through this impact alone in 12 months.

Before implementing ServiceKey® (Train Faster) the firm got about 1 million dollars in outside client assets as a result of referrals from the service center reps to sales reps in 2007. In 2008 (implementation began early 08) outside asset growth from this source was approaching $84 million (that’s a difference of over $80 million) in outside client assets.

Prior to implementation the Company averaged 20 referrals a day to sales reps; after implementation they averaged approximately 500 referrals a day.

I do not know whether the news will ever hit the street through the Wall Street Journal, but I can say that there are a lot of high fives occurring inside this firm. They are making significant progress in tracking down the few behemoths in their industry when just a short four years ago they were rarely mentioned as a player.

Utilizing PsyMetrics Global programs of assessments and training, the company received a double-barreled impact; turnover down leading to significant savings, referrals skyrocket leading to significant asset growth! When executives decide to move decisively to impact attrition and sales results, and make a concerted effort to link service and sales organizations our programs can deliver extraordinary short-term and long-term returns. I cannot overstate the impact these programs can have in the hands of the right executive team. Without leading from the top few programs ever maximize their potential.