The challenge

A traditional media company reliant on subscription revenues saw the writing on the wall: enhance customer service or watch loyal readers defect to online competitors. Growth and market entry of customer-centric digital media disruptors amplified the urgency.

Callers were left frustrated with unresolved issues and Net Promoter Scores were eroding. Associates missed average handle time targets because they struggled with navigation tools used to process simple tasks such as “activate subscription,” representing one-third of all requests.

Our solution

TTEC partnered with the client to gather input and identify roadblocks associates faced, and the client chose to move forward with a curriculum redesign.

Guided by Lean methodology, TTEC improved the curriculum by focusing courses on top call drivers and system navigation to build associates’ proficiency in handling the most common calls. Low-value courses were stripped out to accelerate training time, improve knowledge retention and reduce cost of delivery. Instructor-led training was replaced with video-based modules and hands-on exercises.

The results

The revamped curriculum reduced training time from 20 days to 15 days, yielding 25% savings on delivery costs while lifting morale because agents gained proficiency and confidence faster.

During the new associates’ nesting period, 14.25 seconds (4.67%) were shaved off average handle times. Within 30 days, AHT dropped by 48.34 seconds (16.18%). Net Promoter Scores rose 8.07 points and quality scores improved by an average of 2.42% in 30 days’ time. TTEC’s train-the-trainer session equipped trainers to deliver the new curriculum, whose agile design permits adjustments as needed.

The redesigned training curriculum now offers an accelerated approach that empowers associates to improve handle time while saving the client money and highlighting TTEC’s proficiency in training capabilities.