The challenge

A global online travel platform was growing quickly, more than doubling its number of outsourced TTEC associates, and wanted to boost productivity by reducing average handle time (AHT) and resolving enquiries faster.

Associates helped customers with various aspects of online reservations, including modifications, cancellations, payment enquiries, and complaints. They worked toward benchmarks for productivity and AHT that were industry standards but not rooted in science and the client’s unique circumstances. This made it difficult to gauge the validity of the benchmarks. There was a need to determine the appropriate AHT target.

Our solution

We first focused on improving productivity in the voice channel, since most (more than 70%) of customers’ enquiries came through voice.

To establish more meaningful benchmarks, we assessed the AHT among calls with tenured associates and the AHT of calls with new hires. We also conducted a series of mock calls with associates to gauge the AHT of an ideal call per contact type when every part of the interaction went smoothly.

Since associates will not always achieve an ideal scenario, we averaged the ideal call AHTs with the AHTs of tenured and new associates to set new baseline AHT targets for each group and contact type.

With new benchmarks set, we listened to calls to identify deficiencies and inform our training and process improvements. We noticed associates struggled to multitask and capture call notes, for instance, so we streamlined processes to help. We also designed training materials to help associates who were missing benchmarks and established a routine to give real-time assistance to those struggling with prolonged AHT.

The results

With these improvements, the client saw productivity rise and AHT fall. Associate productivity increased 36%, which generated €1.3 million in savings for the client. Customer experience also improved as AHT fell by 29%.

The client was so pleased with our results, we expanded the process to other channels.