Handle time for CSR's

In article <[email protected]>,
"Scott Stephenson" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "Tim Harrick" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > W.S. Blevins <wblev@remove_this_hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I caught it early and went back to Sprint. Yeah, I know but they
> > > never, ever lie to me or try to steal from me. I place a lot of value
> > > on that in itself.
> >
> > SprintPCS CSRs have many techniques to lie. They have a 6 minute Handle
> > Time that is their highest priority. Higher even than upselling.
>
> Well,- other than you 'quoting' unknown sources, that was never proven.
> And I'm sure that as you come to realize that things aren't to your liking
> here, you'll start the same line of crap you started with Sprint. I feel
> sorry for this group- they have not had to deal with your whining and
> misquoting of facts (not that you ever use any). I see you are all ready
> trolling here and you've had the service for less than a month.

Unknown? Not at all. We had many reps post to newsgroups telling how
their managers used carrots and sticks, and the Handle Time was top
priority.

I even had 3 different folks in Executive Services at Sprint admit to
Handle Time constraints, although they foolish think it doesn't affect
CSR results; you you're even worse cause you won't face facts that
handle times are imposed on CSRs.

---

› See More: Handle time for CSR's

On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 00:06:27 GMT, Tim Harrick <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Unknown? Not at all. We had many reps post to newsgroups telling how
>their managers used carrots and sticks, and the Handle Time was top
>priority.


Can you explain what is meant by "handle time"?

W.S. Blevins wrote:
> On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 00:06:27 GMT, Tim Harrick <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
>>Unknown? Not at all. We had many reps post to newsgroups telling how
>>their managers used carrots and sticks, and the Handle Time was top
>>priority.
>
>
>
> Can you explain what is meant by "handle time"?

Handle time for a specific call or Average handle time (AHT) for the
average of handle times on a particular agent or group is just one of
the measurements Call Centers use for measuring performance of agents
and of the call center as a whole.

Handle time is the time it takes for that particular agent to handle
that call.

Some call centers even are sophisticated enough to allow for Cradle to
Grave measurements in their call centers. Such a case would be when they
can measure the time it takes from when the customer first rings through
to the phone system to the time they hang up; the system would even
follow transfers to different agents and groups to make those calculations.

Also others such as ATA: average time to answer, are key and usually
with lowering the AHT, the ATA gets lowered serendipitously. With that
comes the ability for the call center to handle more calls per hour per
agent.

Phill

"Phillip Dudas" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> W.S. Blevins wrote:
> > On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 00:06:27 GMT, Tim Harrick <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Unknown? Not at all. We had many reps post to newsgroups telling how
> >>their managers used carrots and sticks, and the Handle Time was top
> >>priority.
> >
> >
> >
> > Can you explain what is meant by "handle time"?
>
> Handle time for a specific call or Average handle time (AHT) for the
> average of handle times on a particular agent or group is just one of
> the measurements Call Centers use for measuring performance of agents
> and of the call center as a whole.
>
> Handle time is the time it takes for that particular agent to handle
> that call.
>
> Some call centers even are sophisticated enough to allow for Cradle to
> Grave measurements in their call centers. Such a case would be when they
> can measure the time it takes from when the customer first rings through
> to the phone system to the time they hang up; the system would even
> follow transfers to different agents and groups to make those
calculations.
>
> Also others such as ATA: average time to answer, are key and usually
> with lowering the AHT, the ATA gets lowered serendipitously. With that
> comes the ability for the call center to handle more calls per hour per
> agent.
>
> Phill

You need to understand that 'Tim' was the resident troll of the sprintpcs
group, until his recent change to ATT. All of this was explained to him ad
nauseum in the other group. You'll come to learn that he is allergic to
facts that don't back up whatever twisted argument he is trying to make. He
also doesn't answer questions- you'll notice that a thread will die as soon
as someone asks a question of him. Either that, or he will rant about the
question asker being an 'apologist' for whatever company is being talked
about.

You're right on point about Cradle to Grave- I think you'd be surprised at
how widespread this has become, particularly in the cellular industry. Most
(if not all) are keying in on reducing AHT and transfer times to affect the
call time, and have gotten away from trying to reduce talk time to increase
call volume.

Measuring Handle Time can be a necessary evil to be able to compare
Customer Reps. It becomes bad when a strict number is strictly enforced,
and Phone Reps can not give good service because they feel the need to
"Complete the Call", so they will say what is necessary to get you off
the phone, even if they are making up answers or purposely lying.
i.e. "My supervisor will call you back".

Phillip Dudas wrote:

> W.S. Blevins wrote:
> > On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 00:06:27 GMT, Tim Harrick <[email protected]>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Unknown? Not at all. We had many reps post to newsgroups telling how
> >>their managers used carrots and sticks, and the Handle Time was top
> >>priority.
> >
> >
> >
> > Can you explain what is meant by "handle time"?
>
> Handle time for a specific call or Average handle time (AHT) for the
> average of handle times on a particular agent or group is just one of
> the measurements Call Centers use for measuring performance of agents
> and of the call center as a whole.
>
> Handle time is the time it takes for that particular agent to handle
> that call.
>
> Some call centers even are sophisticated enough to allow for Cradle to
> Grave measurements in their call centers. Such a case would be when they
> can measure the time it takes from when the customer first rings through
> to the phone system to the time they hang up; the system would even
> follow transfers to different agents and groups to make those calculations.
>
> Also others such as ATA: average time to answer, are key and usually
> with lowering the AHT, the ATA gets lowered serendipitously. With that
> comes the ability for the call center to handle more calls per hour per
> agent.
>
> Phill

Customer care is a hard job,
Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
Guess how many reps smoke.
I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would last in the
typical call center, as a customer care rep.

In article <[email protected]>,
ZZZonka Tonka <[email protected]> wrote:

> Customer care is a hard job,
> Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
> Guess how many reps smoke.
> I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would last in the
> typical call center, as a customer care rep.

It's made hard by managers that enforce strict Handle Times, and judge
reps by Handle Times, rather than Customer Satisfaction.

Chris McFarland wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> ZZZonka Tonka <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Customer care is a hard job,
> > Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
> > Guess how many reps smoke.
> > I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would last in the
> > typical call center, as a customer care rep.
>
> It's made hard by managers that enforce strict Handle Times, and judge
> reps by Handle Times, rather than Customer Satisfaction.

What is the turn over rate for a call center?
What percentage of reps do you think smoke?

"Chris McFarland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>,
> ZZZonka Tonka <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Customer care is a hard job,
> > Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
> > Guess how many reps smoke.
> > I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would last in
the
> > typical call center, as a customer care rep.
>
> It's made hard by managers that enforce strict Handle Times, and judge
> reps by Handle Times, rather than Customer Satisfaction.

At the risk of having one of Phillipe's personas say "I told you so", I will
say that for 2004, handling time, while still a measurement that is tracked
for performance, is not a measurement that is included in the bonus payout
program. Just Customer Satisfaction and Resolving issues on the first call.

Leisa

On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 10:54:51 GMT, Chris McFarland <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Measuring Handle Time can be a necessary evil to be able to compare
>Customer Reps.


What's evil about it? When I call, I want the issue (whatever it may
be) solved right now. The faster the better.

In article <6voBb.288841$Dw6.973837@attbi_s02>,
"Leisa" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "Chris McFarland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <[email protected]>,
> > ZZZonka Tonka <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > > Customer care is a hard job,
> > > Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
> > > Guess how many reps smoke.
> > > I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would last in
> the
> > > typical call center, as a customer care rep.
> >
> > It's made hard by managers that enforce strict Handle Times, and judge
> > reps by Handle Times, rather than Customer Satisfaction.
>
> At the risk of having one of Phillipe's personas say "I told you so", I will
> say that for 2004, handling time, while still a measurement that is tracked
> for performance, is not a measurement that is included in the bonus payout
> program. Just Customer Satisfaction and Resolving issues on the first call.

Simply not true. It varies by Call Center and Manager, some of whom are
far stricter than anything I have mentioned.

In article <[email protected]>,
W.S. Blevins <wblev@remove_this_hotmail.com> wrote:

> On Tue, 09 Dec 2003 10:54:51 GMT, Chris McFarland <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >Measuring Handle Time can be a necessary evil to be able to compare
> >Customer Reps.
>
>
> What's evil about it? When I call, I want the issue (whatever it may
> be) solved right now. The faster the better.


But if it's a complicated issue, maybe one the Rep has never encountered
before, will a rep be afraid to take the time to walk you through a
solution knowing it might take 10 minutes? All too often, thats the
problem.

"Chris McFarland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <6voBb.288841$Dw6.973837@attbi_s02>,
> "Leisa" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> > "Chris McFarland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > In article <[email protected]>,
> > > ZZZonka Tonka <[email protected]> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Customer care is a hard job,
> > > > Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
> > > > Guess how many reps smoke.
> > > > I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would last
in
> > the
> > > > typical call center, as a customer care rep.
> > >
> > > It's made hard by managers that enforce strict Handle Times, and judge
> > > reps by Handle Times, rather than Customer Satisfaction.
> >
> > At the risk of having one of Phillipe's personas say "I told you so", I
will
> > say that for 2004, handling time, while still a measurement that is
tracked
> > for performance, is not a measurement that is included in the bonus
payout
> > program. Just Customer Satisfaction and Resolving issues on the first
call.
>
> Simply not true. It varies by Call Center and Manager, some of whom are
> far stricter than anything I have mentioned.

The above information I printed is directly from the bonus program for 2004,
which is enterprise-wide, not Call Center specific. Believe it or don't,
doesn't matter to me. I have a very low handling time, about 3 minutes below
the goal, and my customer satisfactions surveys are always 9 and 10, so I
must be doing something right.

Leisa

"Leisa" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:4NvBb.7629$8y1.36032@attbi_s52...
>
> "Chris McFarland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > In article <6voBb.288841$Dw6.973837@attbi_s02>,
> > "Leisa" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > "Chris McFarland" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > In article <[email protected]>,
> > > > ZZZonka Tonka <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Customer care is a hard job,
> > > > > Make a guess what the turn over rate for a call center is.
> > > > > Guess how many reps smoke.
> > > > > I'd like to see how long many of the people who post here would
last
> in
> > > the
> > > > > typical call center, as a customer care rep.
> > > >
> > > > It's made hard by managers that enforce strict Handle Times, and
judge
> > > > reps by Handle Times, rather than Customer Satisfaction.
> > >
> > > At the risk of having one of Phillipe's personas say "I told you so",
I
> will
> > > say that for 2004, handling time, while still a measurement that is
> tracked
> > > for performance, is not a measurement that is included in the bonus
> payout
> > > program. Just Customer Satisfaction and Resolving issues on the first
> call.
> >
> > Simply not true. It varies by Call Center and Manager, some of whom are
> > far stricter than anything I have mentioned.
>
> The above information I printed is directly from the bonus program for
2004,
> which is enterprise-wide, not Call Center specific. Believe it or don't,
> doesn't matter to me. I have a very low handling time, about 3 minutes
below
> the goal, and my customer satisfactions surveys are always 9 and 10, so I
> must be doing something right.
>
> Leisa
>
Leisa, before you get into a long drawn fight here ... be advised that Chris
McFarland is one of Phillipe's alter egos ...

Bob

>
> What is the turn over rate for a call center?

The Last I knew it was around %20 Percent a month at Sprint ( but that
number was a very long time ago)

> What percentage of reps do you think smoke?

Cannot honestly answer that one, but in the retail stors out here it
varies from ~15-60% depending on the location.