Contact Center Capability & Training Team Articles

EDS BPO Newsletter Articles
Articles Written by the BPO Process
and Training Team
5400 Legacy Drive | Plano, TX 75024

Contact Center Capability and Training Team

Mission Statement
To develop and deliver transforming
processes, training and standards,
driving EDS and client results efficiently
for cost reduction, and effectively through
service excellence, loyalty, partnership
and commitment.

Contact for additional Information: Brian Hughes

Section

Call Center Capability and Training Team Newsletter Articles

Table of Contents

1. Team Sets No Boundaries on Delivery …………………………….3

2. Recognition and Appreciation – Investing In EDS Employees…...5

3. Linking Agent’s Daily Performance to Scorecard…………………..6

4. Transforming the Culture Of EDS’ Contact Centers.………………8

5. Olympic Challenge – Rapid Assessment…………………………..10

6. Return On Investment As A Training Component……………..….12

7. NA Contact Centers Celebrate National C/S Week………………14

8. CRM Supervisor Academy 1 Improves Leadership Skills ….……16

9. Diverse Skills For Diverse Challenges.…………………………..…18

10. Scorecard Reduces Employee Turnover & helps Credibility…...21

11. Team Delivers For Sun Microsystems…………………………….23

2


EDS Call Center Capability and Training
team sets no boundaries on delivery
19 February – Plano, TX

When you think of a quot;classroomquot;, what comes to mind?

• Traditional physical classroom
• Virtual session via your computer
• Teleconference
For some of us, it is a memory of a fifth grade cinderblock classroom with the teacher
at the front directing students.

The Call Center Capability and Training Team is helping to dispel some of those
traditional images for you. They are transforming BPO vision into reality by removing
classroom boundaries.

In today's EDS, either a classroom can be a traditional room with four walls, or a virtual
environment where reaching out across the globe is the norm. The EDS team has
embraced both throughout the past several years.

Adult learning theory says adults learn best when they are personally engaged in the
topic being taught. For all platforms, trainers engage learners by starting with what the
adult learner already knows. Using a quot;hey youquot; approach establishes an immediate
connection between instructor and participant.

Before a class is delivered, the team's instructional designers integrate activities and
exercises for these settings that appeal to visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners.
Many learn by seeing actual images such as PowerPoints, graphs, charts, job aids,
whiteboard drawings, participant guides, while others prefer to hear verbal descriptions
and participate in discussions. Finally, some learn from hands on experience.

What helps people learn in groups – such as discussions, activities and hands-on
exercises – may be adjusted for deployment via various platforms. For example, the
team creates and provides job aids for visual learners to reference after they leave the
virtual and/or face-to-face classroom training. These job aids reinforce key concepts,
which help learners retain the knowledge transferred.

The first and most familiar delivery platform is referred to as synchronous delivery
(instructor-led classroom). This traditional method is effective for involving participants
by use of questions, conversation, targeted dialogue, group activities, and immediate
feedback, both from the instructor and from fellow participants. In the face-to-face
classroom, participants feed off each other's energy and begin to network, creating
bonds that last far beyond the end of class.

quot;Each instructor and participant has a favorite type of classroom. In addition, in this
time of cost leadership, we are all involved in media that does not require travel

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dollars. However, when an opportunity exists for students to gather face-to-face, I find
the benefit and value to be powerful. I have seen long time existing problems solved
because we had the right people face-to-face in a classroom. The synergy is
awesome. In addition, relationships are built that guarantee future problem solving
advantages no matter the geographical location.quot;

A second type of delivery platform is also synchronous; it has sometimes referred to as
the quot;virtual classroomquot; and typically delivered via Microsoft Windows NetMeeting. This
can often be the quot;best of both worldsquot;, since participants gather together in a large
conference room, even though the instructor may be thousands of miles away.
Synergy, group energy and interaction can still occur in the virtual classroom through
carefully planned activities.

Yet a third delivery platform is being piloted by the BPO Process and Training team.
Using LearnLinc, with support from EDS Global Learning & Development (GL&D),
instructors are learning to deliver on a platform that takes interactivity and engagement
to a new level.

LearnLinc offers unique instructional tools such as:

• Instructor glimpse of a participants desktop
• Breakout groups in virtual breakout rooms
• Chat feature (including private chat viewable only by the instructor or assistant
instructor)
• Hand raise
• Instant feedback
• Pre-prepared or on-the-fly question and answer
Finally, the team has reached out globally via the Global Broadcast Network (GBN) for
some BPO sessions where large remote audiences were involved. GBN involves an
instructor broadcasting live via satellite to other GBN sites where participants can
interact via the conference line.

“In the increasingly competitive call center world, our team designs the best practices,
writes training curriculum to support them, and delivers training via the most effective
platform,” Brian Hughes, manager of EDS BPO Capability Process and Training. “This
training helps enable our EDS BPO Service Delivery teams to delight their customers.”

quot;Our flexible training approaches represent EDS as the agile company making success
happen for our clients and their customers.”

BPO Service Delivery Communications Contacts:

Brian Hughes
Call Center Capability and Training Manager

4


Recognition and Appreciation –
Investing in EDS employees
9 March – Plano, TX

Ever ask why EDS reinforces, encourages and expects its leaders to
practice employee recognition and appreciation?

The efforts of maintaining a consistent and sincere practice of showing appreciation
and recognizing performance achievements has long been proven to be evidence of
creating a partnership between leaders and employees. EDS is very proud of the way
its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact Center sites in the United
States and Canada have embraced the Recognition and Appreciation process.

A few highlights include site visits from celebrities such as Susan Lucci (Erica Kane on
ABC’s “All My Children”) and spokesperson for Guthy-Renker’s Youthful Essence
product during Customer Service Week at the Des Moines, IA Contac Center.

At the EDS Toshiba site in Irvine, CA, agents have been shown appreciation for their
commitment by providing them with EDS paraphernalia including T-shirts, lunch bags,
pens and badge holders to exhibit company pride.

The infamous and coveted “Toadie” award is given to agents at the Boise, ID, site in
recognition of customer delight. Earning “Toadie” bucks provides agents with the
chance to go shopping for gift certificates and prizes.

All EDS CRM Contact Center sites regularly share letters of appreciation from
leadership, clients and customer commendations with “Wall of Fame” displays.

This attention to recognition and appreciation benefits the business with attendance
improvement, increased productivity and reduced attrition. Events are often shared
between sites, providing variety and saving planning time.

Since implementation of the Recognition and Appreciation process in EDS CRM
Contact Center sites, many sites have reported an increase in job satisfaction and
employee loyalty.

For more information about the Recognition and Appreciation process, see contacts
below.

Brian Hughes

5


Linking a Contact Center agent’s daily
performance to the EDS Performance
Management Process and Scorecard
19 February – Plano, TX

Scorecard is no longer just a buzzword to be used with clients. It is a performance-
tracking tool as well as a process. In addition, guess what?

EDS has now linked the scorecard to the Performance Management Process (PMP)
process.

It is relevant and clear for EDS contact center agents. They understand the correlation
between what they do on a daily basis and how that translates to the cumulative PMP
process. Agents are also fully aware of the four business initiatives that will drive
customer satisfaction levels, EDS service levels and targeted financial goals.

The initiatives are:

• Growth
• Change
• Challenge
• Accountability
These four initiatives depend on the scorecard to be the vehicle by which each agent
develops skills, changes any behaviors that do not support the client, and challenges
him or her to achieve the next level of professional development for future recognition
and reward.

In addition, it establishes a system of accountability that is a shared responsibility
between agent, supervisor and contact center leadership.

No longer does an agent have to wait for a yearly check-up to understand:

• What to improve
• What skills are excellent
• What to do for the next level in career planning
Contact center agents know where they stand each month and throughout the year,
making it faster and easier to change performance as needed.

The EDS Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact Center Agent’s PMP is
a process that provides a consistent and streamlined integration of agent performance
data between the monthly scorecard and the annual PMP review.

The purpose of the Agent PMP process is to combine the activities of the monthly
scorecard process with goals of the current corporate PMP process.

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Using the Employee Scorecard Process, agents receive monthly, quarterly and annual
feedback about their performance.

While the employee scorecard is the source of employee performance data, the Agent
PMP Process provides annual performance level results in the corporate PMP tool for
use in reporting and other corporate systems. These results are determined from the
employee scorecard information.

With the implementation of the Agent PMP earlier this year, sites in North America
have derived the following benefits:

• Facilitate consistency between Scorecard and PMP measurements
• Use Scorecard scores to update each agent’s PMP record on a quarterly
basis
• Reduce expense and administration time
• Reduce PMP tool to two pages and eliminate use of shared competencies
which are not applicable for agents
• Improve agent satisfaction through focused consistent performance
management through regular feedback
Because of the more streamlined and efficient approach of this process, leaders are
able to spend more time coaching and reinforcing agent’s skills to deliver a more
delightful customer service experience.

But the benefits don’t stop there.

As EDS moves toward a more agile enterprise, this scorecard process will enable
leaders to gather data quickly to make adjustments as needed to better meet client
requirements and exceed expectations.

Another advantage that should not be dismissed is, as EDS competes for the contact
center business of the future, measurement standards are general basic requirements.
EDS’ ability to link the scorecard to the EDS PMP sets a standard in the marketplace
and may be seen by potential clients as a consistent process across EDS’ global
Contact Center business.

To learn more on how your contact center agents can participate in this process, and
how to document your success for future EDS Contact Center pursuits, see contacts
below.

Brian Hughes

7


Transforming the culture of EDS’ Contact Centers
20 July – Plano, TX

The EDS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Capability Process and Training Team,
lead by Brian Hughes, introduces new operational processes to EDS contact centers
around the globe. The team consists of process developers, facilitators and curriculum
developers.

quot;An ability and attitude to embrace and celebrate change is required in this
organization, so we work hard to create safe environments for our students where
everyone can listen, ponder, think out loud, try out new skills in practice sessions, and
voice opinions,quot; said Hughes. quot;We interact daily with both CRM and Service Request
Management (SRM) centers, with both the leadership teams and their agents. Change,
and paving the way to it, is what our team is all about!quot;

quot;In an increasingly competitive call center environment, the fundamental cornerstones
of success are firmly rooted in learning and integrating best practices. We have laid a
framework of consistent, best practices operational processes in our EDS centers that
are supported by training. We write and deliver not only classroom interventions, but
also one-on-one, person-to-person coaching and consulting to develop those skills
necessary to win in our competitive marketplace.quot;

quot;We help our contact center teams understand where we want to go as an EDS CRM
team – what it will take to become best in class. We use slides and other materials to
generate classroom discussions about what they can do as individuals and as leaders,
to make this vision a reality.quot;

quot;Our team has a solid background in the contact center world (inside and outside of
EDS), BPO accounts, client relationships, process development, technical writing, user
documentation and workload migration - not to mention our educational and
professional backgrounds in adult learning, secondary education and corporate
training. The team has a combined experience of nearly 200 years working with adult
learning strategies.quot;

quot;Initiatives such as the Supervisor Academy 1, a training program for new supervisors,
and Coaching for Success, a program to teach existing supervisors how to give
appropriate feedback to agents, show our commitment to providing relevant training
and building lasting partnerships in the EDS contact center community.quot;

quot;We also have built strong and lasting relationships with the EDS site trainers in the
field, and consider them adjunct team members. They are our single point of contact
for all process implementations and one-on-one coaching and training that EDS
delivers in the centers.quot;

8


One example of the EDS Call Center Capability and Training Team 's partnership
building is the New Agent Essential Skills Program. They developed twelve modules to
equip newly hired agents with the skills necessary to ‘delight’ customers by agents
performing their responsibilities more effectively. This training is then integrated with
the account-specific training to create world-class new hire training.

quot;Our success is built on participants embracing the material,quot; Hughes said. quot;And the
field has responded favorably.quot;

To learn more about the value-added services and thought-leadership programs the
EDS Call Center Capability and Training Team offers, see contact below.

BPO Service Delivery Communications Contact:

Brian Hughes

9


Olympic Challenge – Rapid Assessment Development
and Delivery Team (RADD)
21 September – Plano, TX

It is no wonder that all eyes were glued to the Olympics in Greece. Is there anything
more exciting than meeting a challenge head-on and winning the top award for your
efforts – the Gold? Meeting challenges head-on requires hour after dedicated hour of
training and discipline.

Olympic competition is about:

• Who is the fastest?

• Who is the strongest?

• Who can turn a mistake into a winning initiative?

It is all about pride in teamwork and company pride.

It is no wonder that the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Capability Process and
Training Team see new challenges and opportunities within BPO and EDS as a chance
to be the fastest, and strongest. While their focused specialty is process and training
development and delivery within the BPO contact center space, all the world is their
stage. With new EDS initiatives being launched globally, this team's track record of
successfully completed implementations is reaching new heights.

The latest initiative is a new team capability called the Rapid Assessment Development
and Delivery Team (RADD). It is focused and ready to help global clients and customers
with immediate training needs.

“This is a competitive capability that can be used immediately by an organization,” said
Brian Hughes, leader of the Call Center Capability and Training Team . “It may be of
specific interest to our sales and marketing teams as they see immediate training needs
when they work under tight deadlines in the pre-sales or post-sales environment.”

The RADD team can deliver curriculum based on objectives and arrange for assessment
both pre-and post-training with a very quick turnaround time.

For example, on one Friday afternoon, potential client requested information on training
materials that EDS would have available on “How to Diffuse Angry Customers.” The
RADD team members, John Gennusa and Linda White, immediately presented a
module within the New Agent – Essential Skills Program (ESP). After review, the client
requested a more in-depth module. The RADD team then worked throughout the
weekend producing, by Monday morning, the necessary in-depth module as requested
by the client, as well as recommendations for delivery and post- assessments.

10


All materials were ready for presentation to the client within hours of the initial request.

“Although the client has not determined how they will proceed, they have
recommendations, newly-developed curriculum, and target assessments ready for
implementation as soon as final decisions are made,” said Linda White, Call Center
Capability and Training Team . “This closes the time gap for the client and now frees up
our RADD team to move on to the next RADD request.”

Depending on scope and requirements, the RADD team is prepared to work 24 x 7, as
many of our calls centers do, to immediately meet client and customer requirements.
The energetic, experienced and highly-skilled staff is prepared to assist U.S., A.P., L.A.,
Canada and EMEA organizations.

The RADD team's success rate lies in the ability to meet short turnaround times, staying
focused on executing a turnkey job within a strict timeframe.

“Our RADD members rotate on and off the team as required by subject matter expertise
needed. This rotation also helps to balance and provide growth opportunities to all our
team members,” said Hughes. “We are proud to be able to make significant gains for our
clients in profitability, process improvement, reduction in attrition, increase in employee
morale and overall service excellence.”

If you would like to submit a RADD request, or if you would like more information on how
the BPO Capability Process and Training RADD team can partner with you for client
benefit and value, see contacts below.


Brian Hughes

11


Corporate Entrepreneurship
Return on Investment as a Training Component
11 August – Plano, TX

Is return on investment (ROI) a new concept for those of us in the corporate world? Why
would we need to think like an entrepreneur?

Searching for that return on investment is something every person knowingly or
unknowingly contemplates.

You may have wondered if you are getting your money’s worth when you make a small
or large personal investment or purchase. Statistics show the single largest purchase an
adult will make their lifetime is a home. One carefully considers what their return on the
investment will be in one year, three years or thirty years. How will this purchase bring
me value in the future?

Now, translated to your workplace, the question is, are you getting your money’s worth?

We each make daily decisions that influence our corporate revenues and results. As we
search for ways to become more competitive in this aggressive and ever-changing world
of technology, the idea of an entrepreneurial spirit should be encouraged.

For the EDS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), Capability Process and Training
Team, corporate entrepreneurship finds a stronghold.

‘’Our clients continue to ask us the right questions,’’ says Brian Hughes, manager of the
Call Center Capability and Training Team . ‘’They want to know what value our training
will bring to their participants individually, and to their work group as a whole. It’s our job
to explain the results they can expect from our instructor-led classes that may ranging
from two to forty hours.’’

Hughes’ team has researched the accepted standards for measuring training in the
corporate environment. For technical training, the pass/fail measurement is easy to
assess and document. However, for training requiring future measurement, this is a
more complex feat.

The Kirkpatrick Model is the standard used for measuring a return on investment. It
requires four levels of assessment to be administered after training is completed.

The assumption exists that evaluators have a systems tool and access to class
participants in the future.

“Due to the complex environment of the BPO call centers across the globe, this is both a
challenge and opportunity for us,” says Hughes.

The New Agent Essential Skills Program and the upcoming Management Development
Program will be the first training curricula to be measured by the Kirkpatrick Model. It will
be piloted as a grassroots effort. It’s a manual process at this time.

12


In the past, training initiatives have depended on the results from a class satisfaction
survey, which will still be used, as it is level one of the Kirkpatrick Model. This type of
evaluation is usually distributed at the end of the class, and asks participant for general
feedback.

However, the second level of the assessment requires follow up with each participant to
evaluate the program’s objectives and its value three to six months later. This
benchmark will be used to evaluate curriculum development and facilitation.

Data will be available to document processes and their benefit to the organization. This
data will also be used to revise existing or develop new curriculum.

“This enhancement to our program takes our team to the next level and assures we
continue to provide our clients with value-add training that results in a positive return on
investment,” Hughes said.

Should you or any of your clients be interested in the benefits and value of the
Kirkpatrick Model or need future training assessments, contact Brian Hughes for more
details.

Look for future articles from the Call Center Capability and Training Team on training,
assessments, corporate entrepreneurship, and a positive return on investment.


Brian Hughes

13


North American EDS CRM Contact Centers to
Celebrate National Customer Service Week

27 June – Plano, TX

EDS’ North American CRM Contact Centers are preparing to join many other industries
across the nation to celebrate National Customer Service Week. Customer Service
Week is an international event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer
service and honoring the people on the front lines of the service revolution. In 1992, the
U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event,
celebrated annually during the first full week in October.

This has become an annual event within EDS’ CRM organization. It builds on the
foundation of the recognition and appreciation guidelines that have become a part of
EDS Contact Center culture. The theme for this year is “Dedicated To Service.”

The celebration will occur from 4 to 8 October. All EDS North American CRM Contact
Centers, totaling 24 sites and more than 6,000 employees, will collaborate to plan and
execute a week of high-energy, customer-focused, fun-filled events. The week will
highlight ongoing efforts to display employee commitment and contribution to EDS
CRM Contact Centers’ number one priority - client and customer satisfaction. EDS
clients such as Guthy-Renker, Hewlett Packard, Dow Chemical and Franklin-Covey
embrace and promote the importance of celebrating the efforts of customer service
professionals.

Site leaders sponsor various events such as:

• Wall of Fame - Client/Customer commendations

• Walk of Fame - Red carpet treatment for all agents

• Spotlight on agents - Leadership dresses up as waiters and serves snacks to
agents

“Last year's customer service week was an eye opening experience on how the little
things in life really do mean much to our agents,quot; said a supervisor of EDS' Guthy-
Renker account in Des Moines, Iowa. quot;I think that we created such excitement on the
floor that they could not wait to come in the next day to see what was next.”

14


Agent and leadership feedback from previous Customer Service Week celebrations
reflect a boost in employee morale. It helps agents become more energized, ultimately
strengthening EDS’ business relationships and new pursuits.

Related Link:

National Customer Service Week
http://www.icsa.com/csweek/proclamation.cfm

By BPO Service Delivery Communications Contact:

Brian Hughes

15


EDS CRM Supervisor Academy 1 improves leadership
skills creating leaders who take charge and practice
business ownership with a spirit of teambuilding
23 September – Plano, TX

The EDS Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Leadership Academy’s role is to create
and deliver developmental training venues to frontline supervisors, trainers, quality
assurance and Help Desk leaders. Leaders are provided the tools, resources and
techniques to help make them successful leaders, while building a foundation of practice
consistencies within EDS contact centers.

Since Supervisor Academy 1 was launched in the first quarter of 2008, more than 85
leaders, ranging from newly promoted to several years in tenure, representing 17 EDS
client relationships have experienced Supervisor Academy 1 session.

BPO regional directors sponsored and helped create the Supervisor Academy 1 agenda
that includes a full week of ‘platoon’ driven activities. Armed with their EDS issued
agendas, participants and their leaders prepare for the academy 1 experience with
orientation sessions and pre-work assignments that include gathering client specific
metrics to be shared as part of the invaluable networking environment.

A Wall of Officers is created from the participants’ profiles that highlight their roles and
responsibilities. This is also used to establish and foster ongoing relationships after
Supervisor Academy 1 has concluded.

During the weeklong training, leaders are actively engaged in understanding tools
needed to:

• Successfully represent EDS to clients

• Employ innovative solutions techniques and effectively coach and mentor agents

Leaders are challenged to address topics related to Human Resources, EDS Business
Code of Conduct, Quality Monitoring, Workforce Management, Employee Recognition
and Teambuilding with roles plays, problem resolution exercises and building
communications plans.

16


The dawn to dusk training hours and the daily regime are built on theories that support
adult learning and focus on being highly interactive with the support of subject matter
experts for guidance.

At the completion of Supervisor Academy 1, participants leave with a recharged
awareness of their accountability as a leader and a ‘charge’ to manage the business as
an owner. Additionally, the participants are given ‘field assignments’ that must be
completed with the support of their manager to foster continued development. Field
assignments include completing course studies in time management, teambuilding and
change management in preparation for the next phase of leadership development.

“In the five sites that have served as a base of operations for Supervisor Academy 1 the
agents are able to see the investment that is being made to help their leaders become
better equipped to support them,” said a Supervisor Academy 1 Facilitator. “The camp
experience is designed to prepare leaders for handling real-life business operations and
people management responsibilities.”

The following sites have hosted Supervisor Academy 1 session:

• Fort Des Moines, IA

• Fort Auburn Hills, MI

• Fort Boise, ID

• Fort Mechanicsburg, PA

EDS managers and supervisors commented on the Supervisor Academy 1 session:

“There has been a definite positive impact resulting from the sharing of best practices
among supervisors and a greater understanding on the part of many of my supervisors
about the business and the policies in place.”

- Manager, Boise, ID

“I found my experience in the Supervisor Academy 1 informative, rewarding, interesting
and fun. I would recommend this training to all supervisors, beginners and experienced.”

- Leverage Supervisor, Des Moines IA

The Supervisor Academy 1 session curriculum can be customized based on the specific
needs of a particular region, country or site.

For additional information or to schedule a class at your site, see contact below.


Brian Hughes

17


Call Center Capability and Training Team - Diverse skills
for diverse challenges
29 May – Plano, TX

Offering a full range of process, documentation and delivery services
The Call Center Capability and Training Team consists of professional best practices
designers, curriculum developers and facilitators. This team has successfully introduced
new operational processes to EDS Contact Centers around the world.

With the ability and attitude to embrace and celebrate, the team places a top priority on
creating safe environments for global participants where everyone can listen, ponder,
think out loud, try new skills in practice sessions, and voice opinions. Its’ team members
interact daily with both CRM and Service Request Management (SRM) centers including
leadership teams and agents.

The key to this flexibility is diverse professional backgrounds and personal work
experiences about how change should – and should not – be implemented. Bringing
home tangible results to BPO through positive change is the team's driving focus.

Within the past 18 months, BPO Capability Process and Training, led by Brian Hughes,
has expanded its offerings portfolio beyond its original charter of process and training
design, development, delivery, and implementation. In addition, the team's diverse skill
set has enabled quick turnaround and responses to an assortment of requests,
including:

• Responding to Request for Proposals (RFPs)

• Performing Due Diligence

• Writing and creating graphically-enhanced documents and templates using
advanced word processing features

• Editing a wide range of document types

• Writing technical documentation for new and upgraded systems/applications

• Providing Business Partner Agreement (BPA) services outside of BPO

• Developing Web-based training and files

18


Components of a Call Center Capability and Training RFP
The Call Center Capability and Training Team is often requested by the EDS Sales force
to assist with new business pursuits. One way they offer expertise is to quickly respond
to process and training RFPs.

The RFP process is used by companies to survey vendors to solicit competitive bids on
products and services. Hughes’ team specializes in writing RFPs for process and
training development, as well as deployment and implementation. To date, the team has
assisted the EDS sales force with new business pursuits for multiple industry groups.

An RFP includes information about the team's organization, business processes, and
curricula, as well as responses to statements and questions designed to differentiate
competing companies. Because companies request RFPs from numerous vendors, it’s
important that an EDS RFP stand out among the crowd.

Call Center Capability and Training Team RFPs include the following components:

• Overview of the process and training team - paints a picture of the team that will
support the client’s business needs

• Differentiators setting EDS apart from the competition include the following:

o The team’s global vision and experience

o Customized training materials - none of the off-the-shelf training materials
will do in this day and age

o Train-the-Trainer (T3) programs

o Content and skills testing

o Companywide and client-specific training programs to ensure effective
and efficient agent training

o Dedicated process and training resources

o Training processes rolled into overall Quality Assurance

o Training delivery platforms and methodology for multiple-site synchronous
instruction

o Measurements of effectiveness of trainers and training

o Participant pre-work, in-class, and follow-up requirements/assignments

o Training and Human Resources communication strategy

o Training environments

In their RFP responses, they emphasize the benefits that EDS can provide the client
over the competition. Client benefits from EDS BPO Capability Process and training
include the following:

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• Improved client service enabled by a consistent customer/employee experience

• Reduced total cost of ownership by sharing in EDS’ globally leveraged delivery

• Heightened customer relationships enhanced by tailoring interaction channels to
individual customer preferences

• A global view of customer/employee contact center workflow and data

• Proven best practices in resource allocation, processes, and technology that
accelerate return on investment without upfront capital requirements

• Redundant capabilities, backup facilities and information storage around the
world

An RFP should also solicit cost quotes that allow the requester to gauge both initial and
ongoing costs of the product or service.

Hughes sums up his team's mission, quot;In support of the EDS BPO mission to become the
leading global CRM contact center outsourcing provider, my team is the differentiator for
BPO services in three areas: agent development, management training and quality
model.”

“While all other processes are designed around best practices, these three key areas
have been developed to far exceed competitors' capabilities – all designed and
integrated around creating customer delight. Change and paving the way to it is what our
team is all about!quot;

If you have any questions, suggestions or comments about this article, see contacts
below.


Brian Hughes

20


EDS Contact Centre Scorecard Process Reduces
Employee Turnover and
Increases Credibility with Clients
04 October – Plano, TX

It didn’t take long for the practice of contact centre agent scorecards to be common
place in EDS’ world of metrics. EDS contact centre organizations in BPO Service
Delivery are eagerly implementing an agent scorecard to show benefit and value to their
client(s).

In 2008, as EDS sought to optimize its’ global contact center business, an agent
scorecard was introduced to Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Contact
Centers in the United States and Canada. Since then, a year has gone by and the
program has been going quite well.

The scorecard process is designed to provide on-going feedback to agents and assess
performance using data and metrics specific to work performed.

It benefits EDS Contact Centre agents by:

• Providing performance feedback and recognition

• Encouraging a coach relationship

• Providing regular means for performance guidance

• Feeding into the agent Performance Management Process (PMP)

The scorecard process benefits EDS by reducing contact centre employee attrition and
increasing credibility with clients.

EDS has had great success in North American delivery sites. They have provided
positive feedback on the program.

Here are some of their comments:

• Agents look forward to the feedback sessions. Once agents understood the
objectives and how they were measured, the scorecard became an instrument
that promotes growth.

• I value the scorecard feedback sessions. They allow me to provide substantial
feedback to the agents without having to wait for the PMP session.

• Sessions serve not only as a time to review deficiencies but a time to
acknowledge the improvements as well.

• Agents like receiving the monthly feedback as it gives them information they
need helping them increase their stats for shift bid rankings.

21


• The process clearly shows performance expectations, results and areas for
improvement.

• I have seen an improvement in attendance and tardiness, as well as in
productivity.

Scorecard implementation continues on a global basis

In Latin America (LA), sites in Mexico were trained on the scorecard process in June
2008, Brazilian sites are scheduled to be trained in early October, and plans for
Argentina will soon be finalized. All of this is being done by LA’s implementation team.

Europe, Middle Eastand Africa (EMEA) has introduced the scorecard process to key
country representatives from both the Request Management Centre (RMC) and CRM
organizations. Their implementation team, will soon finalize plans for scorecard training
and the next steps involving implementation in several sites in the United Kingdom,
Spain, Belgium, Italy, and Hungary.

For Asia Pacific (AP) North, the Mumbai, India facility has used scorecards since its
opening in 2008. AP South has finalized scorecard metrics, which were reviewed and
validated for compliance, and its implementation team will soon be finalizing plans for
scorecard introduction to sites in Australia and New Zealand.

It is projected that more EDS Contact Centers will have interest in using a standardized
scorecard approach in communicating performance to their agents, reducing contact
centre employee attrition and increasing credibility with clients.

For assistance in the sales cycle where scorecard process discussions may prove to be
valuable, or to learn more, see contacts below.


Brian Hughes

22


EDS Call Center Capability and Training Team designs,
develops and delivers for Sun Microsystems
21 January – Plano, TX

During EDS’ negotiations with Sun Microsystems to assume responsibility for Sun’s
Global Resolution Center Help Desk operations, and transition its operations to the EDS
Mumbai Shared Services Center, EDS Client Delivery Executive, realized he had a
“training problem”. As he had done in the past, the manager called on the Business
Process Outsourcing (BPO) Call Center and Training Team to help.

To be prepared to take Sun’s Global Resolution Center Help Desk calls, the EDS
Mumbai Shared Services Center agents would need to very quickly learn up to 50 new
applications and processes. However, there was no documented training curriculum.

Historically, agents had been trained on-the-job, sitting alongside an experienced agent,
which often took up to three months.

The EDS Client Delivery Executive called on the BPO Call Center and Training Team for
consulting services to conduct a due diligence assessment to determine the scope of the
training requirements.

So, the BPO Call Center and Training Team conducted a due diligence assessment and
made recommendations.

The EDS Client Delivery Team not only requested due diligence assessments to be
done for other new business opportunities, but they asked if the BPO Call Center and
Training Team could design and develop the curriculum for deployment to the Mumbai
Shared Services Center, quickly.

BPO Call Center and Training Team members, began instructional analysis, design and
development, and delivered a comprehensive technical training curriculum that allowed
the EDS agents in Mumbai to receive Global Resolution Center Help Desk Training in a
fraction of the time that the historical method took. Additionally, EDS’ ability to repeat the
training process and maintain updates through continuous improvement practices was
improved.

EDS Mumbai Shared Services Center agents are taking calls and making the grade
According to Vanita Datwani, EDS Mumbai Shared Services Center, “The Sun Global
Resolution Center Help Desk operation is one of the larger processes at the Shared
Services Centre in Mumbai with a total of 124 full time equivalents, out of which 40 have
gone live with handling tickets for 2 processes.”

“The month-to-date statistics look great. EDS is meeting the client expectation during
transition phase daily. The Customer Satisfaction Index figures have started to come in
and look good. The first ever Sun ticket taken by EDS’ Shared Service Centre in Mumbai
was closed and resolved within the specified time frame.”

23


This has been a great collaborative effort that we would like to learn from as new
business opportunities become available.

Should you or any of your clients be interested in the consulting services offered by the
BPO Call Center and Training Team, or need future training assessments, instructional
design, development, or delivery, see contact below for more details.

Look for future articles from the BPO Call Center and Training Team on training,
assessments, corporate entrepreneurship, and a positive return on investment.


Brian Hughes

24

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