Hi All,

Am looking at some solution to one problem which is bugging me and there is lot of client noise also in the process.

We handle a process where lot of queries need to be replied. Inadvertedly due to the time lines and the stringent schedule people give less importance to it. Suddently this issue has caught fire.

The problem is that all the 12 users get queries from branches/supplier over email. Which at times (majority of times) remains unanswered. How can i Track the inflow of emails in these users email boxes? Policeing would demotivate and attrition is bad for me.

Moral guiding is over. These people work New Zealand Hours (12.30 am -9.30 am).

I am looking for help and advice.

Regards
Sudhir

Hi Sudhir,

If I am not wrong, this looks like a problem of work overload (due to stringent schedule & time lines, as pointed by you) causing work neglect by the 12 users / agents.

To start with, have you tried having a skip-level meeting with those 12 users/agents, that might give you an insight into problems (other than stringent timelines & schedule or the ones that you already may be/are aware of) for which solutions may be at hand, or which may give you a direction to find one. Probably, your managers might have overlooked the same (problems) or not have brought it to your notice for whatever reasons.

Also, are there any curbs in recruiting or deploying more hands for the job per client SLA, incase of need. If not, then you already have a solution, post convincing the client on need for more head count to do the work.

If all/any of the above is not possible or doesn't work out favourably, then you can check on the willingness of the users / agents on the job to come for a few hours on off days to do the additional work (answering querries by email) for an incentive/additional pay, per company/work policy. If this idea finds partial acceptance, then you may suggest to them (users / agents) about doing the job on a rotational basis (employees working for the off day(s) in a particular week will not be working on off day(s) for the next week & vice- versa) thus eliminating the need for any of them (12 users/agents) to work on off days continuously every week.

In addition to the above, if not tried already, then per situation & need, you can also think of briefing the 12 users/agents on the chances of future sustenance of the said business with the company in the event of their continued neglect of the job they are expected to do, which can amount to repercussions on business & consequently their own profession. However, before conveying this, you need to carefully analyse the impact of the said business/process on your company from the present & future view point & also, cautiously assess the pros & cons from the perspective of the 12 users/agents, as you have clearly mentioned that attrition is bad for you. In any case, without mentioning, a job is always well done (quality work) by encouragement & inspiration, than by instilling fear & coercion.

If all/any of the above hold water ( & even if it doesn't), then subsequently, in order to keep a track on the email count (independent of the above suggestions), you may check with the technical team in your office to see, if it's possible to create a group/team email id (i dont think this to be a complex & costly proposition, as it may mostly be a mail outlook messenger) for the 12 users/agents which will record all the emails received by them (from branches & suppliers), access to which shall be had by one senior person / manager. This will not look like policing & will come across as a yardstick for keeping a tab on unreplied querries caused either inadvertently or due to oversight, needed for client reporting, unless done discretely & exploding later.

Moral guiding, even if thought of & tried by your manager(s) wouldn't apply here, as the problem is between doing & not doing the work rather than doing the right or wrong work.

I hope the above suggenstions may be sensible enough to warrant attention, unless already thought of & considered at your end per possibility & prevailing circumstances at work.

Look forward to a feedback & would appreciate other thoughts from one & all here.

Thanks & rgds.

If the solution is about tracking queue in the users inbox: then get rule established to auto forward those email to ur inbox as well and have it tracked, although this is a temp solution, but one must try and make sure that all the query queue comes through the CRM tool that you might be using and if not have it proposed, although this involves cost, but CRM tools actually helps you leverage a lot better service management in terms of tracking,assigning,getting reports for all ur critical X's for TAT  like one can calculate the time to action and time to allocate etc..

 

regards,

 

Hi Sudhir,  I would suggest that you establish an escalation process for issue resolution.

This process should classify issues according to impact/risk,  transational to strategic. Thus, depending on the nature of the issue, it is addressed to the appropriate level in your team or the organization.

The escalation process should also define a reasonable response time to an issue.  When it is not resolved within this period, an issue automatically escalates to the next level and thus gets more visibility and hopefully more urgent action or response.

As a temporary option, a HelpDesk may be set up to immediately address influx of issues, while process improvements are being established.  At the end of the day, the more sustaining solution is to address the recurring issues at its root causes.

regards

Hi Sudhir,

Guess its a pretty old Blog and you must have successfully found solution for that if not, I would like to suggest the below:

1) Analyze the nature & frequency of the queries.

2) Do a root cause analysis of the queries which you think are of repetitive nature, evaluate whether a change in process or a simple knowledge gap fix that would be required.

3) In case the nature of queries are of varied nature then a process around resolution of those queries must be established formally with a query tracking software (doesnt cost much) which would provide you flexibillity of tracking your queries, run reports, analyze the nature and frequency of problems and inform the client about the same.

4) One suggestion is that the client must be involved to dictate the priority of issues and there must be some nominal cost involved for answering queries which will again help in filtering the unwanted queries.

5) Lastly, its desirable that a knowledge base be designed giving the client's employees enough information on the payroll calculation faqs which itself must filter massive portion of queries or atleast they may be directed to the knowledge base if need be.

Hope that Helps