Contact Lens

	Typically a busy, rushed and hectic time of year, May 2021 is instead going very smoothly!

A Closer Look at AOC’s Contact Centre Operations
May 2021 
By Josef Rosenberg, AOC

Hello?

Uh…test. Test. 1. 2. 3.

Is this thing on? Did our number change overnight? Are the phones working?

May 2021 has been…interesting so far. Normally, we would be running in the red to control the substantially increased volumes we receive (as I’ve noted in earlier articles), however this year things feel…different.

This of course isn’t to say it is not busy; far from it. What it isn’t however, is unmanageable. Quite the opposite in fact (knock on wood), we are finding ourselves ably contending with the incoming bulk of work. Agents are experiencing unprecedented relief and moments of breathing room as we pass the half-way mark of the month.

Along with the respite and virtual relaxation however, is an unsettling feeling. Why is this happening? Is something wrong?

The answer, of course, is no. Everything is normal, so to speak, but the improvements we have been sowing for years are beginning to sprout. So far this month, we have seen an increased migration to webs of nearly another six per cent over 2020. This however does not account for the change entirely, as we have seen a more significant increase (nearly 10 per cent so far) in total tickets over 2020. We also drastically overhauled our training practice this season and have seen new hires just absolutely blow expectations out of the water; average efficiency of new employees in their first two months of work is up drastically over the last couple years, with some even already exceeding the best possible expected call speed and customer service metrics we have in place!

At the end of the day, this is the best group of agents I have ever had the pleasure of leading in my time at AOC, and they are doing an incredible job of not only managing our volumes, but doing it while being friendly, courteous and helpful!