How to Reduce After Call Work in a BFSI Call Center

After-call work (ACW) in call centers is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of operations. In industries like BFSI, reducing ACW is key to improving agent productivity and customer satisfaction. Excessive ACW can lead to inefficiencies, higher costs, and slower service if left unchecked.

After-call work refers to the tasks agents must complete once a customer call ends, such as data entry or system updates. For BFSI call centers, managing and reducing this time is essential to enhancing overall performance and reducing operational friction.

Are you looking for ways to streamline your call center's operations? Explore further to uncover actionable strategies and tools that can help optimize ACW and boost your call center's efficiency.

Streamline your BFSI call center’s operations with Convin’s cutting-edge AI tech!

Understanding ACW in Call Centers

To begin reducing ACW effectively, it's important to understand its nature. After-call work in a call center is the time agents spend handling administrative tasks after their customer interactions have ended. Although ACW is essential for keeping accurate records and ensuring compliance, excessive time spent on these tasks can affect overall efficiency, especially when agents are working with high volumes of calls.

What is ACW in Call Centers?

ACW involves tasks that must be performed after a customer call ends before an agent is available for the next call. These tasks typically include:

• Documenting customer interactions: Writing notes on the conversation, updating account information, etc.
• Updating CRM Systems: Adding relevant data to customer management systems to ensure continuity for the next interaction.
• Filling out forms and processing requests: Depending on the call’s nature, agents may need to complete or process customer requests that cannot be handled during the call.

In ACW call centers, these post-call tasks can significantly reduce agents' available time. If left unmanaged, they reduce the number of calls agents can handle, directly impacting customer service quality and satisfaction.

ACW Impact on Call Center Operations

• Operational Efficiency: Excessive ACW increases the average handle time (AHT), lowering call center throughput.
• Agent Morale: If agents spend too much time on administrative tasks, they can become burnt out and dissatisfied.
• Customer Experience: Longer wait times between calls can lead to delayed resolutions and poor customer service experiences.

Understanding the core elements of ACW allows managers to identify areas that need improvement, forming the foundation for the strategies discussed later.

Boost BFSI’s ACW efficiency with Convin’s speech-to-text analysis!

‍

Key ACW Strategies for Call Centers

Reducing ACW is a multifaceted effort that requires technological solutions and streamlined workflows. Below are proven key strategies that call center managers can implement to reduce ACW and improve overall agent productivity.

1. Automating Post-Call Tasks

• Automation can reduce the time spent on routine post-call tasks, such as data entry and CRM updates. Automation tools can capture and log data automatically, eliminating the need for agents' manual input.
• Tools like Convin’s Conversation Intelligence offer AI-driven automation that can transcribe conversations and populate CRM systems in real time, reducing agents' need to manually log details.

2. Standardizing After-Call Processes

• Consistency is key in reducing ACW time. By standardizing after-call processes, agents are provided with clear guidelines on what to do once a call ends, minimizing confusion and streamlining workflows.
• Create templates or checklists for agents to follow, ensuring that they complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner. This helps eliminate unnecessary steps and ensures that all critical tasks are covered.

3. Improved Agent Training

• A well-trained agent will need less time to complete post-call tasks—training agents to complete documentation quickly and effectively is key to minimizing ACW.
• Regular refresher courses focused on improving efficiency can also help reduce the time spent on administrative work.

4. Using AI Tools for Post-Call Analysis

• AI tools can analyze call content in real time, allowing for immediate post-call documentation and follow-up actions. Convin offers AI-driven solutions that automatically review calls and update records, allowing agents to focus on the next customer interaction.
• By using AI, agents no longer have to spend time listening to call recordings or manually updating data, which directly reduces ACW time.

5. Impact on AHT (Average Handling Time)

• Reducing ACW is directly related to lowering Average Handling Time (AHT). If post-call tasks are reduced or automated, agents can handle calls faster and move on to the next one.
• Optimizing ACW allows agents to be more productive, improving their ability to address more customers in less time.

By implementing these strategies, call centers can significantly reduce ACW and improve agent performance, leading to greater operational efficiency and a better customer experience.

Significantly reduce ACW using Convin’s real-time analytics and automation!

‍

Using AI to Reduce ACW in BFSI Call Centers

The role of AI in reducing ACW cannot be overstated, particularly in BFSI call centers, where accuracy and speed are paramount. AI tools help automate and streamline various aspects of post-call work, reducing the manual burden on agents while improving overall productivity.

1. Automated Quality Checks
   
   • AI tools can automatically evaluate the quality of calls based on predefined metrics. Instead of agents spending time on post-call quality checks, AI can flag issues and create reports for managers to review.
   • Convin’s AI-powered quality management automatically audits conversations across various channels, identifying issues and ensuring compliance without manual intervention.
2. Real-Time Coaching
   
   • AI can also assist agents in real-time during calls. By providing suggestions and guidance based on the conversation, AI reduces the need for post-call corrections, allowing agents to handle more calls quickly.
   • Tools like Convin Agent Assist offer real-time prompts and corrective actions during live interactions, which prevents lengthy post-call updates.
3. Custom Scorecards for Real-Time Analysis
   
   • Custom scorecards provide real-time feedback on call performance, offering agents suggestions on how to improve their approach. By analyzing calls as they happen, agents can resolve issues during the interaction rather than needing extensive post-call follow-up.
4. AI-Driven Agent Suggestions
   
   • AI algorithms can suggest the next steps for agents to take during and immediately after a call. These suggestions help agents quickly resolve customer issues, reducing the time spent on post-call activities like follow-ups and documentation.

In BFSI call centers, where accuracy is crucial, using AI tools ensures that ACW is reduced without compromising the quality of service.

Leverage Convin’s automated insights to escalate BFSI call center efficiency!

Monitoring and Measuring ACW Performance

Monitoring and measuring the performance of agents and processes is essential to ensuring that ACW reduction strategies are working. Continuous tracking allows managers to fine-tune strategies and maintain high efficiency.

1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
   
   • Track ACW-related KPIs, such as the total ACW time per agent, the percentage of time spent on administrative tasks, and the average time to complete post-call work.
   • Establish baseline metrics and compare these with future performance to assess the effectiveness of implemented strategies.
2. Regular Audit and Feedback Cycles
   
   • Regular audits and feedback loops help identify gaps in agent performance and the effectiveness of ACW reduction efforts.
   • Provide agents with ongoing feedback on their post-call efficiency to help them improve.
3. Tracking Reduction in ACW Time
   
   • Call centers can assess the overall impact of ACW reduction strategies by comparing historical ACW data with real-time metrics.
   • Tools like Convin’s performance dashboard offer detailed insights into how ACW time is being reduced across the call center.
4. Analysis of Agent Performance Data
   
   • Consistent agent performance tracking can highlight those who excel in reducing ACW and those who may need additional training or resources.
   • Using AI, managers can pinpoint which specific aspects of the ACW process need further refinement.

As you implement these strategies, it’s essential to regularly assess the impact of your efforts, ensuring that ACW is consistently reduced and productivity continues to improve.

Experience frictionless ACW reduction with Convin’s real-time coaching!

Ethical Guidelines for ACW in BFSI

While reducing after-call work is crucial for improving efficiency, ensuring that the process adheres to ethical guidelines is equally important, particularly in the BFSI sector. Handling sensitive customer data requires high compliance with industry regulations and ethical standards. Reducing after-call work in a call center should never compromise customer privacy, data accuracy, or the quality of service.

• Data Accuracy: Ensure all customer information entered post-call is accurate and up-to-date to avoid errors that could impact customers' financial records.
• Customer Consent: Obtain necessary customer consents for data handling, ensuring that post-call tasks comply with legal standards.
• Transparency: Communicate clearly with customers about how their information will be used, ensuring trust and compliance.
• Confidentiality: Strictly follow data protection protocols when updating records or handling sensitive financial information.

Following these ethical guidelines can reduce ACW in call centers while maintaining high customer trust and compliance standards.

Drive next-level efficiency in BFSI call centers with Convin’s AI-powered tools!

Reducing ACW for Better Performance

Reducing after-call work (ACW) is critical to improving call center performance, especially in high-volume environments like BFSI. Call centers can significantly reduce the time spent on administrative tasks by implementing the right strategies, such as automation, AI-driven tools, and practical training. This not only enhances agent productivity but also improves overall customer experience.

Key Takeaways:

• Reduction in operational costs through faster call handling and less post-call work.
• Improved agent productivity, enabling more calls to be handled per agent.
• Enhanced customer experience with quicker resolutions and more attentive service.

Focusing on reducing ACW in call centers is a continual process that yields long-term benefits for both agents and customers. By leveraging the right tools and strategies, call centers can significantly boost performance and efficiency.

Reimagine ACW management with Convin’s AI tools! Book demo now!

FAQs

1. What is a weakness for a call center?
‍A common weakness in call centers is high after-call work (ACW), which reduces agent efficiency and leads to longer idle times between calls. Weak agent performance, lack of sufficient training, and poor communication also contribute to inefficiencies. Furthermore, low employee morale and high turnover rates can hurt performance and service quality.

2. How to control absenteeism in BPO?
‍Controlling absenteeism in BPO can be achieved by offering flexible schedules, recognizing and rewarding attendance, and addressing root causes like burnout or low engagement. Providing employee wellness support and setting clear attendance policies with consistent consequences also help improve attendance and reduce absenteeism.

3. How to control attrition?
‍Attrition can be controlled by fostering a positive work culture with recognition and growth opportunities, offering competitive pay and benefits, and providing career development programs. Regular feedback sessions help identify and address employee concerns, while improving engagement creates a stronger sense of belonging, encouraging employees to stay.

4. What is the formula for absenteeism?
‍The absenteeism rate formula is calculated as:

Absenteeism Rate= (Total Number of Work Days ÷ Total Number of Absent Days​)×100

This formula helps determine the percentage of workdays missed due to absenteeism within a specific time period, providing insight into workforce reliability and attendance trends.