"A strategy and framework for world class Customer Service education, training and development in a 21st century South African utility." Kevin von Berg.

"A strategy and framework for "A strategy and framework for world class Customer Service education,world class Customer Service education,

training and developmenttraining and developmentin a 21st century South African utility."in a 21st century South African utility."

Kevin von Berg : Corporate Specialist (Customer Service)Naseema Moorgas : Project Leader - Customer Services Training

Distribution DivisionEskom Holdings LtdNovember 27, 2007

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Themes1) Broad brush overview of the new Customer

Service architecture that Eskom has put in place, highlighting the changes in requirements from a People perspective

2) Focus on the Human Performance dimension, in particular the requirements for education, training and development in this new work environment

3) Overview of the strategy Eskom is following to attend to these needs

4) Discussion on Eskom SETA Accreditation

Customer Service

Strategy & Architecture

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Eskom’s Profile• Eskom was established in 1923 and is currently among the top 10 utilities in the world

by generation capacity and the top 11 by sales. – We generate 95% of the electricity used in South Africa and 45% of the electricity

used in Africa.– We have 32 674 employees and 3 963 164 customers.– We deliver a maximum capacity of 37 761 MW, through 359 854 km of power

lines.

• Network of Customer Service Support:– Around 400 people in our Virtual Contact Centre located across 7 sites providing

national coverage• Our Contact Centres receive 3,2M calls per year and answer 82,1% of these

within 30 seconds.• Services are offered in the customers' choice of 7 of the 11 official languages. • 97% of service requests are handled by agents, 3% by self service technology• We conduct 1,5M outbound interactions per year via SMS, email and

telephone campaigns– 102 Walk in Centres– 100’s of Back Office locations throughout the country processing customer service

requests– 10 000 plus outsourced payment points

We have a large Customer Service Business within our (primarily) Energy Business

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Eskom CS Strategy – Condensed version!

Efficient Customer Service is seen as:

Eskom is “Easy to do Business With”, at an

Efficient Customer Contact Cost

DX CUSTOMER SERVICEVALUE PROPOSITION

CostCustomer

Satisfaction

Win-win Balance

CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGY

CORE PRINCIPLE

Standard Value Chains, Processes & PracticesWorld class Technology dependant on good dataMix of world practices and fit‑for‑Africa solutions

Good PeopleMeasurement and Monitoring

BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS

Migration FromFace To Face To

Electronic Channels

Migration FromIslanded To

VirtualContact Centres

Migration FromAgent Handled To

Self ServiceCUSTOMER SERVICE

STRATEGYKEY ELEMENTS

CRM with High levels of One Contact Resolution & First Contact Resolution

We need people capable of performing in a world class Customer Service environment

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World Practices & Technology Modified for SA

We have not implemented a totally Euro / USA centric solution

– South America very similar– Similarities with Australia / New

Zealand– Africa has specific challenges

We apply technology and practices to achieve:

– A Service Focussed CRM– Individualisation of the masses– Multiple touch points– Wide geographic spread with rural

element in Africa– Proactive Customer Communication

Customer Service jobs have moved from lo-tech admin to hi- tech relationship management

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Eskom’s customer service environment

VIRTUAL FRONT OFFICE

Contact CentreCampaign Mgt

OutboundTelephone, SMS

Service Agents

Contact CentreCampaign Mgt

OutboundTelephone, SMS

Service Agents

7 xContact Centre

Front OfficeInbound

Telephone, SMS,Email, Fax, MailService Agents

7 xContact Centre

Front OfficeInbound

Telephone, SMS,Email, Fax, MailService Agents

EATFace to face,Telephone,

Email, Fax, MailService Agents

EATFace to face,Telephone,

Email, Fax, MailService Agents

Walk in CentreInbound

Face to FaceService Agents

Walk in CentreInbound

Face to FaceService Agents

Service RepsInbound

Face to FaceService Reps

Service RepsInbound

Face to FaceService Reps

Customer ExecsInbound

Face to FaceCustomer Execs

Customer ExecsInbound

Face to FaceCustomer Execs

Self Service

InboundIVR, CSOnLine

Automated

Self Service

InboundIVR, CSOnLine

Automated

VIRTUAL CC

VIRTUALBACK OFFICE

Hundreds of locations

Risk ManagementBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing / Service Resolution

Risk ManagementBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing / Service Resolution

Contact CentreBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing

Contact CentreBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing

CS AreaBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing

CS AreaBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing

WorkflowManagement /System Admin

3 x Rev Management CentresBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing / Service Resolution

3 x Rev Management CentresBack Office

Handling of routed Work ItemsGT-x Workflow

Admin / Processing / Service Resolution

Wires BusinessWires Business

4 million Customer Contacts a year, 7 languages, 24x365

4 million Customer Contacts a year, 7 languages, 24x365

Internal WorkflowElectricity Supply Problems

Accounts, Payments & MetersApplications

Credit Management

Internal WorkflowElectricity Supply Problems

Accounts, Payments & MetersApplications

Credit Management

Customer Service people need to think and work in processes, as part of the bigger team

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CS Value Chains & Service Channels

CUSTOMERNEED

SERVICEMEDIUM

TelephoneIVRSMS

Internete-MailMailFax

TelephoneSMS

Internete-MailMailFax

SERVICECHANNEL

ContactCentre

Web Site

ProcessingCentre

Cust ExecService Rep

Agent

ATMAgent

RadioPress

SERVICECATEGORY

Accounts Meters

Payments Prepaid Cards

Electricity Supply

Problems

Applications &

Terminations

Credit & Disconnectio

n

OutageCredit ControlNew customer

VALUE CHAIN /PROCESS

Develop & Market Products &

Services

Acquire Customers

Manage Availability of

Supply

Manage Revenue Cycle

Network Asset Creation

Other Processes eg Complaint

Mgt

CUSTOMERSATISFACTION

SERVICEDELIVERY

Directly from the

Value Chain

eg Power Restored

Via a Service Channel

eg Query Resolved

Customer Service people need to adhere to process principles and practices

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Case Management : Workflow

1. Customer has a request

2. Service Agent opens a Case

FIRST CONTACTRESOLUTION:

Agent resolves the issue immediatelyCase Closed

FIRST CONTACTRESOLUTION:

Agent resolves the issue immediatelyCase Closed

ONE CONTACTRESOLUTION:

Back Office resolves the issueCase Closed

ONE CONTACTRESOLUTION:

Back Office resolves the issueCase Closed

3. Case sent via Workflow toField or Back Office Specialist

System contains routingrules, tracks progress and escalates

4. Exceptions(Overdue issues orRepeat contacts)

OVERDUE & ESCALATIONMANAGEMENT

Resolved (with Escalation)(Aim is Zero never resolved)

OVERDUE & ESCALATIONMANAGEMENT

Resolved (with Escalation)(Aim is Zero never resolved)

Customer Service people must interpret, communicate and use initiative – yet be compliant

Human Performance

factors

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What changes are the people experiencing?

FROM:• Working in an Energy Delivery

business• Functional thinking• One Stop Service (“I own the

problem”) • Face to Face interface• Low - Medium Tech• Narrow jobs• Diverse local practices• Business as usual

TO:• Working in a Customer

Service business• Process thinking• One Contact Resolution (“I

need to deliver quality in my process role”

• Remote interface• High Tech• Multiskilled jobs• Standardised processes• Load shedding (unusual

volumes and pressures)

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What do we require from the people?

• Selection• Training • Insight

– Frontline staff insight into strategy & processes – 3 day Orientation Workshops led by senior managers (Vortex Challenge)

• Accreditation• Coaching• Assessment / Evaluation• Attitude / Discipline / adherence to standards

– Got the whole Customer Service organisation to use GT-X to resolve customer cases Management focus on the number of overdue and

– escalated cases

• Performance management– Customer Service Index is a significant % of our staff bonus incentive

modifier

Strategy & Framework for

Customer Service Education,

Training and Development

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• Lagging in a clear structured career path

• Training curriculum well defined but maintenance and

updating of course content is a challenge because of

rapid change

• Lagging in clear synchronisation of training interventions

and utilisation of instructors

• Challenge to align Eskom Process and System training to

Unit Standards –lead to accredited qualifications for

employees

• Pipeline for the business growth and turn-over needs to

be aligned to meet business needs

As – Is situation in Customer Service ET&D

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Identified qualification that will support career path• Qualification must be open to all levels

• Current Employees (18.1 learners)• Bursar Pipeline (18.2 learners)

• Must support Customer Service business needs

• Qualification must be transportable between Contact Centres and other units in Customer Services

• Qualification must be accessible by lower qualified people to develop

• Must be registered with formal Contact Centre / CS

Learnerships with a recognised Tertiary Institution/s

Proposed Approach

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Principles• Focus on Immediate delivery – no time for a long period of analysis

• No major rework of training material – current Training material is valid / relevant. Planned program to update and refine all training material over the next 12 months

• Full time National management of the co-ordination task

• National approval of approach, projects and development budgets

• Regional management of implementation and line training budgets, Consolidated national reporting

• Standard material to be used in all Regions

• External contractors not to use external material unless approved nationally and incorporated in the standard material

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6

4

2 National Certificate: Contact Centre Support

NQF

Proposed Career Path for Customer Service

Fu

rth

er S

tud

ies

Pipeline 18.2 learners

5

7

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National Certificate: CC Operations

National HigherCertificate:

CC Management

National Diploma CC Management

B Tech CC Management

D Tech CC Management

M Tech CC Management

employees - 18.1 learners

Note:•National certificate issued not as a qualification but 1st year towards diploma

employees - 18.1 learners ABET

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Scope: CS Training Project• Development and implementation of a standard national curriculum for CS

which aligns with NQF. The existing set of CS courses / modules will form the basis of this curriculum.

• Development and implementation of a process for pipelining trainees in CS

• Development and implementation of a process for Competence Profiling existing staff in CS, coupled with process for ongoing CS training and assessment to close identified gaps

• Setting up a commercial arrangement with the Tertiary Institutions to run and administer a country wide CS training curriculum for Eskom Dx, leading to formal SAQA qualifications for candidates

• Development and implementation of the post of National CS Training Manager for Eskom Distribution

• The review and finalisation of the draft CS Training Strategy document

• Alignment with establishment of the Eskom University

SETA Perspective

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SETA Accreditation

• Eskom is registered with the Energy SETA

• Customer Service Training material in Eskom to be developed within the scope of the Services SETA

• MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) to be instituted with the Services SETA

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Thank you!

Enjoy the Rest of the Conference