SIST EN 15838:2010
(Main)Customer Contact Centres - Requirements for service provision
Customer Contact Centres - Requirements for service provision
This European Standard specifies the requirements for Customer Contact Centers. It aims to provide customer focused best practice in meeting customer expectations. This standard applies both to customer contact centres that are internal and those that have been outsourced.
Kundenkontaktzentren - Anforderungen für die Leistungserbringung
Diese Europäische Norm legt die Anforderungen an Kundenkontaktzentren fest. Sie zielt darauf ab, optimale kundenorientierte Verfahrensweisen zur Verfügung zu stellen, um den Erwartungen der Kunden gerecht zu werden. Die vorliegende Norm gilt sowohl für firmeninterne Kundenkontaktzentren, als auch für solche, die ausgelagert wurden.
Diese Europäische Norm legt den Schwerpunkt auf die Qualität der Leistung am Punkt des Kontaktes zwischen dem Kunden und dem Kundenkontaktzentrum.
Centres de contact clients - Exigences relatives à la délivrance du service
La présente norme européenne spécifie les exigences applicables aux centres de relation client. Elle a pour but de fournir les meilleures pratiques orientées client conçues pour répondre aux attentes du client. La présente norme s’applique à la fois aux centres de relation client internalisés et externalisés.
La présente norme européenne s’intéresse à la qualité de performance au point de contact entre le client et le CRC.
Klicni centri - Zahteve za zagotavljanje storitev
Ta evropski standard opredeljuje zahteve za klicne centre. Njegov namen je zagotavljanje najboljše na stranke osredotočene prakse z namenom izpolniti pričakovanja strank. Ta standard velja tako za interne klicne centre kot tudi za zunanje. Ta evropski standard se osredotoča na kakovost storitev na točki stika med stranko in klicnim centrom.
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.Klicni centri - Zahteve za zagotavljanje storitevKundenkontaktzentren - Anforderungen für die LeistungserbringungCentres de contact clients - Exigences relatives à la délivrance du serviceCustomer Contact Centres - Requirements for service provision03.080.30Storitve za potrošnikeServices for consumersICS:Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z:EN 15838:2009SIST EN 15838:2010en,fr,de01-januar-2010SIST EN 15838:2010SLOVENSKI
STANDARD
SIST EN 15838:2010
EUROPEAN STANDARD NORME EUROPÉENNE EUROPÄISCHE NORM
EN 15838
November 2009 ICS 03.080.30 English Version
Customer Contact Centres - Requirements for service provision Centres de contact clients - Exigences relatives à la délivrance du service
Kundenkontaktzentren - Anforderungen für die Leistungserbringung This European Standard was approved by CEN on 5 October 2009.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre:
Avenue Marnix 17,
B-1000 Brussels © 2009 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CEN national Members. Ref. No. EN 15838:2009: ESIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 2 Contents Page Foreword .4Introduction .51 Scope .72 Normative references .73 Terms and definitions .74 Management Strategy and Policy .84.1 General .84.2 Job descriptions .94.3 Operational roles and responsibilities .94.3.1 General .94.3.2 Human resources. 104.3.3 Information and communication technology (ICT) . 104.3.4 Quality assurance . 104.3.5 Training . 104.3.6 Operations management function . 104.3.7 Planning and control function . 114.3.8 Client organization management function . 115 Contact Centre agents . 115.1 Tasks and functions with regard to agents . 115.2 Requirements for agents . 115.2.1 General . 115.2.2 Communication and customer service . 125.2.3 Technical skills . 125.2.4 Specific skills and knowledge . 125.3 Recruitment process . 125.4 Training of agents . 135.4.1 General . 135.4.2 Ongoing training and coaching . 135.5 Performance . 135.6 Agents’ satisfaction . 145.7 Agents’ privacy . 146 Infrastructure . 146.1 Communication channel . 146.2 Contact management (hardware and software tools) . 146.2.1 Confidentiality and data protection . 146.3 Working environment . 146.4 Back-up systems . 157 Processes . 157.1 Introduction . 157.2 Agreement with the client organization . 157.3 Service statistics. 157.4 Handling deviations . 167.5 Monitoring process quality . 167.6 Workforce management . 177.7 Access channels . 177.8 Complaints processing - CCC service . 177.9 Privacy . 187.10 Business continuity plan . 18SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 3 8 Customer satisfaction . 188.1 Introduction . 188.2 Customer satisfaction survey . 198.2.1 General . 198.2.2 Results . 198.3 Complaints analysis . 198.4 Customer protection . 209 Social responsibility . 20Annex A (normative)
Mandatory KPIs . 21A.1 KPIs for agents . 21A.2 KPIs for customers . 22A.3 KPIs for processes . 23A.4 KPIs for contact quality . 24A.5 KPIs for infrastructure . 24Annex B (informative)
Recommended KPIs . 25B.1 KPIs for client organization . 25B.2 KPIs for processes . 25B.3 KPIs for efficiency . 26B.4 KPIs for customer and/or client organization complaints . 26Annex C (informative)
Best practice guidelines for client organizations . 27Annex D (informative)
Recommended skills for management and strategy in a Customer Contact Centre . 29D.1 General . 29D.2 Operations management function . 29D.3 Client organization management function . 29Bibliography . 31 SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 4 Foreword This document (EN 15838:2009) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 375 “Project Committee - Customer Contact Services”, the secretariat of which is held by NEN. This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by May 2010, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by May 2010. Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 5 Introduction Customer contact centres (CCC) have an important role in the interaction between the organization purchasing the CCC service and their customers. CCCs do not always live up to the customers’ expectations (e.g. long queuing times, failure to answer queries promptly and efficiently, and impersonal treatment). They vary in their levels of service quality and consumer protection, and work to many different standards and levels of efficiency.
This European standard has been developed in response to European Commission mandate M/378. The Mandate states that the goal of the standard is to provide quality of service requirements for contact centres, common to all centres, and irrespective of the service sector, technical approach to the provision of the service, or the service provider. The standard applies to both in-house customer contact centres as well as outsourced centres. The standard has been devised to benefit both of these types of contact centre and the customers who make use of their services.
Whilst the standard is voluntary, it aims to bring the following advantages to those that adopt it: a) improvements in customer contact quality, which can give a competitive edge to the organization and avoids the risk of customer criticism about poor service or service failure; b) cost efficiencies through better processes and a better understanding of the customer contact service, whilst maintaining quality outcomes and effectiveness; c) improvements in staff retention through understanding and valuing the staff contribution to customer service and outcomes; and d) customer satisfaction. This European Standard aims to encourage the development of services, which are effective, high quality and cost-efficient and which meet customers' expectations. It addresses a number of areas, using a balanced approach. The European Standard is visualized in the framework in Figure 1. Each Customer Contact Centre is organized in seven categories: four enablers inside the organization and three result areas.
Figure 1 – Customer Contact Centre framework SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 6 Implementing the standard should improve both customer service and business success. It is designed to achieve customer, staff and stakeholder satisfaction. It should create a culture of continuous improvement and foster increased understanding of the value of the customer contact centre.
Figure 2 gives an overview of what can be provided through customer contact centres.
Figure 2 – Overview of what can be provided through customer contact centres SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 7
1 Scope This European Standard specifies the requirements for customer contact centres. It aims to provide customer focused best practice designed to meet customer expectations. This standard applies both to customer contact centres that are in-house and those that have been outsourced. This European Standard focuses on the performance quality at the point of contact between the customer and the CCC. 2 Normative references The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. Not applicable. 3 Terms and definitions For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply. 3.1 CC agent agent person working for a customer contact centre (CCC), whose primary role is the handling of customer contacts
NOTE 1 Examples of customer contacts are calls, e-mails, fax, and web inquiries. NOTE 2 The role of an agent can vary from contact handling to complex problem solving activities. 3.2 client organization organization for which the CCC works
NOTE A client organization can be part of the internal organization (e.g. CEO or Marketing department), as well as an external organization. 3.3 complaint expression of dissatisfaction made to an organization, related to its products, or the complaints-handling process itself, where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected
[ISO 10002:2004, 3.2] 3.4 consumer individual member of the general public purchasing or using goods, property or services for private purposes
[ISO 14025:2006] SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 8 3.5
contact any interaction or communication between a customer and a CCC
NOTE A contact can attract a deferred reply (e.g. postal mail, electronic mail, SMS, fax, etc.) or an immediate and/or interactive reply (e.g. phone call (inbound and outbound), chat, etc.). 3.6 customer
person who receives the operational service from the customer contact centre NOTE 1 The customer could be a consumer as well as a business-to-business end user.
NOTE 2 A customer could be internal or external to the CCC. 3.7 customer contact centre
CCC organization which provides customer contact services, on behalf of a client organization, to their customers through various multi-media channels NOTE A CCC could be an in-house customer contact centre as well as an outsourced centre. 3.8 customer satisfaction the customer’s perception of the degree to which their requirements have been met as a result of contact with the CCC
[ISO 9000:2005] NOTE 1 Customer complaints are a common indicator of low customer satisfaction but their absence does not necessarily imply high customer satisfaction.
NOTE 2 Even when customer requirements have been agreed with the customer and have been met, this does not necessarily ensure high customer satisfaction. 3.9 Key Performance Indicators
KPI metrics that quantify objectives which reflect the performance of an organization
3.10 monitoring all means to validate the performance of the CCC for the purpose of quality assurance 3.11 qualified contact
beginning of the communication between the agent and the customer NOTE This applies to outbound contacts only. 4 Management Strategy and Policy 4.1 General This clause describes the requirements for a customer contact centre (CCC) to execute the management strategy and policy of the client organization. SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 9 The management strategy shall describe the way to achieve the client organization’s vision, with clearly defined goals. There shall be a strategic planning phase to the management strategy. This planning shall outline the intended goals which in turn will form the basis for subsequent business planning. The contributions of all organizational units of the CCC and the client organization shall be defined in order to ensure the fulfilment of the targets.
The contents of the strategy shall be made known and clearly explained to all persons concerned. Knowledge of the corporate strategy should be suitably defined for agents and revised at regular intervals. The management system shall be verified by a clear system in which structures, processes and procedures are systematically explained. The management system shall be suitably verified e.g. with regard to: a) the explanation of structures and responsibilities; b) demonstrating interactions within the system; c) establishing monitoring systems; d) the implementation of the continuous improvement process, to which all structuring of quality assurance activities are subordinated; e) the explanation of the interplay between the vision and mission, strategic targets and operative targets. 4.2 Job descriptions For each job or position in the CCC, a written job description shall be provided. This shall include at least: a) the objective of the position; b) the definition of tasks; c) the qualification and requirements (e.g. education, experience, and personal qualities); d) competences (e.g. communicative skills, people skills); e) reporting structures; f) deputizing arrangements or functional replacements; g) decision making authorization. 4.3 Operational roles and responsibilities 4.3.1 General On an operational level the CCC shall set up, and describe in specific documents, a clearly defined organizational and operational structure in which the various roles and responsibilities, as well as the functions to whom they are assigned, are clearly identifiable. At least the following competences shall be available to the CCC: a) human resources (e.g. recruitment, development, employee satisfaction); b) information and communication technology; c) quality assurance; SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 10 d) training (e.g. tools, communication skills, service offered, coaching, training on the job, update, refresh); e) operations management / CCC management; f) planning and control; g) client organization management;
h) knowledge of relevant legislation and regulation, including legislation on customer rights. NOTE Some functions (e.g. Human Resources, information and communication technology, quality control) will be integrated in the organizational structure of the CCC or will be part of their company’s central functions. 4.3.2 Human resources CCC staff member(s) with HR-responsibility shall have required knowledge of the specific recruitment procedures for CCC staff, e.g. telephone interviews and team assessments. 4.3.3 Information and communication technology (ICT) The CCC's ICT-responsible persons shall demonstrate knowledge of all specific running systems (e.g. ACD, CTI, IVR, dialler, Web-phoning (VoIP), HR-planning tools, reporting-tools, etc.) and about their usage in that CCC. 4.3.4 Quality assurance This function shall: a) determine action to eliminate the causes of potential poor service in order to prevent their occurrence;
b) check and report the results of the service supplied against the agreement with the client organization;
c) analyze possible deviations and suggest solutions to restore the quality level agreed with the client organization; d) assure compliance of the CCC processes. 4.3.5 Training People who are entrusted with training of staff shall be familiar with: a) the skills set to instruct others; b) complaints and issue management; c) service advice and support; d) outbound and inbound sales; e) feedback rules and coaching fundamentals, as relevant. 4.3.6 Operations management function The operations management function shall define the actions necessary to achieve the aims of the service. The operational structure, service quality check and efficiency shall be reviewed periodically and action taken to make improvements as necessary. SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 11 The operations management function shall be involved in negotiations on the contractual agreement with the client organization. 4.3.7 Planning and control function The planning and control function shall plan and control agents’ working shifts according to the forecast traffic volume and to the service level agreed with the client organization. The planning and control function shall monitor the actual performance and report results to the management. NOTE This includes collecting of all the data and the information necessary to analyze performance and to set up internal and external reports. 4.3.8 Client organization management function The client organization management function shall be responsible for the relations with the client organization concerning the operational aspects of the service (e.g. methods, workflow, results, performance, periodical reports, checks, meetings).
5 Contact Centre agents 5.1 Tasks and functions with regard to agents The CCC shall ensure that the following tasks and functions with regard to agents are carried out:
a) specification of selection criteria for agents; b) creation of job descriptions for agents; c) carry out selection processes for agents; d) specification of requirements for and delivery of basic training (interpersonal skills, technical skills, product knowledge); e) feedback of information from agents; f) employment scheduling; g) coaching of agents; h) supervision of agents;
i) training of agents; j) executive functions (specification of aims for the agents’ tasks, appraisal interviews, planning of operating figures concerning quality); k) management of agents on the basis of operating figures. 5.2 Requirements for agents 5.2.1 General The CCC shall specify a profile of competences for agents depending on specific tasks (e.g. information contacts, ordering contacts, complaint contacts, advice contacts, outbound contacts, etc.). This profile shall include: SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 12 a) the professional requirements concerning the tasks;
b) the requirements concerning personal skills and abilities. The requirements shall be clearly defined and verifiable. The CCC shall ensure that agents acquire the competences in accordance with 5.2.2, 5.2.3 and 5.2.4. These competences shall be checked for validity on an annual basis. 5.2.2 Communication and customer service Agents shall have at least the following skills and abilities: a) communication skills; b) adaptability (i.e. flexibility in handling different situations and customers); c) problem solving skills; d) service and customer orientation (i.e. approach and attitude towards customers); e) target orientation and coping with demand. 5.2.3 Technical skills Agents shall have the following technical skills and abilities: a) ability to handle the applied communication systems; b) ability to handle the applied IT-solutions. 5.2.4 Specific skills and knowledge The CCC shall ensure that agents receive basic and ongoing training to acquire the skills required to handle tasks specific for their CCC and its current goals. This shall include ‘minimum skills’ testing. Agents shall have skills and knowledge dependent on special fields of application and requirements on the part of the CCC. The agent shall have the relevant knowledge of the legal requirements, e.g. on laws on customer rights. 5.3 Recruitment process The recruitment process shall be conducted on the basis of the established profile of competences (see 5.2). The selection criteria shall be measurable and documented. The degree of attainment of competences shall be explicit. The recruitment process shall be used to determine the principal competences of the candidate in accordance with the requirements mentioned above (see 5.2). The recruitment process shall contain, and be able to provide evidence of, at least the following elements: a) illustration of requirements and tasks of an agent by the CCC; b) the conducting of a job interview with the candidate; c) methods of assessment and evaluation of the candidate’s skills and potentials concerning the requirements (see 5.2.2, 5.2.3 and 5.2.4). SIST EN 15838:2010
EN 15838:2009 (E) 13 5.4 Training of agents 5.4.1 General The CCC shall have a defined training programme.
Every agent shall be assessed against the required competences as specified in 5.2. If necessary, appropriate training shall be provided. Every training programme shall have as a minimum: a) the clearly defined objectives of the training programme;
b) the means by which the programme is delivered; c) the methods by which the effectiveness of the programme will be evaluated. NOTE The training programme can be an opportunity for gathering feedback from trainees, client organizations, and other involved parties. 5.4.2 Ongoing training and coaching The CCC shall ensure that agents receive training on an ongoing basis. This training shall be documented and focused on each individual agent. 5.4.2.1 Agents’ professional qualifications Ongoing training shall include: a)
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