Since abatement projects are the heavy-lifting task of call desk centers, they need to be undertaken well out of earshot of ringing phones. The most common excuse for agents being unavailable for planning is that they are trapped in 911 mode. To release agents for call abatement, try to assign additional resources to staffing on the phones or else be prepared for a short-term increase in abandonment rates until the call volume can be reduced. Contractors can be particularly useful as a stopgap resource for answering telephones while regular agents focus on call reduction efforts. Establish performance goals.
Goal setting is a necessity in any project undertaken to improve help desk performance.
Failure to manage customer expectations may be the most common problem in the industry. During any call, make sure users are advised where they stand in prioritization. Finally, when closing an incident, agents should ask callers for some quick feedback on help desk performance. Demand accountability and measure individual agent performance. Every help desk must operate with a sense of urgency.