Description:
Replacing the traditional linear escalation model (streaming) with a collaborative network model (swarming) using the KCS Methodology is producing new levels of creativity and productivity in high-tech support organizations. Join us as we profile the experiences of BMC, Microsoft, and Red Hat, who are replacing the traditional streaming model with a swarming model to improve the speed and accuracy of problem solving (productivity), employee morale and engagement, and customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Notes
- Groupwisdom is best!
BMC Software
People assigned to "swarm team" for 1 week a month
-- Directed Swarming
-- 2 swarm teams, 3 people each
-- New case assessment
-- Severity 1s
Goal of Swarm
-- Can we solve quickly
-- What additional information is needed
-- Who is best to take the lead?
RedHat
Goal: Get the right resources on cases as quickly as possible with as few touches as possible
-- Solve issues faster
-- Remove overhead of ticket escalation
Old process
-- People can only see cases in the queues
-- Once someone takes a case its not visible
-- Level 1 to Level 2 escalation
-- Separate Silos
KCS is key. We headed there.
Virtual Account Teams, cross functional teams
Specialty Based Routing
Once solved Answers go back to KB
New process
-- People can see all the cases relevant to their skills and interests.
-- People take ownership for cases.
-- Others can contribute (opt-in) to the resolution of any open case
-- People can request help from others in developing resolutions.
-- People collaborate on customer issues
-- Exceptions management
Service Cloud Implementation
-- Views, knowing what to work on
-- Tags Enable unique views
-- Notifications: workflow mgmnt
-- Service Entitlement: Prioritize work
-- Reports: is the ship on course
Benefits
-- Increased visibility
-- Increased relevance of collaboration
-- Nurturing the technical communities
Outcome
-- Faster resolution, which drives CSAT and loyalty
-- Skills transfer and continuous learning
Been doing swarming for about a year, reduced backlog by 70%
Lessons Learned
-- Don't over engineer the process or the tool. Dont be too reactive with changes to the system. Just because you can change it, doesn't mean that you should
-- Culture change - shift from individual outcomes to team outcomes
-- Consistency and Communication - Hearing vs internalizing. Rate of change made it hard to keep everyone informed.
-- Collaboration, not all issues are worthy of collaboration
Next Steps
-- Refining measures
-- Combining swarming and KCS workflow elements
-- Continual evolution around the mindset shift
-- Improving collaboration
What have we learned?
-- New way to align people to work
-- Facilitate how they solve problems - collaboration
-- Employee engagement
-- Optimal use of skills and knowledge
-- People entering the workforce are already doing this in social media.
KCS is the team sport and Collaboration is the game
