Administrative Service Provider to Financial Services

COUNTRY: Canada

AREAS WORKED IN: Client Services, Human Resources, Corporate Support, Finance, Business Development, Information Technology

PRIORITY OBJECTIVES:

The project objectives can be summarized as the following:

• To maintain existing costs through volumes increases
• To maintain levels of customer service and quality
• To update Front Line Manager skills to better manage work flow
• To improve Management’s ability to communicate, provide direction and support
• To facilitate team work and involve employees in the entire process

In addition, the changes needed to be sustained. Coordinators were trained to support this objective through the on-going coaching of the management team and the implementation of the Performance Improvement Process (PIT) and Internal Audits.

PVA’s RESPONSE:

To focus on three distinct areas of improvement:

• Systems and Key Performance Indicators
  • Implement improved scheduling, particularly in the management of peaks and valleys in the workloads to the available scheduled resources:
    • Improved internal resource scheduling
    • Improved call volume forecasting
    • Redefined business rules
    • Focused more on operational needs
    • Improved schedule reviews and subsequent updates to forecasting models
  • Implement improved pre-planning and assigning of back-up tasks for periods of lower than predicted call volumes
  • Implement new control points for incoming requests to better manage interruptions
  • Implement new key business indicators through the identification of key activities in each area
  • Implement a plan vs. actual assessment within pre-determined intervals throughout the day
  • Implement variance or off-schedule reporting
  • Implement a formal, structured communication to foster a continuous improvement environment – including Planning Meetings, Review Meetings, etc.

• Management Behaviours
  • Clarify roles and responsibilities and increase the levels of active supervision being performed by the Managers
  • Provide management a balanced program of classroom training and on-the-floor coaching to deliver increased operational accountability

• Problem Resolution
  • Apply process mapping and observations to identify major opportunities for improvement
  • Implement a company-wide structure to manage opportunities and solutions that consider all internal customer/supplier impacts
  • Implement effective problem solving tools such as prioritization, root cause analysis, and costing

• Focus on continuous improvement through the development of base performances, enhanced target setting and the further development of team goals.

PROJECT RESULTS:

The following improvements have been realized:

• Increased departmental efficiencies (and departmental capacities)
• More value-added work being completed without negatively impacting service to customers
• Improvements delivered cost avoidance by deferring budgeted staff increases
• Cost reductions through improved scheduling and sharing of resources across portfolios
• Improved communication – both inside and across departments
• Enhanced work standards, continuous improvement targets and project milestones
• Improved project management tools and behaviours
• Improved active management tools and behaviours
• Improved involvement of all employees in problem resolution

PERPETUATION OF RESULTS:

In order to ensure that the above improvements were sustained the following activities were established:

• Coordinators were trained and certified to be responsible for maintaining all aspects of the project installation through audits and coaching.
• A Process Improvement Program (PIT) was installed to manage improvement opportunities that will continue to be submitted by the employees.
• The local management team is committed to sustaining all of the changes and staying the course.

Audits are occurring that will further support the sustainment and evolution of the implemented changes.