question407113

Assessment
Task 2
Manage innovation and continuous improvement
BSBSTR601



Student Declaration
To be filled out and submitted with assessment responses
? I declare that this task and any attached document related to the task is all my own work and I have not cheated or plagiarised the work or colluded with any other student(s)
? I understand that if I am found to have plagiarised, cheated or colluded, action will be taken against me according to the process explained to me
? I have correctly referenced all resources and reference texts throughout these assessment tasks.
? I have read and understood the assessment requirements for this unit
? I understand the rights to re-assessment
? I understand the right to appeal the decisions made in the assessment
Unit Title
Unit Code
Student name Student ID number Student signature Date
Task Number ------OFFICE USE ONLY-----
For Trainer and Assessor to complete:
? Student requested reasonable adjustment for the assessment
Completed successfully
Did the student satisfactorily: Comments Y N DNS
The student has satisfactorily completed and submitted the following:
Learning Diary in Task 2.1
CI review report in Task 2.2.1
Meeting summary -Ref: consultation with the team about the CI review report in Task 2.2.2
Brainstorming method of choice in Task 2.3.1
Coaching plan in Task 2.3.1
Brainstormed solution list in Task 2.3.1
Shortlisted solutions in Task 2.3.1
CI process of choice with justification in Task 2.3.1
Cost-benefit analysis in Task 2.3.1
CI intervention plan in Task 2.3.2
Email to team in Task 2.3.3
Email to BoD in Task 2.3.3
Survey in Task 2.3.4
Action plan in Task 2.3.4
5Whys analysis in Task 2.3.4
Strategy to manage emerging challenges and opportunities in Task 2.3.4
Contingency plan and message to announce the CI achievement in Task 2.3.4
Contingency plan to manage the increase in budget needs in Task 2.3.4
Lessons learned report in Task 2.3.4
Email to the BoD and departmental managers in Task 2.3.4
???The student consulted with the CEO (trainer and assessor) in simulated work conditions:
Gathered inputs and advice when completing the CI review report ?Gathered inputs and advice when completing the CI intervention plan ?When managing activities for CI implementation ?When evaluating lessons learned ?Other ?Please note that the student must consult with the CEO in at least one occasion.
Feedback in Comments. ???The student facilitated a meeting with the team to review and finalise the CI review report.
Y ? N ? ???The students recorded in the group, were part of the group.
Y ? N ?If students cannot form a group, they will work on collaborative activities with the trainer and assessor. ???The student facilitated a meeting with the team to identify a solution for the identified improvement.
Y ? N ?During the meeting:
Reviewed the CI review report and brainstormed ideas to address the prioritised improvement need.
Communicated and coach team members on how they can be innovative.
Shortlisted two solutions in consultation with the team.
Selected a CI process to implement the solution in consultation with the team.
Facilitated the meeting effectively.
Listened actively.
Used questioning to confirm understanding.
Demonstrated competency in innovation processes and techniques
Feedback in Comments. ???Demonstrated ability to:
Identify and establish strategies to monitor and evaluate the performance and sustainability of key systems and processes
Analyse performance reports and variance from organisational plans within the workplace
Identify and analyse changing trends and opportunities relevant to the workplace
Collect data and analyse areas for improvement in supply chains and operational and service systems
Conduct a gap analysis of supply chains and operational and service systems and identify improvement needs and opportunities
Evaluate continuous improvement systems and processes and innovation on a regular basis
This is evidenced by:
CI review report in Task 2.2.1 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Consult and seek advice from stakeholders to identify opportunities for improvement
Seek and respond to feedback from relevant stakeholders' systems and processes for continuous improvement, innovation and learning
This is evidenced by:
Meeting summary -Ref: consultation with the team about the CI review report in Task 2.2.2
Feedback from trainer and assessor- Ref: consultation with CEO to develop the CI review report (refer to this marking sheet)
Brainstorming method of choice in Task 2.3.1
Brainstormed solution list in Task 2.3.1
Shortlisted solutions in Task 2.3.1
CI process of choice with justification in Task 2.3.1
Feedback from trainer and assessor- Ref: meeting with the team to determine solutions (refer to this marking sheet)
Survey in Task 2.3.4
Action plan in Task 2.3.4
Strategy to manage emerging challenges and opportunities in Task 2.3.4
Email to the BoD and departmental managers in Task 2.3.4 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Communicate with and agree on team members identified improvement needs and opportunities
Communicate with, and mentor team members on ways of working that contribute to continuous improvement
Communicate with and coach team members how they can be innovative
Identify learning opportunities for team members
This is evidenced by:
CI review report in Task 2.2.1
Meeting summary -Ref: consultation with the team about the CI review report in Task 2.2.2
Coaching plan in Task 2.3.1
Feedback from trainer and assessor- Ref: meeting with the team to determine solutions (refer to this marking sheet)
Brainstorming method of choice in Task 2.3.1
Coaching plan in Task 2.3.1
Brainstormed solution list in Task 2.3.1
Shortlisted solutions in Task 2.3.1
Lessons learned report in Task 2.3.4
Email to the BoD and departmental managers in Task 2.3.4 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Communicate with and coach team members how they can be innovative
This is evidenced by:
Coaching plan in Task 2.3.1
Feedback from trainer and assessor- Ref: meeting with the team to determine solutions (refer to this marking sheet) ???Demonstrated ability to:
Identify and communicate with stakeholders the costs and benefits of innovations and improvements
This is evidenced by:
Cost-benefit analysis in Task 2.3.1 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Confirm objectives, timeframes, measures and communication plans are in place to manage the implementation
Plan to address the impact of change and consequences for people and implement transition plans
Plan to implement contingency plans in the event of non-performance
Plan so that learnings from activities are captured and managed using the relevant knowledge management system
Establish rewards for continuous improvement, innovation and learning
This is evidenced by:
CI intervention plan in Task 2.3.2 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Identify relevant team members and communicate ways of working objectives, expectations and desired outcomes
This is evidenced by:
Email to team in Task 2.3.3 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Identify and communicate with stakeholders costs and benefits of innovations and improvements
This is evidenced by:
Email to BoD in Task 2.3.3
Email to the BoD and departmental managers in Task 2.3.4 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Address the impact of change and consequences for people and implement transition plans
Implement contingency plans in the event of non-performance
Follow up failure by investigation and analysis of causes and manage emerging challenges and opportunities
Confirm that learnings from activities are captured and managed using the relevant knowledge management system
Evaluate continuous improvement systems and processes and innovation on a regular basis
This is evidenced by:
Survey in Task 2.3.4
Action plan in Task 2.3.4
5Whys analysis in Task 2.3.4
Strategy to manage emerging challenges and opportunities in Task 2.3.4
Contingency plan and message to announce the CI achievement in Task 2.3.4
Contingency plan to manage the increase in budget needs in Task 2.3.4
???Demonstrated ability to:
Confirm that learnings from activities are captured and managed using the relevant knowledge management system
Evaluate continuous improvement systems and processes and innovation on a regular basis
This is evidenced by:
Lessons learned report in Task 2.3.4
Email to the BoD and departmental managers in Task 2.3.4 ???Demonstrated ability to:
Plan and implement strategies to review and improve own performance
This is evidenced by:
Learning Diary in Task 2.1 ???When consulting and collaborating with the group, the student has actively participated in group work with a substantial contribution that can be assessed individually for all the requirements of this task. ???Task Outcome: Satisfactory ? Not Yet Satisfactory ?
Student Name:
Assessor Name:
Assessor Signature:
Date:
Table of Content
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Student Declaration PAGEREF _Toc93393746 \h 2Task 2 – Manage innovation and continuous improvement PAGEREF _Toc93393747 \h 12Task 2.1 Learning Diary PAGEREF _Toc93393748 \h 16Task 2.2 Identify improvements PAGEREF _Toc93393749 \h 182.2.1 Develop a CI review report PAGEREF _Toc93393750 \h 192.2.2 Cross-functional team PAGEREF _Toc93393751 \h 22Task 2.3 Implement and evaluate innovative processes for continuous improvement PAGEREF _Toc93393752 \h 232.3.1 Determine solutions PAGEREF _Toc93393753 \h 232.3.2 Develop a CI intervention plan PAGEREF _Toc93393754 \h 262.3.3 Communicate the CI intervention plan PAGEREF _Toc93393755 \h 292.3.4 Perform implementation activities PAGEREF _Toc93393756 \h 30References PAGEREF _Toc93393757 \h 35Appendix 1 – About the company PAGEREF _Toc93393758 \h 35Appendix 2 – Scenario PAGEREF _Toc93393759 \h 40

Task 2 – Manage innovation and continuous improvementTask summary and instructions
What is this assessment task about? You are a Business Consultant (BC) and experienced program manager hired to help with continuous improvement (CI) and innovation management in the organisation (see Appendix 1 and 2)
This task comprises of the following assessment methods:
Product-based ?Direct observation of Role-Play ?Case Study ?Other (specify) ?It has been designed to evaluate your ability to/competency in:
Identify relevant team members and communicate ways of working objectives, expectations and desired outcomes
Identify and establish strategies to monitor and evaluate the performance and sustainability of key systems and processes
Consult and seek advice from stakeholders to identify opportunities for improvement
Communicate with, and mentor team members on ways of working that contribute to continuous improvement
Communicate with and coach team members how they can be innovative
Analyse performance reports and variance from organisational plans within the workplace
Identify and analyse changing trends and opportunities relevant to the workplace
Collect data and analyse areas for improvement in supply chains and operational and service systems
Conduct a gap analysis of supply chains and operational and service systems and identify improvement needs and opportunities
Communicate with and agree on team members identified improvement needs and opportunities
Identify learning opportunities for team members
Confirm objectives, timeframes, measures and communication plans are in place to manage the implementation
Address the impact of change and consequences for people and implement transition plans
Implement contingency plans in the event of non-performance
Follow up failure by investigation and analysis of causes and manage emerging challenges and opportunities
Confirm that learnings from activities are captured and managed using the relevant knowledge management system
Evaluate continuous improvement systems and processes and innovation on a regular basis
Identify and communicate with stakeholders costs and benefits of innovations and improvements
Establish rewards for continuous improvement, innovation and learning
Seek and respond to feedback from relevant stakeholders' systems and processes for continuous improvement, innovation and learning
Plan and implement strategies to review and improve own performance
Your assessor will be looking for demonstrated evidence of your competency in the above.
You are required to address the following:
Task 2.1 Learning Diary
Complete a learning diary progressively.
Task 2.2 Identify improvements
Complete a CI review report
Consult with stakeholders
Task 2.3 Implement and evaluate innovative processes
Determine solution for CI using innovation processes and techniques
Collaborate with stakeholders
Develop a CI intervention plan
Communicate the CI intervention plan
Implement the plan addressing given scenarios
Evaluate implementation
Although the assessment requires group collaboration to simulate a work environment, the assessment submission is individual and will be marked as such.
What do I need to do to complete this task satisfactorily? submit the completed assessment tasks, according to instructions,
complete the tasks with sufficient detail and present them in a professional manner,
use your own words and reference sources appropriately,
meet the word count where required,
use the scenario provided,
use the templates provided where required,
for your performance to be deemed satisfactory in this assessment task you must satisfactorily address all of the assessment criteria,
if part of this task is not satisfactorily completed you will be asked to complete further assessment to demonstrate satisfactory performance.
Specifications You must deliver/participate in:
Consult with the CEO (trainer and assessor) in simulated work conditions
Meeting with cross-functional team to discuss the CI review report and to mentor them on two topics relevant to CI in the workplace
Meeting with cross-functional team to brainstorm solutions and to coach them on one topic relevant to innovation
You must submit to GOALS
Learning Diary in Task 2.1
CI review report in Task 2.2.1
Meeting summary -Ref: consultation with the team about the CI review report in Task 2.2.2
Brainstorming method of choice in Task 2.3.1
Coaching plan in Task 2.3.1
Brainstormed solution list in Task 2.3.1
Shortlisted solutions in Task 2.3.1
CI process of choice with justification in Task 2.3.1
Cost-benefit analysis in Task 2.3.1
CI intervention plan in Task 2.3.2
Email to team in Task 2.3.3
Email to BoD in Task 2.3.3
Survey in Task 2.3.4
Action plan in Task 2.3.4
5Whys analysis in Task 2.3.4
Strategy to manage emerging challenges and opportunities in Task 2.3.4
Contingency plan and message to announce the CI achievement in Task 2.3.4
Contingency plan to manage the increase in budget needs in Task 2.3.4
Lessons learned report in Task 2.3.4
Email to the BoD and departmental managers in Task 2.3.4
Resources and equipment Computer with Internet access
Access to Microsoft Office suites or similar software
Learning material
Scenario for assessment as provided
Appendices as provided
Relevant policies and procedures as provided
Templates as provided
Re-submission opportunities You will be provided feedback on your performance by the Assessor. The feedback will indicate if you have satisfactorily addressed the requirements of each part of this task. Suppose any parts of the task are not satisfactorily completed. In that case, the assessor will explain why, and provide you written feedback along with guidance on what you must undertake to demonstrate satisfactory performance. Re-assessment attempt(s) will be arranged at a later time and date. You have the right to appeal the outcome of assessment decisions if you feel that you have been dealt with unfairly or have other appropriate grounds for an appeal. You are encouraged to consult with the assessor prior to attempting this task if you do not understand any part of this task or if you have any learning issues or needs that may hinder you when attempting any part of the assessment.
Complete the following activities:
Read the Case Study Scenario provided in the appendices.
Assume that the company employed you as a Business Consultant (BC) to help with continuous improvement (CI) and innovation management.
Your experience and knowledge in project and program management will be crucial in helping the company.
You will work in simulated work conditions. The trainer and assessor will play the role of the CEO in the company.
Consult and engage with the CEO as needed. The trainer and assessor will confirm that you have consulted with them and provide feedback on the marking sheet.
The CEO asked you to lead a cross-functional team to help you identify, implement and evaluate opportunities for improvement and innovation. The cross-functional team comprises the HR Manager, the Marketing Manager and the Client Services Manager.
Form a 3-4 student team to work in simulated work conditions. You will play the role of the BC in turns and collaborate/consult as required in the assessment instructions. Please be reminded that although the assessment requires group collaboration to simulate a work environment, the assessment completion and submission is individual, and it will be marked as such.
Document the name of the students in your group in the table below.
Student Name Student Name Student Name This task requires you to:
Identify improvements
Implement innovative processes
Establish ways of working within the team
Develop a workplace culture and tools for continuous improvement, innovation and learning
When working on the above tasks, you will have to complete a learning diary about your work as BC in CI and innovation management.
The learning diary will help you identify strategies to improve your performance when managing CI and innovation.
Task 2.1 Learning DiaryComplete the learning diary (Template 1) progressively.Template 1 – Learning DiaryIdentifying improvements in the workplace
Reflect on your performance in Task 2.2, focusing on the following:
Analysis of the internal and external business environment
Independent research
Completing the CI report (report writing)
Gap analysis
Identification and prioritisation of improvement needs
What did you do well, what could you improve? Consulting with stakeholders
Reflect on the following:
Presenting reports, information and data
Facilitating discussion
Negotiating agreed on outcomes
Provide an example of each.
What did you do well, what could you improve? Mentoring team members on ways of working that contribute to CI.
Address the following:
Did you choose the right topics? Why?
What other topics would be useful to support team members in working with CI collaboratively?
Were you confident when mentoring the team members? Would you improve your knowledge of the topics? Using innovation methods and techniques.
Address the following:
How did you facilitate the meeting with the team when brainstorming solutions for the CI need?
Did you choose the right brainstorming method? Would you use it again in the future? Why?
How did you support the team members to be more innovative? Provide an example.
Was the coaching session well received?
What did you do well? What could you improve? Implementing and evaluating the CI initiative.
Address the following:
Provide an example of how you applied problem-solving when addressing the scenarios in the assessment.
What did you find most difficult when implementing the CI initiative?
What would you add to the lessons learned report thinking about your reflection in this learning diary? Improvements
Develop a brief four-step action plan to address the opportunities for improvement identified in this learning diary. Task 2.2 Identify improvementsThis task requires you to identify opportunities for improvement:
Read Appendix 1 and 2 at the end of this document.
Consider organisational policies and procedures (provided in a separate folder).
Consult with the cross-functional team to gather inputs and feedback when completing the CI review report (Task 2.2.1).
Consult with the CEO and gather inputs and feedback when completing the CI review report (Task 2.2.1).
Analyse performance reports and variances from organisational plans and quality standards (Task 2.2.1).
Identify and analyse changing trends and opportunities relevant to the workplace (Task 2.2.1).
Perform independent research, review data and information provided in the scenario for assessment and analyse areas for improvement in the supply chain and operational and service systems (Task 2.2.1).
Conduct a gap analysis and identify improvement needs and opportunities (Task 2.2.1).
Share your analysis with the team members and agree on the improvement needs and opportunities (Task 2.2.2)
During the meeting with the team members, provide mentoring on ways of working that contribute to CI. (Task 2.2.2)
Complete the following:
Develop a CI review report (Task 2.2.1)
Present the CI review report to the cross-functional team and mentor them on two topics of choice relevant to ways of working that contribute to CI (Task 2.2.2)
Finalise the report based on feedback received by the cross-functional team before you submit your assessment for marking.
2.2.1 Develop a CI review reportUse Template 2 and follow the instructions.
Template 2 -CI review report
Purpose of the ReportA brief statement on the purpose of the report.
ScopeThe scope of the evaluation process (example: if you are focusing on some key organisational areas)
STEEPLED Analysis - OverviewPerform a STEEPLED analysis focusing on trends, innovation, constraints, and competitive landscape. Include at least two points of analysis for each STEEPLED category. Be specific (for example, do not just mention tax policy under economic, specify what tax policy you refer to).
STEEPLED Analysis
Social Technological Economic Environmental Political Legal Ethical Demographic SWOT Analysis
Perform a SWOT analysis focusing on factors and issues related to innovation and continuous improvement (for example, obsolete processes or technology in use in the company). The SWOT builds on the analysis undertaken for this document's internal and external business environment. Identify at least 4 factors/section.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Changing trends and opportunities
Identify and analyse changing trends and opportunities relevant to the workplace. As an example, this may include industry trends and standards, sustainability practices, intellectual capabilities and operations.
(50-100 words)
Supply ChainA brief description and analysis of the organisation's or operational area's supply chain (downstream and upstream, a visual representation of the supply chain is recommended). Highlight areas for improvement in your analysis.
OperationsAn analysis of the operations and systems of the organisation or operational area. Include an analysis of the organisational structure, professional development and leadership as key factors impacting operations in the company or operational area.
Perform a quality gap analysis using the service gap model, and identify significant gaps.
Highlight areas for improvement in your analysis.
(100-200 words)
Monitoring and Evaluation practicesSummarise the strategies, tools, performance measures, and processes currently used to monitor and evaluate organisational performance and sustainability of critical systems and processes in the organisation. (Note: remember to consider different types of sustainability in your analysis). (50-100 words)
Gap Analysis
Conduct a gap analysis for four (4) focus areas, and identify improvement needs and opportunities.
Focus areas may include technology, supply chain, operations, systems, leadership and management, HR related improvements, or performance standards.
Focus Area Desired future state Current State Identified gaps Improvement needs (1-2/focus area)
RecommendationsOnce you have gathered a clear understanding of the business operations, you are ready to identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement in the company or operational area.
Based on your analysis, provide recommendations on how the focus areas should be prioritised and recommend one key improvement/focus area.
Include one additional recommendation on more effective strategies that could be established to monitor and evaluate the performance and sustainability of operational systems and processes.
2.2.2 Cross-functional teamSchedule a suitable time to meet with the other cross-functional team members. This is a Role-Play in simulated work conditions.
Present the draft CI review report and consult with them to agree on the recommendations in the report.
Evaluate the agreed-upon recommendations and decide on a priority area for improvement.
Mentor the team on two topics of choice relevant to contributing to CI. Examples may include consultation, feedback, shared knowledge, cross-pollination of ideas, CI registers, or training.
Duration: 20-30 minutes.
Please be aware that the trainer and assessor will validate that the meeting took place on the marking sheet.
Summarise the content of the meeting in the table below.
Meeting Summary
Overall feedback from the team Agreed on changes to the recommendations Agreed on a priority area for improvement Mentoring
Selected topics and summary of content. Finalise the CI review report before submitting your assessment based on the consultation with the team.
Please note that the trainer and assessor will check that the changes agreed on with the team are applied in the CI report when marking your assessment.
Task 2.3 Implement and evaluate innovative processes for continuous improvementThis task requires you to implement innovative processes for continuous improvements:
Review the CI review report.
Meet with the team to brainstorm possible solutions to improve the prioritised focus area
Select one solution
Coach the team on how they can be more innovative
Develop a plan for the CI intervention
Communicate the CI intervention plan to relevant stakeholders
Implement the plan based on given scenarios
Evaluate the CI implementation
Complete the following:
Determine solutions using appropriate innovation methods and in consultation with the team. (Task 2.3.1)
Communicate and coach team members on how they can be innovative. (Task 2.3.1)
Select one solution using evaluation criteria and cost-benefit analysis. (Task 2.3.1)
Develop a CI intervention plan (Task 2.3.2)
Communicate the CI intervention plan to stakeholders (Task 2.3.3)
Address the scenarios to simulate the implementation of CI activities (Task 2.3.4)
Evaluate the CI implementation and develop a lessons learned report (Task 2.3.4)
Share learning with relevant stakeholders (Task 2.3.4)
2.3.1 Determine solutionsSchedule a suitable time to meet with the other cross-functional team members. This is a Role-Play in simulated work conditions.
Review the CI review report and brainstorm ideas to address the prioritised improvement need.
Communicate and coach team members on how they can be innovative. You could consider, for example, coaching them on the brainstorming technique used during the meeting, ways to improve creativity, or how to evaluate ideas. Consider delivering a 5 minutes coaching session.
Shortlist two solutions in consultation with the team.
Select a CI process to implement the solution in consultation with the team.
Perform a cost-benefit analysis.
Select on solution based on analysis.
Duration: 30-45 minutes.
Please be aware that the trainer and assessor will validate the meeting on the marking sheet and provide brief feedback.
Select a brainstorming technique to use during the meeting.
Brainstorming method of choice.
Prepare a brief coaching plan (Template 3) for the session on a topic of choice relevant to innovation.
Deliver the coaching session during the meeting.
Template 3 -Coaching Plan
Coaching Plan
Topic:
Aim of the session:
Date and time of the coaching session:
Duration:
Team/Group: Equipment Needed:
Coaching Point/Question List the solution brainstormed with the team (8-10)
Solutions
Shortlist two (2) solutions in consultation with the team.
Take into consideration:
The Board of Directors approved a $50,000 budget for the CI intervention.
The Board of Directors has approved a timeline for implementation of a maximum of eight (8) months to include implementation and review of the improvements.
The solution must deliver significant improvements (benefits) to the selected need.
Shortlist
Select a continuous improvement process to implement the solution in consultation with the team.
Continuous improvement process, for example, DMAIC.
Explain why you chose that process.
Perform a cost-benefit analysis (Template 4) of the two shortlisted solutions.
Template 4 -Cost-Benefit Analysis
Analysis
Cost/Benefits List of key costs (3):
Total cost estimate: $
List of key benefits (3)
Total estimated benefits: $
Total $Benefits- Total $ Costs =
List of key costs (3):
Total cost estimate: $
List of key benefits (3)
Total estimated benefits: $
Total $Benefits- Total $ Costs =
Risk Evaluation Summary Selected option with rationale (30-50 words) 2.3.2 Develop a CI intervention planDevelop a plan for the continuous improvement intervention (Template 6) based on the business review report (Task 2.1.1) and the outcome of the meeting with the team (Task 2.3.1).
The implementation plan must be developed for the selected option.
Use Template 6 and follow the instructions.
Template 6 -Innovation and CI Implementation Document
Scope and objectives
Address the following:
Scope of the CI initiative (what is included and what is excluded from scope).
Objectives of the implementation of the CI initiative. List 3 SMART objectives.
Stakeholders
Register of stakeholders that will be involved in the CI intervention, including their role and responsibilities.
(6-8 stakeholders)
Stakeholder Group or individual Role and Responsibility in the CI intervention
Communication and engagement
Address the following:
Describe how stakeholders will be engaged in the delivery of the plan
Outline a high-level communication strategy to promote the CI initiative, to inform all parts involved of progress towards achievement of set objectives and to support the successful implementation of the plan
(80-120 words)
Action Plan
Key operational activities needed to implement the CI initiative. ( 5 activities)
Key Activity KPIs (1/activity) Roles and Responsibilities
(who performs the activity and who is accountable) Estimated cost and Resource Requirements Timeline for completion
Budget
Address the following:
Based on the estimated costs and resources identified in the operational activities section, provide an overall estimate of the budget needed to implement the CI initiative.
List five (5) key costs
Include any contingency budget that has been planned to manage unforeseen circumstances.
You can use a budget template or provide a summary of the points above.
Risk Management StrategyIdentify high and medium level risks of the CI intervention and plan for risk response. Please note that the risk response should be detailed (for example, just saying: mitigation of risk, is not satisfactory).
(5 risks)
Risk description Risk Probability Risk
Impact Risk rating Strategy to manage risk - overview
Support
Develop a strategy to support employees during the implementation of the CI initiative. The strategy must include:
Identify the impact of changes and consequences for stakeholders when implementing the plan.
Develop a training strategy to support staff in the implementation of the CI intervention and in achieving the planned objectives (the cost of the training strategy should be included in the budget)
A transition plan that focuses on managing barriers to change and on mitigating the impact of resistance to change (the cost of the transition plan should be included in the budget)
(150-200 words)
Rewards
Establish a reward strategy for continuous improvement, innovation and learning.
(50-100 words)
Evaluation
Develop a strategy to evaluate the CI initiative during its implementation and after. The strategy must include:
How to regularly monitor the implementation of the CI initiative
Evaluation methods to assess the effectiveness of the initiative post-implementation
An approach to capture learning from activities to inform future work. The approach must mention what knowledge management system or processes will be used
(100-150 words)
Contingency planning
Develop a high-level contingency plan in the event of non-performance of the CI initiative (post-implementation).
(50-100 words)
2.3.3 Communicate the CI intervention planWrite two emails (Template 7):
An email to the cross-functional team to:
Share the CI intervention plan
Communicate the objectives and expected outcomes of the plan
Clarify expectations about their support for the implementation of the CI plan
Use the email to promote the value of CI and innovation in the workplace
(80-120 words)
An email to the Board of Directors to:
Share and present the CI intervention plan
Communicate costs and benefits of the innovation improvement
Engage them to support the plan
Use the email to promote the value of CI and innovation in the workplace
(80-120 words)
The email text should be grammatically correct and written appropriately (polite, business-like).
Template 7 -Email
Email to the cross-functional team
To:
Cc:
Bcc:
Subject:
Date email is sent:
Attachments:
Email to the Board of Directors
To:
Cc:
Bcc:
Subject:
Date email is sent:
Attachments:
2.3.4 Perform implementation activitiesAssume that you are now implementing the CI intervention plan, and the following occurred.
Contextualise the scenarios to reflect your plans and focus area as needed.
Scenario Overview
1 Timeline: 50% implementation
The departments involved in the CI initiative are experiencing fatigue and stress; motivation for the CI initiative is fading.
One of the crucial communication activities (announcing a significant achievement in implementing the CI intervention) is delayed due to IT problems in the marketing/communication team. The problems won't be resolved for a couple of weeks.
.
Three Call Centre Agents resigned only last week.
2 Timeline 75% implementation
The CI initiative is running 10% over budget.
3 Timeline 100% implementation
Assume that one of the key objectives of the CI plan (such as productivity, growth, efficiency, competitiveness, or cost-cutting was not fully achieved (evaluation reports show performance 30% under expected targets).
Contextualise this scenario by indicating what objective from your plan < Add>.
When evaluating the post-implementation results of the CI initiative, the planned improvement does not meet the expected results with one or more of the following occurring:
Productivity decreasing by 4%
Errors increasing by 5%
Customer satisfaction dropping by 8%
Staff turnover increased by 3%
Employees' dissatisfaction with the leadership team grew by 20%
Select one indicator from the list above that may apply to your CI initiative and was not achieved.

Overall, employees are happy with the skills they learned about innovative thinking.
Communication was frequent and effective to keep all staff informed.
The reward system worked well, and the organisation would like to embed it into the HR practices.
The CI initiative run 18% over budget.
Complete the following activities:
Scenario 1 – Design a survey (6-8 questions with a mix of open and closed questions) to investigate why departments involved in the CI initiative are experiencing fatigue and stress.
Use the template below for your survey.
Template 8 -Survey
Survey Form
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
The survey should take less than five (5) minutes to complete, and it will provide us with insights to improve the implementation of our CI initiative.
Question Answer
Scenario 1 – Assume that the results of the survey provided the following information:
Departmental managers are not supporting staff with the change
Staff is working overtime trying to manage competing demands
Wellbeing initiatives for staff have not been implemented
Staff does not feel involved in providing feedback on how the implementation is going and what could be improved
Review your support strategy, focusing on the transition plan. Develop an action plan to implement initiatives to help with staff disengagement.
Use the action plan template below, 3-4 key actions.
Template 9 -Action Plan
Action Responsibility Timeframe Resources needed KPIs
(one/action)
Scenario 1 – Conduct a 5Whys Analysis to determine the possible causes of the resignation of the Agents.
Use the smart chart below to document your analysis.

Scenario 1 – Review the 5Whys Analysis and develop a strategy to manage emerging challenges and opportunities.
(50-100 words)
Scenario 1- Develop a contingency plan to announce the CI achievement.
Outline the contingency plan.
Develop a message to announce the achievement (for example, a social media post using text and images).
Scenario 2- Develop a contingency plan to manage the increase in budget needs.
Assume that the BoD has not approved additional financial resources for the CI initiative.
Outline the contingency plan to keep the initiative within budget and describe how it would be implemented.
Scenario 1-2-3 Develop a lessons learned report.
Reflect on your work in this assessment, the scenarios, and how you addressed them.
Develop a lessons learned report using the template below.
Template 10 -Lessons Learned
CI Initiative Date What worked well (3-4 items) What could be improved (3-4 items) What could be improved when planning future innovation and CI initiatives? What could be improved when implementing future innovation and CI initiatives? Write an email to the Board of Directors and Departmental managers.
Share the content of the lessons learned report.
Highlight learning needs for departmental managers.
Evaluate the scenarios and their impact on the CI initiative, and communicate the final costs and benefits of the innovations and improvements. Calculate them based on the impact the scenarios had on the planned targets.
(80-120 words)
The email text should be grammatically correct and written appropriately (polite, business-like).
Template 7 -Email
Email to the Board of Directors and Management Team
To:
Cc:
Bcc:
Subject:
Date email is sent:
Attachments:
ReferencesPlease include your references below:
(Please refer to this referencing guide if needed or speak to your trainer for any specific referencing requirements for this assessment)

Appendix 1 – About the companyThe companyXYZ Pty Ltd, trading as MMI Professional Education, is an Australian boutique education provider in Melbourne Registered Training Organisation (RTO), offering VET accredited and non-accredited business courses to corporate clients and local clients (domestic students).
MMI was founded in 1998 by brothers Mark and Andrew White, who built the company to become a quality RTO with significant accounts in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Mark Brown sold his shares to his brother Andrew, the current chairman of the company.
The education provider is centrally located in Collins Street, Melbourne CBD, with state-of-the-art facilities:
Administration and Management Offices (including the main boardroom, two meetings rooms and a computer lab with 20 PCs) on Level 45
15 Classrooms, kitchenette, client lounge room and a trainers' room on Level 46
Corporate training is mainly non-accredited and delivered at the clients' premises around Australia, but it can also be catered for at Collins Street. Corporate clients include major Bank groups, National Management Consultancy firms, Manufacturing companies and Government agencies.
Accredited courses are delivered in Collins Street with a combination of face to face and online training delivery. The accredited courses are the Diploma of Business and the Diploma of Project Management.
MMI has a current capacity to enrol 500 clients; the current enrolment number is 250 clients.
Important note:
A VET accredited course has been assessed by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) as compliant with the Standards for VET (Vocational Education and Training) Accredited Courses and the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). Accreditation means that the course is nationally recognised and that the registered organisation (RTO) can issue a nationally recognised qualification or Statement of Attainment (this for single units only).
Non-accredited courses are business courses that have been highly customised to meet clients' training needs.
The current organisational structure is as follows:

The Teams are composed as follows:
Board of Directors
Mr Andrew White - Chairman
Ms Francis Green - Executive Director
Mr Eli Brown – Non-executive Director
Ms Josephine Magenta – Non- executive Director
Ms Deborah Red – CEO
Mr Leonard Black - CFO
Finance Department: CFO and 2 x financial officers (full-time)
Summary of duties: account receivable, account payable; invoicing; payroll; financial record keeping and reporting; taxes/fees
Marketing Team: Manager (full time) and 1 x marketing officer (part-time)
Summary of duties: promotion; design of marketing collaterals for events; social media; market research; public relations
HR Team: HR Manager and 2 x admin officers (part-time):
Summary of duties: Recruitment; Induction and training; performance management support; employee relations; safety; compensation and benefits
Client Services: Client Service Manager and 2 x receptionists; 4x client service officers, 1 x team leader, 1 x maintenance officer
Summary of duties:
front of office and back of office customer service activities (to include reception and response to enquiries)
support to academic staff
client admin: client admission, enrolment, enrolment variations, pastoral care, completion
building maintenance: 1x maintenance officer
Academic Services: Academic Manager and five contract business trainers for corporate training; 4 full time (ongoing) business trainers for accredited training
Summary of duties: accredited and non-accredited training and assessment; learning material and assessment development and validation; compliance monitoring; pastoral care.
IT services: outsourced to an external company
Summary of duties: network service; database administration (inventory and staff files); maintenance and update of a communication system including CRM (Customer Relationship management system); data management and security.
Note: in loco, IT maintenance is performed by the maintenance officer who has some IT knowledge
Company Ownership structureThe company structure is a Pty Ltd:
Chairman Andrew White holds 51% of the shares
40% of the shares have been held by an external corporation since late 2017, as a silent business partner
The remaining 9% is owned by other members of the Brown's family VisionOur vision is to develop outstanding individuals through quality business training that encompasses personal and professional growth.
MissionWe create successful careers in business to advance business growth and to positively impact the broader community.
We strive to provide exceptional business training that focuses on quality of teaching, practical learning, and successful outcomes
340191671061ValuesOur core values are:
Quality
Integrity
Accountability
Respect for diversity
Innovation
Sustainability
MMI quality standardsAustralian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) standards
ISO9001 – Quality Management Systems
ISO 27001 Information Security
ISO 31000 Risk Management
Australian Business Excellence Framework
MMI – Boards' of Director expectationQuality of practices
Innovative solutions for business growth based on hard data and extensive research
Build an innovative and agile company that can respond to the challenges of an ever-changing business environment
Become market leader
Increase value for shareholders and clients
Industry, market, and strategic business directionMMI Professional Education is a Registered Training Provider (RTO) based in Melbourne, Australia, offering business accredited and non-accredited courses to corporate clients and local clients.
Strategic Objectives:To expand the basis of the operation to Sydney, where the company has experienced a high increase in demand for corporate training
To increase revenue by 10% annually for the next three years
To increase profits by 10% annually for the next three years
To position the company as a leader for quality business education in Australia within the next three years
To expand the course offering by adding new qualifications to the scope of registration: the Diploma of Leadership and Management and the Advanced Diploma of Program Management
To increase the base of local clients attending accredited courses
To implement sustainability to work practices: social, financial, and environmental
To expand the offering to international students by repackaging accredited business courses to add an internship component during the course
Current positioningMMI enjoys a good reputation in the industry as a quality provider of business courses for corporate clients
Courses are marketed as hands-on, with trainers that currently work in the industry, providing current and cutting-edge skills to business professionals
MMI currently holds 15% of the corporate business training in Australia
MMI does not currently deliver business courses to international clients
MMI does not currently deliver courses overseas
The company is financially stable and sustainablePricing
Product Target Market Price
Corporate Training
Topics:
Operational Management
Leadership
Project Management
Emotional Intelligence
Change Management Management
Individuals looking for upskilling to advance their career Face to Face classroom (average of 10 participants) $ 2,000/participant
Online $ 800/participant
Individual coaching $ 150/hour
Diploma of Business Domestic students Blended learning:
$ 4,000/student
Diploma of Project Management Domestic students Blended learning:
$ 6,000/student
Remuneration (average) for each role is as follows:
Board of Director – 25-50 k/year
CEO – 250 k/year
CFO – 180 k/year
Managers – 120k/year
Receptionist $ 52k/year
Officers (including team members in the Marketing dept) $ 65k/year
Team Leader $ 78k/year
Trainer (ongoing) $ 85k/year
Trainer (contractor): $ 80/hour. Trainers who deliver corporate training receive a generous daily allowance when outside Melbourne ($250/day), all travel and accommodation expenses are paid for by MMI.
Note:
The above remuneration must be considered pro-rata for part-time staff.
Superannuation is excluded and should be added at 10% to employee's ordinary earnings
Superannuation is paid to contractors (business trainers)
Lack of targeted reward programs
Appendix 2 – ScenarioFocus your work on the Call Centre; however, consider all information provided about the organisation when completing the assessment.
Operational overview
State of the art facility in Melbourne to be replicated in Sydney
Systems in use:
Student Management System (MMI system)
Learning Management System (Moodle)
CRM System
Accounting Management System (MYOB) – does not interface with other MMI systems
Share drive
Share points
Zoom
Project Management Application for remote teamwork (trainers): Wrike
Trainers work both on-site in Melbourne and around Australia
Senior management to stay in Melbourne: campus director and team leaders to be employed to manage and supervise Sydney's operations
Staff to be employed for the Sydney Campus
Melbourne's campus will undertake administrative tasks such as enrolments
The Call Centre to stay in Melbourne
Virtual teamwork practices to be implemented between Melbourne and Sydney
Website tailored to international students to be developed
Develop and implement sustainability policy and practices across the organisation, and sustainability has not been on the top five priorities of the company so far
Organisational culture
The organisational culture experienced at MMI is a mix of market and hierarchy culture.
The Market Culture: This culture is built upon competition dynamics and achieving concrete results. The focus is goal-oriented, with leaders who are challenging and demanding. The organisation is united by a common goal to succeed and beat all rivals. The main value drivers are market share and profitability.
The Hierarchy Culture: This culture is founded on structure and control. The work environment is formal, with strict institutional procedures in place for guidance. Leadership is based on organised coordination and monitoring, with a culture emphasising efficiency and predictability. The values include consistency and uniformity.
(Source: https://popinnow.com/four-types-organizational-culture/ )
The organisation is top-heavy, and there are concerns that this may not suit the strategic objectives for growth and the opening of a second campus in Sydney.
The Board of Directors is invested in the change process; however, intervention is needed to bring departmental managers and teams on board.
It is recommended that an organisational culture more suitable for innovation, sustainability, agility, and progressive growth is developed and implemented.
Operational issues
The following operational issues have been identified across all departments:
The increased number of complaints due to lack of cultural sensibility of trainers and client service personnel when dealing with students from the non-Australian background (15% increase in the last six months alone)
Delays in achieving marketing objectives due to the composition of the team (2 part-timers and one contractor) that cannot sustain the increased amount of marketing tasks (corporate events to enhance networking and identify potential corporate clients have increased by 30% in the past six months)
Increasing pressure on the Call Centre to take on additional tasks
Covid19 has decreased sales by 20%; the company has managed to deliver existing courses and still maintain a reasonable margin of new enrolments online
Sustainability
The company strongly wants to incorporate socially responsible practices into the organisation.
The BoD focuses on the three pillars of sustainability to guide CSR initiatives: planet, people and profit.
There is an interest in implementing sustainability training from the induction process.
Current policies and procedures are outdated, and there is no corporate social responsibility policy or strategy.
The Board of Directors would like to invest $30,000 in philanthropic initiatives each year. However, they cannot find an agreement on what initiatives to support.
Some of the departmental managers think that sustainability is only about environmental sustainability.
Most documents are printed.
Plastic cups are used in the kitchenette.
No recycling bins are present on campus.
There is no policy for sustainable procurement.
Initiatives to support the local community are recommended.
The thermostats are on overnight.
Sustainability is not an agenda item in meetings.
There is no plan to review energy or water consumption.
There is no strategy for waste management.
Flexible work arrangements are offered on paper but not encouraged.
The staff would like a staff wellbeing program to be implemented.
The company is financially sustainable.
The Board of Directors is willing to invest $45,000 for corporate social responsibility initiatives; and an additional $ 15,000 solely for environmental sustainability improvements.
Workforce Overview
The following has been reported:
Turnover rates are high in the academic department (30% yearly) due to the contractual nature of some of the roles. Ongoing training staff is steady. However, they need to invest more in their professional development to keep industry currency when teaching.
Need for a succession plan for management roles
Gender unbalanced (70% men, 30% women)
Recruitment is done externally, few opportunities for advancement are offered to existing staff
A recent staff survey outlined the following:
Lack of opportunities for advancement
Top-heavy management
Silo mentality
Not enough room for innovation and improvement
Lack of well-defined sustainability policy
Diversity policy is very generic
HR practices are mainly focused on administrative duties. The Board of Directors has identified the need to embrace HR practices as an essential strategic tool for business advancement.
Training on HR practice is required for management
Staff lament a lack of communication from the top
Sense of working in silos
Marketing
The company has a website:
Old fashioned look, quite austere
Not responsive
In the mobile version, after you have clicked on a few pages, the navigation becomes daunting
Heavy use of text
Infrequent updates
Social Media: there is a FB page that is rarely updated; the LinkedIn Page is not in use
Print advertisement: Industry magazine
Referrals: education agents are paid a 15% commission for referring students
Discounts: twice/year, MMI offers 10% for new enrolments to attract more students
Yearly marketing budget: $75,000
The marketing team is small and not experienced in digital and social media marketing
Call Centre
MMI established an in-house call centre under the supervision of the Client Service Management six (6) months ago to:
Respond to current and potential student enquiries (inbound calls)
Support relationships with current and potential education management (inbound calls)
Support promotional campaign to advertise courses (outbound and inbound calls)
Enquiries can be in call or email format; the Call Centre deals mainly, but not exclusively, with calls.
The Call Centre teams currently employees five (5) Agents full time and two (2) agents part-time.
The call centre operates seven days/week, from 9 am to 5 pm.
Calls can be escalated to:
Client Services Team (complex caller enquiries about courses)
Academic Team (for student support with academic progress)
Marketing Team (for specific questions related to contracts and enrolments)
Read the MMI Company Profile (Appendix 1), the HR manual, the policies and procedures provided, and undertake additional research on the education industry and call centres.
Review the information and data provided below to determine innovation and continuous improvement opportunities.
Efficiency
The primary process within a call centre (contact service centre) is handling the telephone call. If a Contact Centre Agent (Agent) can give the caller all the information they require during the call without passing it to someone else, then this is usually known as 'one and done'. The more calls that can be handled as 'one and done', the more efficient the process can be.
At MMI, this is monitored as a way of measuring efficiency.
The call handling can be broken down into three steps:
The first is the answering of the call by the Agent;
The second is the time that an agent spends talking to the caller; and
Thirdly, the wrap time is anything that the Agent has to do with the call after the caller hangs up.
An agent's performance will be measured on their talk time and wrap time (see below). Combined, this will give an average call duration, a key statistic in a call centre.
At MMI the average call duration is 10 minutes.
Many factors can impact the talk and wrap times. Here are some of the typical ones:
Talk time
Ability to control a conversation with a caller, i.e. not letting them ramble on or being clear on how you explain things, so you don't have to repeat yourself
The complexity of the caller requests
Level of knowledge or understanding of the caller
Efficiency in finding information on the computer
Efficiency in handling the process
Wrap time
Ability to talk or listen and type information into the computer at the same time
The efficiency of the process
Keyboard or PC skills
The efficiency of the system in use
Of the above, the Agent's skills may be the determining factor.
Recruitment
At MMI, Agents are recruited to have:
At least one-year experience in a call centre business
Proficient typing skills. A typing speed above 40 WPM (Words Per Minute) is higher than the average score, and over 100 WPM is usually considered a high speed (when it is achieved with zero errors). Agents at MMI are tested to demonstrate 60 WPM with zero errors.
Computer skills and knowledge of relevant software packages, including the use of CRM.
Basic literacy and numeracy skills.
Organisational abilities.
Administrative skills.
Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
A polite phone manner.
Good customer service skills.
Some complaints have been received about the cultural intelligence demonstrated by Agents.
Turnover
In the last three (3) months of operations, staff turnover has increased to 12%, increasing demand for Agents to cover more hours to meet the needs of an expanded client base and marketing campaigns.
This situation has made HR recruitment practices more lenient, causing a decrease in the quality of recruited agents.
Contract Agents have been hired for temp work.
Customer service
Some people make a mistake believing that a long call makes callers happy and short calls don't. This is not usually true. A caller wants several things: firstly, their call will be handled efficiently; secondly, whatever has been agreed upon will be done; thirdly, they will be spoken to politely and courteously.
All Agents at MMI must ensure that they deliver each of these things so that the caller will be satisfied. In some situations, the Agents will have to deal with an unhappy or difficult caller. This can be for various reasons, but the Agent will still be expected to provide the right service even in a difficult situation.
Difficult calls
The process to deal with any rude or abusive caller at MMI is as follows:
The Agent deals with the problematic caller and tries to manage the situation as quickly as possible
The Agent listens to the entire story from the caller, keeping calm
The Agent apologises for any problem or inconvenience
The Agent makes sure that they understand the situation
The Agent tries to solve the issue. Agents have the authority to compensate the caller for their trouble on behalf of MMI
If the caller is not happy with the proposed resolution, the Agent forwards the call to the Supervisor (Client Service Manager)
The Supervisor takes charge of the resolution process
Handling calls
The following has been reported about this process at MMI:
The Supervisor sist in a separate office from the Agents
The Supervisor is often absent (in meetings or busy managing two teams)
The Supervisor is often busy when the call is escalated
The current contact centre software is limited, it was developed in-house, and it has displayed considerable limitations affecting:
Call times could be reduced using advanced technology to streamline call handling
Associated costs (mainly concerning operators)
Customer satisfaction is decreasing; this impacts the quality of customer service that can be provided
The automatic call distributor for call routing to a specific Agent's terminal often malfunctions and requires the Supervisor to intervene and manually distribute calls
Agents can:
Access the single view of the customer, which includes information, all email correspondence, notes on phone or face to face conversation, and documents from the CRM, the Student Management System and the Learning Management System
View customer's contact and enquiry history
Obtain status of all escalated enquiries/transactions
However, this requires opening different screens rather than having all the information on one page. This causes distraction when handling difficult calls, and the level of attention and ability to support the caller decreases considerably.
The system does not allow agents to provide information to management and/or the marketing team for immediate follow up/improvements. Agents must write individual reports and send them weekly to departmental managers via email.
The Agents offer various forms of compensation to dissatisfied callers in most cases (65%) due to the issues experienced during the process, increasing the costs to MMI.
The Agents are poorly trained in handling difficult conversations
Counselling options are not available for Agents who have dealt with a difficult conversation and need counselling
Multi-skilling
Multi-skilling is a term that you may hear in a contact centre. It relates to an Agent capable of undertaking many different types of calls, whether inbound or outbound, sales and service, etc. This is particularly important at MMI where the same Agent may assist with other departments' work.
It takes a lot of training to develop an agent to be multi-skilled, but in some centres where this happens, they may be rewarded or be of a different grade. Some centres do have a progression plan to develop Agents to be multi-skilled as it provides them with a more flexible and rounded resource. It also provides the Agents with a more exciting and challenging role.
At MMI a progression plan has not been implemented, and there are no clear opportunities for Agents to progress their careers within the company.
Operations
Industry trends in Call Centres indicate that organisations are moving towards more flexible work practices. These include flexible working hours and the increased employment of part-time staff to achieve greater resourcing efficiencies and cost reductions during peak and non-peak periods. Besides, using shorter shifts to accommodate peak periods and workforce management tools can increase call-handling strategies.
Shift considerations
A key aspect in maximising staff performance is understanding the impact of shift length (hours worked per day) on Agents' productivity.
Long operational hours at a call centre, particularly one operating seven days a week, will also significantly impact Agents' performance over the long term. Appropriate shift rotation and shift design must be considered.
For example, full-time staff should be rostered for only one weekend per month, with most of the weekend work allocated to part-time staff. On a normal eight-hour shift, adequate time needs to be allocated to breaks for lunch, morning and afternoon teas and staff meetings. For maximum productivity, part-time staff should be rostered on for no more than four- or five-hour shifts and no more than 20 hours per week. Letting part-time staff work longer hours and frequently can also imply permanency. Shifts of five hours or less also reduce the need to have 45-minute or 60-minute lunch breaks.
MMI has tried to employ flexible work arrangements and to design shifts in a way that they could enhance the productivity of its staff. However, the issues experienced in staff turnover have forced management to:
Roster the best Agents to work 2-3 weekends/months. This has caused resentment among permanent staff, and it has lowered the morale among employees
Employ more contract Agents, reducing the level of product knowledge necessary to perform the role most effectively. This has impacted the quality of service:
In the last three (3) months, customer satisfaction has dropped to 75%, compared to an average of 90% in the first three (3) months
The number of team building activities and social events for Agents have decreased in the past three (3) months (from an average of 4/months to 1)
Workforce Management
Many call centres begin their operations by producing rostering schedules manually. As the number of Agents increases, it becomes more challenging to consider rostering variables. In such cases, the use of specialist workforce management software should be considered. Specialised rostering software that uses call data to provide the basis for calculating the number of staff required is available for purchase if MMI was interested in the system.
The real benefit of a sophisticated rostering system is an increase in staffing efficiencies, resulting in cost savings. Staffing numbers will more accurately match calling patterns, and the time taken to construct rosters will be considerably reduced. Also, an analysis of an Agent's work time, including actual talk time, after-call work time and waiting time, can indicate whether staff have been efficiently rostered to match calling patterns. When managing call demand, the adequacy of staff numbers must be reviewed regularly to make adjustments.
While it is not possible to predict the number of calls, more efficient staffing practices will ensure that operational savings can be achieved.
Currently, MMI does not use workforce management software.
Performance Management and reporting
The approach adopted in performance management in a contact service centre should be balanced and reflect:
Quality objectives;
The customer-facing nature of the role requires regular feedback from live calls that have been listened to by a supervisor;
The operational objectives of the call centre; and
The business objectives of the call centre.
Call centre managers should recognise that other factors affect the call centre's performance, including the performance of IT systems, the effectiveness of business processes, and the physical work environment. Improvements in systems, processes, and the work environment can significantly impact call centre performance than the pursuit of operational objectives alone.
MMI facilities are state of the art; however, the staff has provided the following feedback:
Aesthetically pleasing furnishing but lacking ergonomic accessories that would help call centre agents to sit for a long period of time when working
Call centre agents would prefer the Supervisor to sit in the room with them rather than in a separate office
The sound absorption fillers on walls, sound blocking screens between stations, and sound masking on the ceiling are good
The staff appreciates break up rooms such as a kitchenette with tables and a comfortable room with couches and TV
The Supervisor has a double jack headset that allows two phone headsets to be connected on one phone for training purposes. However, coaching time is limited, and the Supervisor often does not follow up on training needs
Staff in training require constant access to the call centre interface product during training if they are to master it. However, the system in use does not have a simulated work task environment where trainees can practise before starting to work on the phones
Industry standards for call metrics
Industry standards for call metrics within Call Centres and a comparison with MMI (average of data collected in the first six months of operations) are as follows:
Industry Standards MMI
80 per cent of calls answered within 20 seconds 40%
Call abandonment rate of less than 5 per cent 18%
95 per cent first call resolution at first contact 52%
Average call duration 187 seconds 600 seconds
Zero handoffs (call forwarded to a colleague or Supervisor) 62%
Email replied to within 24 hours. 48 hours.
Evaluation of individual Agents
Call centres often measure individual productivity by analysing the average number of calls per hour and per day, a threshold percentage of clerical work about actual calls, and average call transaction time (talk time and after work wrap up time).
However, call monitoring can also indicate the overall quality of customer interactions taking place on a one-one basis. Call back evaluations, customer surveys and call monitoring, as well as monthly statistics, will provide Agents with direct feedback about their performance.
Improving individual performance can be achieved using various training strategies, such as induction and one-to-one on-the-job training. There must be a planned programme of induction training in a call centre environment, and this will need to cover:
Customer Service skills;
Call Handling skills;
Communication skills;
Familiarity with IT Systems;
Explanation of appropriate business processes and business and organisational context of the Call Centre; and
Management training for supervisors.
The length of the induction training will depend on the skills the individual already has and the complexity of the business processes.
MMI performs a reasonably good induction for Agents; however, it is reported that the Supervisor requires additional training to better support the team of Agents. The following training is particularly needed:
Coaching and mentoring staff
Complaint resolution
Self-leadership
Project Management
As for the one-to-one training, many telephone systems now have remote (silent) call monitoring facilities so Supervisors can listen to calls, without the Agent's knowledge, to assess the quality of service provided by the call centre. This facility helps to reduce the bias generally associated with the process of monitoring known as double jacking, where the call assessor sits side-by-side with the Agent.
Double jacking can be a useful tool for training new staff. It requires using a double headset so that the coach or team leader can also listen to the calls. The coach or team leader generally sits next to the Agent and observes at least five to 10 calls. Feedback is given after each call to help Agents improve their call handling techniques. Further training issues may also be identified during the double jacking session. Regular double jacking, perhaps one hour per month, along with call quality observations, can lead to increased service standards. Call centre agents should also be given coaching and training on an ongoing basis.
Building the time required for ongoing training into staffing profiles in a call centre environment is essential. This is equally true for team meetings. Call centres should publish their targets for the number of days of training a year for their employees.
The MMI Supervisor has a double jack headset that allows two phone headsets to be connected on one phone for training purposes. However, coaching time is limited, and the Supervisor often does not follow up on training needs
The system used at MMI does not have remote (silent) call monitoring facilities
Staff in training require constant access to the call centre interface product during training if they are to master it. However, the system in use does not have a simulated work task environment where trainees can practise before starting to work on the phones
Due to the increased workload, team meetings are sporadic (an average of one every three months)
Quality Assurance
Industry trends suggest that call centres are focusing much more on implementing quality assurance practices within their centres, so customer satisfaction levels remain a primary focus.
Call monitoring
Many call centres have introduced call monitoring strategies to ensure that quality standards are maintained when providing appropriate information to callers and measuring customer interaction quality.
Given the increasing use of contract staff and the hiring of new staff at MMI, call monitoring can assist in the identification of specific training needs.
The actual call monitoring process can be carried out either through double jacking, silent call monitoring, or automatic call recording equipment. Automatic call recording equipment is a method to facilitate call monitoring. This technology provides digital voice recordings that can be played back for analysis. It can also track calling patterns and analyse call content and voice tones.
Call monitoring is a useful tool for coaching staff to improve performance. However, if it is used as a disciplinary or adverse performance management tool, it may result in feelings of mistrust and suspicion by staff. The primary purpose of call monitoring should be its value as a development tool. This must be communicated to staff. The call centre manager and team leaders should carry out ten call observations for each staff member a month. A possible checklist of critical dimensions that can be used as a basis for call monitoring includes:
Initial greeting;
Customer acknowledgement;
Use of courteous statements;
Displayed empathy;
Kept customer informed when keying in;
Listened effectively;
Quality of voice tone and pitch;
Effective use of questions;
Use of positive words;
Reaffirmed call outcomes/action;
Ending of call – additional help/thanked;
Call resolution/outcome; and
Overall professionalism.
As part of the process, a specific call monitoring evaluation form should be designed to consider the relevant call dimensions that are appropriate for the particular call centre environment. Other staff can be involved in the process of call monitoring to give them some insight into the standard of calls required at the call centre and to provide them with task variety
MMI does not perform effectively and appropriately scheduled call monitoring as previously identified.
Customer call back strategies
Another method of assessing customer satisfaction is a callback strategy, where one to five per cent of all customers who made calls to the call centre the previous day are contacted. A customer callback strategy has several key benefits, including:
Identification of customers' satisfaction levels with their interaction with the agency;
Identification of areas for improvement;
Serving as a public relations exercise; and
Providing the Agents with skill and task variety.
The actual percentage of customers to be contacted will depend upon the overall call volume of the call centre. For example, if the Call Centre receives 10,000 calls per day, one per cent of calls would equate to 100 calls. This number of customer callbacks may not be necessary. Instead, a decision to conduct 50 customer call backs per day may be made. The number of customer callbacks conducted will also depend on the availability of call centre resources. The callback strategy can be undertaken by Agents on a rotational basis, using a call evaluation assessment form explicitly developed for the call centre.
Due to the increased workload at MMI and the limited number of Agents, callback strategies would be difficult to implement. However, management would welcome recommendations on how such a useful monitoring method could be implemented to improve the quality of service at MMI.
Mystery calling
A technique that can also be used to assess the overall quality of customer interactions is a well-planned and structured strategy known as mystery calling. This strategy is based upon a similar technique used in retailing called mystery shopping. Mystery shoppers, pretending to be customers, visit a store and evaluate it on several key dimensions. It is recommended that an independent organisation that specialises in quality assurance practices be engaged to conduct the mystery calling to ensure that the process remains free from bias. The key decision criteria involved in establishing a mystery calling strategy include:
Determine the purpose and objectives of the mystery calling strategy;
Establish specific customer scenarios with call centre management;
Design a mystery calling evaluation form;
Agree on specific times and days of the week for mystery calling to take place;
Decide on how many calls will be made per week and per month; and
Determine how often and in what format the mystery calling results will be presented.
The Board of Directors at MMI is keen on trialling a mystery calling initiative, and they have allocated a budget of $28,000 for its implementation. The implementation plan must include selecting the best company to carry out the initiative, a schedule for the initiative, and the development of the mystery calling evaluation form.
Benchmarking
Once the Call Centre becomes fully operational and achieves a reasonable level of efficiency and effectiveness, one quality assurance practice to consider is benchmarking. Generally, benchmarking would be carried out only after a call centre has been operational for at least 12 to 18 months to make an accurate performance comparison. A call centre will likely experience several teething problems during the initial establishment phase.
Benchmarking involves comparing critical processes and procedures within the call centre against other call centres considered to be "Best in Class" or recognised as utilising efficient and effective call centre strategies. The overall process can be quite time-consuming. It entails a detailed analysis of key operating procedures and requires an understanding of how particular efficiencies have been achieved and the specific work practices that contributed to that achievement.
One of the key tasks in undertaking a benchmarking process is to ensure that the benchmarking partners have a significant resemblance to the one understudy. This will allow the benchmarking process to have more meaningful comparisons.
The Board of Directors is interested in seeing how MMI performs compared to the best in the business.
Processes and procedures
When a call centre is first established, several processes and procedures are often implemented that use manual rather than automated methods and are paper-based rather than electronic. The importance of conducting regular process reviews cannot be overstated. Significant efficiency and productivity gains can be achieved by improving existing processes and procedures. Process mapping is one of the strategies for reviewing call centre processes and procedures. An operations manual that specifies all the important processes and procedures carried out within the call centre should be developed and regularly updated.
The operations manual can then become a basis for establishing quality accreditation (e.g. ISO9000) for the call centre. Documentation of processes and procedures is an integral part of the quality accreditation process. Call centre procedures should be reviewed regularly to ensure that all tasks undertaken are working effectively. Clear specification of a call centre's policy and procedures should be developed in electronic format. It can be utilised by all Call Centre staff for other purposes, including training and performance management.
At MMI, Policies and Procedures for the Call Centre are provided in paper form. They have not been reviewed and updated since they were first developed.
Processes that are improved are not documented in a CI register.
Strategies to reduce the cost of transactions
Once a Call Centre has been operational for 12 months or more and the establishment process is complete, many organisations look for ways to reduce the overall cost of service delivery. The use of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) units, voice recognition, rostering software, automatic call monitoring and sophisticated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases are examples of advanced technologies that can lead to greater efficiencies. Efficient resourcing through workforce management and effective performance management will help to maximise the overall level of productivity at a Call Centre.
The Board of Directors at MMI is interested in exploring strategies to reduce the cost of transactions.
Generic workflow process at MMI

Sustainability
The latest report on sustainability practice has found the following:
The company is financially sustainable
Virtual teams were trialled as an option to increase staff numbers in the past three months. They operate well; however, their level of productivity has dropped 5% since inception; management may reconsider the 'work from home option' or research best practices on how to engage virtual teams effectively
There is a lack of involvement with community projects (social sustainability)
Financial performance is monitored through financial reports provided by the Finance Manager on a bi-monthly basis
Sustainable work practices are monitored by the individual departments against targets set by the management team
Leadership and Management
The following has been reported:
Lack of leadership skills observed in the Client Service Manager
Teams work in silos, little collaboration among departments is observed
Heavy management from the top (Board of directors) with little autonomy left to dept. managers
Quality Circle Meetings are held bi-monthly; no appropriate follow up on agreed actions was observed
Supply Chain
155287018005800279338026689200172311052100Marketing
Marketing

1722475283210Academic
Academic

27157181736654105615187163449008524765Caller
Caller
307267724130Call Centre
Call Centre

5142541132804002793380243559001722120240636Client Services
Client Services

1552869133704
Learning material and information to support Call Centre knowledge is provided by individual departments.
Escalated enquiries are resolved by the person the call is escalated to in the marketing, academic or client services department. However, severe delays are experienced on escalated calls.
Some additional reading:
Transforming your contact centre into a revenue-generating hub: https://www.wns.com/insights/articles/articledetail/13/transforming-your-contact-center-into-a-revenue-generating-hub
The Contact Center Is Having Its Model T Moment: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2017/12/07/the-contact-center-is-having-its-model-t-moment/#6bee0f3830ec
How does a call centre operate? https://bizfluent.com/how-does-4744845-call-center-operate.html
Standard operating procedures for call centres: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/standard-operating-procedures-call-centers-66953.html
Improving the customer experience with new standards for call centres: https://www.iso.org/news/ref2191.html
Call centre performance benchmark: https://www.talkdesk.com/blog/call-center-performance-benchmarking/
10 customer service skills every call centre agent should have : https://www.vocalcom.com/en/blog/customer-service/10-customer-service-skills-every-call-center-agent-should-have/
7 habits of highly successful call centre managers : https://www.ameyo.com/blog/7-habits-of-highly-successful-call-center-managers
Credits:
Introduction to Call Centre Processes: https://www.callcentrehelper.com/introduction-to-call-centre-processes-52555.htm
Standards, Policies and Guidelines - Establishing a Call Centre : http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/UNPAN031539.pdf
Call flow Process in a BPO/Contact centre: http://bpmgeek.com/blog/call-flow-process-bpocontact-center