SpiceCSM Universal User Interface (UUI):
Yields 50% Reduction in AHT and Eases Work From Home

Realtors Property Resource (RPR) is an online system used by REALTORS ® to research properties nationwide. The software is available to all members of the National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR). RPR resolves technical and “how-to” issues called in by users about its system. RPR employs over 40 agents at its call center in Omaha, Nebraska and has additional non-call center users that work
remotely that are all working to resolve issues for members.

The Challenge

RPR challenges spanned both internal and external stakeholders. Internally, RPR’s operations team needed to work through data issues with external vendors many of which required Boolean style processes that would drive the specifics needed to handle the data issue; SpiceCSM is able to handle “if this then that” level of process not available in many basic ticketing systems. Externally, the call center needed to handle interactions from members on multiple products from multiple partners. Each product has specific guidelines to handle technical and non-technical issues. At the time, RPR was using Zendesk to record all their interactions. Zendesk was limited in some capabilities required by RPR and did not provide much flexibility or customization required to run a best -in-class operations team. ZenDesk served as a
basic system to record information, but lacked the ability to guide agents through a process. The lack of intuitive guided processes made training new agents take longer and the answers provided to members less consistent. The organization wanted a new system to track calls and better synthesize content. They considered many solutions but did not want "a sales-focused platform", rather one that fit their specific needs.

Looking at other possible systems was “eye-opening.” The new system needed to be a connected platform that focused on helping agents work more effectively, regardless of the task. Before implementing SpiceCSM, case information was stored in various systems that agents had to access when processing requests, this resulted in information being misentered or omitted. There was clearly room to improve ease of use and call handling KPI's. In the past, RPR attempted to use additional software for this function as well, which was time-consuming and expensive as it required additional admins to keep the system working smoothly in addition to paying for features, they did not need.

The Solution

RPR realized they were ready for a digital transformation. After researching other products in the market, Allen Wright, VP of RPR’s Operations landed on SpiceCSM. What initially stood out to him was how much flexibility the system provided. He could change functions, move processes around quickly and easily. He noted the flexibility of supporting a system of multiple tiered support agents. Additionally, the ease to expand on notes and add guided scripts to campaigns was a major benefit, as this would vastly improve how customer needs were served. The entire implementation took less than 60 days, from start to go-live, and implemented several features that benefitted Realtor Property Resources in the long term.

SpiceCSM allows for easier troubleshooting in an intuitive system. Call center agents are able to gather pertinent information, escalate the case, and move it to the appropriate person for resolution. SpiceCSM made it much easier for agents to document the interaction, as they could walk through a series of intuitive prompts to gather all the necessary information and pass it onto the next level of support if needed; the information could now be quickly transmitted from person to person. The
process for agents became intrinsically easy and supported seamless training that can now be completed within 1-2 hours. Agents can now rely on a series of directed questions with few options at each stage that narrow down into specific solutions and directed at particular types of individuals that they service.

RPR has a custom member database that connects to Salesforce; with SpiceCSM’s platform ability to integrate with Salesforce, this custom database, which would have required weeks of development to create an API, now seamlessly integrates. The Salesforce integration pulls member data directly from the source and reduces errors often encountered when call center agents are having to re-enter member information, this integration alone has drastically reduced the time required to handle a member interaction. Simultaneously, SpiceCSM compiles information from other systems into one unified user interface (UUI), so customer support is able to handle calls for both the NAR and RPR without multiple logins. Agents are able to streamline calls and
handle support issues for multiple organizations.

After Implementation

In a matter of two to three days, RPR was able to see a drastic change in its call center efficiency. While before, an agent would operate in multiple systems, now with the added efficiencies, they are able to cut AHT on calls by 50%. Documentation also became easier on the agent and more reliable, since the information is gathered along the way, agents no longer retype or omit information. The flexibility of the SpiceCSM platform allows for easy implementation of new campaigns and processes; which allowed RPR to add additional call center customers without having to add additional agents. SpiceCSM’s flexibility allows managers to see individual agent metrics, providing an easy and more efficient look at call center efficiency. Given that the processes were easy and quick to learn, it ensured that those agents who needed more training were able to receive it.

Lasting Impact

Since the initial project, RPR and SpiceCSM have engaged in ongoing contact every two weeks and are implementing additional projects. Allen Wright, Vice President of Operations, offered some words on the product's impact on “From a process perspective, it has eased the data gathering and mistakes that are made in transference from one system to another, because it’s all contained. It reduced errors that occur when people are trying to quickly wrap up a ticket and move onto the next.
Because of the automation, it has relieved tension, which is a fantastic selling feature for taking on new projects because it’s transparent and new customers can see and direct how their members will be handled. SpiceCSM has relieved the burden on our frontline people; we can train someone within a week. It’s a much more efficient methodology of delivering the service we provide."

About SpiceCSM

SpiceCSM: is the leading platform for creating a digital ecosystem that connects disparate systems, people, and processes, and orchestrates interactions to greatly enhance the user experience and better leverage existing infrastructure. Combining a powerful integration platform, robust business rules and workflow engine, intelligent automation, and a unified interface with dashboard and analytics, SpiceCSM allows organizations unparalleled capabilities to innovate and transform their business operations without expensive, time consuming rip and replace initiatives.

To learn more about SpiceCSM, visit www.spicecsm.com.