Komus Trading house (Services of telephony and communication)

January 9, 2015. The Komus company created^[1] unique Call center

Background

Komus had a call center earlier, to be exact – four small call centers, in each of them from 25 to 40 operators taking orders by phone, by fax which passes directly on the computer of the operator, and by e-mail worked. For the partners the company extends product catalogs including in electronic form. In the electronic directory is available the standardized forms of orders. The partner with the help the directory creates the order and sends it to the call center operator one of three methods stated above. The operator checks correctness of order placement if everything is correct, then clicking of one button sends it to a warehouse for a complete set. If the specified goods are not enough or it is absent, the operator offers the client replacement. With business development and increase in number of partners these centers became worse to cope with the increased loading – only across Moscow in a day more than 7 thousand calls are processed. Because of failures of the equipment calls of partners were lost. Besides, each call center functioned independently and could not assume quickly loading in case of formation of queue of calls in other call center. It was possible to increase service quality of partners only upon transition to new technology level – therefore, there was a question of creation of new call center.

Except technology replacement of the equipment it was decided instead of former to create four uniform call center which will be located on three geographically spaced platforms. Such solution is more correct in terms of security, one center is quite big risk of losses because power supply failures, failures in communication channels and other problems can suspend work. And it is direct, pretty notable damage to business.

Project Progress

Work on creation of IT infrastructure – equipment installation, installation and setup of software - took, about, two months. But the choice and study of the specification of future project began long before it. The leased building for three months was under repair, utilities were brought to it, issues with communication channels were resolved – they needed to be organized so that to provide reservation. Therefore, in general, the project was very long.

The part of the project connected with the implementing solution Avaya was executed by the partner's specialists – AMETA PRO companies. On a preparatory stage they helped the staff of Komus to work the specification of the equipment corresponding to the delivered business challenges. Work on the specification took a lot of time. It was necessary to find an optimal ratio between requirements of business, cost and necessary performance level of the solution. Installation, setup and configuring of the equipment of call center became a responsible stage of the project. Specialists of AMETA PRO company performed installation of the equipment, installation and setup of software, test start. Development of technology of functioning of call center – routes of calls and their readdressing, optimization of jobs of operators – was undertaken by specialists of Komus. In the course of trial operation permanent monitoring was conducted and necessary changes were made to a configuration.

Merge of several call centers which were located in different districts and serviced the territorially selected segment went to the uniform operator center gradually. In the new center at a stage of trial operation operators from pilot group tested each workplace, at the same time studying work with the equipment, new to themselves. New groups were gradually added. Switching of number tanks in transfer process of groups of operators was carried out in one step, for partners of Komus technology changes took place imperceptibly.

Integration of CRM and ERP

For service quality improvement the database of the sall-center is integrated with the CRM system of Komus. This system was created by developers the domestic company actually under business of Komus. However initially it intended for processing of a small amount of information and locally was established in medium-sized call centers which were located then by the company, and in other its divisions.

With transition to uniform call center with the single database of partners, Komus had a need to make CRM also single system. Developers helped with it, and on the basis of a former product made actually new powerful system capable to process a big array of information. Thanks to the carried-out integration, the call center operator at the time of the client's call, sees on the monitor a card with its data at once and the conversation conducts already in detail. Moreover, CRM in Komus is a part of the ERP system in which all incoming orders are registered – they are loaded into a system at the time of sending the request for a warehouse. Thanks to it, the operator sees online not only the complete information about goods in a warehouse, but also the working conditions recorded in the contract with this client and also the history of his addresses. It is quite obvious that thus the share of manual work is reduced, it is saved time both the operator, and the client.

Results, plans

The Moscow call center was put into commercial operation in January, 2008, St. Petersburg – a bit later. Today in Moscow more than 250 operators work, respectively, the interchangeability of employees is provided that positively affected service quality of partners.

At the same time Anatoly Kulish highlighted that with the choice of the platform the company was not mistaken. With commissioning of call center the number of the serviced partners increased by 20% - it is a considerable step forward. Now availability of the center is at the level of the international standards: 98-99%. So the partner can phone practically at once. The maximum answering interval within 15-20 seconds, then, as earlier it occasionally reached five minutes. And growth of number of the serviced partners improves competitiveness of Komus. Besides also service quality increased. Work of operators is controlled, first, by supervisors on places, secondly, the staff of management of sale. The company management from the office can see work of any operator on any platform of new call center.

We mentioned above that the call center will be located on three geographically spaced platforms. We called two of them - it is Moscow and St. Petersburg, the third – in Tver, and now works are at a stage of a pilot project there. While in this city about 30 operators work, previously passed a training in the Moscow call center. After their preparation to Tver readdressing of a part of calls of the Moscow center was organized. Everything is made so that service quality of partners did not depend on to what center their call gets. Now the Tver center services partners in the cities of Central Federal District.

With completion of works in Tver and formation of geographically distributed call center, uniform for partners, will begin service of the whole country, and the regional centers will be gradually abolished.

The deputy CEO of Komus company Anatoly Kulish told: "We long studied the market, the equipment, technology of work of the sall-centers in other companies including western, and having generalized the existing experience, created own vision of the project" - the deputy CEO of Komus company Anatoly Kulish tells. – For the embodiment conceived in life it was necessary to select the equipment conforming to high requirements of reliability and flexibility in application. The choice was stopped on the solutions proposed by one of world leaders – Avaya company. Well we scale call center based on the products Avaya, and it is capable to provide acceptance of a large number of incoming calls".

"The partner did everything reliably and detailed so we were satisfied, - the director of the department of business technologies of Komus Sergey Tolstov answered. – Perhaps, project objectives were achieved quicker if "AMETA PRO" could provide examination in the development area and business process optimization of call center based on the implemented equipment and software. In the project this problem was solved by the staff of Komus, probably, such cast is explained by uniqueness of our call center".

"Actually it was year for studying of a system: we will test its opportunities, we watch what needs to be added, - Anatoly Vasilyevich Kulish told. – For today system operation completely suits us. However we do not stand still. The technology of functioning of call center is constantly improved. New requirements to a system form, the need for use of additional opportunities of the equipment appears. With respect thereto, we wanted closer interaction with Avaya company to obtain from it fresh information on opportunities of products and training. It would be quite good if the company will expand network of the service centers in Russia. Operational and high-quality service, permanent advanced training of service staff – guarantee of reliable work of call center".

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