Cape Town The First Three Months

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Cape Town The First Three Months

• Franco Cotumaccio
• Joint CEO
• First Contact South Africa

franco.cotumaccio_at_firstcontactsa.com 44 (0) 7860
405 054 www.firstcontactsa.com
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AGENDA

• Background
• CPW - Terms of engagement
• Setting up
• Going live
• Performance
• Challenges
• Learnings

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BACKGROUND

• First Contact South Africa joint CEO
• Assisting UK companies in offshoring
• Formerly with Budget Group UK
• First UK offshore captive site - Fusion
• Carphone Warehouse engagement
• Terms of reference

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TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT

• Set up and transition management for the Captive
  operation first 3 months
• Provision of designated numbers (120)
  CSAs, Team Leaders Coaches
• Call handling capacity to meet quality and
  productivity targets agreed
• Management of key relationships
• Mentoring key staff
• Foundation for growth (circa 400)

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SETTING UP

• Initial Launch February 2006

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SETTING UP

• 3rd April arrival in Cape Town
• Brand new Contact Centre top class
• Arrival of key perm support people
• Arrival of Transition Team
• Assigning roles responsibilities
• Preparation for new starters (14th )
• Planning for weeks ahead

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PERMANENT TEAM

• Some key roles - selection crucial
• Head of site
• HR
• Finance
• Office manager/PA
• IT
• Interfaces with UK transition team

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TRANSITION TEAM

• Key role - selection crucial
• Prepare them for the experience
• Define roles/responsibilities clearly
• Make their stay comfortable
• Provide constant motivation
• Ensures effectiveness and success
• Excellent team

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TRAINING

• Key role first impression of company
• Prepare and adapt
• Culturalisation including accent
• Induction
• Development bank - controlled
• Support thoroughly at all stages
• Continuously review and update

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COACHING

• Key role - selection crucial
• Better the support - better the result
• Continuous feedback and role plays
• Make transition seamless if possible
• Dont do it coach them through it
• Preparation for go live

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RECRUITMENT

• Partner selection must get it right
• Win / Win partnership work at it
• TPH Emmanuels exclusive partner
• Clearly define staff profiles
• Work closely to ensure delivery
• Getting the numbers
• Right staff key to success
• Build brand profile unknown locally

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Out of 100 potential candidates, 13 actually
offered positions, i.e. a 13 suitability rate -
consistent with experiences on other such
projects.
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PEOPLE

• Sufficient numbers
• High calibre
• Alignment of culture/accent/language
• Positive customer focused ethos
• Great attitude enthusiastic, want to do a good
  job keen to learn - can do
• Seen as career provide development
• Tremendous feedback - transition team

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THE ADVISORS

• Advisor Profile
• What do they sound like?
• Listen to accents

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PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

• Essential for business case payback
• Lack of experienced middle management
  transition team key
• All the right ingredients - Invest in development
• Coach continuously ensure they manage the
  difficult scenarios
• Follow the UK performance management
  criteria/KPIs

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PERFORMANCE

• Quality
• Average handling time
• Absence
• Transfer rate first call resolution
• Not ready
• Attrition

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PERFORMANCE

• Quality better than target
• Ave handling time better than target
• Absence better than target
• Transfer rate better than target
• Not ready better than target
• Exceptional scores in development bank
• Attrition too soon to say current sub 5

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CHALLENGES

• Security
• Suppliers selection and management
• Transport
• Parking
• Telecommunications
• Power outages
• Customs
• Shift work
• Grants build in development plan

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LEARNINGS

• Different country different level of
  development
• Understanding the bar every aspect
• Work closely with government/associated agencies
• Partner selection select carefully and provide
  clarity
• Limited management experience investment
  required international accreditation a plus
• Bring management team on as early as possible
• Control attrition from the outset provide
  security
• HR internal v external
• Dont apply everything in the same way not UK
• Rising costs can impact the business case

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Not just a great location for a contact centre
but also contributing to an emerging nation
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THANK YOU