Performance Analysis Report

DBAP, Inc.
March 31, 2019

Introduction and Background

Exclusive Clothes and Gifts (ECG) is a mail-order and Internet catalog business
marketing high-quality gifts, apparel, and home accessories. In operation for six
years, ECG is seeking to aggressively grow their company while remaining
profitable. To reach this goal, they would like to focus efforts on improving the
quality of customer service and resulting customer service scores by 10% and
improve the quality of the work environment through staff development and
recognition.
Management has identified several areas of concern. Employee retention and
morale are low. Customer service complaints have increased 30% since the same
period in the previous year. In the coming year, ECG will be updating its current
technology including new hardware configurations and equipment. Additionally,
new HR policies were recently introduced along with a new company handbook.
ECG has designated a budget of $400,000 to employ DBAP, Inc. to assist the
company in reaching their determined growth goals through training to address
these concerns.
DBAP, Inc. has conducted a full gap analysis to assess current conditions at ECG
and identified key sources impacting telephone operator performance and
customer service. The analysis results are presented in this report, followed by
recommendations, proposed solutions, and an evaluation strategy. At the end of
this document is a request for proposal that DBAP, Inc. be invited to implement
the prospective plan to address the identified areas of need and develop focused
training to remediate areas of need.

Purpose of the Report

This report has been generated for use as a strategic company evaluation tool for
ECG. Summaries and descriptions of data points were collected through several
methods of analysis of various company resources to identify and provide
solutions for the root causes of customer service complaints, which have
increased significantly over the past year. The purpose of this report is to show
data results of the Performance Gap Analysis of the current condition of the
company. Proposed solutions have been outlined in prioritized order by DBAP,
Inc. based on this comprehensive performance analysis.

DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report 1

Analysis Methods
DBAP, Inc. employed several methods of analysis to generate this report. Details
of results from each research method are presented in summaries and include
charts and graphs as appropriate for each data set. The four types of analysis
methods used were:
 Observations: Observing various employees as they worked showed
data not obtainable by surveys. The observations included the Telephone
Operator’s working environment, technology skills, work relationships
with each other and management, processes, customer service
interaction, and personality types. The trainers’ use of best practices in
adult education and training were also observed. These employees were
observed on the job:
o Telephone Operators
o Trainers
o Customer Service Supervisors
 Individual Interviews: Individual interviews with employees provided
in depth, qualitative data to supplement the Likert Scale surveys with
greater detail. Interview questions were designed to find factors
impacting employee morale and wellness support, training process,
learner engagement, hiring practices, incentive systems, nature of
employee complaints, purpose for monthly meetings, and to gauge
technical aptitude of employees. These employees were interviewed
individually:
o Telephone Operators
o Trainers
o Customer Service Supervisors
o Management
o Human Resources
o Technology Staff
 Surveys: Likert Scale surveys completed by employees allowed for the
collection of quantitative data to inform initial decisions for
recommended solutions. The survey questions were structured to
measure data to show employee job satisfaction based on provided
resources, relationship with management, technology equipment and
skills, product and technology training, quality of training received, and
professional development. These employees were included in the survey
analyses:
o Telephone Operators
o Customer Service Supervisors

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  Artifact Analysis: Analysis of company documents provided both
quantitative and qualitative data collection used to supplement results
from observations, interviews, and surveys. The analysis included
resources such as current training documents, job aids, exit interviews,
customer service evaluations, employee demographics, performance
evaluations, employee awards history, company handbook, and staff
schedules. Additionally, previous customer service survey data and
reports generated by the phone system were examined. The Artifact
Analysis included documents and materials from:
o Human Resources
o Company Records
o Training Materials

Data Summary: Telephone Operators – Job Satisfaction

One of the challenges ECG is experiencing is a high turnover rate among
Telephone Operators. All 25 Telephone Operators were surveyed on their overall
level of job satisfaction. There is a direct correlation between job satisfaction and
turnover rate. According to the survey, 76% of Telephone Operators are very or
somewhat dissatisfied with their jobs. Please refer to the following graph.

DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report 3

 Many factors can affect job satisfaction. Telephone Operators were surveyed on
the most common factors. They were asked to rate how satisfied they were with
their salary, environment, training, work relationships, resources, and tools
available to perform their job, and incentives. Those who disagreed with the
statements presented are dissatisfied and those who agreed with the statements
are satisfied. Please refer to the following graph.

Observations and interviews with Telephone Operators support this data. The
following are the root causes for Telephone Operators’ low level of job
satisfaction:
 Telephone Operators do not have effective resources and tools to do their
job, specifically to retrieve product information when they are on a call
with a customer.
 The current compensation package and incentive program (percentage
off on personal orders) is not sufficient and Telephone Operators would
prefer a monetary incentive versus discounted merchandise.
 The relationship between Telephone Operators and Customer Service
Supervisors does not currently foster a positive or supportive working
environment.
 Current training on catalog products and technologies for Telephone
Operators is insufficient.

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Data Summary: Telephone Operators – Job Success Factors
An additional issue identified by ECG is an increase in customer complaints
about Telephone Operators. All 25 Telephone Operators were surveyed about
factors that may be impacting their performance. According to this survey,
Telephone Operators felt they could be more successful with improvements in the
following five areas listed in the graph. Please refer to the following graph.

The data gathered through observations and interviews reveals more details about
what causes Telephone Operators to not be successful at their job:
 All Telephone Operators surveyed cite the need for a better resource to
retrieve catalog product information. The current tool impedes their
ability to quickly and effectively answer customers’ questions.
 96% of Telephone Operators report a lack of feedback and/or coaching
from Customer Support Supervisors on their job performance.
 Most Telephone Operators had trouble navigating the order entry system
without hands-on practice when they first started on the job.
 While none of the Telephone Operators indicated that the timeliness of
the training was an issue, the current training being given lacks the
strategies and tools that would support quicker knowledge transfer and
job task completion.

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Data Summary: Technology
Technology has a significant impact on employee performance. This can include
equipment, software, servers, websites, infrastructure, etc. Using data collected
from observations and interviews, the most common themes surrounding
technology used by employees were:
 Catalog product information in the current system is unorganized,
inconsistent, and missing, making it difficult to locate answers to
customers’ questions quickly and results in increased wait times.
 The current order entry system is slow and hard to navigate at first,
indicating that it is not intuitive or user-friendly.
 Telephone Operators indicated a desire for hands-on training on the order
entry system prior to taking customer calls.

Data Summary: Customer Service

Findings compiled from the interviews, specifically from Human Resources,
along with the call reports revealed that customers voiced three major complaints
from their interactions with Telephone Operators. These included:
 Phone Etiquette
 Product Knowledge
 Customer Wait Time
Please refer to the following chart to view the distribution of customer
complaints.

DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report 6

 Further analysis indicates a possible correlation between these three complaints.
Long wait times possibly caused by a lack of Operator knowledge and slow
technology led to customer impatience. This impatience led to Operator
frustration resulting in failing etiquette in the Operator’s attempts to resolve the
situation. The chart below illustrates that calls completed in under 10 minutes
resulted without incident while those averaging 20-25 minutes resulted in varying
degrees of complication and escalation.

Data Summary: Training

Data gathered from the interviews and surveys revealed five major themes.
 Training frequency was found to be too limited to address acquisition of
product information for the 50-100 new products each quarter, especially
for new hires.
 No training has been provided to Telephone Operators or Customer
Service Supervisors regarding phone etiquette or appropriate responses
for dealing with challenging customers.
 Customer Service Supervisors have received no management or
supervisory training.
 Take-away training materials, including job aids and reference sheets,
beyond the copies of the slides, are not provided for further reference.
 Current training lacks learner engagement and assessment strategies and
is not employing best practices of andragogy, such as hands-on practice.

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 The graph below illustrates the requests made specifically by Telephone
Operators in regard to their training.

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Current State, Desired State, and Recommended Solutions
Based on the data collected, the following table presents our analysis in terms of the current state and recommendations
that can help meet the requirements of the desired state.
Current State
The quarterly 4-hour instructor-led
product training that introduces 50-
100 new catalog items is viewed as
lengthy by the Operators. The
training focus is on product
features and benefits.
The Trainers provide handouts of
the slides (information already
present online) at the end. No
formal post-training assessment
and remediation sessions are
conducted.
Accessing product information
online is challenging due to the
inconsistent organization on the
current system. Different aspects of
a specific product are found under
different headings and some
information is also missing at
times.
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Desired State
The product trainings are scheduled
in shorter, more frequent sessions.
They are timed and conducted in a
manner that ensures effective
learning.
The Trainers include activities in
the training that confirm and assess
the learning of the employees.
Access product information easily
and efficiently on the new order
entry system (SimplyOrder) so that
they can answer customer queries
satisfactorily, thereby reducing
customer waiting time.
9
Recommendation to Achieve
Desired State
Have one-hour weekly pre-shift
trainings wherein Operators are
briefed and given appropriate job
aids to locate all new product
information, with a special focus
on expected top sellers.
Train the Trainers to develop
trainings, design activities, and
assessments based on ID
principles, which focus on the
learning needs and performance
gaps.
Create templates for product
descriptions to ensure consistency
in screen and layout. Standardize
the process to input data and access
the product information on
SimplyOrder.
 Current State
The current order-entry system will
be replaced by SimplyOrder. No
training on this new system has
been initiated.
Operators do not encourage
customers to buy an expensive or
related product.
Customer service surveys are
conducted orally by the Operators
in the current system, which
consequently results in prolonged
calls.
During peak season, workflow is
slow due to inadequate staff and/or
slow equipment.
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Desired State
Operators can smoothly transition
from the current order-entry system
to SimplyOrder and use it
efficiently.
Operators multitask on ongoing
calls and convince customers to
buy more related products.
Operators spend minimum time in
conducting surveys and maximum
in solving customer queries.
The workforce is adequate and
competent to handle workload all-
year round.
10
Recommendation to Achieve
Desired State
Provide hands-on training on how
to use SimplyOrder, with special
focus on mitigating issues and
challenges that Operators face in
the current order-entry system.
Train Operators on upselling
techniques and communication
skills.
Ensure the new-order entry system,
SimplyOrder has automated survey
system.
Direct HR to monitor enough staff
is available year-round and recruit
accordingly, especially during peak
seasons, to ensure smooth
workflow. Additionally, replace
slow/outdated equipment with
upgraded equipment.
 Current State
The new-hire orientation (two
hours of order-entry system and
product demos each shown on
LCD projectors) is inadequate to
learn the process and protocols of
the work.
Standard workstations are 4-years
old and equipped with separate
telephones, old headsets,
computers with an old browser
(IE11), and no soundcards.
Monthly meetings are optional and
are offered twice every month –
morning and evening to
accommodate people from all three
shifts. However, these are unpaid
meetings and poor attendance is
observed.
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Desired State
The new-hire training is
comprehensive enabling Operators
and Customer Service Supervisors
to take customer orders confidently
and successfully from the first day.
The new workstations are up to
date and the new equipment makes
the job easier due to better speed.
Monthly meetings are held at times
convenient for employees and they
are duly compensated for attending
it.
11
Recommendation to Achieve
Desired State
Provide hands-on training and on
the proposed mock-order entry
workstation before new hires start
working on live orders.
In addition, a new hire can shadow
an Operator/Customer Service
Supervisor for a week before
independently working on live
orders.
Replace current headsets with high-
quality ones to avoid distraction.
Alternatively, employees can be
reimbursed (either full or in part) if
they buy their own high-quality
headsets.
For planning of future audio
training, soundcard reinstallation is
recommended. Also, consider
replacing IE11 with faster browsers
like Chrome and Firefox
Take a survey to gauge when are
the most convenient times to hold
meetings.
Offer either paid time for attending
these meetings or extra off hours as
incentives.
Introduce a disciplinary rule that
prohibits missing two consecutive
meetings
 Current State
The Telephone Operators find little
value in the meetings and don’t
focus on the topics intended to be
shared.
The Operators are dissatisfied with
the incentive offered, which is a
percentage off on their own orders
from the company. The offer is
valid for one week.
Job expectations are communicated
only during the hiring/interview
process. However, the Operators
most often fail to meet these
expectations
Supervisors are experienced
Telephone Operators who have
performed well. No specific
training provided for supervisory
duties.
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Desired State
The monthly meetings held by the
supervisory and management staff
focus on the needs, new policies,
and information about discontinued
products. The meetings also:
 motivate employees to sell
more and cross-selling
 highlight bestseller
 intimate staff about sales
New and different incentives are
offered by the company which
aligns with needs of the Operators.
Employees are periodically advised
of the job expectations and take
necessary actions to meet these
expectations.
Confident Supervisors who can
lead, coach, and take disciplinary
decisions with regards to telephone
operators.
12
Recommendation to Achieve
Desired State
Draw a clear agenda and
communicate it to all the
employees by mail and/or common
notices. In the meetings, discuss
and exchange suggestions for
improvement to match sale targets.
Acknowledge good performance at
every meeting to motivate
employees.
Modify incentives by extending the
validity of the discounted period
from one week to three weeks.
Additionally, explore these options:
 Extra pay as a bonus
 Paid off-hours
 Local store gift coupons
for domestic needs
Outline the job expectations of
each role in the handbook.
Additionally, Supervisors should be
trained to coach Operators in
alignment with the job
expectations.
Train Customer Service
Supervisors on leadership,
communication, and decision-
making skills.
 Current State
Telephone etiquette is a major
customer complaint. Operators
struggle with difficult callers and
don’t say much before transferring
calls to Supervisors. They have a
standard greeting, but a difficult
customer affects the temperament
of the Operators and the
subsequent calls. There is currently
no formal training in place for this.
The Customer Service Supervisors
and Operators are unaware of the
mission statement of the company.
Operators are unaware of the new
HR performance evaluation/self-
evaluation policies which are in
effect since a couple of months.
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Desired State
The Operators:
 are polite and calm under
every circumstance.
 open and end
conversations in a pleasant
tone
 are patient with a difficult
customer and tactfully try
to maintain peace while
trying to help the customer
All employees are aware of the
mission of the company and
perform accordingly to achieve it.
Operators are aware of the process
and the parameters of performance
self-evaluation and other existing
policies.
13
Recommendation to Achieve
Desired State
Train Operators and Supervisors on
communication skills and etiquette.
Provide hand-outs and job-aids
(e.g., professionally written scripts)
that operators can use for reference.
Organize a role-playing session for
Operators and Supervisors to
observe, coach, and learn how to
communicate and behave with
customers in different situations.
Ensure the mission of the company
is stated during the monthly
meetings. Signoff all official
notices with the company mission.
Outline the new and existing
policies in the handbook and
organize an inaugural meeting to
orient staff to the contents of the
company handbook.
HR is advised to formally
communicate/email a copy of these
policies to the employees.
Additionally, consider Intranet to
store all these policies for easy
referral of the staff.
 Current State
The new HR self-evaluation policy
directs Supervisors to talk to
Operators if they rank themselves
higher than their Supervisor’s
ratings, but not otherwise. No
formal performance reviews are
given by Supervisors to the
Operators.
All trainings are instructor-led
training. Although no e-learning is
currently in place, the management
might consider it for future.
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Desired State
The feedback and review from
Supervisors help Operators to
identify their own strengths and
weaknesses, thereby improving the
latter’s performance.
Effective learning is facilitated by
appropriate choice of training
delivery.
14
Recommendation to Achieve
Desired State
Train Supervisors to guide,
encourage, and motivate the
Operators during their performance
rating discussions.
Review the checklist of call behavior
(and revise it, if needed) to include
criteria that will help to identify
strengths and improvement
opportunities.
Educate upper management to a
variety of training deliveries and
their benefits including ILT, e-
learning, blended, etc. for future
training prospects.
Proposed Solutions for Consulting Firm to Carry Out
DBAP, Inc. has prioritized several recommendations for ECG and proposes to
implement the following solutions:
Priority Solution
1 Communication Skills Training
Program
2 Design, Usability, and
Configuration Consultation for
SimplyOrder Implementation
3 SimplyOrder Training Program
DBAP, Inc. Performance Analysis Report
Description
Design, develop, and lead an
instructor-led classroom training
session for Telephone Operators
and Customer Service
Supervisors covering the topics
of telephone etiquette, call
procedures, difficult customer
situations, and upselling.
Training will include a
presentation, role plays, job aids
such as scripts. Job aids will be
developed in print and CD
format. This training can be
subsequently scheduled prior to
every catalog release.
The IT team can be given
guidance in screen design
principles for SimplyOrder
customizations.
Technical writers of DBAP, Inc.
can assist in creating product
description templates. These
templates can be used for
submitting and storing product
information in organized
standard layouts that operators
can access through
SimplyOrder.
Provide support to the IT team
to conduct usability tests for the
customizations to ensure it is
user-friendly.
Develop training on
SimplyOrder. The content will
be made in alignment with the
new order-entry customizations.
It will involve extensive hands-
on training. The training will be
given in sessions of one-hour
two weeks prior to roll-out. A
15
 Priority Solution Description
sandbox will be available which
employees can use to practice
exercises after the training.

4 Management Training Program An instructor-led training will

be designed and developed to be
conducted by the HR to help
improve overall management
skills of the Customer Service
Supervisors. Focus areas will be
leadership, coaching and
mentoring, communication, and
decision-making skills.
Quarterly sessions can be
scheduled.

5 Train-the-Trainer Course For successful execution and

maintenance of the above
trainings along with the product
catalog training, Trainers will be
trained to develop content, job
aids, assessments and
evaluation strategies based on
ID principles. The following
Trainers have been identified:
 Judi Thompson and
Sheena Perez (product
catalog training)
 Susan Turner
(communication skills,
new-hire orientation,
management training)
 Tsien Yun
(SimplyOrder training)

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Evaluation plan
In order to evaluate if the executed solutions have had a positive impact on
overcoming challenges that ECG is experiencing, data needs to be collected
following implementation of each solution using the following methods: surveys,
checklists, performance reviews, observations, and interviews. Data should be
collected according to this schedule: Immediately following the implementation,
at three months, at six months, at nine months, and at a year. A determination
will be summarized after a period of one year whether the solutions were
successful. The data will be collected and evaluated according to these metrics:
 Number of customer complaints
 Types of customer complaints
 Wait time for customer in a queue
 Time Telephone Operator is on call with customer
 Number of times call is transferred to Customer Service Supervisor
 Number of calls completed in one hour by Telephone Operators
 Number of cancelled orders
 Number of incorrect orders
 Number of sales
 Level of turnover
 Level of job satisfaction among Telephone Operators

Request for Proposal

DBAP, Inc. conducted a thorough Performance Gap Analysis for the company
ECG to address company concerns and deficiencies. The analysis results,
proposed solutions, and recommendations are detailed in this Performance
Analysis Report. Also described is the methodology by which the prospective
objectives and deliverables to address the identified issues will be achieved.
Upon request from ECG, DBAP, Inc. would be pleased to submit a proposal for
implementation of the prioritized solutions (as itemized and described in the
“Proposed Solutions for Consulting Firm to Carry Out” table.)

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