International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends

Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

Improving Bank Call Centre Operations Using Six

Sigma
Rahul Gautam
Department of operation management
IBS Mumbai, India

Abstract-First riches bank had redistributed its client intelligent administrations tasks to include client calling administrations
around five years back. In this exploration paper we show the utilization of lean six sigma in a call focus of bank industry and
this investigation dependent on essential information from genuine undertaking. This examination paper depicts enhancement
in the activities of the call focus owing to lean six sigma increment in first call goals proportion, decrease in administrator turnover
and streamlining of procedures. The reasonable ramifications of lean six sigma into the call focus day by day activities the board.
Albeit Lean Six Sigma has been to an incredible degree compelling over the latest two decades in the collecting part, its relevance
to the organization division has been a questionable topic. This examination speaks to its application to a rapidly creating region
of the organization part, helping associations in recognizing districts of progression for their Call Centres.

Key words- Lean, Six Sigma, Call Centre, Quality, Process improvement

I. INTRODUCTION Table 1 The description of rating

First Wealth Bank should outsource its customer
interactive services operations to Customer Calling Rating Definition
Services (CCS) about 5 years ago. First Wealth Bank 1. Perfect response
declared the least volume of 300,000 calls per year with 2. Good response
the rate of $4.50 USD. Over the last two years, the service 3. Average response
performance of CCS has deteriorated to such an extent 4. Bad response
that First Wealth Bank is considering withdrawing the
5. Very bad response
contract. CCS has been collecting the data on the duration
the representatives were available to answer the calls and
the hold time. The data for the last few months is shown A couple of other problems with CCS are their inability
in Table 1. The performance measures that were of to hold on to the qualified workforce and the time it takes
interest to First Wealth Bank were: to hire experienced individuals. CCS decides to hire an
expert on Six Sigma methodology to help them improve
 Provide first call resolution to at least 75% of calls.
the call centre operations and to improve the production
 Resolve minimum 90% of inquiries within 5 days.
to a level that is acceptable to the client. CCS also wants
Furthermore, First Wealth Bank was monitoring the data
to ensure that the Average Handle Time (AHT) is
on number of people who were unable to get answers
maintained during the course of this project. CCS has 6-
from CCS. The Quality Assurance business conducts
8 months to turn around the performance of the company
routine examinations of recorded conversations between
or potentially lose contract.
the callers and representatives. A rating based on the
scale of 1-5 is assigned to the calls based on friendliness,
1.1 What is six Sigma?
accuracy, and suitable advice given to the callers. The
Lean Six Sigma is a business improvement procedure that
table below shows the description of ratings As been
means to expand investor esteem by improving quality,
observed that the quality check results of the two QA.
speed, consumer loyalty and expenses. It accomplishes
Therefore data for 20 voice recordings were collected to
these by consolidating appliances and standards from
verify the repeatability and reproducibility of QA
both Lean and Six Sigma. Lean and Six Sigma have
projects. Table 2 shows the results of their assessments
pursued freeways since the 1980s when the terms were
for each voice recording.
first strenuously coded and characterized: Lean began in
Japan (inside the Toyota Generation System), and Six

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 International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends
Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

Sigma started a presence in the US (inside the Motorola expanded holding up time a non-esteem included
Research Focus). expense.
 The Pareto System applies to reasonable procedures
2. Lean is a procedure improvement approach used to 0.80 of the postponement is generated by 0.20 of the
convey items and benefits better, faster and at a lower activities. In this manner improving the speed of that
cost. Womack and Jones (1996) characterized it as "an basic 0.20 will prompt a reduction of 0.80 in process
approaching to indicate the esteem, line up esteem duration.
making activities in the best succession, lead those The application of Lean Six Sigma in Call Centres has
exercises without interference at whatever point been considerably more questionable over the most
somebody demands them, and perform them frequently current couple of years, with a few authorities
more successfully. To put it clearly, lean believing is lean visualizing a set of opportunities, yet with others
since it gives an approach to perform increasingly more seeking the achievability of its application to such a
with less. Furthermore, less human exertion, less human situation.
hardware, less time, and less space while coming 5. Why Apply Lean Six Sigma in a Call Centre?
consistently nearer to giving clients precisely what they Call Centers are an overall wonder. Nations, for example,
need." the Netherlands, Ireland, UK, Philippines, South Africa
3. Six Sigma is an information-driven process and India all have abundant Call Centre businesses. In the
improvement procedure used to perform steady and US there are larger than 55,000 Call Centers utilizing
unsurprising procedure returns, decreasing method roughly 2.9 million specialists. In the UK the share
variety, what’s more, abandons: Seen 1999 characterized utilizes more than 595,000 operators in 6324 Call
it as "a business procedure that seeks to recognize and Centers. The couple noteworthy sorts of Call Centers are
dispose of reasons for mistakes or deformities or outbound focuses and inbound focuses. The most widely
disappointments in business forms by concentrating on recognized are inbound Call Centre tasks. For some,
yields that are basic to clients". clients, Call Centers are the main purpose of contact with
4. While Lean is about Speed and Efficiency, Six an association and their encounters can assume a
Sigma is about Precision and Precision: noteworthy job in their choice to remain or leave that
Lean guarantees assets are crumbling away at the correct association.
exercises while Six Sigma guarantees things are done
well the first run through. Lean Six Sigma appropriates Nearly everybody in their day by day life has had the
instruments from both tool slots, so as to defeat the two experience of reaching one of those Centers for an
conceptions, increasing speed while additionally assortment of reasons. In the UK alone, in excess of 10
expanding precision. Advantages of Lean Six Sigma in million clients use phone managing an account.
the modern world (both assembling and administration) Outbound focuses are used more in regions, for example,
include Guaranteeing administrations/items fit in with promoting, deals and credit accumulation. In those cases,
what the client needs (Voice of the Customer). it's the Call Centre administrator that reaches the
 Evacuating non-esteem including exercises client/client. In spite of the fact that there are a few
(squander). contrasts among outbound and inbound call focuses, they
 Diminishing the occurrence of deficient each have comparative potential advantages and
items/exchanges. challenges for the practice of Lean Six Sigma.
 Shortening process duration. 5.1 Benefits
 Conveying the right item/benefit at the opportune time A portion of the advantages that Lean Six Sigma can
in the ideal place. Albeit used to a great degree convey in a Call Centre is given underneath:
efficiently in modelling over the most recent couple 5.1.1 Streamlining the activities of the Call Centre-
decades, the use of Lean Six Sigma in the Lean system helps in taking out waste and other non-
administration section has been less end favoured and esteem included exercises from the procedures;
tried, in the middle of fears that the systems in 5.1.2 Diminishing the number of lost calls- Six Sigma's
administration ventures don't loan themselves to the main driver examination and speculation testing systems
absolute utilization of the arrangement of calculable can help with deciding how much time to spend on an
apparatuses compared with Six Sigma. There are three alternate sort of calls in this manner giving a manual for
principal reasons why agencies need to apply Lean Six the administrators.
Sigma: 5.1.3 Better use of assets (both human asset and
 Management method can remain economical and along innovation), prompting a decrease in the expenses of
these lines expensive, i.e. inclined to blunder and along running the Call Centres.
these lines indicating diminished consumer loyalty. 5.1.4 Revealing the 'shrouded industrial facility'-
 Many administration forms are mind boggling and have building up the underlying drivers of why clients bring,
excessively "work-in-advance" which prompts in any case, can help in uncovering inconveniences

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Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

further up in the process stream in this way giving insecure procedures, utilizing Lean devices to wipe out
advantages that go more remote than the Call Centre the squanders and improve the procedure: when it has
itself and enhancing client administration and support. settled, further developed measurable instruments, from
5.1.5 Lessening representatives' turnover- Call the Six Sigma toolkit, can be utilized to decrease variety
Centers are normally described by high worker turnover, and make the procedure able.
because of the very distressing workplace (Mintel, 2009). The root reasons for this has not been recognized yet: it
An increasingly streamlined task would help with is essential to begin chip away at the task with an
diminishing administrators' pressure, especially in an unmistakable perspective and with no partiality.
inbound Call Centre. Information and hard certainties should manage the
6. Challenges undertaking along its way;
Distinct difficulties to use Lean Six Sigma in a call Quantitative measurements of the procedure are
centre conditions are provided below: accessible: absence of measures and neglecting to
 The constant pace of the activity (usually 24/7) makes understand a finished Measurement System Analysis
it more difficult for key factors of a team to find the (MSA) (Wheeler and Lyday, 1990) can genuinely risk
opportunity to get connected in projects and Lean Six any enhancement exertion
Sigma practice; The procedure's proprietor is strong and willing to give
 The success of a relevant Measurement System information and assets: this is
Analysis (MSA) is given complex from the natural basic for the on-going achievement of the venture, and
subjectivity and representation of some call types the procedure proprietor job is talked about in detail in
thus disappointing reproducibility tests among the Control Phase segment.
different Call Centre executives;
 Huge employee turnover, that commonly 1. Define Phase
characterizes Call Centres, execute it more complex A cross-useful undertaking group was made, driven by a
for a Lean Six Sigma plans ‘to stick’ in the Black Belt, with the goal of utilizing the DMAIC (Define,
organization. Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) Six Sigma
 Generally speaking, the open doors far exceed the achievement system so as to expand the primary call
difficulties. Call Centres these days are something goals proportion. The group perused down the
beyond activities: they are the first, and now and again undertaking, distinguishing which explicit territories of
just, the purpose of contact an organization may have the Call Centre and administrations they would
with its clients. Their productive and viable going concentrate on; an abnormal state process guide or
through auspicious goals of clients' questions can go SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers)
far in setting up the organization's image what's the (Pyzdek, 2003) was made, trailed by a progressively
more, picture. itemized process outline. In this paper, we have actual
data for calculation and resolving the problem which goes
on the bank call centre.
II. LEAN SIX SIGMA PROJECTS IN
CALL CENTERS 2. Process Capability Indices
Undertaking determination is a basic part of progress: not Process enhancement end eavours, the procedure
all tasks might be the appropriate possibility for the capacity record or process capacity proportion is a factual
utilization of Lean Six Sigma, and this should be proportion of process ability: the capacity of a procedure
remembered while evaluating the activity of a Call to deliver yield inside particular limits. The idea of
Centre. Additionally, extraordinary apparatuses and process ability just holds importance for
procedures might be progressively reasonable for an
explicit undertaking, contingent upon the nature and
normal for the procedure it is attempting to address.
Activities that better loan themselves to Lean Six Sigma
share, bury alive, the following attributes:
The focal point of the undertaking is on a procedure that
is either not in factual control or outside client particulars.
As of now referenced in the presentation, Six Sigma
procedures centre around decreasing the variety in a
procedure, making them the perfect apparatuses for
handling an unfit yet stable process, while the Lean
devices centre more around the end of waste and would Table 2 Historical baseline data
be the principal port of call for streamlining a
temperamental procedure. Needs ought to be given to

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 International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends
Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

5 Day Resolution FCR % 5DR %

15,822 72.0% 69.2%
22,092 79.1% 76.3%
16,697 68.6% 72.4%
21,454 88.1% 71.7%
19,663 58.4% 73.8%
20,788 76.9% 75.2%
20,136 94.4% 82.0%
22,544 66.6% 75.4%
18,788 69.8% 80.2%
14,910 81.9% 65.1%
15,301 68.8% 68.8%
22,585 59.4% 82.2%
17,138 82.8% 69.7%
15,187 95.7% 57.5%
17,691 65.3% 71.2%
17,708 64.3% 65.6%
14,749 82.2% 69.7%
21,618 91.5% 74.9%
19,949 85.7% 81.4%
14,191 68.6% 66.8%
22,833 79.4% 76.2%
14,990 69.9% 70.1%
19,047 78.8% 79.7%
24,258 88.7% 89.2%
Procedures that are in a condition of measurable control.
Process ability files measure how much "normal variety"
a procedure encounters in respect to its particular
breaking points and enables diverse procedures to be
contrasted with deference with how well an association
controls them. Using the data given in Table 2, determine
the process capability indices for performance metric.
Provide the appropriate interpretation for the process
capability indices drawn, based on the available data.
 ‘First Call Resolution’. The specification limits for the
FCR are; LSL=75% and USL=100%.
 ‘5 Day Resolution’. The specification limits for the
5DR are; LSL=90% and USL=100%.
Table 3 Interpr

Table 4 Interpretation table

Table3 Day resolution data

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 International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends
Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

Table5 voice sample data

1.3 Measurement system analysis
A trial and statistical approach for determining how Miranda Trial 2
complete the variety inside the judgment method adds to 3
in common process vacillation. There are five parameters
2
to examine in an MSA: predisposition, linearity,
dependability, repeatability and reproducibility. As 2
indicated by AIAG (2002), a general principle guideline 4
for estimation framework adequacy is: 1
 Under 10 percent mistake is acceptable.
5
 >10 percent to 30 percent mistake recommends that the
framework is satisfactory relying upon the significance 4
of use, cost of estimation gadget, cost of fix, and 3
different variables.
3
 More than 30 percent blunder is viewed as
unsatisfactory, and you ought to enhance the 4
estimation framework. AIAG additionally expresses 2
that the quantity of unmistakable classes the estimation 3
frameworks partitions a procedure into ought to be
more prominent than or equivalent to 5. 5
2
Not with standing percent mistake and the quantity of 2
particular classifications, you ought to likewise survey
2
graphical investigations after some time to settle on the
worthiness of an estimation framework. 2
In the second table, we are going to find which is the 3
best method would be best to use form measurement 3
system analysis (MSA) to verify the repeatability and
reproducibility of quality assurance (QA). And we are 2
Determine the potential causes why CCS fails to meet
First Call Resolution targets consistently.

Table 4 voice sample data

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 2 3 4 2 2 2 2 5 3 2 4 3 3 4 5 2 4 2 2 3 Master Appraiser

2 3 4 2 2 2 2 5 3 2 4 3 3 4 5 1 4 2 2 3 John Trial 1

2 3 3 2 2 2 2 4 3 1 5 3 2 4 4 1 3 2 2 2 John Trial 2

2 3 4 2 2 2 2 5 3 2 4 3 3 5 5 1 4 2 2 3 Miranda Trial 1

20
12
2 3 3 2 2 2 2 5 3 2 4 3 3 4 5 1 4 2 2 3 Miranda Trial 2

60%
1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 With In John

20
11
1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 John With Standard

55%
1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 With In Miranda

1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 Miranda with Standard

20
18

90%
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 Between OPS

10
1 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 All OP S Vs

20
17
Standard

85%

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60%
50%
20
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International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends
Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X
International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends
Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

Use Brainstorming technique for creative thinking

and come up with improvement solutions that can
be proposed for improvement in FCR
Solutions for bringing improvement in FCR
performance
1. Improve the recruitment process through
identifying the right skill, competency needs and
mapping with the roles and responsibilities and
ensure that right candidates are recruited for the
post.
2. Create standard operating procedures and
knowledge base based on the standard queries
received from the customers. Maintaining the
Knowledge base and updtodated SOP will help the
representatives to provide the First call resolution
and thereby achieve the set performance level.
3. Havinga SOP will help new and existing
representatives to FCR without doing further
Research and forwarding the calls to supervisors.
4. Budgeting for functional and soft skill training
will give them motivation to achieve further in the
career growth with the company and thereby curb
the high attrition rate.
5. Implement automation and latest technologies
available will help effective call handling and
thereby achieving high customer satisfaction
6. Gather Voice of customer on FCR performance
and re-establish operational definition on FCR and
how it is computed, the team should be educated
on operational definition and data collection of
FCR.
2. FMEA
Abbreviation for Failure Modes and Effects
Analysis. FMEA is a hazard appraisal device,
which assesses the seriousness, event and
identification of dangers to organize which ones are
the direst. The two most mainstream sorts of
FMEAs are Process (PFMEA) and Design
(DFMEA).
 Every classification has a scoring network with a
1-10 scale.
 Severity of 1 means okay to the end client, and a
score of 10 signifies high hazard to the client.
 Occurrence of 1 indicates low likelihood of the
hazard occurring, and a 10 means a high likelihood
of the hazard occurring.
 Detection of 1 indicates a procedure that WILL
probably get a disappointment, and a 10 implies
the procedure will probably NOT get a
disappointment.

Subsequent to scoring of every classification is finished

for each hazard, the three scores are increased together
(Severity x Occurrence x Detection) to decide the Risk
Priority Number (RPN). The RPNs are arranged from

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 International Journal of Scientific Research & Engineering Trends
Volume 5, Issue 1, Jan-Feb-2019, ISSN (Online): 2395-566X

biggest to littlest, and moves are made on the best dangers Call Centers are progressively significant for unusual
so as to lessen the general hazard. organizations and are absolutely battling with the
measurement of bearing better administration at a lower
Ordinarily, the seriousness can't be decreased, so the cost. This paper aimed to speak the issue of whether Lean
group ought to assess approaches to diminish event or Six Sigma can be effective in a Bank Call Centre
increment location. After activities are finished, the condition: by methods for a Study, it was concluded that
RPNs are recalculated and new dangers are resolved. Lean Six Sigma can improve the task of a Call Centre,
1. Severity- The severity of the impact of the failure through an advancement in First-Call goals (that reduces
situation. It is a rate on a scale of 1 to 10. A great score is abortion made by neglecting to answer the inquiry in any
allowed to high-impact results while a low score is case), a reduction in Call Centre superintendents' turnover
allowed to low-score results. investigation): notwithstanding, negligent of this, it
2. Occurrence- The frequency of appearance of the concluded out how to improve the First-Call goals, and
failure result. It is measured on a scale of 1 to 10. A high consequently the client advantage levels, of its task.
score is assigned to frequently occurring results while
results with low occurrence are indicated a low score. Given any substantial size of various Call Centre
3. Detection-The ability to process investigations to activities, even a usually little improvement in the sigma
identify the appearance of failure results. It is scored on a estimation of the procedure can drastically diminish the
scale of 1 to 10. A failure result that can be simply imperfection valuation, increment consumer loyalty and
identified by the process control is allowed a low score convey money related advantages to the primary concern.
while a high score is allowed to inconspicuous results. By focusing on wiping out waste, identifying the actual
4. Risk Priority Number- The overall opportunity score esteem including exercises and utilizing the DMAIC
of a result. It is measured by multiplying the scores for apparatuses for critical thinking, it is conceivable to
severity, occurrence and apprehension. A result with a accomplish essentially enhancements in expenses and the
high RPN demands important consideration while the dimensions of client benefit gave (utilizing on preparing
results with low RPN are less risky. and encounter) and streamlining the hidden schemes by
taking out superfluous activities. This paper has used a
Table Action FMEA specific number of tools accessible in the Lean Six Sigma
toolkit while precluding some other analytical
apparatuses.

REFERENCE
1. Pyzdek, T. (2003) The Six Sigma Handbook,
McGraw-Hill Professional, New York.
2. Snee, R. D. (1999) “Why should statisticians pay
attention to Six Sigma?”, Quality Progress, Vol. 32, No.
9,
3. Womack, J. P. & Jones, D. T. (1996), Lean Thinking,
Free Press
4. Mader, D. P. (2008) “Lean Six Sigma’s evolution”,
Quality Progress, Vol. 41, No. 1.
5. Forsyth, A.M. (2004) Lloyds TSB Banks on Call-
centre Quality, Human Resource Management
International Digest, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 14-16. Gettys, R.
(2009) “Using Lean Six Sigma to improve Call
Centreoperations”. Retrieved Jan 22, 2009 from
http://finance.isixsigma.com/library/content/c070418a.as
p

V. CONCLUSION

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