6 Sigma Principals to Help Quantify the

Voice of the Customer

By: Michael Maffei
General Manager, Customer Service
Caterpillar Financial (AccessAccount)

Agenda
By the end of this session, you will
How to identify the Voice of the Customer
(VOC) and how that translates to Six-Sigma
Does Six-Sigma really matter when it comes to
evaluating your call center.
How to start integrating Six-Sigma into your call
center organization.
Evaluating the opportunity costs of Six Sigma.

6 Essential Themes of 6 Sigma

There is a Genuine focus on the customer.
Data and fact-driven management is essential.
Process Focus, Management and Improvement.
Proactive and Involved Management at all levels.
Boundary-less Collaboration and Involvement.
A Drive for Perfection and a Tolerance for Failure.

What is the Goal of 6 Sigma?

To increase profits by eliminating variability,
defects and waste that undermine customer
loyalty.

6 Sigma Critical Success Factors

Business
Process
Framework
Quantifiable
Measures
& Results

Committed
Leadership
Incentives
&
Accountability

Customer
&
Market
Network

Strategy
Integration
Full Time
6 Sigma
Team
Leaders

Committed
Leadership
is critical to
the success
of 6 Sigma

Leadership is KEY

6 Sigma Methodology

6 Sigma Processes
DMEDI: Create new
processes, products,
services

DMAIC: Improve
existing processes,
products, services,

Leverage and sustain the gains achieved

by improvement and creation

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

The Executive Leadership

must inspire, own, fund, and
drive 6 Sigma. They must lead
with clarity, consistency, and
commitment. Walking the
talk is critical. They identify
greatest areas of opportunities
for the enterprise and
business unit.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Deployment Champions are

responsible for development and
implementation of 6 Sigma
deployment plans and
implementation for their business
units. DCs assist business unit
leadership with resource
allocation, prioritization of projects
and coordinate the project
selection with Project Sponsors.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Project Sponsors are often line

managers / process owners and
are responsible for identification
and sponsorship of 6 Sigma
Black Belt projects. They work
with Deployment Champions on
project prioritization and
selection and oversee the details
associated with the deployment
plans and implementation. This
is a Critical rolethis is the
Rubber meets the road position
within 6 Sigma.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Process Owners are

responsible for sustaining
the gains. They inherit the
new or improved process
and ensure that the
process remains in control.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Master Black Belts are our internal

gurus. They are 6 Sigma experts
who train and coach Black Belts.
They are accomplished Black Belts
who demonstrated exceptional
technical expertise and leadership
qualities. They are full-time
coaches dedicated to making the
Black Belts successful.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Black Belts are the full-time, trained

leaders of 6 Sigma projects. An
experienced Black Belts will manage
a portfolio of 3-5 projects delivering
$500,000 in direct, bottom-line
benefits. They also are responsible
for training new Green Belts.
Informally they network and
collaborate with other Black Belts
around the world to benefit the
enterprise.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Green Belts work on

projects on a part-time
basis giving approximately
20% of their time to a
project and are usually key
material or process
experts.

6 Sigma Roles

Executive Leadership
Deployment Champions
Project Sponsors
Process Owners
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
Yellow Belts

Yellow Belts are everyone

within the organization and
must have a general
understanding about 6
Sigma.

Application of Six-Sigma in
Call Centers

Voice of the Customer (VOC) - Provides a means to understand what

customers are saying and identifies internal processes that may be causing
customer dissatisfaction.

Rep Dissatisfaction - Customer service representatives will often express

frustration that they cannot do their job because someone else doesn't do theirs.

Human Resources - Define the new hire process by looking at such factors as
the length of time it takes to hire a new employee;

Call Center Technology - Review of systems and processes that are in place
and how efficient they are in helping CSRs perform their jobs consistently.

Call Monitoring & Service Levels Is the data collected from this forum used
to help improve call center processes?

What Do Your Customers Want?

The challenge is to understand how your customers define and prioritize the various needs and
expectations they have of your call center.

Superior Quality

Product or Service Features, Attributes, Dimensions, Characteristics Relating to the

Function of the Product or Service, Reliability, Availability, Taste, Effectiveness - Also
Freedom from Defects.

Competitive Pricing

Prices to Consumer (Initial Plus Life Cycle), Repair Costs, Purchase Price, Financing
Terms, Depreciation, Residual Value

Exceptional Service

Wait Times, Turnaround Times, Setup Times, Cycle Times, Delays

Reputable Organization

Ethical Business Conduct, Environmental Impact, Business Risk Management, Regulatory

and Legal Compliance

Areas in Call Center to Identify

Voice of the Customer

Quality objectives

Customer feedback

Employee satisfaction

Turnover

Percent quality monitored

Call quality (evaluation score)

First call resolution

Errors and rework (accuracy data entry)

Efficiency objectives

Adherence to schedule

Percent call back

Cost performance

Percent sales conversion

Cost per call

Average interviews per hire

Strategic impact

Percent first call resolution.

Customer satisfaction scores

Six Steps for Successful

Implementation
1. Identify the business role of the call center and its
core function and processes.
2. Identify key customers and customer needs and
expectations. (CCRs)
3. Accurately measure current performance.
4. Analyze, identify weaknesses and opportunities.
5. Develop and implement process redesign.
6. Assume Control and improve CCRs..

Call Center Process Measures

Determining current process performance
usually requires the collection of data. When
developing a measurement plan ensure that:
The data collected is meaningful
The data collected is valid
All relevant data is collected
concurrently
What precise data will be collected?
Performance measurement?
Causes of process deficiencies?
Do we analyze all relevant data or a sample?
What is the right sample size?
What is the right frequency?
What will be the sample selection method?

What issues are relevant?

Who will collect data?
Where is the data located?
When will it be collected?
What additional assistance is required?
What you want to do with the data?
Used daily, weekly, etc.
Identify trends in the process data
Identify deficiencies in the process
Demonstrate current process
performance
Identify variation in a process
Identify a cause and effect relationship

Analyze Findings, Define Critical

Customer Requirements (CCRs)
Voice of the Customer
Actual customer
statements and comments
which reflect their
perception of:
1. An attribute of a
product or service
2. An experience with a
product or service or
its delivery
3. An encounter or
experience with a
business processes
or representative
Im always on hold or end up
talking to the wrong person

Key Customer Issue

The real customer
concerns, values or
expectations regarding a
product or service.
Void of emotion or bias, the
statement describes the
primary issue a customer
may have with the product or
services. Describes the
experience surrounding the
attributes of the product or
service expected or desired
by the customer.
Wants to talk to the right person
quickly

Critical Customer Requirements

The specific, precise and
measurable expectation
which a customer has
regarding a product or
service.
Add additional menu items to
the voice system (bad)
Customer reaches correct
person the first time within 30
seconds. (Good)

Process for Developing Customer-Focused Business Strategy

1. Identify
Information
Needed from
Customers

What business
decisions do we
need to make?
What
information do we
need to make
those decisions?
What data do we
need for each
piece of
information?

2.
Develop
Research
Plan

Determine
research
collection
methodology
Develop
structured
questionnaire
Develop
analytical plan

3. Collect
Voice of the
Customer
(VOC)

Train
interviewing team
Pilot
questionnaire
Modify
questionnaire, as
needed
Collect
information from
customers

4. Analyze
Findings/
Define CCRs

Analyze findings
Display in
graphical format
Convert VOC into
CCRs

5. Develop
Process
Measures to
Monitor Status

Select input,
output, and
process indicators
Establish output
performance
targets
Develop process
to monitor
performance

Understanding Your Role

Managements view of things is likely to be different than yours.
While there is no way to know everything that causes this difference in
perspective, keep in mind that scheduling, budgeting, and other issues are
almost certainly involved.

Realize that your team will have developed a knowledge of the

process being reviewed that exceeds managements.
Make sure that you include the right information needed by the
stakeholders in the organization so they can make the right
decisions about your proposed solution.

Strengthening Your Case

Explain how the solution will fit into the organization
Who will be affected? How?
Communicate with all parties who may be affected by your
recommendation.
Review your implementation plan & solicit feedback.
Make sure everyone understands why the solution is needed.
Be prepared to sell your recommendations.
Your goal is to present solutions that will work and be accepted.

Thank You
Questions