Edgewires Automated Phone System Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Edgewires Automated Phone System - Case Study Example They serve a niche market of vacationers who desire adventure in their holidays. Thus, call centre operators became immersed in and learned how to provide adventure seekers satisfying holiday experiences. Not only are such holidays off the beaten path but they typically require special equipment. Edgewire's operators coordinate with suppliers to fulfil all their customers' needs. Satisfaction of thrill-seeking customers is obviously healthy or else Edgewire couldn't have grown into a robust business if its operators delivered inferior adventures. Today's situation is that goals #1 and #2 have evolved into apparent conflict. In the interest of long-term stability, Edgewire's management firmly believe they must install an automated phone answering system. Doing so means replacing call centre operators. Management has calculated the savings by cutting back on labour costs. However, this goal of presumed long-term stability comes at the cost of jobs; yet providing jobs was a goal of the EU regeneration grant. Quite naturally the call centre operators are distressed and disagree. This Social Impact Statement (SIS) examines the issue in-depth. The goal is to find options that perhaps can be smartly used to satisfy all parties that are affected by Edgewire's conversion to an automated phone answering system. ... This SIS comes somewhat late. Edgewire management's decision is almost fait accompli. They are reluctant to discuss the inherent conflict-of-interest or negotiate the core issues. They stalled before acquiescing to the independent evaluation requested by the call centre operators' Trade Union. 1.1 The New System and Its High-Level Benefit - Reduce Costs 2,310,000 Yearly In addition to cost savings, two features of the proposed automated phone answering system are quite attractive. It will be a "decision support system" (DSS) as well as a "knowledge based system" (KBS). DSS tells call centre personnel specific decision information each customer already made about an adventure holiday and left on the automated phone system. KBS is a standardisation of holiday packages for customers who don't need special customising. Management believes these new ways to do business streamline operations and save labour costs, thus better ensuring Edgewire's long-term financial wellbeing and economic stability. Here are supporting data. Staffing Current Staff Current Cost Proposed - New Staffing Level Cost with New System Savings Call Centre operators 200 4 million 50 1.25 million 2.75 million System Update Officers -0- -0- 20 0.5 million -0.5million Line Managers 10 300,000 10 300,000 -0- Drop-in centre 3 60,000 -0- -0- 60,000 Totals 213 4,360,000 80 2,050,000 2,310,000 1.2 Stakeholders Stakeholders have not been apprised or consulted. Until now only Edgewire's management (primary stakeholder) has had input on decision making about the automated phone answering system. Nobody knows with certainty how Edgewire's customer base (another primary) will react. Management lacks 100% unity. Dissention exists. Anxieties are growing