We’ve seen customers creatively step up to the challenges of this unique year—engaging their workforce and delivering on customer service expectations. We’re proud to share that one of these innovators has been recognized by the Society of Workforce Planning Professionals as a top-notch contact center leader.
Three cheers to Aaron Jacobs of GE Appliances! Here’s his profile, provided by SWPP.
Aaron Jacobs is Director of Workforce Optimization & Analytics for GE Appliances, which is one of the largest appliance companies in the U.S. Although all agents are now working from home, the company previously operated three centers, seven-days and 14-hours per day processing approximately 2 million inbound phone, chat, email, and social media contacts per month. The technology in place includes Calabrio ONE, AWS Connect and Salesforce. The WFM team consists of 10 members.
AJ was well on his way to developing a cohesive WFM plan for GE Appliances contact centers when COVID-19 hit. It was then that AJ faced an additional, never-before-seen challenge: he had to redefine the entire process to support shifting all of the call center employees from working in corporate contact centers to working remotely, from home — and only had two weeks to do it.
That challenge, however, wasn’t the only one caused by the pandemic. AJ quickly realized the pandemic didn’t just amplify all his contact center’s problems — it created new ones, too. Contact center volumes had skyrocketed by 50% and were far exceeding the existing plan’s forecast and budget.
In only a year — and in spite of the unforeseeable and unimaginable challenges posed by COVID-19 — AJ has implemented a formal WFM plan and executed deliberate operational changes that already are delivering tangible, significant results to GE Appliances’ contact center. Some examples:
The resulting benefits to GE Appliances’ bottom line are equally impressive. The organization was able to prove significant savings — the equivalent of 2-3 teams of full-time employees — for a 12-month period. There’s also been an opportunity to generate more revenue for the company than before, with the team working hard to turn the call center from a cost center to a profit center.
But an environment of continual improvement requires sustained commitment, intrinsically inspired leaders, and highly engaged team members. That’s why, for instance, AJ debriefs for 30 minutes with his team every morning on what happened yesterday, what’s happening today and what they need to get ahead of for tomorrow. He meets weekly with every business owner to review trends and staffing in order to optimize processes on a consistent basis. It’s with this spirit of team and connectedness that AJ sets the standard for service and support at GE Appliances.
For more on the SWPP Workforce Professional of the Year Award, visit their awards page.