Delivery excellence along with operational correctness is an imperative requirement in any BPO process. Let me put it as the bare minimum criteria if one is to run a BPO. Stakeholders may contend otherwise considering their pains while they gain without it, I would maintain and advocate delivery excellence and operational correctness since I am talking for BPOs engaging in processes of value and revenue for themselves and more for their clients. This article is not meant for mushrooming call centres engaged in activities, not in line with legal and ethical parameters.
As we all know, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is a popular practice that involves contracting specific business operations to an external vendor. Naturally, in the BPO industry, delivery excellence is a critical component of the technical process. It ensures that the services provided to clients are of the highest quality possible. This article examines the procedural contexts and outcomes of quality assurance in the technical process of a BPO and covers the aspects of delivery excellence thereof.
Procedural Contexts of Quality Assurance in a BPO
- Defining Quality Standards: The first step in quality assurance is defining quality standards. Quality standards are a set of guidelines that outline the expected level of quality in the service provided. In a BPO, quality standards are defined by the client and the BPO provider. These standards must be clearly defined and agreed upon by both parties. Ideally, in most cases, the vendor would follow the client's standards but everything becomes unique when the vendor commands extremely high standards of delivery excellence and compliance thereby creating a higher benchmark for client deliveries. When we talk about definition, would love to mention something that I call the baseline for all defining processes - "Control the Controllables (CTC)" Being such a dynamic domain in itself, QA brainstorms will always attract huge fishbone but then let us remember Real-Time Control & Prioritisation. The process functionaries will always be in a better place whenever they are dealing with controllable challenges. Not only that, they would be fishing for solutions in sensible and sure directions rather than chasing a wild possibility.
- Quality Monitoring: Quality monitoring is the process of regularly checking the quality of the service provided. In a BPO, quality monitoring is typically done by a quality assurance team. The team will use various monitoring tools to measure the quality of the service provided. These tools can include call monitoring software, performance metrics, and customer feedback. Now monitoring is always based on certain SOPs created out of the definition. CTC is again a dominating factor here because it is always sensible to monitor what can be rectified rather than wasting time on something outside the purview of control or influence. I would say, stick to the simple equation - Area of Influence = Area of Correction & Perfection
- Quality Analysis: Quality analysis involves analyzing the data collected during quality monitoring. The quality assurance team will use this data to identify trends and areas for improvement. The team will also look for the root causes of any quality issues. It is funny but true, that root causes are sometimes very low-hanging fruits that perhaps attribute to over 70% of issues. But I have observed, RCAs dive right into large depths. Let us remember - this domain is extremely dynamic - things take time to go deep and when things are fast, it is somewhere on the surface and hasn't quite sunk in.
- Corrective Action: Once quality issues have been identified, corrective action must be taken. Corrective action can include additional employee training, changes to processes or procedures, or changes to the service provided. The goal of corrective action is to prevent similar quality issues from occurring. This will depend on the definition, monitoring and analysis. I have observed something I call a detrimental approach in many QA exercises. To advocate correction, blanket policies are exercised across the operational domain while they should have been exercised in specific areas. Let us remember, in a dynamic and fast TAT scenario, this will be detrimental to delivery excellence. Instead of streamlining, it will stand out as pillars of obstruction. A small example may be advocating a check on performing agents that were ideally meant for low performers. I always believe that quality assurance should have the clear objective of excellence in output and not input. Excellence in output will automatically create the right benchmarks for inputs. I would love to hear counter-arguments on this and I am sure we will see some great quality insights as fall out of those arguments.
- Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement is an ongoing process that involves making incremental improvements to the service provided. In a BPO, continuous improvement is achieved through regular quality monitoring, analysis, and corrective action. I have always said that sustainability lies in the input and not output. Sustained growth and improvement are only possible with focussed and quality inputs that are defined by policies and SOPs that focus on the result and not just statements of standards to establish quality correctness.
Outcomes of Quality Assurance in a BPO
- Improved Service Quality: The primary outcome of quality assurance in a BPO is improved service quality. By monitoring and analyzing the quality of the service provided, the BPO provider can identify areas for improvement and take corrective action. I would go further to say that sometimes, clients learn from vendors about standards and operational excellence. After all, vendors are solving their problems and it would truly be comforting for a client to know that the problem solver is well-poised and equipped.
- Increased Client Satisfaction: Improved service quality leads to increased client satisfaction. Clients expect high-quality service from their BPO provider, and by meeting or exceeding their expectations, the provider can build long-term relationships with their clients.
- Reduced Costs: Quality assurance can also lead to reduced costs. By identifying areas for improvement and taking corrective action, the BPO provider can reduce the number of errors or mistakes made. This can lead to increased efficiency and reduced costs.
- Improved Employee Performance: Quality assurance can also lead to improved employee performance. By providing regular feedback and training, employees can improve their skills and knowledge, which can lead to improved performance.
To conclude, I would say that definition is of prime importance because that defines the context. The context defines the content. The content defines the action. The action defines the outcome and the outcome redefines. The cycle is extremely fast in the BPO domain and it is imperative that every aspect of quality assurance is aimed at sustenance and higher input standards. Delivery excellence in absolute continuity will be given.
