Following a recent eg executive dinner delegates were asked to complete a short questionnaire which highlighted the main focus to be around reducing operational and IT costs without compromising a high level of customer service.

At eg we advocate a balanced set of measures to drive overall performance improvement, spanning the key performance areas of;

Service Levels achieved, Quality scores, Skill based Capability levels achieved, Throughput levels of work, Productivity based performance indicators.

With the numerous KPI’s available within the eg operational intelligence® software suite supporting these key performance areas, we are often asked which are the most important ones to focus on to drive improvements in your current Workforce Optimisation levels?

As a business which specific eg KPI’s are you focussing on in 2012?

Do you combine or link KPI’s from one key performance area to another, for example your Service % and your Efficiency %?

What KPI’s do you use in addition to those available within the eg software suite?

Let us know by sharing your thoughts on this post by adding your comment to our blog.

We look forward to sharing the feedback we gain and our thoughts on this topic on the 13^th March at Anfield for the first of eg’s Focus Group for 2012.

Request a copy of your free white paper on Optimising Back Office Performance. eg is a back office optimisation software company specialising in two core solutions, for more information contact us via email or telephone 01785 715772.

Customer Operations at Nationwide Building Society implemented eg work manager^® into the Back Office on a phased basis.  The case study looks into the benefits that eg work manager^® has provided to the Customer Events business area and how the Forecast and Capacity team can use the data now available to improve the Forecasts and Capacity plans.

Read the full back office planning case study.

Excerpt from the case study:

“The priority is to understand and analyse the data that is now available to us so that we can understand our business better and provide more Operational areas with a reliable Forecast and Capacity views so that the Customer Experience can be maintained and improved.

The analysis will involve looking at individual and team performance, highlighting any timing issues on processes that are constantly over and under performing. From this information we will be able to drive efficiencies and help to indentify teams and processes that would benefit from a Lean Review.

The data will enable me to track effectively ‘unavailable’ time and will enable this into our Forecast and Capacity models so a more realistic shrinkage rate can be used rather than the flat 25%. This will enable the team managers to plan more effectively for peak periods and give the Business confidence that resource will be available to meet demand.

We will use the information to move away from providing a flat weekly forecasts and building in the flexibility to provide varied forecasts based on daily and weekly trends.

Through the skills and utilisation data available in eg work manager^® we can now establish where there are any knowledge shortfalls and the Operation Managers can use the information to develop training plans, this will be beneficial when dealing with peak periods and ensure that the correct resource is moved between teams so that there isn’t an adverse affect on the Customer Experience, Performance and Service levels”.

Murray Sutton, Business Support Consultant – Performance and Risk, Nationwide Building Society

“Previously we were not capturing the correct way we recorded volumes of work against their SLA. By having the eg tool we have now been able to re-apply the way this is calculated but more importantly can see independently how the Ops areas are performing against it along with the age profile of work outstanding. This is far more informative for everyone within Customer Ops to be able to work on oldest work first but also now means that we have one version of data going out from the division to other areas of the group.”

Elizabeth Erskine – MI Manager Performance & Risk

Read the full Back Office Planning case study.

There are more case studies from eg available and you can Read what our clients say about the eg operational intelligence® software suite.

If you want regular updates on our news and knowledge sign up to our newsletter.

Why eg?

eg is the only back office optimisation software company that guarantees return on investment and is paid based on the results delivered – whatever you invest in implementation will pay for itself, typically within 6 months.

Our software is totally scalable to match the needs of your organisation with live implementations ranging from 10 to over 5,000 users currently being supported, and scalability proven for up to 10,000 users on a single server.

Our software is working hard for client businesses across the globe, and with over 41,000 users it is resilient and built for everyday use by your business.

To arrange a demo please contact us on +44 (0) 1785 715772 or email ask@eguk.co.uk

He said that by being able to report on work throughput, backlogs, service standard achievements and quality, and at the same time analyse productivity, staff skills and unit costs has been invaluable, as “within days enabled them to identify changes in capability to drive through efficiencies without effecting customer services or processing levels.”

Read the case study

Six years on they are still using an advanced version in the same way enabling them to take a centralised view of all work types, across multiple sites and systems had helped them avoid individual backlogs and improve end to end customer service, whilst the business has been expanding.

They are currently in the final stages of integrating the human resources, finance and information systems into the shared services model.

Williams closing comments were “eg’s systems gives us a consistent platform in terms of workflow management and allows us to take our process view back to basics and review whether we are applying them as well as we have been in the past.”

If you are interested in finding out how you can streamline your back office, contact eg on +44(0)1785 715772 or email us for your free site review.

As a thank you to our clients for completing the survey we entered all respondents into a prize draw for a £50 voucher of their choice. This year’s winner is…

Wendy Crowe at Zurich

At eg we are committed to our clients making the best use of our products and services. Our annual client satisfaction survey required clients to complete the survey to ensure we are constantly achieving the highest standards of service as we are always striving to improve. The purpose of this survey was to find out what they expect from eg with the Helpdesk and Software Support service.

We asked clients to rate different factors shown below on the basis of importance and satisfaction:

• Supportive partnership/relationship between our two firms
• Ability to deal with fault reporting in a timely manner
• Effective communication
• Delivering systems enhancements in line with customer needs
• Quality of development
• Behaviours of our software support employees
• Understanding of your client situation/ability to work within their culture
• Ability to deliver on time

The results show an increase in the importance of systems enhancements and the quality of developments provided as well as how effectively they can be matched and fitted around the companies’ current activities and culture.

It has also shown an overall improvement of how satisfied our clients are with the quality of developments supplied and how eg have understood their situation and fitted into working alongside their culture.

For further details please email or contact Rachel Oliver direct on +44 (0) 1785 715772.

Customer Operations at Nationwide Building Society implemented eg work manager^® into the Back Office on a phased basis.  The case study looks into the benefits that eg work manager^® has provided to the Customer Events business area and how the Forecast and Capacity team can use the data now available to improve the Forecasts and Capacity plans.

Read the full back office planning case study.

Excerpt from the case study:

“The priority is to understand and analyse the data that is now available to us so that we can understand our business better and provide more Operational areas with a reliable Forecast and Capacity views so that the Customer Experience can be maintained and improved.

The analysis will involve looking at individual and team performance, highlighting any timing issues on processes that are constantly over and under performing. From this information we will be able to drive efficiencies and help to indentify teams and processes that would benefit from a Lean Review.

The data will enable me to track effectively ‘unavailable’ time and will enable this into our Forecast and Capacity models so a more realistic shrinkage rate can be used rather than the flat 25%. This will enable the team managers to plan more effectively for peak periods and give the Business confidence that resource will be available to meet demand.

We will use the information to move away from providing a flat weekly forecasts and building in the flexibility to provide varied forecasts based on daily and weekly trends.

Through the skills and utilisation data available in eg work manager^® we can now establish where there are any knowledge shortfalls and the Operation Managers can use the information to develop training plans, this will be beneficial when dealing with peak periods and ensure that the correct resource is moved between teams so that there isn’t an adverse affect on the Customer Experience, Performance and Service levels”.

Murray Sutton, Business Support Consultant – Performance and Risk, Nationwide Building Society

“Previously we were not capturing the correct way we recorded volumes of work against their SLA. By having the eg tool we have now been able to re-apply the way this is calculated but more importantly can see independently how the Ops areas are performing against it along with the age profile of work outstanding. This is far more informative for everyone within Customer Ops to be able to work on oldest work first but also now means that we have one version of data going out from the division to other areas of the group.”

Elizabeth Erskine – MI Manager Performance & Risk

Read the full Back Office Planning case study.

There are more case studies from eg available and you can Read what our clients say about the eg operational intelligence® software suite.

If you want regular updates on our news and knowledge sign up to our newsletter.

Why eg?

eg is the only back office optimisation software company that guarantees return on investment and is paid based on the results delivered – whatever you invest in implementation will pay for itself, typically within 6 months.

Our software is totally scalable to match the needs of your organisation with live implementations ranging from 10 to over 5,000 users currently being supported, and scalability proven for up to 10,000 users on a single server.

Our software is working hard for client businesses across the globe, and with over 41,000 users it is resilient and built for everyday use by your business.

To arrange a demo please contact us on +44 (0) 1785 715772 or email ask@eguk.co.uk

Each year eg solutions plc, the back office optimisation software company and other supporters of Doornkop host a Christmas party for the children and this year the children went to Dude hall in Soweto – organised and supported by the eg South African team who raised the funds through a sponsored fun walk.

The children put on an amazing mini concert for the guests with all the different classes taking part in an activity. Lunch for the day was prepared by Digipos with the support of Samantha Phelps who sponsored the party packs and cup cakes, she was introduced to DNCC by eg’s Kay Moodley.

The day ended once all the children had received a Christmas present, kindly donated from the toy run organisation.

The money raised for this year’s Christmas Party totalled R8,775 and was raised partly by a run for fun as well as other donations from clients and members of staff at eg solutions.

We would like to thank everyone who has donated to the Charity to make this event possible as well as our own eg team who attended the event, they included Tony Cohn, Kay Moodley and Nols Mbele.

The Doornkop Needy Children Centre provides shelter, clothing, education and love to orphans and destitute children from the age of 0–5 years.  Currently around 160 children are in their care.

Find out more about the Doornkop Needy Children’s Centre and how you can get involved, and email ask@eguk.co.uk.

As an economically gloomy year draws to a close, income and profits in the UK financial services sector has fallen at record rates as the recession deepens and the credit crunch continues.  So what is next for Financial Services and what are the key business priorities and strategic objectives to turn things around?

As part of eg’s client events in 2011, Executives and Managers of back office operations across Financial Services organisations were asked to indicate what their key business priorities and strategic objectives would be in 2011/12?

Overwhelmingly, respondents, regardless of level selected the same three priorities:

• Customer service improvements
• Cutting operating costs/IT costs
• Preserving existing revenue streams

So with this in mind, do you think it will be possible to make further Customer Service improvements and cut costs?  The results also indicated that growth will be limited as companies work to preserve existing revenue streams.  These results indicate that recovery will be slow and reiterate the Bank of England view on the longer than expected recovery.

The Institute of Customer Services Customer Satisfaction results clearly show that service matters, as can be seen in these associated articles:

• UK Customer Satisfaction Index July 2011 – executive summary
• first direct and instilling a customer service DNA

Please let us know if you agree with the three key priorities or how yours differ from the ones highlighted above. The full choices of priorities were as follows:

• Customer service improvements
• Regulatory compliance
• Expense control
• Cutting operating costs/IT costs
• Revenue generation
• Increasing profit margins
• Reducing agent attrition
• Increasing sales
• Preserving existing revenue streams
• Regulation and security
• Product innovation

Organisations who participated in the survey were from a range of financial service organisations, varied in size and type of operation across the UK and South Africa.

We have put together a formidable team of talent with a wealth of knowledge and experience at their fingertips to mentor three local fledgling businesses to success over 12 weeks.

They are, Elizabeth Gooch of eg solutions, Chris Lewis of the Lewis Partnership, Mike Heenan of Dean Staham Kemp, management consultant Brian Henderson and Francesco Dellicompagni, founder of the Francesco group.

Our winners will also receive a free comprehensive advertising campaign in the Newsletter to help promote their business.

We shall then pick the best performing business to go through to a national competition under the beady eye of Dragon’s Den business guru Deborah Meaden.

Elizabeth Gooch established the back office optimisation software company, eg solutions plc in 1988. Having successfully implemented her business on AIM, Elizabeth is recognised as a leading female entrepreneur in Management Today’s top 100 entrepreneurs.

To enter apply online, saying why you would benefit from the expertise of our panel. Eligible businesses must have been trading for more than one year but less than three.

The scheme, which is organised by the Newspaper society, is backed by the Prime Minister David Cameron and has Deborah Meaden, multi – millionaire business women and star of BBC’s Dragon’s Den as its national ambassador.

We hope to be able to launch an inspirational local business on to the national stage, so don’t miss out on this unrivalled opportunity and log your entry now. We have extended our deadline for entries until Monday 12^th December 2011. A shortlist will be drawn up and entrants may be required to give a short presentation to the panel. Winners will be notified early in the New Year.

The programme has had the backing of Prime Minister David Cameron who believes it may have a major role to play in cultivating economic growth. “The Local Business Accelerators’ campaign will help provide the boost that our smaller British Businesses need right now. Those will benefit from the initiative are the very businesses and entrepreneurs that will help lead Britain’s recovery.”

Now in its ninth year, the eg operational excellence® awards, held recently at The Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club, Meriden, Warwickshire recognises the achievements of eg’s clients both in the UK and overseas.

The awards showcase companies and teams which are transforming the experience of customers and employees and demonstrate how real-time work management, forecasting, strategic planning and operational excellence can make a positive difference to a company’s performance.

eg’s own export journey started in 2006 with the help of UK Trade & Investment through participation in the Passport to Export programme and the commissioning of several Overseas Market Introduction Services (OMIS). Since then, the company has set up a South African subsidiary and secured new clients in Norway.

eg now has its sights set on expanding into Asia and America. The number of international clients in attendance at the awards ceremony is testament to the success of eg’s international expansion strategy.

eg’s Founder and CEO, Elizabeth Gooch, said “Our awards recognise outstanding contributions made by individuals towards best practice use of the eg principles of operational management®

and the eg software suite.  Set against a backdrop of economic gloom our award entrants have once again shown what can be achieved, year after year”.

Rob Lawley UK Trade & Investment International Trade adviser said “The company has always been excellent to work with and I’m delighted they are doing so well. The awards is a fitting tribute to eg’s companies and highlights just how effective eg’s software can be. I look forward to helping them develop their overseas business in more countries.”

International winners were follows:

• Best Practice Manager (International) – Tracey Basson, Silica (pictured above)
• Best Newcomer Team Manager (International) – Nomsa Mthimunye, Metropolitan Health
• Best Practice Team Manager (International) – Seviours Nkomo, Silica
• Company & Team Awards Forecasting & Strategic Planning – KS/Oppgjør/Konsern/Uføre, DNB Livsforsikring

Whilst shared service centres may have their critics who claim that projects fail because they cause a disruption to the service flow by moving the work to a central location and creating failure demand, the facts certainly support in favour of the benefits service centres bring – particularly in times of economic uncertainty when administrative costs seem to rise and the burden of legislation appears to grow heavier.

Back office environments have the scale and scope to deliver great operational efficiencies so investing time and money to performance manage these areas and understand how optimisation can reap significant financial rewards is worthwhile.

Read the case study of how in creating this shared service centre benefits included improved productivity with less staff, backlogs were cleared, visibility over performance and quality resulted in recognition of best practice standards and the morale of staff improved.

More reading on shared service centres

eg offer a free on site review to help you understand the operational improvements that could be made.  Just give us a call on 01785 715772 or email ask and we can talk you through how this could apply to you and deliver real benefits – guaranteed.