Walkabout® Method

The Walkabout^® Method gets its name from my working with an Australian vice president of operations. Every morning we’d have coffee and then he would say, “Mate, I’ve got to go do my walkabout.” He would walk through his facility and check every area. He was spectacular as a manager. This led to the third trait of effective managers, “they are better at assessing the operation for correctness, consistency, and capability on a daily basis.”

To guarantee an effective call center, the center must be checked on a daily basis. In Australia, a walkabout is a wandering stroll to see the countryside. In our context, we are wandering in a controlled and disciplined way to assure a correct, consistent, and capable call center.

To support this method we developed the tool called the Walkabout. The Walkabout^® provides the roadmap, and metrics test the knowledge base. To effectively run the center we must use the metrics to build knowledge checklists for all associates.

Change Management

The Walkabout^® Method uses change management as the overall strategy. In basic terms, hold everything stable and assess when a change occurs. These assessments must be immediate and real-time. Metrics are key to this operational philosophy. Metrics are used here to detect change and then to assess the change. Changes that result in deterioration are eliminated. Changes that bring improvements are incorporated into a revised plan for the center.

Metrics are our eyes and ears for improvement. We have developed an improvement model using change management that strives to tell the call center story. Use of this model allows us to dramatically accelerate improvement in the call center.

Our comprehensive approach uses the following to provide that philosophy.

• Scientifically engineered centers
• Change management
• Walkabout^® method for managing the center
• Clear roles and responsibilities for every member of the center team.
• State of the art strategic and tactical management tools
• Metrics to support the center team in effective decision-making

Contact us and let us show you how we can provide the complete call center package to you.