{
    "version" : "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1",
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    "type" : "single",
    "title" : "Top 8 Best Practices for Federal Contact Centers |Digital.gov",
    "description": "Top 8 Best Practices for Federal Contact Centers",
    "home_page_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/","feed_url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/01/09/top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers/index.json","item" : [
    {"title" :"Top 8 Best Practices for Federal Contact Centers","summary" : "","date" : "2014-01-09T05:24:49-04:00","date_modified" : "2025-01-27T19:42:55-05:00","authors" : {"barbara-walton" : "Barbara Walton"},"topics" : {
        
            "analytics" : "Analytics",
            "contact-centers" : "Contact centers",
            "content-strategy" : "Content strategy",
            "product-and-project-management" : "Product and project management",
            "user-experience" : "User experience"
            },"branch" : "bc-archive-content-3",
      "filename" :"2014-01-09-top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers.md",
      
      "filepath" :"news/2014/01/2014-01-09-top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers.md",
      "filepathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/blob/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2014/01/2014-01-09-top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers.md",
      "editpathURL" :"https://github.com/GSA/digitalgov.gov/edit/bc-archive-content-3/content/news/2014/01/2014-01-09-top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers.md","slug" : "top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers","url" : "/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2014/01/09/top-eight-best-practices-for-federal-contact-centers/","content" :"\u003cdiv class=\"image\"\u003e\n  \u003cimg\n    src=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/04/250-x-188-women-working-in-call-center-diego-cervo-iStock-Thinkstock-119850328.jpg\"\n    alt=\"Women working in call center\"/\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003ch2 id=\"1-meet-all-laws-requirements-policies-and-directives-for-federal-contact-centers\"\u003e1. Meet all Laws, Requirements, Policies, and Directives for Federal Contact Centers\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnderstand and follow all \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/2013/10/28/federal-contact-center-regulations-and-directives/\" title=\"Federal Contact Center Regulations \u0026amp; Directives\"\u003ePrivacy, Security, Disability, and Service Contract Act\u003c/a\u003e requirements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"2-use-performance-metrics-to-influence-business-rules-and-drive-improvements\"\u003e2. Use Performance Metrics to Influence Business Rules and Drive Improvements\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/contact-center-guidelines/getting-started-with-your-contact-center/\" title=\"Getting Started with your Contact Center\"\u003eKey Performance Indicators/Metrics\u003c/a\u003e (see Performance Goals).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/citizen-service-levels-interagency-committee-final-report1.docx\"\u003eCSLIC\u003c/a\u003e (Word document, 82 KB, 36 pages) could be used as a start.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"3-develop-and-use-a-comprehensive-quality-assurance-program\"\u003e3. Develop and Use a Comprehensive Quality Assurance Program\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/contact-center-guidelines/contact-center-operation-and-management/\" title=\"Contact Center Operation and Management\"\u003eMonitor quality\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse data to provide feedback to website/content team.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompare Quality Assurance scores to Customer Satisfaction scores to ensure they are similar.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"4-implement-a-content-strategy\"\u003e4. Implement a Content Strategy\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop content guidelines (\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/plain-writing-checklist.pdf\"\u003eplain language\u003c/a\u003e (PDF, 186 KB, 1 page), accessibility, etc.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInstitute a content review process (including a schedule and checklist for quality and functionality).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse FAQs or a \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/contact-center-guidelines/contact-center-technologies/\" title=\"Contact Center Technologies\"\u003eknowledgebase\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDevelop pre-formatted responses (canned/scripted answers) for email, chat, social media, etc.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"5-focus-on-top-tasks-and-make-the-most-important-content-easy-to-find\"\u003e5. Focus on Top Tasks and Make the Most Important Content Easy to Find\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetermine top tasks.\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReview data (reports, website traffic, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) usage, etc.)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReview Customer Satisfaction data\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurvey front-line agents\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEvaluate if top tasks can be accomplished through self-service (website, IVR).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnsure FAQs are on your website.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse a \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/contact-center-guidelines/contact-center-technologies/\" title=\"Contact Center Technologies\"\u003eknowledgebase system\u003c/a\u003e that automatically moves most-requested info to top.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/resources/contact-center-guidelines/contact-center-technologies/\" title=\"Contact Center Technologies\"\u003eArrange IVR messages\u003c/a\u003e in order of popularity (most-requested info is heard as first menu choice).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/guidelines/FederalPLGuidelines/index.cfm?CFID=838730\u0026amp;CFTOKEN=f64d36ad05e03d58-ED6E6827-0361-55F8-E6207170C554B1DF\u0026amp;jsessionid=A3A593B93EAEE361431FC8D8B4799DF0.chh\"\u003eUse the same language as your customers\u003c/a\u003e. Avoid using government acronyms, which customers may not understand. (For online FAQs, consider hidden keywords).\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"6-engage-your-customers-to-create-a-two-way-dialogue\"\u003e6. Engage Your Customers to Create a Two-Way Dialogue\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eProvide blogs, communities, and outreach via other \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/topics/social-media/\"\u003esocial media\u003c/a\u003e venues.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIncorporate \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/topics/multimedia/\"\u003evideos\u003c/a\u003e and webcasting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"7-collect-customer-feedback\"\u003e7. Collect Customer Feedback\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUse a Customer Satisfaction Survey.\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDon’t ask leading questions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReview the Basics of Survey and Question Design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAllow for additional comments from customers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRestrict the number of questions to seven.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurvey everyone; not just the happy or unhappy customers\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConduct focus groups to gauge opinions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eImplement \u003ca href=\"/preview/gsa/digitalgov.gov/bc-archive-content-3/topics/research/\"\u003eusability testing\u003c/a\u003e to determine what is and isn’t working.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConduct interviews, workshops.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"8-stay-current-with-the-latest-research-and-best-practices\"\u003e8. Stay Current with the Latest Research and Best Practices\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAttend training through courses, workshops, webcasts, and \u003ca href=\"https://digital.gov/communities/government-contact-center-council/\"\u003ewebinars\u003c/a\u003e to gain knowledge about latest information, methods, policies, and best practices.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReview industry reports:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/2011-federal-contact-center-survey-final-report.pdf\"\u003e2011 Federal Contact Center Survey Final Report\u003c/a\u003e  (PDF, 1.49 MB, 54 pages, September 2011)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/G3C-Analysis-of-Employing-Home-Based-Agents.doc\"\u003eAn Analysis of the Feasibility of Employing Home-Based Agents in Economically Depressed Rural Areas to Staff Federal Contact Centers\u003c/a\u003e (Word document, 115 KB, 20 pages, October 2009)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/Removing-Barriers-to-Citizen-Engagement.doc\"\u003eRemoving Barriers to Citizen Engagement\u003c/a\u003e  (Word document, 64 KB, 8 pages, March 2009)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/digitalgov/_legacy-img/2014/01/citizen-service-levels-interagency-committee-final-report.docx\"\u003eReport of the Citizen Service Levels Interagency Committee (CSLIC)\u003c/a\u003e (Word document, 232 KB, 36 pages, 2005)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n"}
  ]
}