Gaining insight from call centre records    

The Approach

We started our project with a problem structuring session to explore to issues Porchlight were facing, and the particular questions that they wanted to answer with the call centre data.

In the second stage we carried out exploratory analysis on the data, which raised more questions for us and Porchlight, and we re-worked the requirements.

Thirdly we presented the analysis to Porchlight, and discussed the findings with them.

Finally we handed an Excel spreadsheet template over to them that would enable them to repeat the analysis at the end of the next financial year, and provided one-to-one training to the call centre manager.

The Client

Porchlight is a Kent-based charity for people who have nowhere to go and no-one to turn to. Some are living on the streets, others need support to prevent or resolve any issues that could put them at risk of homelessness.

The Client's Problem

Porchlight run a call centre through which they co-ordinate their services, offering advice, referrals to support services or signposting to other information. The problem we addressed was how to draw information and insight about services from the call centre records.

The Solution

  • The call centre data was reviewed, anomalies identified and improvements for data collection proposed.
  • Insight into call patterns, particularly daily, weekly and monthly patterns, and trends in calls for particular services.
  • A template to enable Porchlight to recreate the analysis and reporting for themselves in future.

The Benefits

  • We gave something of value to Porchlight – the suggestions for improving their data collection and the insights they gained about the operation of their call centre.
  • We really enjoyed working with them, getting an idea about the challenges they face, and being able to lend our data and analysis expertise to support them.
  • The skills transfer at the end was both satisfying for us and beneficial to Porchlight, with Porchlight staff saying that they now know “how to use data in a meaningful way”.

 

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