Smart
client integration
reduces call
centre times
by 40%
With
another record
year of vehicle
sales expected,
VicRoads
takes positive
steps to
continually
improve its
service levels.
Background
VicRoads
is
the statutory
authority
responsible
for
registration
of
4.3
million
vehicles
and
licensing
of
3.4 million
registered
drivers
in
the
state
of
Victoria,
Australia.
VicRoads
also
provides
a specialized
service
to
lenders
and
borrowers
of
finance
to
assist
in
the purchase
of
motor
vehicles.
Its
2400
staff
work
in
partnership
with
other
government
agencies
and
the private
sector
to
provide
cost-effective
products
and
services
to
the
community.
VicRoads
call centres
handle nearly
300,000 calls
annually
from prospective
vehicle purchasers.
The pre-purchase
check requires
access to
three separate
applications
to determine
if the vehicle
is suitable
for legal
purchase.
The System
i based, Vehicles Securities Register developed with Syon
2E, stores information
about
financial encumbrances, for example the legal owner may
be a financial
institution.
The Vehicle
Registration
application
provides
a detailed
vehicle history
including
written off
or re-registration
details.
The third
application
is the National
Database
of Australian
Vehicles
which holds
information
on vehicles,
drivers and
special conditions
such as theft.
All this
information
is vital
to a safe
and informed
vehicle purchase
decision.
Navigating
these applications
separately,
performing
numerous
checks within
and across
them, and
re-keying
data, is
the largest
component
of the average
call time
of 3.8 minutes.
Because of
this multi-application
access, the
potential
for inconsistencies
is high,
forcing the
operators
to have to
carefully
and slowly
review all
relevant
data.
The
applications
have
evolved
over
the past
20
years
into
robust,
dependable
systems,
however,
invasive integration would be very difficult and
costly.
Call centre operators also require
extensive
training
to master
inconsistent
text-based
(green
screen)
interfaces
with
differing
navigation
methods.
This
makes
a standardized
business
process
difficult
to implement.
Solution
Seeking
to reduce
average
call duration,
the Manager
of the
Vehicles
Securities
Register,
Phil Reid,
released
a tender
requesting
shortlisted
vendors
to propose
a solution
with a
unified
interface
for call
centre
processing.
Phil said, “The
back-end
applications
are large
and complex
so we wanted
an integrated
solution
that did
not require
any changes
to existing
code. Changes,
or even new
access, to
back-end
applications
would involve
additional
resources,
and therefore
costs, from
our outsourcing
partners.
A non-invasive
solution
would provide
faster implementation
and payback.”
The successful
tenderer
was looksoftware,
who teamed
up with Futuresoft
Principal
Harindra
Wijesekera,
delivering
the smart
client solution
within three
months. Business
processes
were reviewed
and a new
automated
workflow
was mapped
to looksoftware’s
smart client
technology
to access
each application
and return
the relevant
information
to the Windows
based smart
client graphical
interface.
A prototype
was reviewed
with call
centre staff
and iteratively
enhanced
until a complete
and efficient
business
process satisfied
pre-defined
test requirements.
The call
centre smart
client provides
a single,
integrated
solution
for the pre-purchase
check process.
Instead of
switching
between multiple
applications
and re-keying
data, call
centre operators
work within
a single
smart client
interface.
All information
related to
the vehicle
in question
is retrieved
in real-time
from the
three mainframe
applications
and presented
in a rich
graphical
interface
that summarizes
potential
purchase
issues. The
dynamic queries
of the underlying
applications
follow a
predefined
workflow,
designed
to ensure
all potential
issues are
immediately
highlighted.
Automated
retrieval
of all vehicle
data
The
customer
provides
vehicle information
such as the
registration
number, vehicle
identification
number, chassis
number, engine
number and
the State
where the
vehicle was
registered.
This information
triggers
multiple
processes
to concurrently
access the
System i
and
System z
applications. Basic information retrieved from the
Vehicle Registration
application
allows the
operator
to confirm
information
such as color,
make and
State with
the customer.
During this
conversation
the smart
client application
is requesting
and receiving
data from
the back-end
systems.
The equivalent
of 25 screen
transactions
are performed
and the information
is readied
for review.
Unified
smart client
interface
The smart
client
interface
consolidates
the information
from
the disparate
systems
into
a single
rich
graphical
interface.
The datagrid
is a
rich
graphical
control
that
supports
sorting
and
rearranging
columns
of data
enabling
operators
to customize
their
view of
the
information
to identify
inconsistencies
and concerns.
For example,
if a vehicle
with the
same chassis
number was
stolen in
another State
some years
ago, that
information
is highlighted
and the operator
can access
further information
if required.
Other visual
controls
are used
to highlight
inconsistencies
between the
Vehicle Registration
database
and the National
database.
The smart
client exploits
local processing
and resources
to manage
multiple
concurrent
connections
to information
sources and
delivers
the performance
needed for
high transaction
based applications.
Platform
for voice recognition
integration
A
key goal of application modernization is to allow existing
applications
to be easily
integrated
with new
technologies
such as
Interactive
Voice
Response (IVR). The IVR project has now been completed,, interfacing directly
with the same web service modules to provide an operator-less,
voice activated
pre-purchase
check.
Platform
for web services
The smart
client project
supports
VicRoads'
stated strategic
direction
towards web
services.
The business
rules embodied
in the service
modules that
drive the
access to
the legacy
applications
can be wrapped
as web services
using looksoftware’s
technology
to enable
easy reuse.
The smart
client interface
is designed
for call
centre operators
taking
calls from
consumers
or car dealers
interested
in a specific
vehicle.
Another class
of customer
is vehicle
auctioneers
who need
the same
pre-purchase
checks done
for batches
of hundreds
of vehicles.
By wrapping
the service
modules as
web services
the same
functionality
can be reused
in a ‘headless’ environment,
where the
results are
passed to
an XML document
rather than
to the call
centre operator,
thereby further
reducing
costs and
improving
process efficiency
by eliminating
human intervention.
Multi-channel
UIs
Another
example
of
the potential
for
reuse
is
to
provide
the
same
pre-purchase
service to the public. General consumers could conduct their own checks
from
home with a browser or in the car lot with a PDA or phone.
Vehicle
Pre-Purchase
Checks
Architecture
Results
40%
reduction
in average
call duration
The project’s success has been verified with the initial pilot rollout.
The use of an agile development methodology meant constant involvement from
the business users enabling the workflow to be continually refined. Phil Reid
said, “We’ve measured a 40% reduction in average call time,
which means a positive return on investment within 4 months. I expect to see
further productivity improvements as operators become accustomed to the new
system.”
Improved
customer
experience
VicRoads customers needing pre-purchase checks have shorter wait times. Previously,
customers had to wait while operators accessed multiple applications retrieving
and comparing vehicle histories. Now that the smart client system compares
the records from the different databases and highlights inconsistencies, the
operator no longer has to manually compare
vehicle data. This reduction in average call time delivers a significant boost
to customer service.
Reduced
training
time
VicRoads estimates simplified processes will reduce training costs by 20%.
Reduced
risk and
costs
VicRoads is responsible for providing accurate and adequate information to
prospective vehicle purchasers. The risk of giving incorrect information is
now considerably reduced because data from the three applications is cross-checked
by the smart client and highlighted to the operator, thereby reducing risk,
associated legal costs and potential compensation.
No
infrastructure
upgrades
required
The VicRoads standard desktop configurations comfortably support
the
smart client’s local processing requirements.
The automated server-managed deployment has utilized
existing
servers, interating existing Windows and System i resources.
Standardized
and streamlined
business
process
All call centre operators follow the same, optimized business process designed
to handle call variations efficiently. Michael Brennan, Call Centre Manager
said, "The smartclient drives the workflow ensuring all operators
follow the same call centre business process.”
Cost-effective
delivery
of a composite
applications
solution
VicRoads’ adoption of non-invasive modernization has
delivered a ‘new’ solution
within a few months, composed primarily of pre-existing functionality. This
has been achieved without risking changes to the core System i application
and by leveraging existing IT investments to deliver ‘new’ solutions
rather than starting from scratch.
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