PacifiCorp Case Study


The Benefits
  • Six main goals have been met as a result of the implementation of the Sword Ciboodle solution
  • Improved responsiveness to customer calls. 80% of calls are answered within 20 seconds; which is "best in class" compared with industry average response of 80% within 30 seconds
  • Reduced agent training time by 25%
  • Reduced staffing levels by 13%
  • Drove down operational costs by 12%
  • Reduced customer wait times on calls
  • Improved overall customer satisfaction
The Customer

PacifiCorp is one of the lowest-cost electricity producers in the United States, providing more than 1.6 million customers with reliable, efficient energy. PacifiCorp has more than 10,400 megawatts of generation capacity from coal, hydro, renewable wind power, gas-fired combustion turbines, solar and geothermal sources. PacifiCorp operates as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and California; and as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.

The Challenges

As with many industries, the Utilities industry is one in which price is now less of a differentiator while customer service is now the factor which makes companies stand out from the crowd.

PacifiCorp's key goal was to improve their customer service and efficiency throughout their servicing processes to ensure an improved customer experience.

The PacifiCorp Strategic Response

In 2002, PacifiCorp selected Sword Ciboodle as the framework to improving efficiency and customer service, through an initiative entitled Project Discovery.

The Benefits
  • 80% of calls are answered within 20 seconds
  • 25% reduction in agent training time
  • 13% reduction in staffing levels
  • 12% reduction in operational costs
  • Reduced customer wait times on calls
  • Improved overall customer satisfaction
The Approach

Committed to delivering innovation, Sword Ciboodle has always adopted a collaborative and integrated approach when working with clients.

Realising the benefits of such a delivery PacifiCorp chose Sword Ciboodle to undertake a number of initiatives using the toolkit, one of which was Project Discovery.

Since the relationship began Sword Ciboodle staff have been based at PacifiCorp's headquarters, allowing for regular communication and a comprehensive understanding of requirements. This collaborative approach has resulted in a strong and long lasting relationship.

The Solution

Over the years, Sword Ciboodle has provided PacifiCorp with a number of solutions ranging from:

  • A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution that guides agents through a pre-determined business process flow of screens and allows administrators to swing agents across channels and skill sets to balance workload
  • Integration between PacifiCorp's telephony switch and dialler and variety of back end computer systems to Sword Ciboodle
  • A solution to track and report real-time customer interactions
  • A solution which automatically dials customers in preparation for agent interaction.
  • Technologies that can send correspondence to customers through PacifiCorp's print vendor
  • A solution that powers their meter reading, change of tenancy, connections and billing processes.

Each of these solutions were delivered within the agreed timescale, of 21 months, and budget.

In order to support PacifiCorp's many business and technology goals, Sword Ciboodle is powering a suite of business processes and customer interactions across multiple channels, platforms and integration points:

The Results

PacifiCorp's investment in both Sword Ciboodle and their people, via training initiatives, has helped to reduce customer wait time on calls and improve overall customer satisfaction.

Don't take our word for it...

The Sword Ciboodle solution has specifically allowed PacifiCorp to:

  • Standardise on "best practice" business processes
  • Eliminate wasteful and unproductive business process steps
  • Provide "screen pop-ups" for their agents, which in turn improves the accuracy and stability of the average handle time per call, as well as customer context at point of interaction
  • Provide a better customer service, as a result of accurate customer tracking and reporting
  • Preview customer data before they answer a call
  • Integrate "non call" activity into agents regular work

Awards to Date

Jann Davis, PacifiCorp Project Manager, received the national Project Manager of the Year award from the Standish Group in March 2002 for her leadership in implementing PacifiCorp's new technology and training, including the Sword Ciboodle project.

Utilities Processes
  • Meter Reading Entry
  • Change of Tenancy
  • Billing Enquiries and amendments
  • Registrations
  • Back Office Processing
CRM Infrastructure
  • Workflow Management
  • Email Management
  • Contact Center Performance
  • Management
  • Exec dashboard
  • Reporting
Channels
  • Telephony
  • Email In/ Out
  • White mail
Integration Points
  • PacifiCorp's Mainframe
  • Content management system (FileNet)
  • TIBCO
  • Outage Systems
  • Dispatch Management Systems (CADOPS and DMS)
 
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