PCD Awards - PCD Solutions Category

SUBMISSION FORM

Submission Deadline 1 August 2006 (before midnight GMT -4:00)

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PCD Solutions are intrinsic or embedded and exclusively focused on the business or organizational performance outcome in measurable ways.  For example, a PCD Outcome that replaces the interface of an enterprise application such that (a) the frequency of data entry errors is reduced; (b) the frequency of incomplete information entered into the system is reduced; (c) the speed with which data is entered is substantially increased; and (d) the need for any form of learning in advance of doing is substantially reduced or , preferably, eliminated is performance-centered.  




Entry Title
TIS ePSS
Submitted by:
Tata Interactive Systems
Contact Name:
Saurabh Mittal
Phone:
+91-22-6643 8000
E-mail:
Address:

Leela Business Park, Andheri-Kurla Road, Andheri (E)

Mumbai – 400 059, India
Logo:
Please us a small graphic file - ATTACHED
Purpose:

Tata Interactive offers ePerformance Support Systems to help organizations improve their productivity, reduce turnaround times and achieve consistent best practice performance from all employees.

TIS ePSS provides on the job, context relevant knowledge support & tools to improve performance execution. TIS ePSS is an integrated online support system, which guides employees at every step of complex operations, providing required information at their fingertips, enabling them to take appropriate decisions. This ensures consistency in decision-making, improved productivity, and lower training costs.

Solution: 

(Required)

TIS ePSS integrates all the performance execution support that an employee needs, within a single interface. The core elements of ePSS are Process Guides, Scenarios, Tools & Knowledge Reference. Interactive process guides ensure that the employee executes the process as per the best practice requirements. At each stage of the process the employee is provided with information & tools, which are relevant to that stage of the process. Interactive scenarios capture the decision-making history of an organization and explain specific nuances of different cases and conditions, which lead to more informed decision making. Decision-support tools like calculators, diagnostic tools, checklists, and decision trees allow executives to respond to their clients faster & more accurately. Knowledge reference presents the most complex concepts in a simple and engaging manner. The focus of TIS ePSS is on enabling action and not just providing passive information.

TIS ePSS is designed using the principles of Human Factor Engineering, which leads to superior usage performance and application on the job.
Classification and state of deployment: 

(Required)
How would you classify your PCD Solution?  Check one:

Traditional EPSS - external or extrinsic "EPSS" solutions with designs rooted primarily in learning or reference

Performance-centered workflow solution - any PCD solution with a focus on directly supporting business processes (aka workflow)

PCD makeover - solutions that replace existing user interfaces with ones that exhibit attribute and behaviors of performance-centered systems

Embedded/ intrinsic PCD solution - performer-centered solutions that are strictly embedded in the task context and focus on task completion - not learning - without breaking the task context or flow

PCD featuring innovative technology - any performance-centered solution that features technology other than just a user interface to enable or enhance performance

Other category (describe): 

This entry is (check one):    In production (being used today in a live work setting)         In a formative stage (prototype, proof-of-concept, introduced a sample of its intended users)                   

 
Further details: 

(Required)

The solution assists the users in determining “What has to be done” and “How it has to be done”. Users are provided with Process Finder to locate the most relevant process guide. The user has to provide inputs to simple questions and, based on the inputs received by the system, it shows the most relevant processes to the users. Process guides then take the users step-by-step through complicated processes making it possible for them to handle customer calls more efficiently. Resources such as checklists, templates of letters to be sent to customers and guides on how to use the line of business applications are available with each step of the process.

The user is not overloaded with redundant, irrelevant information. Each resource provided to the user is specific to only that step. The users are also provided with glossary and FAQs pertaining to their job requirements.

The Interface has been designed to enable even the most basic users to start using the system without guidance.

A demo of the solution can be accessed from:

URL: https://vpn.tatainteractive.com/

Login name: GaryD

Password: Gary$tis789

Prior State:

(Required)

Some of the observed inefficiencies in the business scenario of the target users of TIS ePSS (Before deployment):

  1. High degree of inflexibility in the structure of the client due to allocation of one process of service resolution to a team (2-5 individuals). The team develops expertise in that process over a period of time and the entire organization is totally dependent on that team for service quality, timeliness and productivity.
  2. The above scenario leads to a drop in service quality, productivity and accuracy levels with a sudden surge in incoming customer requests, queries and complaints. This happens due to the fact that other employees, who are shifted to handle the service, are not equipped with the same expertise and experience to handle the increased volume of service requests.
  3. The organization also finds it difficult to move people from one process to another due to high dependence on a few individuals to deliver the desired service quality levels.
  4. The organization faces challenges due to high attrition rates (20%) and inability to attract the best talent.
  5. The organization is not able to leverage its customer-facing network of branches to resolve the queries quickly because these have to be routed to the central servicing unit for resolution.
  6. The time to competence of employees is high due to large number of business processes, complexity of products and multitude of regulations, which govern these products and processes.
  7. Around 50% of the time of a team leader is spent in guiding team members on how to execute business processes.

Objective:

  1. The organization would like to increase flexibility in moving people from one process to another and its ability to deliver high service quality levels with not-so-competent work force.
  2. The solution should enable novices to start handling complex processes.
User Profile:

(Required)

The users of this system are mostly graduates and/or MBAs. Some of them have previous experience and knowledge of Insurance industry.

A critical distinction between users is their location -- either at branches or at the central servicing unit. The users at branches are totally dependent on the CSU to resolve customer issues. This leads to higher turnaround times and low productivity.

This solution enables the employees, even at branches to handle and close customer queries. This has resulted in reduction in turnaround time and also led to an increase in productivity.
Results:

(Required)

A pilot of this product implementation at the client location has demonstrated improvement in the ability of new users to handle complex processes, which were initially handled only by few very experienced users.

The anticipated benefits of this solution are:

  • Increase in productivity
  • Reduction in turnaround time
  • Increase in flexibility of deploying people from one process to another
  • Increase in ability of the organization to recruit people with lower experience and qualification
  • Increase in customer satisfaction
Other Evidence: