Contact Center keeping customers No. 1

  • Published
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  A customer satisfaction survey shows a favorable response to the Air Force Contact Center here.

Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except for Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day), the contact center staff answers questions from hundreds of people a day from around the world.

"This is the best program for answering questions. I always find out exactly what I need, and the 24-hour access is great since I'm stationed in Japan," said one satisfied customer.

The staff responds to customers via the telephone, e-mail or interactive Web-based chat sessions to meet the varied communications requirements.

"Customers, especially those overseas, enjoy the interactive chat function as an alternative to inconvenient international calls," said Jackie Holland, contact center task manager at the Air Force Personnel Center here. "We also receive favorable responses from shift workers who appreciate getting answers to their questions at a time convenient to them instead of their local military personnel flights."

Air Force Personnel Center officials see the positive customer feedback as a good indicator that using a Web-based, self-service format for personnel questions should continue to benefit customers.

"The Air Force prides itself on taking care of its own, and the Contact Center is proof of that,” said Lt. Col. Jacqueline Harry, contact center branch chief. “We work hard to ensure we have the right people with the proper skills and tools necessary to take care of our customers, whether they are home-based or deployed personnel, retirees or otherwise.”

Currently, the contact center handles about 2,500 inquiries a week. With a staff of 12 people working during peak hours and four people for nonpeak hours, quantity has not diminished quality, said officials. Although the center has seen significant growth in customer requests, particularly after adding support for Virtual MPF applications, it continues to maintain an average 95-percent closure, or satisfactory response, within 24 hours of the initial contact.

The center meets this customer-service response through the expertise of its agents, most of whom have more than 20 years of personnel experience.

"Our staff understands the Air Force culture and personnel field, and they can adapt quickly to the many challenges and changes taking place," said Colonel Harry. "The transition from an operation staffed entirely with active-duty members to one (composed) of mostly contractors has been transparent to our customers. When customers contact us, they don't know whether they are speaking to an active-duty member, a retiree or a contractor. That speaks well for the teamwork and experience everyone brings to the table."

As technology and change continue to reshape the Air Force, the contact center will continue to play a significant role in the distribution of personnel-related information, said officials.

"Our challenge is to maintain excellent service even as the contact center expands to take on more responsibilities currently provided by local MPFs," said Ms. Holland.

For more information on the contact center or to submit a question, click on the Air Force Contact Center link on the AFPC Web site at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil. To talk with a customer service agent, call DSN 665-5000, (210) 565-5000 or toll-free at (800) 616-3775.