Tech Technique for 911 311 Customer

Tech & Technique for 911 & 311 (Customer Service via Technology)

9 -1 -1 Is Obvious? ; 3 -1 -1 Not So! (The “ 411” on N-1 -1) n n n 9 -1 -1 Emergencies and “Response” 9 -1 -1 and 10 -digits Phone calls only; text and video soon Call Center and dispatch functions Almost all are public n n n n 3 -1 -1 Gov’t non-emergency Information/services Phone and e-mail Web chat and text Call Center & business improvement catalyst Big city/county Customer service!!!

Added Perspective n n 9 -1 -1 ~6000 in U. S. Consolidating is done n n – – – City/county/region – Police/fire/EMS n n n Industry is ~30 years old 9 -1 -1 isn’t ubiquitous, but is nearly so Good service = life- and property-saving 3 -1 -1 FCC assigned # in ’ 97 VERY popular for: n n n Residents (ease) Electeds (residents) Enlightened mgrs Gov’t magazines 75 -80 in U. S. now Some just public safety non-emergency Good service = votes & maybe better government…less hassle

911 on Left; 311 on Right (Basic Process Flow) n n n n Receive the call w/info Get info fm caller Handle call properly Pass info to correct responder(s) Monitor responders Capture historical info QA n n n n Receive the call/msg Classify the call Use the right process Answer ? s (~70%) Do work-order (15%) Talk to legacy systems Track and report

Customer Service Opportunities n 9 -1 -1 – Caller; PD ~85% » er…lots to 3 -1 -1 – Internal customers; PD, Fire, EMS – Deaf and Ho. H – Limited English users – Data queriers – Public safety to “all” n 3 -1 -1 – Callers; questioners, reporters, & demanders – Live via phone; selfservice via web – Chat – Hand-held/portables – Every citizen a sensor – Social networking

9 -1 -1 n n n n Receive call w/info Get info fm caller Handle call properly Pass to responder(s) Monitor responders Capture history info QA E-911 phone system n CACH/protocols n CAD n Mobile data/voice radio n RMS n AQUA n

Enhanced 9 -1 -1 (E 911) n n Typically CPE; customized phone switch Enhanced refers to selective routing and provision of ALI/ANI – ALI = automated location information » “easy” for landline…database maintenance issues » Estimates for cellular » Self-entry for Vo. IP – ANI = automated number information » Database (good within ~24 hours)…”all” TNs – Customer Service (C. S. ) focus: SR gets caller to the correct 9 -1 -1 Center

Computer-aided Calling Handling (CACH) and Protocols n n n Dumps ANI/ALI from E-911 into CAD Provides “scripting” for call classifying Protocols for law enforcement (LE), Fire, and EMS – Started as “flip-cards”…now computerized and usually integrated with the CAD software pkg – LE is pretty new and not widely used (85%) – EMD is very mature; Fire protocol is adolescent n C. S. foci are caller and responder safety

Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) n n n n Configurable SW Takes in ALI/ANI “Forces” classification (incident type) Recommends responding dept/unit(s) SOP might be appended Collects remarks Some sophisticated CAD combine like-calls; C. S. focus is getting correct (closest, if needed) responder(s) to incident

Mobile Data n n n “Voiceless” dispatch and/or added remarks to brief voice dispatch Received on MDTs or MDCs Transmitted through public networks maintained by gov’t entities More commonly using air-cards, Wi-Fi; sometimes with mesh/roaming technology Future bringing access to databases from vehicles; fingerprints, videos, license plate readers, etc. C. S. foci include radio reduction & security

Voice Radio n n n n Almost universally self-maintained public Project 25 (standards based…non-proprietary) Interoperability via P 25, gateways Trunking bringing efficiency to channel usage Slow, but sure transition from analog to digital FCC “narrow-banding” for spectrum efficiency Multi-band (UHF, VHF, 700/800 MHz) radios appearing C. S. focus includes up-to-the-second updates

Records Management Systems (RMS) Somewhat outside, but frequently interfaced n Info on incident…but, usually person-based n Federal standard on data-sharing developed n – XML n Inter-jurisdictional checking far from easy – Not usually because of technological limits n C. S. focus is internal (know who/what the responder is dealing with)

Quality Assurance (e. g. AQUA) Proprietary with protocol maker n Recording systems (loggers) n – Audio – Screen-scrapes – QA check-list configuration – QA reporting/compilation

IVR/Auto Attendant for 9 -1 -1 n n Say what!? (just for the non-emergency #s) Prompt callers in need (now or soon) to punch 1 or 2 or say “now” or “recently” to get a live 9 -1 -1 call-taker Leads other needs to other departments (and /or to 311) to keep 9 -1 -1 from becoming over-burdened by the 60 – 70% of calls that really don’t need a police, fire, or EMS response C. S. focus ? ? ? (might understand/appreciate)

3 -1 -1 n n n n Receive call/msg Classify the call Use right process Answer ? s (~70%) Do work-order Talk to legacy sys Track and report n n n n Call center SW/ACD CRM Case. Wise (process flow) Knowledge. Base CRM SW interfaces Higher Ground Citi. Stat

Call Center/ACD Automatic call distribution assures first caller, first answered (and level distribution of labor) n Call center software can “pop” caller information if in previous CRM (computer telephone integration – CTI) n Call center software can queue e-mails and web-chats n C. S. focus all about quick answers n

Knowledge. Base (KB) n n n This first since the majority of calls can be handled with this tool (70% in Minneapolis) Can simply be indexing existing web pages (recommended) or could be compilation of documents tailor/custom-made for/by 311 Ensure that “stumpers” have a process for resolution/adding If back-office maintains, they have incentive to ensure quality C. S. focus (4 -1 -1 for government information)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) n n n Unlike CAD and commercial CRMs, 311 usage is usually location-based, not person-centric Provides scripts to ensure questions from processflow can be populated 311 CRMs generate tracking number for caller…can check on web or call back after service level agreement time elapses Knowledge. Base is sometimes bolted on/in C. S. focus includes tracking duplicates

Process Documentation (e. g. CASEWISE) n n n GIGO Don’t pave the cowpaths Don’t automate mistakes Internal customers (process users) can/should inform on how to tweak/reengineer before configuring the process (in the form of scripts) into the CRM C. S. focus is to avoid the “rabbit trail” or inefficient process flows

CRM to Legacy Systems CRM can replace some, but not all workorder and/or case management systems n When not replacing, consider interfaces (carefully); 1 -way or 2 -ways (recommended) n CRM better than a cigar box or clipboard n CRMs are starting to become more sophisticated (case mgt for human services) n C. S. focus involves 311 Agents knowing status n

Recording (e. g. Higher Ground) QA and legal review is needed for 911 and handy for 311 n Also provides quick reference (IRR) if needed n Audio and screen-scrapes already mentioned n C. S. focus is internal (legal, QA, training) n

Business Improvement (e. g. “Citistat”) n Data from CRM can help inform management improvement efforts – Who calls on what…where/when – How long does case resolution take (on target? ) n Data from CRM can be analyzed for trends – GIS tools (pin-mapping) are useful n Customer service focus is overall better tax dollar usage…frequently reported via web

Miscellaneous Goodies* n 9 -1 -1 n – “Reverse 9 -1 -1” (highspeed citizen notification)* – NG 9 -1 -1 coming soon » Text and video; IP 911 – MUM; AVL; interoperable radio 3 -1 -1 – – – Text. Net (web TTY)* Data analytics Out-bound calling* Revenue collection Mobile data distribution/dispatch * = a clear customer service winner

GIS Deserves a Special Word Closest unit (CAD) & routing…speeds response n Consolidated 911 Center employees don’t have to be experts on their service area geo n 311 Agents can use aerial photos to help spot which light pole is burned out or what building has been “slimed” with graffiti n “Pictometry” (oblique-angle photos) for all n 911 & 311 are location-based…GIS crucial n

Ancillary Systems n 9 -1 -1 RETAINS n – Erlang-C n Radio saturation via recording software 3 -1 -1 Staff forecasting – Erlang-C – E-WFM n n Reports Virtual Agent

More Information From… U. S. DOJ web-site (311 center reports) n ICMA (city-county mngt assoc… 311) n ICMI (311 and other call center info) n Rutgers & Harvard (next gen 311 studies) n NENA (911…professional association) n APCO (911…professional association) n NAED (911…academy of emerg dispatch) n

Questions/Ideas to Share? ? (war stories, myth-busting, brainstorms)

Thanks! John E. Dejung Dane County 9 -1 -1 Director Dejung@co. dane. wi. us