Healthcare Contact Center Executes Strategy to Enhance Scalability, Reduce Operating Costs, and Boost CX

Driving Efficiency and Business Continuity in a Complex Healthcare Environment

Client Overview

Our client, a leading healthcare services provider, operates a hybrid remote contact center alongside mail order and specialty pharmacy distribution. Their team of over 100 contact center agents handles patient inquiries such as prescription order status, eligibility verification, prescription refills, and benefits plan guidance. As a critical part of the organization's ability to deliver high-quality care, the contact center faced increasing pressure to streamline operations while maintaining an exceptional customer experience (CX).

The Challenge

With rising call volumes, increased service demands, and stringent client performance guarantees, the client struggled to balance operational efficiency with superior CX. Compounding this challenge were factors such as growing call complexity, healthcare regulations, and extended average handle times (AHT). The organization also needed greater scalability for peak periods and a robust contingency plan for business disruptions like pandemics or natural disasters. Key challenges included:

• Rising operational costs from increasing call volumes, manual processes, and limited automation.
• Scalability limitations during peak periods, straining staff and resources.
• High risk of business disruption due to a lack of a contingency plan.
• The need to improve CX without significantly increasing costs or reducing efficiency.

The Solution

TSarro & Associates collaborated with the healthcare provider to develop and implement a strategic plan focused on cost reduction, scalability, and CX improvement. Our approach included:

• Call Segmentation Strategy for Inbound and Outbound Calls: We segmented calls into distinct categories:
  • Calls that could be deflected or handled through automation.
  • Proactive outbound calls aimed at reducing future inbound call volumes.
  • Calls that could be outsourced to a new strategic BPO partner.
• This segmentation strategy boosted operational efficiency while maintaining high service quality.
• Strategic BPO Partnership: We facilitated a partnership with a Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provider aligned with the client's healthcare strategy. After conducting a market analysis, the client selected a reputable BPO partner. This partnership resulted in significant operational cost savings, provided scalability during peak periods, offered redundancy in case of disruptions, and introduced contact center best practices.

The Results

Our strategic approach delivered measurable and transformative results:

• 35% reduction in annual labor costs through outsourcing to the BPO.
• Faster recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes, reducing time to productivity for new agents.
• Enhanced scalability during peak periods, with a dynamic ramp-up strategy balancing internal operations and BPO support.
• Improved scheduling flexibility, aligning staffing to peak hours for consistent service level delivery.
• Increased internal capacity for recruiting, training, and quality assurance, allowing the organization to focus on core competencies.
• Long-term business continuity, with the BPO providing a contingency solution for unexpected disruptions.

How to Cut Costs and Boost CX Effortlessly

Is your contact center struggling with scalability, cost management, or CX improvement? Book a call today to discover how we can provide the strategic solutions your business needs to thrive.