Q: What services does MetricNet offer? A: MetricNet offers a range of benchmarks for Information Technology and Contact Center professionals. These benchmarks compare your performance in key areas such as cost, productivity, and quality of service, to industry averages and best practices. MetricNet’s benchmarks enable you to: Benchmark your performance vs. other companies inside and outside of your industry Track and trend your organization’s performance Improve your performance using diagnostic benchmarks Establish performance targets that are in line with industry averages or best practices Drive accountability for key personnel using metrics-based performance goals Demonstrate measurable performance improvement over time In addition to benchmarking, MetricNet offers a number of products and services including, but not limited to, procurement assistance for organizations looking to outsource service and support; ethical competitive intelligence and mystery shopping; industry trends and best practices analyses; and deep dive topic specific research corresponding to a specific business case. Q: What geographies and vertical markets do MetricNet benchmarks cover? A: MetricNet offers service desk, desktop support, and call center benchmarks for all geographic regions of the world, and for all major vertical markets including financial services, health care, insurance, hospitality, energy utilities, retail and commercial banking, business services, high tech, heavy manufacturing, and many more. Q: What if I don’t see the benchmark that I want on MetricNet’s website? A: Certain benchmarks can be purchased and downloaded directly from MetricNet’s shopping page. However, MetricNet offers many geographic and industry-specific benchmarks that are not posted on our website. If you do not see the benchmark you need, please contact MetricNet at info@metricnet.com, and we will let you know if we have a benchmark that meets your specific needs. Q: What is the difference between cost benchmarking and price benchmarking? A: Cost benchmarks are for internally run and operated service desks, desktop support groups, and call centers. They are called cost benchmarks because the primary measure of efficiency will be a cost metric such as cost per contact, cost per ticket, or cost per call. Price benchmarks, by contrast, are for outsourced service desks, desktop support, and call centers, where the primary measure of efficiency will be a price metric such as price per contact, price per ticket, or price per call. Price refers to the price that you pay to your outsourcer. Cost benchmarks allow you to see how efficiently and effectively your internally run service desk, desktop support, or call center operate compared to a peer group of similar organizations. Price benchmarks allow you to see how competitive the price is that you are paying to your outsourcer, and also allow you to see how effectively your outsourcer is managing the function you have entrusted to them. Q: How can I engage MetricNet to conduct a benchmark for my organization? A: You can request a quote or contact MetricNet at info@metricnet.com to discuss your unique benchmarking needs. Q: Does MetricNet sell benchmarking data? A: Yes. For organizations that are interested in purchasing raw benchmarking data, and do not need the benchmarking gap analysis or recommendations that come bundled with a MetricNet benchmark, we do sell our benchmarking data. For a price quote on the specific benchmarking data you need, please contact MetricNet at info@metricnet.com. Q: What KPIs are included in a MetricNet benchmark? A: A typical service desk cost benchmark will include the KPIs listed below. For a complete listing of KPIs included in our other benchmarks, please contact MetricNet at info@metricnet.com. Cost Metrics Cost per Contact Cost per Minute of Handle Time First Level Resolution Rate Productivity Metrics Contacts per Agent per Month Agent Utilization Ratio of Agents to Total Headcount Service Level Metrics Average Speed of Answer (ASA) Call Abandonment Rate % Answered in 30 Seconds Quality Metrics Customer Satisfaction First Contact Resolution Rate Call Quality Agent Metrics Agent Occupancy Annual Agent Turnover Daily Agent Absenteeism New Agent Training Hours Annual Agent Training Hours Agent Tenure Agent Job Satisfaction Contact Handling Metrics Inbound Contact Handle Time User Self-Service Completion Rate Q: What are the advantages of doing a benchmark with MetricNet? A: The consultants at MetricNet have completed more than 4,000 benchmarks since 1988. As a result, MetricNet’s benchmarking databases are now the largest and most comprehensive in the industry. For each functional area that we benchmark – service desk, desktop support, and call center – our benchmarking database contains more than 40 Key Performance Indicators, and more than 140 best practices from thousands of companies worldwide. Through decades of consulting experience, MetricNet has perfected its methodology for benchmarking. MetricNet’s approach to peer group selection, data normalization, gap analysis, and action planning yields consistently positive results for its clients. MetricNet’s founder, Jeff Rumburg, authored a best-selling book on benchmarking, and MetricNet has authored and published more than 100 articles on service desk, desktop support, and call center benchmarking and best practices. Q: Does MetricNet have any resources that explain its benchmarking methodology? A: MetricNet’s website contains a number of downloadable resources including whitepapers, presentations, and sample reports. These resources are designed to help our clients run their businesses more effectively, and to educate them on the benchmarking methodology and industry best practices. Q: Does MetricNet require access to client systems, PII, or confidential financial information? A: MetricNet does not require access to its clients systems and no PII or confidential financial information is shared with MetricNet. Q: Will MetricNet need on-site access to conduct the benchmark? A: We have worked remotely with our clients for decades. As a result, most MetricNet initiatives are completed very successfully without any site visits. However, at the request of the client, site visits and travel to the client location throughout the course of the project can be arranged. Q: Will MetricNet access and store the data we enter into calculators and scorecards purchased in the online shop? A: MetricNet’s downloadable Calculators and Scorecards are in Excel format. When purchased, you will be downloading a standalone Excel file, not software or an application. MetricNet never accesses any client systems, nor will we be able to access or store the data you input into the Excel spreadsheet. During the one-hour training session (should you choose to purchase that in addition to the calculator or scorecard), we will walk you through populating the calculator or scorecard and provide expert guidance on how your organization can leverage the tool for continuous improvement. Q: Can I purchase the Balanced Scorecard Benchmark that is included in the Accelerator Toolkit separately? A: That particular benchmarking report is exclusive to the accelerator bundle. However, we do have complete industry benchmarks available to download on our website. They are priced at $2,999 and contain 41 KPIs (compared to the six KPIs in the Accelerator Toolkit report). They can be purchased here. Q: Do do your downloadable benchmarking reports offer a true ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison to my organization? A: MetricNet’s downloadable industry benchmarks are static reports designed for those that wish to familiarize themselves with the industry’s Key Performance Indicators – meaning that they will not give you a true ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison. If you are interested in benchmarking your service desk, desktop support group, or contact center against a peer group of organizations that operate in similar environments (scope, scale, complexity, and geography), please consider our peer group benchmark. This alternative would include your benchmarking data and give you a true ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison.
