Title: Probabilistic comparison of call centres in a group decision process

Authors: Annibal Parracho Sant'Anna; Felipe Quintas Conde

Addresses: Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Passo da Pátria, 156, São Domingos, 24210-240, Niterói, RJ, Brazil. ' Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Passo da Pátria, 156, São Domingos, 24210-240, Niterói, RJ, Brazil

Abstract: This article presents a methodology to compare call centres performances efficiently and systematically. Three units attending the calls of clients of a telephonic services company are comparatively evaluated. The approach proposed contemplates, besides information on costs, the analysis of criteria associated to the clients| satisfaction and seasonal factors affecting the demand for the service. An analysis based on a probabilistic composition of preference criteria is developed, which results in ranking, according to different points of view, the performances of the different service centres along the year. Different forms of composition treat quality and cost criteria together and separately. The results of the application of these different forms of composition are employed in a group decision process.

Keywords: group decisions; probabilistic composition; information systems; operational research; call centres; telephonic communications; mobile phones; cell phones; telephone companies; telecommunications; client support services; probabilistic comparisons; performance comparison; clients; client satisfaction; seasonal factors; service demand; preference criteria; service centres; quality criteria; cost criteria; Brazil; management; decision making.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2011.043398

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2011 Vol.11 No.5/6, pp.417 - 437

Received: 29 Apr 2011
Accepted: 17 Aug 2011
Published online: 29 Nov 2014 *

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