$1.2 million cut from the operating budget, with better customer service
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Healthcare & Insurance
$1.2M
cut from the operating budget
80/40
new service level
6
service centers aligned
The problem
BCBSM's Auto National Operations serves national accounts including Ford, General Motors, and Daimler Chrysler. Union rules locked agents into a Monday to Friday 8-hour shift that did not match call demand. Six service centers ran independently, the workforce management software was only used properly in one of them, and two had gone back to manual scheduling. The 80/20 service goal was out of reach, and a chronic mismatch between call volume and agent schedules caused costly over and understaffing.
What we did
- Analyzed every part of the operation, from scheduling practices to performance measures
- Optimized forecasting and scheduling inside the existing workforce management software
- Provided guidance and language changes for alternative schedules ahead of UAW negotiations
- Surveyed employees, who showed a strong desire for 4-day weeks with 10-hour shifts
- Documented procedures so all six service centers could work consistently, and built the employee communication plan
The results
- $1.2 million reduction in the operating budget
- Millions in estimated annual savings from reducing over and understaffing by the hour, day, and week (estimated)
- 80/40 service level set as an acceptable target, with schedules matched to call arrival patterns
- 4-day weeks with more annual days off and some built-in 3-day weekends
- Better customer experience, with the right number of agents at the right time
Frank Pereira, Managing Partner, Coleman Consulting Group
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