Ombudsman Services, the UK’s leading independent dispute resolution company, experienced rapid business growth, prompting a need to replace its original on-premise telephony system with a more flexible and scalable solution. This change was essential to manage increased call volumes and adapt to new ways of working.

Background: Navigating rapid growth and changing demands

As a company dedicated to resolving disputes between consumers and businesses across various sectors, Ombudsman Services operates a busy contact centre that handles an average of 40,000 calls per month. With the continuous growth in both the number of cases and the breadth of services offered, Ombudsman Services needed to create a more agile contact centre environment that could swiftly adapt to fluctuating call volumes and evolving operational needs.

The Senior Planning & MI Manager at Ombudsman Services explains, “The ever-increasing volume of calls reflects the growing number of companies and consumers requiring our specialist services. We had to find new ways of working to create a more agile contact centre. This involved replacing our original on-premise telephony system with a more flexible, scalable solution which could accommodate our fast-growing business and, over time, integrate with our new case management system to guarantee excellent customer service and efficient dispute resolution at all times.”

Solution: Implementing Puzzel's flexible contact centre solution

To address these challenges, Ombudsman Services turned to Puzzel's cloud-based contact centre solution. This platform was deployed to meet the needs of their diverse workforce, including 166 enquiry officers, 150 investigation officers, and 29 case administrators. The Puzzel solution provides a range of functionalities, enabling agents to efficiently manage high and fluctuating call volumes, while supervisors can easily distribute calls, monitor agent activity, and produce comprehensive reports.

Results: Enhanced Flexibility and Improved Customer Satisfaction

The implementation of Puzzel’s solution has transformed Ombudsman Services’ contact centre operations. The flexibility of the cloud-based system has facilitated home-working, which has been particularly valuable for investigation officers. This shift has not only boosted productivity but also improved overall employee satisfaction by allowing greater work-life balance.

Moreover, Ombudsman Services now has greater visibility into agent activity and call queues, which enhances their ability to manage resources effectively and maintain high levels of customer service. The advanced reporting capabilities of the Puzzel platform provide insights that aid in faster decision-making and support strategic future planning, enabling Ombudsman Services to respond proactively to changes in demand.

The Senior Planning & MI Manager at Ombudsman Services highlights the impact of the new solution: "By far the biggest benefit of using the Puzzel contact centre solution is its flexibility and scalability, essential to supporting us during a period of tremendous growth and change."