1. The Challenges
Context and Initial Difficulties: Aer Lingus faced pressing challenges with their outdated contact centre technology, which was becoming obsolete. The need for a modern, cloud-based solution was evident, driven by several key factors:
Key Challenges:
- Technological Obsolescence: The existing system was not only outdated but also inadequate for the evolving needs of the business and its customers.
- Remote Working Limitations: The lack of support for remote working for call centre staff was a significant constraint, especially in an increasingly digital and flexible working environment.
- Inadequate Reporting Capabilities: The existing system’s limited real-time reporting capabilities hindered effective management and responsiveness.
- Complexity and Inefficiency: Over 160 different voice touchpoints created a complex and inefficient system, leading to reduced accessibility and customer satisfaction.
Necessity for Transformation:
- Integration with Cloud Technology: Augmenting existing cloud-first technology was crucial to stay ahead in the competitive landscape.
- Modernising Customer Service: A transformation was essential to meet the contemporary demands of customer service efficiency and effectiveness.
2. Approach
Strategic Analysis and Planning: The Amach team embarked on a detailed analysis of Aer Lingus’s business requirements. This included mapping the functionalities of the old system to Amazon Connect, ensuring that all critical requirements were addressed.
Amach’s Solution:
- Customised Development: Recognising that out-of-the-box solutions from Amazon Connect couldn’t meet all requirements, Amach engaged in customised development.
- Quality Management (QM): A key business requirement, QM was a focal area, with the existing system falling short of expectations.
- Workforce Management (WFM) Migration: Moving WFM to the cloud was a critical aspect of the transformation, enhancing flexibility and efficiency.
- Support for Remote Working: Implementing a system that supported remote working was a priority, aligning with modern work practices.
Choosing Amach:
- Expertise in Cloud Solutions: Amach’s proficiency in cloud-based technologies made them a preferred choice for this project.
- Bespoke Development Capabilities: Their ability to tailor solutions and undertake customised development was crucial in meeting specific business needs.
- Proven Track Record: Amach’s history of successful cloud migrations instilled confidence in their ability to deliver transformative results.
3. Results & Benefits
Transformation Realised: The collaboration between Aer Lingus and Amach marked a significant turning point in modernising Aer Lingus’s customer contact capabilities. Through the implementation of Amazon Connect, managed adeptly by Amach, the transformation yielded remarkable results and benefits across various operational and strategic aspects.
Operational Improvements:
- Increased Accessibility: The new system enabled over 50% more accessibility compared to the previous summer.
- Reduced Complexity: Simplification from 160 voice touchpoints to 8 clean queuing profiles streamlined operations.
- Enhanced Agent Productivity: Significant improvements in agent handling time and productivity were observed.
Cost and Efficiency Benefits:
- Reduced Capital Expenditure: The move to the cloud saved on capital investment costs.
- Lower Maintenance Costs: Shifting to the cloud reduced hardware maintenance expenses.
- Consistent Upgrades: Future upgrades became more straightforward and consistent with the cloud-based system.
- Cost-Effective Calling: Reduced costs per call with Amazon Connect compared to previous rates.
Goals Achieved:
- Dramatic Reduction in Call Wait Times: From 9 minutes to just 10 seconds.
- Lowered Abandon Rates: A drop from 6% to 0.6%.
- Boosted Customer Satisfaction: Overall customer satisfaction saw a significant increase.
Customer Quote
“As a result of the Amazon Connect implementation managed by Amach, we were able to remove a large element of customer complexity with over 160 different voice touch points into 8 clean queuing profiles. This allowed Aer Lingus Customer Contact Centre to be more than 50% more accessible this summer (2023) in comparison to last summer (2022). We were also able to significantly increase our agent productivity and reduce agent handling time meaning that our customer didn’t have to wait as long to access human support. This has been a game changer.”
Susanne Carberry Chief Customer Officer