Phone Specific SOPs

Overview #

The following document contains Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for all staff within the Customer Service Center.  The Customer Service Call Center will serve as the primary point of contact for case specific information related to Income Maintenance cases.  Staff shall be an immediate source of information, trained to respond to and resolve general and case specific questions related to these programs.  The success of the customer service center relies heavily upon appropriate staffing based on business need and consistency and providing accurate information, processing cases, and overall customer experience.  Unless otherwise indicated, all staff should follow instructions outlined in these SOP’s regardless of queue assignment.

Call Trends #

If staff notice multiple calls regarding the same issue that is out of the normal business process and has not seen a hot tip, memo, or training regarding it, staff should notify their supervisor, and CC one additional supervisor, with as much detail of the situations as possible. Staff should include any and all DCN’s on cases where the situation occurred.  Trends should be reported as soon as possible.

Contacting Participants #

1. When staff need to return a call to the customer. The customer will not hear the rights and responsibilities or be notified that the call is being recorded.

1. 1. Staff should start the call back by identifying themselves, the agency and notify the customer “This call may be recorded or monitored for training or quality purposes.”
   2. For staff calling the customer back to complete an interview they should read the customer the rights and responsibilities before beginning the interview.

Hang Ups/Staff Initiated Hang Ups #

Policy reference DSS Policy 3-301

1. Due to the nature of the services provided by DSS, staff may experience a certain amount of hostility from upset customers, etc.

1. 1. If subjected to hostility, staff should try to calm the individual and proceed in providing appropriate services.

• 1. • If the staff is unable to calm the individual to a level where services can be provided, the staff member should inform the individual that he or she may speak with a supervisor.
  2. Unable to resolve the problem, notify a supervisor of the problem and the supervisor must intervene and attempt to resolve the situation.
     • Staff should never disconnect a caller requesting to speak to a supervisor.

2. Terminated Call:

1. 1. Anyone that terminates a call (hangs-up on a caller) must notify their supervisor via email immediately after the call was terminated.
      • The email must include details of the situation describing why staff felt the hang up was appropriate and documenting the caller’s DCN.
      • The email should NOT include vulgar language even when quoting the caller.
      • The supervisor will review the call to determine if the hang up was appropriate or not and notify the call center manager of the outcome.
2. Disconnecting a Call:

1. 1. If staff answer a call and the caller does not respond, the staff member will wait 30 seconds before disconnecting the call.

• • • Staff will check in multiple times to see if the caller is on the line. After 30 seconds, the BPT will state the call is being disconnected due to no response from caller.
    • Staff will not call the customer back but remain on-queue and take the next call.

Home Visits #

When a customer request a home visit staff should first try to resolve the issue over the phone. If the issue is unable to resolve and a home visit is still needed an email request for a home visit should be sent to Toni Sneller, copying the Call Center Manager and Supervisor of the staff member.

NOTE: Home Visits are not currently being scheduled due to COVID.

Hold Procedures #

1. To align with First Call Resolution if eligibility staff are asked to be put on hold by the caller to get additional information to finalize the case and not pend; they will first take the application all the way through the flow then they will advise the customer they can wait 10 minutes.
   1. Once the hold time has reached 9 minutes and 30 seconds the eligibility staff should notify the customer they will disconnect in 30 seconds.
2. Staff should also advise the customer if the call has to be disconnected, they will receive a letter in the mail stating what additional information is needed to process the case and client does not need call back.
   1. If the call has to be disconnected staff should pend for the information the customer placed them on hold to get.
3. If staff answer a call that is already on hold the eligibility staff will NOT wait 30 seconds for the caller to return to the line but will disconnect the call immediately.
   1. Staff will not call the customer back but remain on-queue and take the next call.
4. If the staff member needs assistance or more time to review the case. They may place the caller on hold and should inform the caller that they are being put on hold.
   1. Staff should check back in with the caller every 2 minutes and advise the caller they are still on the line but need additional time to review the case.

Logging In #

Policy Reference DSS Policy 2-116 and DSS Policy 2-115

1. Staff are required to report for work whenever scheduled, to be at their workstation at the starting time and at the prescribed time after rest/meal breaks, and to remain on duty until their work shifts are over.
2. Rest and meal break overages are monitored closely to ensure adequate staffing is available to handle call volume.
   1. Overage from rest or meal breaks is counted at 1 minute over. Excessive and/or repeated overage should be addressed.
3. If staff have a medical condition that may result in overage, the staff member should ensure an HCC is on file
4. Staff should be signed into Genesys in “On Queue” status and signed into all other relevant systems to take calls within five minutes of their scheduled start time.
   1. For example, on a shift that begins at 8:00 a.m., staff should be in “On Queue” status and signed into all other systems prepared to take calls by 8:05 a.m.

Logging Calls in Genesys #

1. Staff will select a wrap up code at the end of each interaction and should not mark done until they have completed all after call work including any system comments that need to be entered.
2. If a caller has more than one case they are calling about the staff will only be able to choose one reason for call and should choose the most appropriate reason.

Logging Out #

1. Staff will continue to answer calls until the end of their shift.
   1. Staff will not log out of the call center software before the end of their scheduled shift.
      • For example, if a staff member’s shift is 8:00am-4:30pm and the staff member ends a call at 4:28 then staff will take the next call in queue as it is not the end of the staff members scheduled shift.
2. If staff has a scheduled end time is 6:00pm, then staff will continue to take calls until the queue is empty.
3. If taking a call extends the work hours beyond the scheduled work shift, then staff will either be able to flex this time out during the week, as business needs permit or if business needs do not permit the ES will earn comp time.

Making Appointments #

1. Appointment Reasons
   1. Staff answering calls for the Customer Service Center should attempt to resolve the customer’s case over the phone.
   2. If the customer would like to schedule an appointment worker can submit requests for Resource Center appointments for any reason requested by the customer. Appointments are not required for customers to visit a Resource Center.
2. Information for the Client
   1. Staff should advise customer that in the future they can enter a request to make a scheduled appointment online at mydss.mo.gov under the contact us page by selecting the schedule an appointment button.
   2. Staff should relay the following information to the customer when scheduling an appointment.
   3. If you need to cancel/reschedule the appointment for any other reason, you will need to call the customer service center.
   4. There may be many safety measures in place that you and the Resource Center staff must follow such as maintaining social distancing, minimizing the number of items that are passed back and forth, the number of people in the office and hygiene practices.
3. Scheduling
   1. To make an appointment, staff will access the In Person Appt Scheduler and check for the county and the time slot the customer is requesting.
      • If the time slot is not available, the worker will relay this information to the customer as well as alternative timeslots.
   2. Only one appointment per hour time slot should be scheduled. Staff MUST ensure the timeslot and office are actually available.   BPT will receive an alert/message if it is not.
   3. Appointments for literacy or face to face interviews should be scheduled using the hour start times.
   4. Appointments for EBT card pick up should be used with the half hour start times.
      • Example: Mr. Smith needs to pick up his EBT card. The available time slots are 9:00, 9:30, and 10:00. If Mr. Smith is available, schedule at 9:30.  If Mr. Smith is not available, schedule at 10:30 (if he is available for that time).
      • Example: Mrs. Smith has trouble reading and needs to speak to someone face to face to help her fill out the application. The available time slots are 9:00, 9:30, and 10:00. If Mrs. Smith is available, schedule her appointment for 9:00.  If she is not available, schedule her at 10:00 (if she is available for that time).
   5. Staff will submit the SharePoint task with the agreed upon time, the customer’s phone number and the reason for the visit. BPT will need to ask the customer, and include in the EUMEMROL comments, the names of anyone who will accompany the customer to their appointment.
   6. When making an appointment staff should ask if the customer needs any interpreter services. If the customer needs interpretive services staff should make a note in the appointment stating what type of interpreter is needed.

 **Any appointment request made after 3:30pm should not be scheduled before 12pm the next business day. **

Mailing Requests #

1. Staff may receive requests from participants to mail applications, voter registration, replacement FAMIS letters, and other correspondence.
   1. Staff will need to fill out the Mailing Request for documents to be mailed to the participant.
2. Participants may request a copy of verification they previously submitted to be mailed to them such as: drivers license, divorce decree, paystubs, lease agreement, etc.
   1. The participant must provide a written statement, signed and dated, requesting the specific verification they want a copy of.
      • Staff must scan the written statement into the ECM.
   2. If the participant is requesting a copy of verification that was submitted by a different agency, a copy of the verification cannot be mailed to the participant.
      • EX: The participants Life Insurance company sent verification of the policy directly to FSD, we cannot provide a copy of this to the participant.

Multiple Participants on One Call #

1. If staff is assisting a participant and the participant advises the staff member they have another person with them who also wants to speak to them about that person’s own case:
   1. The staff member will assist the second person with any issues they are encountering.
   2. There is not a limit of how many customers staff can assist on one call. If there are multiple customers requesting assistance, staff member will assist customers until complete with all customer requests.
      • If, for some reason, staff member is unable to complete all customer requests. Staff will contact their supervisor and follow local office procedure.
   3. This process will be followed when an AUTHREP, Public Administrator, Medical Provider, etc calls to check on multiple DCN’s.

Screen Recordings #

1. All staff should not discuss confidential, sensitive, or personal information regarding personnel actions, employees, applicants, participants, etc., in a manner or place where the information could be viewed by others.
   1. DSS Policy 2-119
2. Genesys call recording captures everything that is open on the computer desktop during a call.
   1. Staff must use the Genesys desktop application for screens to be recorded and all staff should always use the application when taking calls for the CSC. This information becomes part of the applicant/participant case record during a phone call and wrap-up time.
3. Staff should not handle personnel issues or personal business during a call.
   1. This includes but not limited to, entering Leave Track requests, accessing the ESS Portal, or sending Emails/Jabbers/WebEx chats regarding personal business. Staff should use the appropriate Not Ready status when conducting personnel and personal business.

Staffing #

The Customer Service Center must maintain an appropriate level of attendance to handle the call volume. Supervisors should review office wide staffing levels when approving/denying staff leave requests. Once the office begins to approach 20% of staff on leave, supervisors should begin working with staff on alternatives or denying leave.

Supervisor Call Requests #

 BPT SOP:

1. Finish entering the required case comments in EUMEMROL and/or MEDES.
2. Ensure the customer is aware of their Right to a Hearing if unsatisfied with a case decision.
   1. If a hearing is requested, follow the current Hearing Request SOP before connecting with a supervisor.
3. Follow local procedures to notify supervisor a call has been requested. The call will then be transferred to the available supervisor.
   1. Do not advise the customer a supervisor will call them back. The call must be transferred to an available supervisor.
   2. Transfer a web chat interaction – Genesys Cloud Resource Center (mypurecloud.com)
   3. Transfer a call – Genesys Cloud Resource Center (mypurecloud.com)
4. The Hand-Off and Support should not be used for supervisor callbacks.

Note:  The BPT should not ask a customer if they want to speak with a supervisor unless they display characteristics outlined in DSS Policy 3-301.

Supervisor SOP:

1. The immediate supervisor or any other available supervisor must take the transfer at the time of request.
   1. Supervisors must enter required case comments in EUMEMROL and/or MEDES upon completion of the call.
   2. Supervisors should ensure DSS Policy 3-301 is followed.
2. If no supervisors are available, the Program Coordinator will contact other offices to see if a supervisor is available.

Threats #

Staff should follow the Threat Reporting SOP located in IM Resources.

Voicemails #

When staff have to call a customer back for any reason, staff should use the following verbiage if a voicemail is reached.

• (Interview Line)

“This is the Family Support Division attempting to reach you about your recent application (case).  Please call us back when you have 20-30 minutes. You can reach us at 855-823-4908. You can reach us between the hours of 6:00am and 5:30pm”

• CIC (FSD INFO Line)

“This is the Family Support Division attempting to reach you about your recent case. You can reach us at 855-373-4636 between the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm.”