Page 34 - CCGA Best Practices Version English

Practice Description:
A. Customer Quality of Service Performance Measurements – It is best
practice in the notification service industry to monitor the quality of
service provided to the customer calling the notification service. Key
measurements include:
1. Speed of Answer
Process – Most notification services route incoming calls through
an ACD (automatic call distributor) either via an on-premise PBX or
a Centrex at the telephone company’s central office. Both of these
devices provide reports that identify, on the average, how long a
caller had to wait before they were answered. This measurement is
called average speed of answer (ASA) and is normally captured on
a half hourly basis and accumulated for the day.
Service Level – An objective service level should be set based
on customer satisfaction and economics. An ASA objective of 30
seconds or less is recommended.
2. Abandoned Calls
Process – The PBX or Centrex also provides this data. It will
normally identify the number of calls abandoned and how long the
callers waited before they hung up.
Service Level – An objective service level should be set based
on percentage of calls. An abandonment rate of less than 5% by
callers that waited more than 60 seconds is a reasonable objective.
3. Busy Signals
Process – The notification service is equipped with sufficient
incoming lines to minimize busy signals.
Service Level – The performance level for busy signals received by
callers into the notification service does not exceed 1% of the total
incoming call volume.
4. Customer Satisfaction
Process - A fundamental principal in measuring quality is that “the
customer defines quality.” Periodic customer satisfaction surveys of
callers are conducted.
Service Level – An objective service level is set based on
percentage of caller’s responses. An objective of 99% customer
satisfaction is recommended.

B. Locate Request Content
The notification service has in place a quality of service plan that includes
measurements of accuracy, productivity, and defects in locate request
tickets.
C. Relational Database Quality and System Functionality
The geographic, relational database and the system that uses it
confirms the hierarchical relationship between the street address, street,
municipality, county or region.

Canadian Common Ground Alliance
Best Practices Version 3.0 – October 2018
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