scenario

sWS Corporate Events.
The management at SWS have decided they would like the computer system in the call centre upgraded to cope with the demands being placed upon them. A budget has been set aside to purchase a complete set of new computers, all connected to the Internet, along with suitable software needed by the call centre staff.

The Managing Director has decided to buy mid-range computers in the hope that they will last longer. As the staff spend all day working at them, he has requested large screens and high quality mice and keyboards. To avoid the need for expensive servers, he also wants sufficient storage space in each one. The call centre manager has specified that they must be quite fast so customers are not kept on the phone waiting for the computers to load details etc.

In order to remove the need for new telephones, he has also said that equipment should be brought so that the phone system will run through the computers; the staff having a hands-free headset to enable them to speak to and hear customers on the phone.

The call centre staff spend most of their time producing letters to be sent out to customers, completing invoices, booking events into the company database and accessing the Internet to find events. Some customers prefer to contact the call centre by email - an account has been set up that all staff can access using standard email software. The brochures (printed and electronic) sent out to customers are also available to the call centre staff so they can see what customers are referring to.

You are to decide on a suitable system for the call centre, price it up and then recommend it to the board at their next meeting. The money is already put aside for these purchases so once a decision has been made, they will be ordered immediately. Once delivered, you and your team will be paid extra to come in one weekend to set them up - configuring the operating system and applications software so the staff can use them at the start of the working week.

To ensure consistency and to speed up some processes undertaken by the call centre staff, you are also going to create a set of macros that can be used in different software.

The Managing Director is also concerned about the lack of backing up that takes place. Recently, one of the call centre computers crashed and all the work stored on was lost. He has asked you to investigate different backup procedures and present them to him as a written report. Following this, some staff training will take place, allowing them to back up work on their PCs.

SWS Corportate Events are based at:
SWS Corporate Events,
1 Coventry Square,
Coventry,
CV1 3HQ
(024) 7647 0033