KnowledgePool helps Orange ensure the future's bright for training
KnowledgePool, the managed learning services specialist, is helping the training team at global communications organisation Orange to cope with fluctuating demands for customer service training in its UK call centres. 19 trainers from KnowledgePool have provided support to the Orange team since July 2005, enabling Orange to respond to high volumes of activity.
“Because of the market we work in, we experience fluctuations in demand,” said Jenny Simmons, Training Consultant at Orange. “We have a dedicated number of internal trainers, but in some months we need to supplement their work with extra training resource from KnowledgePool. Without them, we couldn’t meet the demands of the business.”
KnowledgePool was originally asked to support the training team by delivering induction training for new customer service representatives (CSRs), who had been recruited after Orange’s advertising had created a significant increase in customer response calls.
KnowledgePool’s trainers have continued to provide induction training for temporary and permanent CSRs, who primarily support Orange’s ‘pay monthly’ and ‘pay-as-you-go’ customers. This classroom-led training - which covers customer service skills, product knowledge, systems skills and the ethos of Orange - is undertaken at Orange’s North Tyneside, Darlington, Bristol and Plymouth call centres.
Five key trainers from KnowledgePool have also provided ‘refresh’ and ‘re-skill’ training across Orange’s service areas - which include helpdesks, billing and handset faults - as well as training for broadband queries and new product and service launches.
“KnowledgePool’s trainers are all very experienced and very professional,” said Jenny Simmons. “They’ve developed a great understanding of our business and internally we regard them as Orange trainers. With their experience of other industries, they’ve added significant value to our training team.”
KnowledgePool provides a central project manager, who co-ordinates and reviews the activities of the additional trainers.
“With one call to our contact at KnowledgePool, we can book as many trainers as we need, which means we can cope with any additional work at any location, even at short notice,” said Jenny Simmons. “It is a very easy process. Through our relationship with KnowledgePool, we can ensure that we’re a support function that can actually support the business.”
About Orange
Launched in the UK in 1994, Orange provides total business communications in 220 countries and territories. The brand has been extended to incorporate mobile, fixed line, internet and TV offers. www.orange.co.uk