COVID-19 Impacts on IRS Contact Center Operations
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March 10, 2021
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CCSD provides real time monitoring, scripting and call control tables, and 2nd/3rd level operational
support to ensure all contact center technology is functioning and meeting Business requirements.
The IRS Contact Center environment is one of the largest and most complex in the world. Customer
Voice Portal (CVP) deployment is the largest in the world and one of the most mission critical area
within IRS due to managing the call routing enterprise.
COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
2
March 10, 2021
•
30+ Contact Centers
•
Provide Toll Free Network Management for over 38,000 Toll Free Numbers; 131 Toll Free Product Lines
•
Manage 1,140 servers and 20,000 desktop devices.
•
Support platforms such as: Contact Recording, Contact Analytics, Intelligent Contact Manager (ICM), Customer Voice Portal (CVP),
Predictive Dialer, Workforce Management (WFM), Text to Speech, and Contact Center Voice Response Units.
COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
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March 10, 2021
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Remember Where You Were?
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COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
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March 10, 2021
Tech Demo I
T
ested three different
connectivity models with four
key measures: Performance,
Cost, Ease of Deployment &
Solution Support, on small
groups of 36 agents each and
served to establish that the
model using standard ERAP
VPN connectivity was the most
effective of the three models
for telework for Customer
Service Representatives (CSR)
in Accounts Management.
Tech Demo II
E
xpanded to approximately
280 agents, leads and
managers from 10 call sites
testing the ability to service
taxpayers from a remote
location, from Oct 2016 –
March 2017. All users
accessed the IRS network via
ERAP and are connected to
the Memphis Automated Call
Distributor (ACD)
Tech Demo III
Remained Tech Demo III until
March of 2020 while negotiations
with NTEU reengaged.
Enterprise Implementation Plan
Three phases:
1. Backfill CSRs from Tech Demo III
& add 1,608 agents.
2. Upgrade Infrastructure in all
sites then add agents per the
business enterprise-wide request.
3. Add up to 5,379 agents after
IP Transport.
Tech Demo III
Negotiations continued for over
a year. In December 2018, the
business decided to move
forward with telework without
an agreed upon Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU). The
agents from Tech Demo II
merged into Tech Demo III and
230 agents were added.
CSR Telework
Tech Demo I
ended in April
2015. A solution was selected
ERAP Based – Agent’s personal
Internet connection & the IRS
standard Cisco AnyConnect
software.
Negotiations for
Tech Demo II
began with NTEU. All
resources began the design,
testing, & integration of the
solution for Tech Demo II.
Tech Demo II
Ended in March 2017.
Tech Demo III
negotiations
with NTEU began in May
2017. During the
negotiations Tech Demo II
continued to telework.
March 2020, the
pandemic hit, however,
the 430 agents on
telework continued to
telework while the CSR
Telework Acceleration
team was asked to fully
implement telework to
the rest of the CSR’s.
For six years, we were doing a technology demonstration to telework enable CSRs and had been refining it over
three phases. We knew the technology, bandwidth, regulations, security, and privacy requirements and we were
ready to roll-out over the next three years.
March 10, 2021
COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
5
March 10, 2021
COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
6
TELEWORK FOR
CSRs
By April 16, 2020 configured 29 call sites to be
telework-ready in less than 2 months – however,
equipment distribution was not complete.
VENDORS
Collaborated with AT&T and TTEC’s executive team and
obtained commitment to support this initiative.
IRS negotiated commitment to implement telework at six
sites per week vs two per week allowing all sites to be
telework-ready within 30 days.
Collaborated with TTEC and implemented configuration
changes in Call Managers.
IRS PROCUREMENT OFFICE
Obtained a Notice-to-Proceed (NTP) to AT&T that reduced
the cycle time by 60 days to make an award to the vendor.
Expedited the delivery of 6,000 headsets
BANDWIDTH
CCSD collaborated with Network Engineering to implement
network changes that increased the bandwidth at the seven
call sites to support the required number of concurrent CSRs.
JABBER EXTENSIONS
Configured 17,000+ user’s accounts for CSRs and
provided Cisco Jabber softphone training.
CCSD created 444 Jabber extensions for SB/SE Campus
Collection Phone Operations at 6 call sites.
EQUIPMENT
IT provisioned 15,251 laptops and peripheral
equipment bundles for all identified CSRs
COVID-19 CRISIS HOTLINE
By March 31, UNS had provisioned an 800 number that
connects to a voicemail box for taxpayers to leave
messages with Chief Counsel related to coronavirus relief.
PHONE ANNOUNCEMENTS
Directing taxpayers to a website to obtain local telephone
numbers for National Taxpayer Advocate.
Forms & Publications product line informing taxpayers
that IRS is unable to fulfill form requests, but taxpayers can
download forms from the IRS website.
Added an emergency message informing taxpayers of live
assistance unavailability, available self-service options,
information on avoiding coronavirus scams, and direction
to the IRS website for future COVID-19 updates.
EMPLOYEE HOTLINE
Provided real-time assistance for users to resolve
critical IT issues related to the contact center
ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENT
Configured contact center systems to route Economic Impact
Payment (EIP) calls to a vendor to improve taxpayer experience.
The CARES Act was signed into law on March 27. Only 14 days
later, on April 10, the first Economic Impact Payments were
received in taxpayer bank accounts.
What Did We Do?
From March 2020 to June 2020, the IRS executed a project that was planned to implement over a three- year
period and completed it in just 4 months!
7
What Else Did UNS Do?
March 10, 2021
COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
W
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e
r
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D
o
W
e
G
o
F
r
o
m
H
e
r
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?
While CCSD and our partners were very successful in “telework-enabling”
the IRS Contact Center (and many aspects of IRS operations) the roll-out was
not without issues; several challenges remain.
1.
Funding
. The CARES ACT provided a significant windfall to enable 100% CSR (and most all
other employees) at the IRS, but the initial outlays significantly increased operations and
maintenance cost for outyears.
2.
Home Networks
. The reliance on local Internet Service Providers (ISP) and home networks
to delivery toll free calls has introduced bandwidth and other reliance issues that need to be
addressed.
3.
Telework / Remote Access
. The IRS is actively implementing upgrades to improve
connectivity and performance for teleworking users.
4.
End User Support.
Provisioning and supporting teleworking contact center agents has
introduced new logistical and process challenges that need to address and remote agents
experience more technical and connectivity challenges than on-prem agents.
5.
Core Contact Center Configuration.
The system components and call delivery need to be
assessed to determine optimal call deliver in a largely telework environment. Additionally,
many components need to be centralized at the data centers to improve system performance.
COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD
8
March 10, 2021
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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS Contact Center Support Division plays a crucial role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the complex contact center environment. Real-time monitoring, scripting, and operational support are provided to manage a massive volume of calls and automated services. The adoption of telework technologies has been a strategic move over several years, paving the way for remote customer service operations. Learn more about the technological advancements and operational adaptations implemented to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic.
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Presentation Transcript
ICOVID-19 Impacts on IRS Contact Center Operations Kevin L. McCreight Director, Contact Center Support Division (CCSD) Dre March 10, 2021
IRS Contact Center Operations CCSD provides real time monitoring, scripting and call control tables, and 2nd/3rd level operational support to ensure all contact center technology is functioning and meeting Business requirements. System Performance 2020 Total System Demand: 298,429,059 Call Center Calls Answered: The IRS Contact Center environment is one of the largest and most complex in the world. Customer Voice Portal (CVP) deployment is the largest in the world and one of the most mission critical area within IRS due to managing the call routing enterprise. 175,540,938 Automated Calls Answered (CCVRU): COVID19-Stimulus 24,724,671 19,242,851 Seattle Portland Detroit Buffalo Andover Cleveland Pittsburgh Indianapolis Brookhaven Philadelphia Ogden St. Louis Denver Kansas City Cincinnati Oakland Fresno Richmond Nashville Memphis Atlanta Dallas Jacksonville Austin 30+ Contact Centers Provide Toll Free Network Management for over 38,000 Toll Free Numbers; 131 Toll Free Product Lines Manage 1,140 servers and 20,000 desktop devices. Support platforms such as: Contact Recording, Contact Analytics, Intelligent Contact Manager (ICM), Customer Voice Portal (CVP), Predictive Dialer, Workforce Management (WFM), Text to Speech, and Contact Center Voice Response Units. San Juan COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021 2
Remember Where You Were? September 11, 2001 September 11, 2001 November 22, 1963 November 22, 1963 COVID COVID- -19 March 2020 March 2020 19 December 7, 1941 December 7, 1941 COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021 3
Why We Were Ready? For six years, we were doing a technology demonstration to telework enable CSRs and had been refining it over three phases. We knew the technology, bandwidth, regulations, security, and privacy requirements and we were ready to roll-out over the next three years. 2014 2018 2015 2020 2016 2017 2019 Tech Demo III Remained Tech Demo III until March of 2020 while negotiations with NTEU reengaged. Tech Demo II Ended in March 2017. CSR Telework Tech Demo I ended in April 2015. A solution was selected ERAP Based Agent s personal Internet connection & the IRS standard Cisco AnyConnect software. Tech Demo III negotiations with NTEU began in May 2017. During the negotiations Tech Demo II continued to telework. Enterprise Implementation Plan Three phases: 1. Backfill CSRs from Tech Demo III & add 1,608 agents. 2. Upgrade Infrastructure in all sites then add agents per the business enterprise-wide request. 3. Add up to 5,379 agents after IP Transport. Negotiations for Tech Demo II began with NTEU. All resources began the design, testing, & integration of the solution for Tech Demo II. Tech Demo I Tested three different connectivity models with four key measures: Performance, Cost, Ease of Deployment & Solution Support, on small groups of 36 agents each and served to establish that the model using standard ERAP VPN connectivity was the most effective of the three models for telework for Customer Service Representatives (CSR) in Accounts Management. Tech Demo II Expanded to approximately 280 agents, leads and managers from 10 call sites testing the ability to service taxpayers from a remote location, from Oct 2016 March 2017. All users accessed the IRS network via ERAP and are connected to the Memphis Automated Call Distributor (ACD) March 2020, the pandemic hit, however, the 430 agents on telework continued to telework while the CSR Telework Acceleration team was asked to fully implement telework to the rest of the CSR s. Tech Demo III Negotiations continued for over a year. In December 2018, the business decided to move forward with telework without an agreed upon Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agents from Tech Demo II merged into Tech Demo III and 230 agents were added. COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021 4
Who Made It Happen? Kevin McCreight Director, CCSD Umesh Dureja, SM Scott Reisher Director, SB/SE Karen Michaels & Ryan Kinikin W&I Accounts Management Kevin Sturlaugson Director, OSS Ron Leidner Jeri Gomez Joe Gibbons Christina Navarette- Wasson Director, JOC Frank Kist Director, Engineering Adina Leach Director, FMSS (Funding) Rangam Subramanian Director, EFO (Onsite Delivery / Configuration) Ruddy Gainer Director, SP&I (Contract / Ordering) Cynthia Bryant Director, CSS (Providing Phone Support) COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021 5
What Did We Do? From March 2020 to June 2020, the IRS executed a project that was planned to implement over a three- year period and completed it in just 4 months! VENDORS EQUIPMENT IT provisioned 15,251 laptops and peripheral equipment bundles for all identified CSRs Collaborated with AT&T and TTEC s executive team and obtained commitment to support this initiative. IRS negotiated commitment to implement telework at six sites per week vs two per week allowing all sites to be telework-ready within 30 days. Collaborated with TTEC and implemented configuration COVID-19 CRISIS HOTLINE By March 31, UNS had provisioned an 800 number that connects to a voicemail box for taxpayers to leave messages with Chief Counsel related to coronavirus relief. changes in Call Managers. IRS PROCUREMENT OFFICE PHONE ANNOUNCEMENTS Directing taxpayers to a website to obtain local telephone numbers for National Taxpayer Advocate. Forms & Publications product line informing taxpayers that IRS is unable to fulfill form requests, but taxpayers can download forms from the IRS website. Added an emergency message informing taxpayers of live assistance unavailability, available self-service options, information on avoiding coronavirus scams, and direction to the IRS website for future COVID-19 updates. Obtained a Notice-to-Proceed (NTP) to AT&T that reduced the cycle time by 60 days to make an award to the vendor. Expedited the delivery of 6,000 headsets BANDWIDTH CCSD collaborated with Network Engineering to implement network changes that increased the bandwidth at the seven call sites to support the required number of concurrent CSRs. TELEWORK FOR CSRs EMPLOYEE HOTLINE Provided real-time assistance for users to resolve critical IT issues related to the contact center By April 16, 2020 configured 29 call sites to be telework-ready in less than 2 months however, equipment distribution was not complete. JABBER EXTENSIONS ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENT Configured contact center systems to route Economic Impact Payment (EIP) calls to a vendor to improve taxpayer experience. The CARES Act was signed into law on March 27. Only 14 days later, on April 10, the first Economic Impact Payments were received in taxpayer bank accounts. Configured 17,000+ user s accounts for CSRs and provided Cisco Jabber softphone training. CCSD created 444 Jabber extensions for SB/SE Campus Collection Phone Operations at 6 call sites. COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021 6
What Else Did UNS Do? 7 COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021
Where Do We Go From Here? While CCSD and our partners were very successful in telework-enabling the IRS Contact Center (and many aspects of IRS operations) the roll-out was not without issues; several challenges remain. 1. Funding. The CARES ACT provided a significant windfall to enable 100% CSR (and most all other employees) at the IRS, but the initial outlays significantly increased operations and maintenance cost for outyears. 2. Home Networks. The reliance on local Internet Service Providers (ISP) and home networks to delivery toll free calls has introduced bandwidth and other reliance issues that need to be addressed. 3. Telework / Remote Access. The IRS is actively implementing upgrades to improve connectivity and performance for teleworking users. 4. End User Support. Provisioning and supporting teleworking contact center agents has introduced new logistical and process challenges that need to address and remote agents experience more technical and connectivity challenges than on-prem agents. 5. Core Contact Center Configuration. The system components and call delivery need to be assessed to determine optimal call deliver in a largely telework environment. Additionally, many components need to be centralized at the data centers to improve system performance. COVID-19 Impacts on Contact Center | IT-UNS-CCSD March 10, 2021 8
