Social Impact Statement about Edgewires Automated Phone System - Case Study Example

Edgewire’s 200 call centre operators are quite specialised professionally. They serve a niche market of vacationers who desire adventure in their holidays. Thus, call centre operators became immersed in and learned how to provide adventure seekers satisfying holiday experiences. Not only are such holidays off the beaten path but they typically require special equipment. Edgewire's operators coordinate with suppliers to fulfil all their customers' needs. The satisfaction of thrill-seeking customers is obviously healthy or else Edgewire couldn't have grown into a robust business if its operators delivered inferior adventures.

Today's situation is that goals #1 and #2 have evolved into apparent conflict. In the interest of long-term stability, Edgewire's management firmly believes they must install an automated phone answering system. Doing so means replacing call centre operators. Management has calculated the savings by cutting back on labour costs. However, this goal of presumed long-term stability comes at the cost of jobs; yet providing jobs was a goal of the EU regeneration grant. Quite naturally the call centre operators are distressed and disagree.

This Social Impact Statement (SIS) examines the issue in-depth. The goal is to find options that perhaps can be smartly used to satisfy all parties that are affected by Edgewire's conversion to an automated phone answering system. Doing so means replacing call centre operators. Management has calculated the savings by cutting back on labour costs. However, this goal of presumed long-term stability comes at the cost of jobs; yet providing jobs was a goal of the EU regeneration grant. Quite naturally the call centre operators are distressed and disagree.

This Social Impact Statement (SIS) examines the issue in-depth. The goal is to find options that perhaps can be smartly used to satisfy all parties that are affected by Edgewire’s conversion to an automated phone answering system. These parties include, at least, customers, Edgewire’s call centre operators and its management, and the town of Arkenfield. The core issues are job losses weighed against long-term economic viability. Intertwined issues include customer loyalty and economic health of the town of Arkenfield; i.e., employment and unemployment rates.

 This SIS comes somewhat late. Edgewire management's decision is almost fait accompli. They are reluctant to discuss the inherent conflict-of-interest or negotiate the core issues. They stalled before acquiescing to the independent evaluation requested by the call centre operators' Trade Union. In addition to cost savings, two features of the proposed automated phone answering system are quite attractive. It will be a "decision support system" (DSS) as well as a "knowledge-based system" (KBS).

DSS tells call centre personnel specific decision information each customer already made about an adventure holiday and left on the automated phone system. KBS is standardisation of holiday packages for customers who don't need special customising. Management believes these new ways to do business streamline operations and save labour costs, thus better ensuring Edgewire's long-term financial wellbeing and economic stability. Here are supporting data.