How Organizations Struggle with Data Fluency - Data Fluency: Empowering Your Organization with Effective Data Communication - page 43

data caRe and the data fluency fRamewoRk
Fundraising is an illustrative case of the importance of data care. Failing
to create a strong data product, failing to use data products available,
and an organizational culture that doesn't hold employees and vendors
accountable for data care leads to an inefficient team.
METRIC FIxATION
Leaders and organizations can become mesmerized by one metric at the
expense of others. Examples range from the management of a customer
service call center, the derailment of a university present, to an increase in
hospital-acquired infections. Laser focus can be helpful in achieving a goal;
however, leaders need to ensure that important things that are temporarily
out-of-focus are also being monitored.
For example, customer service call centers can often become fixated on metrics
to the detriment of both employees at these call centers as well as customers.
Some common metrics at customer service call centers include average call
wait time, average call length, whether or not the issue was resolved on the first
call (and doesn't call back within 30 days), and retention of customers (keeping
customers who are trying to cancel service, even if it means changing their
subscription package to a lesser service). Incentives are often established for
call center employees, typically low wage earners, against metrics like these.
Let's take a closer look at one metric: customer retention. If customer service
employees are fixated on customer retention and their livelihood depends
on it, a whole host of tactics will be used to keep folks subscribed to their
current service (phone, cable, internet, gym, magazine, etc.). Transferring calls
to retention specialists, call dropping, and offering a different subscription
service at a lower monthly cost are a few.