Redesigning Dish Network’s Call Center Application

Dish Network’s call center agents rely on internal tools to assist customers efficiently. When the existing application began showing its age with inefficiencies and usability challenges, we were tasked with designing a streamlined solution. This case study details how we reimagined the call center application to improve the agent experience and enhance customer service in turn.

Challenge

Dish Network’s call center agents struggled with:

Complex Navigation: Agents spent too much time switching between screens and searching for information.

Outdated Design: The cluttered interface made it difficult to locate tools and features quickly.

High Training Costs: New agents required extensive onboarding to learn the system, slowing ramp-up speed.

The challenge was to design a modern, intuitive tool that empowered agents to assist customers faster and with greater accuracy.

Process

Research and Discovery

We started by understanding the needs of call center agents and the challenges they faced:

  • Agent Interviews: Spoke directly with agents to gather insights about their daily workflows, pain points, and feature requests.

  • Shadowing Sessions: Observed agents in action to identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement.

  • Data Analysis: Reviewed metrics on call resolution times and error rates to understand the impact of the current system.

Designing the Solution

Based on our research, we focused on three key goals:

  1. Streamlining Workflows:

    • Consolidated information into a single dashboard to minimize screen switching.

    • Grouped related tasks together, such as billing and troubleshooting, to reduce cognitive load.

  2. Enhancing Usability:

    • Introduced a clean, modern design with clear hierarchies and minimal clutter.

    • Added smart search functionality, allowing agents to quickly locate customer accounts and relevant information.

  3. Reducing Training Time:

    • Created an intuitive interface with tooltips and contextual help, enabling new agents to onboard faster.

    • Designed interactive training modules directly within the application.

Iterative Prototyping

We developed interactive prototypes in Axure and tested them with agents to ensure the design addressed their needs. Feedback loops were crucial in refining features like the dashboard layout and quick-action buttons.

Impact

The redesigned call center application delivered measurable improvements:

  • Faster Call Resolutions: Streamlined workflows reduced average handling times by 20%.

  • Improved Agent Satisfaction: Agents reported feeling more confident and less stressed when using the updated system.

  • Lower Training Costs: The intuitive design cut onboarding time for new agents by half.

Takeaways

  • Empathize with Users: Spending time with agents in their work environment was essential to understanding their challenges.

  • Simplify the Complex: Consolidating tools and minimizing clutter created a system that worked faster and smarter.

  • Test and Iterate: Prototyping and agent feedback ensured the final product truly met user needs.

By modernizing the call center application, we empowered Dish Network’s agents to provide faster, more effective service—ultimately improving the customer experience as well.