Evolution of Contact Point: a case study of a help desk and its users.

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the evolution of a concept, Contact Point, the research process through which it evolved, and the work context and practices which drove its evolution. Contact Point is a web-based application that helps a business manage its relationships with its customers. It can also be used within a business as a means for managing the relationship between parts of the business. In this paper we describe a study of the applicability of Contact Point to the technical services organization and field personnel of a medical device manufacturer. We found that there were opportunities to potentially reduce call volume through Contact Point. We discovered, however, that the technical service representatives sometimes filled roles other than providing information in their telephone conversations with field personnel. These functions included reassuring callers that the callers' answers to questions were correct, providing a rationale for information, and redirecting calls to other departments. The ability to share a document and collaborate in real time was viewed as very valuable. We also discovered that the field personnel need information from a variety of other people in order to do their jobs. These observations were used to enhance the next iteration of Contact Point and to develop strategies for the introduction of Contact Point to users.