The Blackridge Company, a software retailer, recently

Question

The Blackridge Company, a software retailer, recently implemented a service offering free telephone support for its customers. After 3 months of service, the average length of a technical support call was 15 minutes, 3 minutes higher than the company’s target length of 12 minutes. After studying the operations of the new telephone support division, the company discovered that customer support agents were putting customers on hold for an average of 4 minutes per call while these agents researched possible solutions to the technical issues at hand.

From the passage above, it can be inferred that the Blackridge Company could reduce the average length of its customer support calls by doing which of the following, assuming that each is a realistic possibility?

a. Improving the quality of its software products 
b. Expanding the hours of operation of its telephone support service 
c. Prohibiting customer service agents from putting customers on hold 
d. Better training customer support agents in the technical aspects of the software 
e. Providing an online support service in addition to the telephone support service

tuanquang269 · Answer

IMO D, here is clue for this answer "customer support agents were putting customers on hold for an average of 4 minutes per call while these agents researched possible solutions to the technical issues at hand. ". If technical supporters are excellent and do not need to researched ...at hand. They can utilize the support call more effectively and reduce the time of support call.

evdo · Answer

why choices E is wrong? anyone can explain me please? thanks

sriniz · Answer

support providing thru online and support providing thru telephone are two different entities, they are no where connected to each other...so online support doesn't help in reducing the average call lenth being spent by customer support agent.

SUNVIN · Answer

If the agents are given better training, they will take lesser time to answer customer queries, hence option D makes perfect sense;

roopmathi · Answer

IMO D . Answer choice brings in "new information" about online Support service which is not required and does'nt solve the issue of reducing the time taken for customer calls

gauravsaggis1 · Answer

(D)..
From the passage above, it can be inferred that the Blackridge Company could reduce the average length of its customer support calls by doing which of the following, assuming that each is a realistic possibility? 
a) Improving the quality of its software products- mentioned nothing about software quality. we are concerned about reducing call duration.
b)Expanding the hours of operation of its telephone support service- not useful
c)Prohibiting customer service agents from putting customers on hold- this will reduce the call duration at the cost of service quality. 
d)Better training customer support agents in the technical aspects of the software-  this will definitely reduce call duration providing software solution without putting call on hold.  
e)Providing an online support service in addition to the telephone support service

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

The Blackridge Company, a software retailer, recently implemented a service offering free telephone support for its customers. After 3 months of service, the average length of a technical support call was 15 minutes, 3 minutes higher than the company’s target length of 12 minutes. After studying the operations of the new telephone support division, the company discovered that customer support agents were putting customers on hold for an average of 4 minutes per call while these agents researched possible solutions to the technical issues at hand.

From the passage above, it can be inferred that the Blackridge Company could reduce the average length of its customer support calls by doing which of the following, assuming that each is a realistic possibility? 
a) Improving the quality of its software products *The calls to support aren't necessarily due to the quality of the product. Moreover, improving the quality of the products is a less realistic possibility.
b)Expanding the hours of operation of its telephone support service *Limited hours is not the cause of the length of each individual call.
c)Prohibiting customer service agents from putting customers on hold *That might extend the call length if the agent can't give attention to searching for a solution.
 d) Better training customer support agents in the technical aspects of the software *The cause of the long call is the hold time, during which the agent searches for solutions. If the agents are more knowledgeable they won't need as much time to find the solution.
e)Providing an online support service in addition to the telephone support service *Online support service could reduce the number of calls to the telephone service, but it doesn't reduce the length of the calls to the telephone service.

ShivaniSharma2623 · Answer

why choices E is wrong? anyone can explain me please? thanks[/ The given question contains facts and no argument. Hence, it is always better to derive answer from the given facts and not assuming some 'NEW' idea. Option E is not fully incorrect, but the best answer choice will be D as training the professionals will solve the problem. (This can be derived from a logic too. Implementing a new online software is less cost effective as compared to providing trainings

).

vishnugmatgupta · Answer

In my opinion,

D is definitely wrong.

We can not be so sure, if the training ensures better memorisation of technical aspects. We are NOT given anything about training. Training might make them better in some other skill e.g. communication.

C seems to be a better option. As we are not concerned with the quality of the response, but it will definitely reduce the time.

Posted from my mobile device

AakkashVerbal · Answer

The passage tells us a story.

Software retailer -> Free telephone support -> Agents unable to solve problems quickly -> Have to  look up 'technical'  issues.

A: Improving the quality of its software products - This will not  directly  solve the issue at hand. Essentially, it's  not a  direct  solution .

B: Expanding the hours of operation of its telephone support service - The  problem isn't the quantity of work ; increasing hours will not solve this issue.

C: Prohibiting customer service agents from putting customers on hold - Still, the  call length remains the same . Not a solve.

D: Better training customer support agents in the technical aspects of the software - Agents who are familiar with the technical aspects of the software will solve 'technical' issues using their experience and memory.

E: Providing an online support service in addition to the telephone support service - Will not solve the issue of support call length.  Not a solve. Out of scope.

DivyanshuCH23 · Answer

their is no direct or indirect premise is present where there is any detail or minor explanation about the online is better than the phone call so the option is out of the context so it is eliminated

The Blackridge Company, a software retailer, recently

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