Introduction - The benefits of multiple monitor use in the workplace.
The gain in productivity and efficiency with the use of multiple monitors has been a hotly debated issue since the inception and utilization of multi monitor setups in the workplace and home. Many articles have been written supporting the claim there is a gain in productivity and efficiency using multi monitors while others debate there is no benefit when using them; the latter claiming that because the human brain can only focus on one task at a time, there is no realized benefit when "focusing" on two monitors. Both sides offer little to no scientific data to support their claim or rely on speculation. Here at Multiplex PC we know that using multiple monitors provides a boost in productivity and gives you an edge in work flow efficiency and with this case study provide an objective and unbiased non-scientific view into their benefits.
The Study.
We recently contracted with a local call center to test our theory of the actual benefits of multiple monitors (dual monitors in this study). Out of the 10 employees that volunteered for the study we gave 5 of the agents an extra 19" inch monitor to add to their existing single 19" inch monitor configuration and the remaining 5 agents kept their single 19" inch monitor setups. The monitors were placed directly flush with the existing monitor to provide a seamless viewing area for the agents to use. We did not use a monitor array stand. Our goal here was to prove that the added screen real estate with dual monitors (with similar monitor size and the same resolution) would allow the representative to cut down on the time they were speaking with one customer so they could terminate the call and be ready to take the next customer. In a call center environment this metric (call center measurement of time efficiency) is undeniably linked to their profit. For example, the more calls an agent can take during their shift, the more products they can sell, and the more current clients they can up sell, which translates into more revenue for the company. Also, if the call center is busy and experiencing many customers in cue (holding area for unanswered calls) the faster an agent can perform their duties, the less likelihood the call center runs of having dropped calls (and potentially missed profits).
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to show the agents using a single 19" inch monitor setup, which must access multiple applications to complete an order or customer inquiry, will take longer than an agent who has dual monitors and can access both applications at the same time, when both applications are previously loaded and ready for use. All computer systems used in this study were similar. Due to time constraints and other variables there are parts of this study that were not able to be controlled and this can only be viewed as a non-scientific representation of the benefits of dual monitor use. We ran the test for one 8 hour shift making sure that all agents received an equal amount of calls with similar difficulty. Any calls that were outside of the realm of normal operating procedure (i.e., manager approval, etc) were left out of the study. Below is the order of the study and the steps we took to achieve fair data.
Setup:
1) We setup the extra 19" inch monitors to give 5 of the 10 call center agents a dual monitor configuration. We left 5 of the remaining 10 agents with a single 19" monitor.
2) We spent 15 minutes showing the agents who were using dual monitors how to correctly and efficiently maneuver from monitor to monitor and addressed any issues with use.
The study in motion:
1) All agents started work at the same time and stopped taking calls after their 8 hour shift was completed.
2) All data was taken from 20 calls, per agent, of similar tasks. No averages were used.
3) Metrics software was used to monitor the amount of times each rep accessed the data in their two call center applications, so that we could make sure that each call we were using for the test was similar and fair when comparing to the two. This software also allowed us to see which reps were finished more quickly than others and were subsequently available to take more calls.
4) Upon the completion of our test, the information we had gathered (average time an agent using dual monitors completed a call vs. the amount of time a single monitor agent completed a call) was calculated to find the difference between the amount of available time an agent in each group had available per shift. Basically this time difference was our metric for efficiency. The agents who utilized two monitors had an average increase of 9% efficiency over the agents who only used one monitor and had to toggle between programs to access customer data and provide information on additional products. While 9% is a substantial gain, the benefit of this dual monitor test can be showed in payroll expense more clearly.
Example for payroll savings using data from study:
If you have a call center that employs 100 agents and you pay each agent 10 dollars an hour and they all work 40 hours a week with no overtime, you have a payroll expense of $40,000 dollars per week. If you can decrease your payroll overhead by 9% per week, by employing 9 fewer agents, you have saved $3,600.00 in one week. If you multiply $3,600.00 by 52 weeks (one year), you have an estimated payroll expense savings of $187,200.00 in your first year of using dual monitors!
Calculate your ROI:
With the average cost of our dual monitor being $739.00 you would have an initial expense of $67,249.00. You would recoup your investment in the dual monitor arrays within 19 weeks or in 4.75 months. After recouping your investment in the dual monitor arrays, this solution effectively eliminates over $119,951.00 in payroll expenses in one year!
Why isn't your company using multiple monitors? Contact us today to get a free quote!
Call toll-free 1.888.641.7227 or email us at sales@multiplexpc.com
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