

Inside the Modernization of High-Volume Call Centers


Inside the Modernization of High-Volume Call Centers
Public benefits programs field enormous call volumes — and the pressure on those systems became impossible to ignore during and after the pandemic. This workshop features practitioners from two state agencies who led call center modernization efforts from the inside. Speakers will share what the modernization process actually looks like — what prompted the effort, what they changed, what was harder than expected, and how it is impacting the lives of everyday residents. Participants will come away with a grounded, practitioner perspective on what it takes to redesign high-stakes, high-volume contact center operations within the real constraints of a public agency.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
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Describe the drivers and process behind real call center modernization efforts in state government.
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Identify common operational and organizational challenges agencies face when redesigning phone-based services.
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Apply lessons from a public benefits context to diagnose improvement opportunities in their own agencies.
Jaime Brancato
Deputy Director, Food and Energy Assistance Division, Colorado Department of Human Services
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Ed Kwiatkowski
Assistant Director – NJ Division of Unemployment
Rob Asaro Angelo
Senior Fellow, Burnes Center for Social Change & Professor, Northeastern University
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