Step Four: Create an Action Plan
It is now time to create an action plan to bridge the gap. Ensure that you have a clear idea of what resources are available so that your action plan is realistic. A multi-phased action plan may be appropriate depending on your project.
Sample Project: Improve Response Times to Customer Inquiries
| Future State | Current State | Gap | Action Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer e-mail inquiries will be replied to within 24 hours on average | Average response time is 32 hours | 8 hours | Create e-mail templates about the most frequent inquiries Conduct training on using and customizing these templates Conduct problem-solving training |
| Customer telephone inquiries will be answered within 5 minutes on average | Average hold time is 8 minutes | 3 minutes | Create electronic templates to replace paper templates Conduct training on the new templates Provide customer service reps with more clearly defined authorization and spending levels Stagger lunch and shift changeover times |