Evaluate training for a Patna call centre
Before the decision
A supervisor’s team improved after a training pilot, but several difficult queues moved elsewhere. The team that tried coaching received simpler tickets midway through the pilot. The training lead has to protect against another routing change during evaluation.
The problem
Should the team choose Peer coaching or Online module for the next 12 months?
Decision owner: The business unit lead.
Different queues make raw resolution rates hard to compare.
Option economics
Scroll the table to see all figures.
| Option | Volume (resolved tickets) | ₹ per unit | Fixed cost | Net contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peer coaching | 1,92,000 | 31 | ₹47 lakh | ₹12.52 lakh |
| Online module | 1,81,000 | 30 | ₹42 lakh | ₹12.3 lakh |
Make the call
- Calculate net contribution for Peer coaching and Online module. Which assumption makes the comparison most fragile?
- If the leading option delivers 10% fewer resolved tickets, does your recommendation change?
- What evidence would you ask for before the team makes an irreversible commitment?
Reveal the worked solution
Start by validating Peer coaching. It contributes ₹12.52 lakh after fixed costs and leads by ₹0.22 lakh. Treat that gap as the amount of unmodelled cost or lost contribution the option can absorb before the ranking reverses.
- Frame the decision
Specify the eligible population and the outcome before collecting data. Treat the figures as planning estimates. Use comparable groups to measure the effect before rollout.
- Calculate both options
Peer coaching: 1,92,000 resolved tickets × ₹31 less ₹47 lakh in fixed costs gives ₹12.52 lakh. Online module: 1,81,000 resolved tickets × ₹30 less ₹42 lakh in fixed costs gives ₹12.3 lakh.
- Stress-test the forecast
Peer coaching leads by ₹0.22 lakh in the base case. If Peer coaching delivers 10% fewer resolved tickets (1,72,800) at the same margin and fixed cost, it contributes ₹6.57 lakh. Holding the other option constant, the stressed result falls behind. This isolates volume risk. Check whether both options would respond to the same change in demand.
- Set a decision threshold
Holding the other option’s result fixed, Peer coaching needs at least 1,91,291 resolved tickets to match or beat it under the model. Assign within queue and tenure, and compare repeat contacts as a quality check.
Different queues make raw resolution rates hard to compare. Compare the cost of a limited test with the loss the business would face if the full commitment failed. Ask the team to agree the decision criterion before collecting more evidence.
Check whether your answer names the trade-off, cites a number from the exhibit and specifies a reversal condition.
What if the whole market moves?
The worked solution tests a change to one option at a time. Here, both options gain or lose the same percentage of volume. Unit contribution and fixed costs stay constant.
| Volume scenario | Peer coaching | Online module | Higher contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Both lose 10% of volume | ₹6.57 lakh | ₹6.87 lakh | Online module |
| Base assumptions | ₹12.52 lakh | ₹12.3 lakh | Peer coaching |
| Both gain 10% of volume | ₹18.47 lakh | ₹17.73 lakh | Peer coaching |
Explain which option you would take forward. Check whether capacity, price or customer mix would also change as the market moves.
Practise this case as an interview