IPA IP 2022 Question 54

Topic: Service Management

A question IPA Japan published in 令和4年度 ITパスポート試験 公開問題 問54, translated into English. ITPEC is based on the same exams.

A service desk that handles telephone inquiries from customers introduced an operator support system such as the following. Among the effects A through C that can be expected from introducing this system, which of the following lists all and only the appropriate ones?

The system recognizes the conversation between the customer and the operator, instantly matches it against a knowledge database, and displays the items that should be confirmed next and the candidates for the optimal answer on the operator’s display.

AEven an operator with little experience can respond to the customer on the basis of the optimal answer candidates, so variation in the responses by operators can be reduced.BThe system automatically grasps what the customer wants and answers it, so telephone inquiries can be handled 24 hours a day.CThe operator no longer needs to search for the information needed for the response, so the time to respond to each customer can be shortened.

Explanation

A and C — the system supports the operator, who still takes every call, so it evens out and speeds up the answers but does not answer customers by itself.

The system listens to the call, looks up the knowledge database at once and shows the operator what to confirm next and the best candidate answers. So:

  • •A Appropriate: an inexperienced operator sees the same optimal candidates as a veteran, so the quality of answers depends less on who takes the call
  • •B Not appropriate: the system only displays candidates on the operator's screen; it does not talk to the customer. Answering calls 24 hours a day without operators would need an automatic response such as a voice bot, and here an operator still has to be on the line
  • •C Appropriate: the information needed is shown automatically, so the operator does not spend time searching manuals or databases and each call is shorter

Answer (c)

Why not others:

  • •(a) and (b) — include B, which mistakes an operator support tool for an automatic answering system; (a) also leaves out the shorter handling time C
  • •(d) — includes B and leaves out the more even quality of answers A

Key rule: An operator support system (answer candidates shown to the operator) improves the consistency and speed of a service desk's answers, but the operator still answers; only automatic response (chatbots, voice bots) extends the hours without staff.

Service Management · AI-written, may contain errors

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This question comes from the past questions IPA Japan publishes, translated into English by ITPEC Practice. ITPEC Practice is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with IPA or ITPEC. See the original paper (PDF) or Report an issue.