Kisan Call Center (2)

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KISAN CALL CENTER P. PRASHANTH. PhD SCHOLAR , ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, ANGRAU, HYDERABAD, TELANGANA.

Transcript of Kisan Call Center (2)

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KISAN CALL CENTER

P. PRASHANTH. PhD SCHOLAR , ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, ANGRAU, HYDERABAD, TELANGANA.

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INTRODUCTION The Department of agriculture and cooperation

(DAC), Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India launched Kisan Call Centers on January 21, 2004 across the country to deliver extension services to the farming community.

The purpose of these call centers is to respond to issues raised by farmers, instantly, in the local language

There are call centers for every state which are expected to handle traffic from any part of the country.

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The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India has  launched Kisan Call Centers with a view to leverage the extensive telecom infrastructure in the country to deliver extension services to the farming community..

The purpose of these Call Centers is mainly to respond to issues raised by farmers instantly in the local language, on continuous basis.

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Concept of Kisan Call Center The challenges before Indian Agriculture

are immense. This sector needs to grow at a faster rate than in the past to allow for higher per capita income and consumption. It is an accepted fact that the sound agricultural development is essential for the overall economic progress.

About two thirds of workforce directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. This sector generates about 28 percent of its GDP and over 15 percent of exports.

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A Kisan Call Center consists of a complex of A Kisan Call Center consists of a complex of telecommunication infrastructure, computer support and telecommunication infrastructure, computer support and human resources organized to manage effectively and human resources organized to manage effectively and efficiently the queries raised by farmers instantly in the efficiently the queries raised by farmers instantly in the local language.local language.

Mainly, Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs) using Mainly, Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs) using telephone and computer, interact with farmers to telephone and computer, interact with farmers to understand the problem and answer the queries at a Call understand the problem and answer the queries at a Call Centre.Centre.

This is a functional area within an organization like This is a functional area within an organization like Research Stations, ATICs, KVKs Agricultural Colleges, Research Stations, ATICs, KVKs Agricultural Colleges, or an outsourced, where separate facilities exist solely to or an outsourced, where separate facilities exist solely to answer inbound calls or make outbound telephone calls, answer inbound calls or make outbound telephone calls, to resolve the queries of pending calls.to resolve the queries of pending calls.

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Usually it refers to a sophisticated voice operations Usually it refers to a sophisticated voice operations center that provides a full range of inbound or outbound center that provides a full range of inbound or outbound call handling services including customer support, direct call handling services including customer support, direct assistance, multi-lingual customer support and other assistance, multi-lingual customer support and other services.services.

This is a new dimension in Agriculture Extension This is a new dimension in Agriculture Extension Management, which takes account of, and makes full use Management, which takes account of, and makes full use of on-going information and communication revolution, of on-going information and communication revolution, by optimally utilizing the communication bandwidth to by optimally utilizing the communication bandwidth to serve the farming community in remotest areas of the serve the farming community in remotest areas of the country by connecting them to best of the agricultural country by connecting them to best of the agricultural scientific community.scientific community.

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This is an important value multiplier for the existing This is an important value multiplier for the existing extension mechanisms, which find it otherwise extension mechanisms, which find it otherwise difficult (in terms of infrastructure and finances) to difficult (in terms of infrastructure and finances) to

reach their desired clientelereach their desired clientele..

This will enable establishment of close linkages and This will enable establishment of close linkages and seamless communication mechanism among the key seamless communication mechanism among the key stakeholders in the extension system namely – stakeholders in the extension system namely – Agricultural Scientists, Extension Functionaries, Farmers Agricultural Scientists, Extension Functionaries, Farmers and Marketing Agencies.and Marketing Agencies.

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Aims and Objectives::Objective of the scheme has been to make

agriculture knowledge available at free of cost to the farmers as and when desired.

Major aims and objectives are: To harness the knowledge the in the field of

agriculture and related areas ad to disseminate them amongst the farming community as well as to solve the everyday problems in farmer’s own language and context at the grass root level.

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To provide an enabled dynamic encyclopedia To provide an enabled dynamic encyclopedia for use by farmers, agriculture, extension for use by farmers, agriculture, extension workers, agri-input dealers and various other workers, agri-input dealers and various other stake holders in agriculture.stake holders in agriculture.

To create a database, which compiles and collates the actual location specific need of the farmers and to classify them in an intelligent format for use by decision makers, researchers, traders and industrialists.

To provide an opportunity to the scholars and agricultural scientists to play a dynamic role in the transformation of Indian agriculture to a sustainable one.

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To establish a network of relationship among the scientists/experts, policy makers, extension workers and other stake holders.

To trap the traditional knowledge systems available with farming community to enrich the knowledge bank in agricultural sector and their application in the farmer’s fields.

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OPERATIONAL MECHANISM: The Kisan Call Center is a synthesis of two hitherto The Kisan Call Center is a synthesis of two hitherto

separate technologies namely, the Information & separate technologies namely, the Information & Communication Technology (ICT) and the Agricultural Communication Technology (ICT) and the Agricultural Technology.Technology.

To optimally utilize the strengths of both these systems, To optimally utilize the strengths of both these systems, it was proposed to take full advantage of professionally it was proposed to take full advantage of professionally managed Call Centre mechanism and dovetail it with the managed Call Centre mechanism and dovetail it with the specialized Subject Matter Specialists knowledge of specialized Subject Matter Specialists knowledge of Agricultural Scientists and Extension Officers, so as to Agricultural Scientists and Extension Officers, so as to facilitate its reach to the farming community.facilitate its reach to the farming community.

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The Kisan Call Center, consists of The Kisan Call Center, consists of three levelsthree levels – namely : – namely :

1.1. Level-ILevel-I (the basic Call Center interface, with (the basic Call Center interface, with high quality bandwidth and local language high quality bandwidth and local language proficient Agriculture Graduate), proficient Agriculture Graduate),

2.2. Level-IILevel-II (Subject Matter Specialists on (Subject Matter Specialists on concerned important crops and enterprises, concerned important crops and enterprises, connected through good bandwidth telecom connected through good bandwidth telecom and computer connectivity) and computer connectivity)

3.3. Level-IIILevel-III (the Management Group to ensure (the Management Group to ensure ultimate answering and resolution of all the ultimate answering and resolution of all the farmers’ queries which are not resolved at farmers’ queries which are not resolved at Level-II, connected on off line mode).Level-II, connected on off line mode).

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Level –I: The call coming to the call center is picked up by an

operator (level –I functionary) who after a short welcome message takes down the basic information and the query of the caller.

These details are fed into a computer located next to the operator by the operator himself.

And the first level receiver of the call would also feeds And the first level receiver of the call would also feeds into the computer the question being asked by the into the computer the question being asked by the farmer. farmer.

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The first level operators preferably would be an The first level operators preferably would be an agricultural graduate with rural background knowing agricultural graduate with rural background knowing local language. They should also posses’ good local language. They should also posses’ good

communication skillscommunication skills..

They would be in a position to answer a majority of the They would be in a position to answer a majority of the questions likely to be asked by the farmers.questions likely to be asked by the farmers.

Level-II:Level-II: The level –II consists of Subject Matter Specialists (SMS)

who are located at their respective place (Research Stations, ATICs, KVKs, Agricultural colleges), of work.

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In case the first level operator is not In case the first level operator is not able to answer the question, the able to answer the question, the operator forwards (in call sharing operator forwards (in call sharing mode) the call to the concerned mode) the call to the concerned Subject Matter Specialist.Subject Matter Specialist.

The data relating to the caller including the question asked is also be transferred to the Level-II functionary on his computer along with the call.

Hence, when the specialist takes the forwarded call, his computer also shows the data and question asked so that there is no repetition.

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In normal cases, the entire spill over questions from the first level get answered at this level.

In case, it is not possible to answer, there is a system to revert back to the caller by post / fax / e-mail or by telephone in 72 hours.

While selecting the specialists, it would be important to first identify the major crops in that state and the issues on which the questions are likely to be asked..

These specialists should be such that they will answer most of the questions that are likely to be asked.

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There could be two options available on the selections of the specialists.

One option could be to select commodity wise specialist, that is, every question related to a

particular crop or commodity would be directed to that specialist, who would in turn answer that question.

Other option could be to select general specialists who would deal with various subjects likely to

arise.

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The specialists should ideally be located The specialists should ideally be located within a city. within a city.

They should have good communication They should have good communication skills and should know the local skills and should know the local language. language.

These specialists should have at least a These specialists should have at least a minimum of 10-15 years of field minimum of 10-15 years of field experience in their respective experience in their respective specialization.  specialization. 

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Level – III:Level – III: Consists of a dedicated cell located at the Nodal Office.Consists of a dedicated cell located at the Nodal Office.

This would receive the questions that have not been This would receive the questions that have not been answered at the first and the second levels.answered at the first and the second levels.

Appropriate replies to these questions would be then Appropriate replies to these questions would be then framed in consultation with the concerned specialists framed in consultation with the concerned specialists available within or outside the State, by the nodal available within or outside the State, by the nodal cellcell..

The replies would be sent to the farmers promptly by The replies would be sent to the farmers promptly by post/e-mail/fax/ telephone etc. within 72 hours of post/e-mail/fax/ telephone etc. within 72 hours of receipt of the question.receipt of the question.

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Schematic RepresentationFarmer Dials Help line No: 1551

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Skills required at different levels in Kisan Call Centres

(a(a) Facilitation Skills

(b) Communication Skills:   

(c) Computer Skills: 

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(a(a) Facilitation Skills:

When a call received at the Level-I and Level-II, the When a call received at the Level-I and Level-II, the receivers welcome the caller by receivers welcome the caller by “Greetings”“Greetings” and and facilitate him in presenting the problem in a focused facilitate him in presenting the problem in a focused way by giving a lead to his query in the following way by giving a lead to his query in the following way:way:

Speak in Farmer’s languageSpeak in Farmer’s language Use Easy words Use Easy words Use short sentences Use short sentences Give patient listening to understand the local conditions Give patient listening to understand the local conditions

and Farmer’s situation for the query he and Farmer’s situation for the query he raises.raises. Diagnose the problem by probing the details. Diagnose the problem by probing the details. Answering the query at the level of farmer’s knowledge. Answering the query at the level of farmer’s knowledge.

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(b) Communication Skills:  Empathize with the farmer Listen actively for content and feeling Exhibit commitment and interest to convince the

farmer Avoid defensiveness in conversation. Use personal words in conversation Relate with local experiences, if possible. Avoid use of unnecessary and complex words and

sentences    Smooth transition in voice Speak politely Close call with greetings. 

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(c) Computer Skills: 

Basic knowledge of key board and mouse Basic knowledge of key board and mouse

Basic knowledge of InternetBasic knowledge of Internet

Sending and Receiving E-mails.Sending and Receiving E-mails.

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Monitoring and Review of Kisan Call Center

For successful functioning of Kisan Call Centers, For successful functioning of Kisan Call Centers, there is a need to monitor and review the various there is a need to monitor and review the various activities of the KCC by the Nodal Institution activities of the KCC by the Nodal Institution on regular basison regular basis

The Nodal Institution is responsible for documenting the The Nodal Institution is responsible for documenting the daily activities of the Kisan Call Center at various daily activities of the Kisan Call Center at various levels on farmers’ queries and their resolution, levels on farmers’ queries and their resolution, availability of Subject Matter Specialists, call dropouts availability of Subject Matter Specialists, call dropouts and their transfer to Level-III and response to the and their transfer to Level-III and response to the farmers within 72 hours.farmers within 72 hours.

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The Nodal Institution will also organize fortnightly meetings with the Heads of Departments of Response Centers for first 6 months to ensure the proper identification and placement and changes if necessary of Level-II functionaries and resolution of the queries shared with Subject Matter Specialists and their documentation. .

The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Govt. of India will review the functioning of all the Kisan Call Centers with the Heads of Nodal Institutions every month to start with for first six months and subsequently for every quarter in each of the Nodal Institution on rotation basis.

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Documentation and Reporting:: The Nodal Institution is responsible for The Nodal Institution is responsible for

documentation and reporting. documentation and reporting.

The Officer In-charge of the Nodal Institution The Officer In-charge of the Nodal Institution will gather the reports from the Kisan Call will gather the reports from the Kisan Call Center / Response Centers and prepare a Center / Response Centers and prepare a consolidated statement on farmers’ queries consolidated statement on farmers’ queries and answers, crop / enterprise-wise, along and answers, crop / enterprise-wise, along with the resolutions given at Level-III and with the resolutions given at Level-III and report to the Department of Agriculture & report to the Department of Agriculture & Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture Cooperation (DAC), Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), Govt. of India through e-mail on (MOA), Govt. of India through e-mail on fortnightly basis.fortnightly basis.

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All the proceedings of the Kisan Call Center will be All the proceedings of the Kisan Call Center will be documented by each of the Nodal Institution and documented by each of the Nodal Institution and shared with other Kisan Call Centers for preparing a shared with other Kisan Call Centers for preparing a database on crop / enterprise-wise and also to database on crop / enterprise-wise and also to prepare Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).prepare Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

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