Explanation
According to the theory of constraints (TOC), a service company that is experiencing long wait times for customer service should identify and address the bottleneck in the customer service process1.A bottleneck is the activity or resource that limits the throughput or output of the entire system2.TOC provides a five-step process for improving any system by focusing on the bottleneck3. The steps are:
Identify the system's constraint: find the activity or resource that has the least capacity or the longest cycle time in the customer service process.
Exploit the system's constraint: make the most of the available capacity or time of the bottleneck, such as reducing idle time, errors, or rework.
Subordinate everything else to the system's constraint: align the other activities or resources in the customer service process to the pace and priority of the bottleneck, such as balancing the workload, synchronizing the flow, or eliminating waste.
Elevate the system's constraint: increase the capacity or reduce the cycle time of the bottleneck, such as adding more staff, equipment, or technology, or redesigning the process.
Repeat the process: monitor the performance of the customer service process and identify and address the next constraint.
The other options are not the best steps to address the issue of long wait times for customer service, according to TOC.Increasing the number of staff members available before the bottleneck will not solve the problem, as it will only create more work-in-process inventory and increase the operational expense4.Implementing a more efficient customer service system may or may not help, depending on whether it addresses the root cause of the bottleneck or not5. Increasing the resources available to the customer service department may also be ineffective or inefficient, as it may not target the specific bottleneck or may create excess capacity or waste.