AGILE – WATERFALL: Is this the best Hybrid Model?

Waterfall model is one of the most traditional and earliest SDLC approach that is used for software development. It is also referred to as the Linear – Sequential Life Cycle Model. It gained popularity as it is easy to understand and implement. Waterfall model are generally preferred for small projects where there are no uncertain requirements. Waterfall model may be the best when it comes to small projects with defined and fixed requirements, however, Waterfall Model fails when the requirements changes dynamically in the course of the project. Accommodating change in requirements is difficult under Waterfall Model.

To solve this problem with Waterfall Model, Agile approach comes into picture. Agile needs no explanation, the name in itself is self-explanatory. With Agile, handling changes in requirement is a cake walk. In fact, Agile Model is preferred when the project demands inclusion of new requirements at every stage in the project. Although Agile seems to be a solution to most of the software development problems, it is not a ‘one size fits all’ solution. 

Hybrid models are created to tackle the limitations of choosing a methodology for software development. Hybrid models help to bridge the gap and provide optimum solution. It provides best of both worlds and eliminates the difficulties faced in the base models. Hybrid model does not guarantee to be a problem free methodology but with proper planning and careful monitoring of the processes, its benefits can negate its drawbacks.

Agile – Waterfall Hybrid is one approach that seems to have gained a lot of popularity. It gives you the sturdiness of Waterfall model but also provides flexibility related to dynamic requirements. With any Hybrid model, both sides must understand the boundaries of the framework. Waterfall development must be lenient with regards to fixed expectations for the flexibility and freedom of the Agile world. The Agile method should be creative with a little less freedom when working against a fixed deadline project.

Conclusion: 

The Agile-Waterfall Hybrid mode is not only helpful in retaining clarity that Waterfall model provides but also is determined in accepting the strengths and benefits of the Agile methodology. It is difficult to say whether this is the best hybrid model but if the blend between Agile and Waterfall models is appropriate, all the stakeholders involved in the project will have a happy time.

About Author:

Sachin Poojary is a consultant in Systems Plus Pvt. Ltd. Within Systems Plus, he actively contributes to the areas of Technology and Information Security. He can be contacted at: sachin.poojary@spluspl.com

Mr. Perfect Support

Customer support service and it’s proficiency in delivering excellence requires high competency measures. High customer satisfaction, long term customer loyalty are few measurable parameters that are taken into consideration by the organizations that are playing in the service sector.

Have you ever thought that who do you choose to be on your team of customer service awesomeness? How would you streamline the selection process for selecting people who will be interacting with your prized customers, troubleshooting their issues and guiding them through the organizational processes?

Your primary objective to choose the Mr. Perfect should be beyond the boundaries of just hiring the right one but should also not hire the wrong one. Hiring your support team can be a tedious task. But believe me it doesn’t have to be. Here are some pointers to be considered while choosing your support team. Below listed are few points that define an outline for choosing customer support team:

1. Know yourself
2. Know the skill set
3. Formulate precise Interview questions
4. Communication skills (Written and Verbal)
5. Great listening skills
6. Perfect attitude
7. Fit Vs Qualification

Below are the detailed understanding of the points listed above:

1.Know yourself

Before you decide to hire Mr. Support Perfect, it is very important to know your business and what you want should actually form the basis of your hiring decision. Your decision drills down to a billion dollar question as to ‘What type of image do you want to portray to your customers?’ Every domain has its own persona for example, a telecom company may want to display a different persona from a banking and finance company or a FMCG company. Know your business personality, values, and beliefs you need to display as your organizations face so that you can hire people that share these.

2.Know the skill set

What are the skill sets that are necessary for your support staff and that can be inculcated in them by means of training sessions or learned while on the job? In today’s proficient world a support executive must have a little hands-on on computer or be really good at their written and oral communications. These are few skill sets that will increase their good fit criteria for either a chat support or call support. Few IT support organizations also look in for candidates with deep knowledge of computer application or hardware. These can be considered as additional skill sets required. A basic list of skills necessary for your support roles need to created and ensure that your hires have that basic level of skill.

3.Formulate precise Interview questions

A very important aspect of customer support team selection is the interview phase. One is always recommended to conduct a face to face conversion then just judge a candidate basis the resume. The interview questionnaire should be precise enough to gain more visibility of a person’s quality matrix. Seems like a near to impossible task but is being accomplished on a probability basis. Few things that an Interviewer should explore in an interview call:

• Truthful
• Creative
• Empathy
• Inquisitive
• Passionate
• Overall Attitude
• Engagement

4.Communication skills (Written and Verbal)

Among the primary skills for a customer service position is good communication. Candidate with good choice of words and clarity in their voice is suitable for a voice support job, while of course one also should have a string control on good grammar and good typing speed for live chat. It is an added and must have quality for a customer support agent to be able to understand concepts necessary to help the customer and also explain these in an easily understandable and precise way.

5. Great listening skills

A very important value is the need to be able to listen with intent. It is quite often observed, that customers are not accurate in identifying their issues and hence, it is important that the support team carefully listens analysis and present a satisfying resolution to the issues. Some suggestions to pick a good listeners include:

• How many times the representative interrupts the conversation
• Whether or not they respond to all parts of a multi-part question
• What questions are asked by the representative to issue understanding

6.Perfect attitude

How important do you think it is that the customer support executive has appropriate skills? Should be the primary requirement. A more important aspect for a support executive is also to have the right attitude. Your customer support employee should be service minded, and be willing to deliver excellence and go the extra mile to ensure that each and every customer that they interact with has a feeling of satisfaction. It is important that your team comes into the job with the right attitude and mindset already ingrained in their personality, because it is fundamentally difficult to change a person’s attitude and mindset. Few personality traits that a support team should possess are empathy, warmth, passion and righteousness.

7.Fit Vs Qualification

We always have the mindset to hire employees with the sparkling records. That’s where the main point is missed, we should hire people that fit into your company and culture. It is not always mandatory that the best qualified will prove to be the best fit in your organization.

Conclusion:

Considering above listed points, choose an employee who you think will be able to gel with your team and company as opposed to a “model” employee. Last but not the least, once you find the Mr. Perfect Support it is equally important to equip your team with the right tools to provide excellent and efficient customer experience.

About Author:

Mrudula Palyekar is a consultant in Systems Plus Pvt. Ltd. Within Systems Plus, she actively contributes to the areas of Technology and Information Security. She can be contacted at: mrudula.palyekar@spluspl.com