CASE STUDY SHAPE – EXAMPLE

On behalf of an international manufacturer of telecoms equipment we were asked to write a case study based on problems that had been experienced by a ferry operator with handling increasing volumes of incoming enquiries and bookings from prospective passengers. Let’s call the ferry operator ‘the Line’. In this instance the case study hadn’t yet been placed with a magazine; we were writing it ‘on spec’, so we set ourselves a wordage limit of 1,500. It went like this:

Title. An anodyne one for a so-far unknown magazine – ‘Call Centre Smooths Ferry Crossings’.

Introduction. Three lines introducing the subject of the case study and whetting appetites by mentioning that more than 2 million enquiries and bookings a year were now being handled profitably.

First paragraph. Basic facts about the Line, how successful it had been, and how its business was expanding.

Second section. The existing telephone call centre. Problems posed by handling increasing volumes of calls, and the need to adopt a more marketing-oriented approach to enquiries and bookings.

Third section. Crunch time. The Line started another cross-Channel route, calls up to 1.8m a year, more product offerings to sell, call centre not coping: Quote by call centre manager describing pressure from departments.

Fourth section. How the Line went about looking for a new call centre. The criteria and specifications they set out. Tendering. Order placed with our client for latest state-of-the-art call centre. Quote from call centre manager explaining why our client won the contract.

Fifth section. Details of the new call centre. Easier to use. Flexible working. Supports more agents. 24-hour support by our client.

Last paragraph. The benefits. Improved call handling. Better workload scheduling. Ability to accept a planned new reservations system and interaction with the Line’s websites. Quote from call centre manager about staff numbers, training programmes, etc.

Conclusion. Calls now up to 2m a year. Quote from call centre manager about our client being innovative, close support, relationship good.

We finally wrote 1,490 words. Our client’s name was mentioned eight times, and the proprietary names of its equipment scored 13.