01 · THE PROBLEM
THE SITUATION
Dignified Days, a home hospice medical equipment provider across GA, AL, and FL, was drowning in routine CSR calls about deliveries, returns, and troubleshooting. With an elderly patient population that preferred phone over digital, call volume showed no signs of slowing.
THE IMPACT
CSRs had no bandwidth left for high-value work, including insurance coordination, new patient orders, and complex case management. Operational efficiency was suffering and labor costs were climbing.
02 · SCALE OF THE PROBLEM
Before recommending a solution, we quantified the problem. The numbers made the urgency clear.
DAILY CALLS
500
Fielded by just 10 CSRs
ANNUAL VOLUME
125K
500 calls × 250 working days
STATUS QUO COST
$1.6M
3-year total if nothing changes
03 · ANALYSIS APPROACH
We evaluated three strategic alternatives using a combination of cost modeling, NPV analysis, and a weighted scoring framework across five criteria.
METHOD 01
COST MODELING
3-year total cost of ownership for each alternative, including implementation, staffing, and ongoing operations.
METHOD 02
NPV ANALYSIS
Net present value calculation to compare long-term financial returns across all three alternatives.
METHOD 03
WEIGHTED SCORING
Scored on cost efficiency, scalability, customer experience, compliance, and implementation feasibility.
THREE ALTERNATIVES
| ALTERNATIVE | DESCRIPTION | 3-YR COST |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Status Quo | Keep 10 CSRs with minor routing upgrades. Doesn't address root cause of call volume. | $1,608,000 |
| 2. Outsource | Third-party BPO handles inbound calls. Lower cost but introduces HIPAA and quality control risks. | $1,034,300 |
| 3. AI Integration★ RECOMMENDED | AI-powered IVR + SMS chatbot automates top 3 call types. CSR team reduced from 10 to 6. | $1,200,400 |
WEIGHTED SCORING RESULTS
Scored out of 5 across all criteria. AI Integration outperformed on every dimension except upfront cost.
04 · RECOMMENDATION
★ RECOMMENDED SOLUTION
AI INTEGRATION VIA IVR + SMS CHATBOT (FIVE9)
Projected to deflect ~40% of inbound calls, exceeding the 25% MOV target. Reduces CSR headcount from 10 to 6, delivers 24/7 coverage, and scores highest across all weighted criteria. The hybrid human-AI model is non-negotiable in hospice care: empathy can't be automated, and the system was designed with that constraint at the center.
40%
Call deflection rate
-4
CSR headcount reduction
24/7
Coverage delivered
4.3/5
Weighted score
05 · KEY RISKS & MITIGATIONS
Two primary risks were identified and addressed in the final recommendation.
CUSTOMER ADOPTION
Elderly patients may resist automation. Mitigated by a hybrid model: AI handles routine, humans handle complex and emotional calls. No patient is ever left without a live option.
MEDIUM RISK
HIPAA COMPLIANCE
AI platform must meet HIPAA standards with encryption and audit trails. Budgeted $8K/year for ongoing compliance reviews and vendor certification requirements.
MANAGED RISK
06 · REFLECTION
WHAT I LEARNED
As group leader, my contributions were the executive summary, MOV definition, and recommendation section. The biggest insight: in hospice care, the "best" technology isn't the cheapest, since patient demographics and empathy constraints meant the AI solution had to be designed around human fallback, not replace it. I also got hands-on with NPV calculations, cost modeling, and weighted scoring, frameworks I want to keep building on. One challenge I found engaging was managing the project as it unfolded across separate deliverables, all while we presented to the class as if we were pursuing real funding for it, which meant constantly re-prioritizing as new pieces came together.