Final answer:
The correct answer is option b) the specialization of customer service reps into two areas leads to increased average flow time and a higher proportion of busy signals due to a potential bottleneck.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is option b) Average flow time would increase and the proportion of callers getting a busy signal would increase. This outcome is due to the specialization of the customer service representatives into two areas: orders and complaints.
Since calls arrive every 30 seconds (2 calls per minute), and each representative takes 2 minutes to serve a customer, this will lead to a bottleneck.
With 3 representatives dedicated to each type of call, there might be times when all representatives are busy, particularly given that not all calls will be evenly distributed between orders and complaints.
As such, despite the intent to increase throughput, the overall average flow time may increase because of the potential for increased waiting times when call volumes for one type exceed the available lines and representatives.
Additionally, the probability of getting a busy signal increases because the segmentation reduces flexibility to handle call volume surges in either category.
The correct answer is option d). When the call center divides the lines and representatives into orders and complaints, the average flow time would decrease.
Since the workload is divided, each representative can focus on their specific task, leading to faster service times. Additionally, the proportion of callers getting a busy signal would decrease as there are more lines available to handle the incoming calls.