You manage a patient referral helpline in which callers receive recommendations for physicians that treat special conditions or that have special training or skills.

In the last year, the number of calls your helpline receives has doubled. While you don't have budget to hire additional staff, you have an additional $20,000 to spend on your department to improve efficiency and customer satisfaction. Using the five-step planning process mentioned below as your guide, discuss how you will improve efficiency and customer satisfaction in your organization.

The planning process begins with identification of a problem and ends with evaluation of implemented solutions.

This section covers each step of the planning process in detail, addressing the key responsibilities of managers at each phrase. The following are five steps in the planning process:

Step 1: Identify and define the problem.

Step 2: Generate and evaluate possible courses of action.

Step 3: Choose a preferred solution.

Step 4: Implement the solution.

Step 5: Evaluate results.