As a customer of many organisations ourselves, we’re all extremely well placed to understand what good, or great customer service looks and feels like. So why is it that so many, especially larger organisations find it so difficult to raise their game? I can’t bring myself to consider that they just don’t care… But I am prepared to consider that they have priorities a little messed up, and perhaps they have a culture and/or technology issue too. The critical point of engagement for many businesses now, is not face to face, as most communication is via a mobile device. This could be a phone call, a webchat, a social media chat (publicly or privately), WhatsApp etc.. The medium itself isn’t the issue I don’t believe, but the customer experience (cx) is critical. There are a few possibilities here, and some or all will apply. 1. Too much automation… Lacking human empathy especially where things aren’t completely black and white. This causes frustration for the customer resulting in a seriously poor customer experience. 2. Agents who are poorly trained lacking empathy and probably critically not suitably empowered or even motivated. 3. Poor (or lack of) tools and processes and lack of information for the agents to be able to effectively handle some calls or enquiries. 4. Integrated systems… Often businesses operate with disparate systems that do not inter-operate and therefore access to appropriate and often critical information becomes unnecessarily difficult. The agents at the coalface are therefore ill equipped to address many of the customer’s issues. This leads to friction and a feeling that the customer just isn’t important. Own goal! Bold business leadership is called for, and this demands that customers are placed at the centre of the business strategy, so that the customer experience (cx) is an exemplar. Who’s bold enough to do this I wonder? It needn’t be overwhelming for the business. In fact I’d suggest this will inspire the business and raise the game – happy to help if you’d like
The reason we’re here.. – Customer Care Rules
Graham Bunting -The Catalyst 