The Volvo Support Center went through a major transition when they officially completed the separation from Ford in the 3^rd quarter of 2010.  Volvo also migrated the support of several applications.  All technical support was transitioned to Sweden.  This was challenging and exciting for the team.  During this transition contact volume tripled for the summer months in 2011.

Today, the Volvo Support Center provides both technical and administrative support for several applications such as Novell IDM and VRC2 which is the main web portal for retailers. The team also handles password resets for CIS, Parts and Warranty, TIE fax requests for access to web applications, configurations of Windows XP and Windows 7 and VIDA (Vehicle Information for Diagnostic Aftersales) which is a diagnostic tool with multiple functionalities.    

While the team is small, (5 agents, 1 SBA and a Team Leader and a Manager), they definitely deliver when it comes to the metrics. The client is pleased with the team’s  knowledge and the fact that they can consistently meet and exceed his high expectations when it comes to service level (which is 90% of all call answered within 60 seconds).

To see pictures of the event, please click the following link to go to our Facebook page.

Volvo Support Center Site Launch

I read a blog recently by Pat Lencioni entitled “Is innovation good or bad” and started thinking about this interesting term and how frequently it is used or requested without there being a clear understanding of what it means and why we are doing it.

There are several written definitions of innovation but the one that I feel is the most relevant is: “Innovation is creating value by implementing ideas”

If adding value is the measure, then who is the measurer?  Is this a personal measurement?   I ask these two questions because I feel in today’s world it is so easy for people to say “we are an innovative company” or “you are not an innovative company.”  The same applies to personal beliefs. 

So what are my thoughts on how to deal with this?

1. Review your customer survey to ensure that the “innovation” section / questions are asked in the right way so that you can specifically understand what this means to the person responding.  I believe that innovation is personal so this is crucial.  Without this you will not know what to do more of, less of or where to spend your money.
2. Look at the employee innovation feedback and the client feedback to see if there is a correlation. 
3. Define innovation in your organisation, sector and identify when innovative ideas occur and tell people about it, reward people for innovation.
4. Implement a robust ‘idea to innovation’ process that aligns to your vision so that ideas become real commercial services or products that add value.

So what does the future look like in relation to innovation?  I hope more clarity, better measurement and personalisation.  To avoid thinking that innovation is about large investments but to focus on the smaller things that truly add value to your customers and employees.

A prime example of such a change in tactics is British Gas, who, it was reported this week, is set to close one of their five UK call centres by the end of the year. The company say that the doubling of self service transactions and the implementation of smart meters have led to a drastic change in customer communication habits, and as a result fewer customers have been calling them.  One third of all their customers, British Gas claim, now choose to communicate with the brand online.  But is this change in strategy the right move? Are the energy giants equipped to handle such a change in customer behaviour?  After all, it was only early last year that British Gas were fined by industry regulators Ofgen for the mishandling of customer complaints, a punishment the company claimed to be “disproportionate” to the damage caused.  So how is the company manage those communicating through email?

A multichannel survey carried out on over 100 UK service providers began to shed some light on their, and others in the industry’s performance.

The survey, which recorded levels of customer satisfaction on a range of communication channels, highlighted that UK energy providers in general perform poorly when handling customer queries through email.  It reported that on average 80% of customer emails were responded to, yet only 40% were considered helpful or relevant to the complaint, leading to an increase in follow up emails and calls from the customer.

So what can we take from these results? When evidence points to a change in customer behaviour, companies must not only adapt to the change, but tailor their services in such a way that creates a seamless transition for the customer.  The question remains; can British Gas and others in the industry demonstrate service that pleases customers, regardless of the channel they choose to communicate? Share your thoughts below!

The Cancer Association of South Africa [CANSA] is the organiser of the event. The CANSA Shavathon is one of South Africa’s best-loved annual events in support of a worthy cause. People shave or spray their hair to show solidarity with cancer survivors or to remember loved ones lost to the disease. It also raises awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. As the shaving of heads can become a logistical nightmare [especially when it is not done indoors], the team opted for the spray-painting of hair or Spray-a-thon at a minimum donation of R20 per head.

The ‘old’ site, at the Customer Service Operations Canteen was manned by Percepta’s own Customer Relationship Centre staff with the assistance of Johnson, a Ford employee. Johnson remarked the following: I really enjoyed working here today. Percepta is like a family. The people come out to work and they joke with one another and one can feel the good vibe.2012 saw a first collaboration effort as the Ford Motor Company’s Wellness Coordinator offered to assist and organised an additional two sites where people could participate. One catered specifically for the parts warehouse staff. The second new site was situated next to the main canteen, an area with a lot of feet walking past. The high number of feet was evident in the R1 610 that was taken in that area.

Similar to 2011, most Percepta employees donated money to buy the paint needed for the day. As is the case with all volunteering efforts from small teams, every body contributed to the success of the day. The guys, who did not assist with the spraying, had to deal with all the incoming calls for the day. 

2012 saw the team reach the target of hosting a bigger event. A whopping R2 750 was raised, far exceeding the R1 356.50 that was raised in 2011.

A big highlight of the day was the launch of the new branding with a banner masterminded by Christel Snyman, the Operations Manager.

For more info about the Shavathon, see the CANSA website at www.cansa.org.za or www.shavathon.org.za.

Rob opened his presentation by demonstrating that people who watch TV are more than just viewers – they are consumers. They dictate what they watch, where and when, and this has been heightened by the ability to stop, record and play live TV. He pointed out that this will only become more evident as the lines between television and internet become increasingly blurred.

Being one of the first channels to launch its own channel on YouTube, undoubtedly places STV at the forefront of digital media. Rob pointed to the fact that their success in this area can be attributed to the combination of excellent technology coupled with an enthusiastic and skilled workforce. Creating an effective team ethos and culture is central to the progression of the organisation, and Rob gave us an insight in to how they do this at STV:

• Be accessible internally and externally
• Trust instinct
• Instil confidence in the team
• Know when to make change in your organisation
• Communication internally with staff is key – they must be informed
• Implement and measure your KPI’s
• Companies can ‘super perform’ by inspiring others to over achieve

Rob talked about the 3 pillars of STV – Connectivity, Community and Creativity. Our data rich environment means we know more about customers than ever before, and STV utilise this information to create a community with customers. At STV customer insight is key to enabling new relationships, something that Rob insists is a marketing must for all businesses who want to survive and thrive.

Does Zuckerberg intend to annihilate his competition, since Facebook’s strength lies in photo sharing, or does he intend to turn it into another channel to push ads through? Instagram has an impressive user base of almost 30 million registered users, but almost no revenue. I’ve read a couple of articles today that explain how Instagram puts the soul back into social sharing, making the experience more personal and intimate through the art of photography, tinged with nostalgia through multiple filters. Facebook, on the other hand, is seen as a social media conglomerate, which has managed to turn friendly social interactions between friends into highly targeted marketing campaigns for advertisers. Will Facebook keep Instagram alive as it is and as users like it or should we expect a hybrid photo sharing app for our timelines soon?

Another reason I’m writing this blog is to address the impeccable timing of the acquisition. Instagram launched its app for Android devices just last week, prior to which it was available only to iPhone, iPod and iPad users. Is this another way of staying ahead of Google, Facebook? No matter which angle I consider, it seems like a very interesting scenario, for the two companies involved, their users as well as their competition.

What do you think this acquisition holds for you as a user, and for the market? Let me know through your comments!

So what’s my point?

As a supplier we respond to tenders and briefs from clients asking for our proposal to support a part of their organisation.  Nearly every time, the brief will include details of the importance of company values:  how we can deliver experiences that support the clients’ values and how our values must be aligned to the clients’ values.  Now we all know that you cannot measure values, you measure behaviours that demonstrate those values.  So why do some organisations still behave in a way that does not support the values they talk about?  If they cannot behave in the right way, how do they expect their suppliers to behave in the right way?  How do employees of that supplier feel about that organisation and would they, as a customer, be able to be loyal to that organisation?  I feel that this is forgotten so many times and could so easily be rectified. 

So here are my top tips for a great partnership between suppliers and clients:

1. From the start don’t just talk about values, demonstrate what this means in terms of behaviours.  This does not start when you have signed a contract with a new supplier but from the very moment you meet, during the tender process and also if a contract has to be cancelled.  The way these key stages are managed, says a lot about an organisation and the values it really has.
2. Clients’ HR and Marketing teams need to be spend time with your suppliers’ employees when you roll out new customer campaigns or when you refresh your values
3. Reward suppliers not just on achievement of financial targets but on demonstrating those behaviours that support your values

So what are your views – if you are a client, how do you feel this could be improved?  Alternatively, suppliers, what are your thoughts – where has this worked well and why?

One very interesting point of view offered by the presenter was that customer service on social media is actually a part of an organisation’s PR strategy. It is as important as content and as critical as good customer relations. And just like Customer Experience Management, it should be owned by the entire company. One could argue that a representative from the marketing team could work alongside customer service representatives to define and execute search and rescue programmes for customers on social media. This is possible, of course, but is risky due to the evolving nature of the medium and the exponential exposure all social communication is subject to. 

Experts would advise you to spend a significant amount of time planning your social media strategy across the board – figuring out the budget, the approach, the tone, resources and the tools you’d need. Another aspect to keep in mind is that social media strategy will have to be revised every few months, because it is a dynamic medium; the forums, tools and your social customers are constantly evolving.

It could be that only one department in your company cannot effectively own your social media customer service, and just like Customer Experience Management, the buy in and effort put into its execution should come from your company as a whole. Where does customer service through social media sit within your company? Is your current approach working or would you consider splitting its ownership across different departments? Let me know via comments. Thanks!

In this age of consumer focus and customer-driven strategy (there are many more buzz words that I will avoid), you would be forgiven for thinking that such big organisations who employ thousands of people in customer marketing, customer service, customer relations and customer insight actually have the customer at the heart of the culture. 

Not so, it would appear.  And so Lloyds’ announcement that it was about time it had ‘one customer view’ is a big move, albeit a bit late.  Now, maybe they can be cut some slack in that they have just joined three big brands in a very difficult market.  But it would seem that, even within the individual brands, delivering a coordinated and choreographed service was slightly beyond their reach.

It’s not easy to change quickly, in fact for most businesses that just won’t happen.  And a lot of the delays aren’t just about finances and technology, but in the heart of the business – it’s culture.  If you drive and reward success on call targets, sales volumes and the odd half-hearted customer feedback round on the ‘front line’ then we shouldn’t be surprised that the whole business might just be run that way.

Some of the best businesses for customer engagement are those that have always had a culture for loyalty.  Being the best for great customer experience is much more important than just being the best in a sector or industry.  The energy sector demonstrates this point;  it may be great to be the top of the big six for customer satisfaction, but if that top place only comes with around 68% satisfaction in an industry where 70% of customers said they were not fully satisfied but only 20% switched provider, it’s not much kudos.

My view. 

• Run your customer service like a small business (especially if it is a small business).  If each person/team/department looked after their customers as if they were their very own, as if that customer coming back for more relied on that one interaction and experience, satisfaction and loyalty will follow.
• Give your people the tools.  A customer won’t care that you have seven different teams who deal with seven aspects of their account.  If you want your customers to have a great experience, you need to let everyone see what that experience looks like.  In addition, trust those who deliver for your customers to make the right decision.  Give a policy to hide behind and an environment that doesn’t foster ‘do the right thing’ and don’t be surprised when your bland service doesn’t break any records.
• Use customer feedback.  If you take time to find out what customers really want, and you act on those wants and drivers of satisfaction (not just cherry-pick the ones that suit you) then you will see the results.
• Reward and recognise outcomes, not outputs.  Sometimes the smallest and simplest of reports show the greatest of results.  If you want your customers to come back, to recommend you to others and to expand the services they need from you then recognise it won’t come from a hard focus on handling times and volumes alone.

Of course, there are many more ingredients to a great customer experience.  I would love to hear your views on making your experience better.  Who does it well and who deserves your loyalty?

Creating customer loyalty is undoubtedly an integral part of remaining competitive. Few businesses, if any, can survive without establishing a loyal customer base. In fact, the importance of customer loyalty was highlighted in a recent study which found that it can cost up to 5 times more to attract new customers than to retain your current ones.

This presents a particular challenge for the service industry. Services are unique in that they are intangible and therefore, it is particularly difficult for customers to assess the value of the service. Marketers then face the difficult task of trying to communicate the value of something which cannot be seen or touched. Further to this, if the service provider succeeds in meeting or surpassing the customer’s needs during one encounter, can it be ensured that they will continually meet the customer’s expectations in future encounters? This becomes especially challenging when the human aspect is thrown into the mix – a service provider having a bad day can evoke negative emotions in the customer and encourage them to assess alternative options. With all these things considered, doesn’t it become apparent how difficult it is to create loyalty when a service is the product on offer?

Let’s take a look at Apple. Apple has arguably the most loyal customers in the world, with some 84% of iPhone users saying they will choose an iPhone when replacing their device.   Apple followers report that their loyalty to Apple stems from two things – the product portfolio and the emotional connection with the brand. The Apple portfolio, which encompasses everything from iTunes, to MacBooks, to iPads and iPhones, is no doubt impressive. However, it is one thing to put out a great device – the real challenge lies in ensuring that a product integrates effortlessly into a customer’s life. Apple achieves this seamlessly. These powerful products coupled with the consumer’s relationship with the brand places apple at the top of the loyalty stakes. But is it possible to gain this same emotional connection with a service?

Trying to identify a service which boasts a loyal following is somewhat more difficult. Indeed, statistics show that, just 12% of utilities customers in the UK in 2011 claimed to have been loyal to a service provider. Of course this could be down the unique nature of the service industry; however, it can be argued that this lack of loyalty stems from a distinct gap between the customer expectations and the service they receive. Indeed, a recent study reported in the Harvard Business Review found that 48% of customers who had a negative service experience were less likely to feel loyalty towards that company.

From a business perspective – this raises some very interesting questions for the service industry. If providers ensured not only a high but also a consistent level of service, would they see an increase in loyalty? If they focussed on managing every touch point of the customer experience would they ever be able to create the same loyalty that consumers feel for products?

Let me know what you think through your comments.