There’s a long-established wisdom which has it that the difference between good and bad customer service rests entirely with the quality of the workforce and the training that they receive.
Whilst there is an element of truth in this, in a modern company a great deal more depends upon the systems that are being used to support the workforce. If these aren’t effective, then it is difficult for even the most conscientious employee to deliver a really good service.
So the question is, how does the IT you use impact on customer care? And will speeding it up offer improvements?
How does speed relate to service?
There is no obvious correlation between fast IT systems and good customer service. Sometimes all that is called for is a simple smile or a “thank you”. Good customer skills long pre-date the advent of information technology.
But in today’s fast-moving world customers increasingly prefer systems which work quickly and efficiently, with the minimum of fuss. Calling somebody on a telephone and explaining their requirements can be an onerous and unnecessarily time-consuming process. A simple interaction via an electronic interaction can speed things up exponentially.
Making it as easy as possible for customers to submit their requests and to have them dealt with correctly and efficiently is quite often the ultimate good customer service experience. Many who were initially sceptical find they are pleasantly surprised once they’ve given it a chance.
Of course there are times when a specific need has to be discussed at length or in some detail and then there remains a necessity to speak to a live person, and preferably one who has some good interpersonal skills. But even then that employee will often be relying on IT in order to interrogate the customer’s query and to find a quick and effective solution.
The need to effectively handle incoming calls
Many customers, particularly of the older generation, are often to be heard complaining about computerised systems, as against interacting with a real live person. Systems where incoming calls are subdivided into different areas and directed to specific departments come in for particular criticism.
But there is a method to automated phone systems which has been shown in studies to be popular with a majority of users. The reason for this is actually quite logical. Calls which are picked up by a random live person are likely to need dealing with by an entirely different person, which then results in the caller being passed across to somebody else, possibly more than once. This can be a cause of some frustration.
A correctly configured automated system, on the other hand, will pass each query to the correct department for the appropriate action. Job done.
It is also possible for automated systems to entirely negate the need for human involvement. Take for instance when the customer of a utility company wishes to pay a bill. By entering the relevant account number, payment amount and card details the transaction can all be completed remotely. This speeds up the whole process, as well as removing the possibility of human error.
Some of the more efficient systems are also capable of transcribing incoming information in real time, rather than having to wait for a person at the other end of the line having to write down information as you are giving it. If the telephone operator cannot write efficiently in shorthand this can have the effect slowing down the process considerably.
Of course in order to effectively replace person to person interaction the systems have to work as they are intended to, rather than to lead callers to dead ends. It is when they fail to function as they should that frustrations understandably develop.
Maintaining IT network systems
Whilst it is important that systems work properly, it is most important of all of course that they work at all. So many applications are based upon a solitary server operating in the cloud, and speed is vital for their effective operation. When systems fail to operate as they should immediate action is usually needed to rectify them, but it isn’t always instantly available when you need it.
One vital development in the world of IT has been the creation of SD WAN, or software defined wide-area networks. This allows for hands-on control of the relevant network devices, even when there is no immediate physical IT support available in attendance.
Traditional WANs depend upon users being able to access devices themselves in order to maintain them. Often a simple reset is all that is required, whilst at other times more complex procedures need to be followed such as the adjustment of settings. SD WAN makes for remote handling of issues, minimising downtime and any subsequent cost to your business – and while they don’t yet replace the need for an MPLS system, there’s a strong possibility they will make your infrastructure more streamlined.
Managing the relationship with customers
Just how frustrating is it when you’ve called a provider’s customer service department only to have to patiently explain the details of your complaint to someone who just isn’t getting it or, worse still, who patently isn’t even listening?
Customers understandably list having to repeat themselves when explaining issues as one of the most irritating aspects of dealing with service providers.
This is one of the many areas where IT software can help things along. Using a customer relationship management tool (CRM) it is possible for a supplier to access all your details together from one cloud-based source without the need for lengthy interrogations leading to misunderstandings. And if a customer is cut off during the call, there is absolutely no need for them to have to start all over again as the information will have been retained and can be revisited straight away.
Interestingly, CRMs can often be integrated with an automatic hosted telephone service, which means that tasks carried out by the customer without service support will still be recorded. It is this kind of functionality which leads the CRM to be seen as one of the most efficient and innovative IT tools in the customer services arena.
