Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

The Internet Self-Service Threat to Call Centers

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

A few years ago, Internet-centric companies were the next big thing; they were the dot coms! Their basic premise was insightful, if not simplistic. With the pull of the ubiquitous Internet and the support of massive server farms, their business models would be infinitely scalable, while customer service would be strictly self-service.

Peter DeHaan, Publisher and Editor of AnswerStat

The problem was that most people were not ready for self-service via the Internet; the dot com bubble burst. A few insightful innovators changed paradigms, supplementing their limited self-service Websites with full-service people. Call centers were built and staff was hired.

The call center industry breathed a sigh of relief, sensing the threat of Internet self-service was dead.  This reprieve, however, is not long-term. Although wide-scale defections from full-service call centers to self-service Websites is not an eminent concern, it is one,nonetheless. Call centers are advised to pursue a two-prong strategy.

Short-term: look for ways to differentiate oneself from the competition,including other call centers and self-serve Websites. Make your services stand out, do what others don’t, and position yourself to be indispensable.

Long-term: be aware that commerce and customer service will migrate to the Web.  What can your call center do to capitalize on this? Certainly offering email support, text chat, and assisted browsing are called for. For the ultimate answer, ask yourself what services — any service — can you provide to supplement and support the self-serve model.  The answer may have little to do with traditional call center work and everything to do with your long-term viability.

Fortunately, there is still time to plan, but time is running out because Internet self-service isn’t going away.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

Categories
Call Center

That’s No Way to Run a Business

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

A while back, the Connections Magazine sales line was slammed with a phone call— for another company. The calls were from irate individuals trying to call a removal line of the fax service bureau that had sent them faxes. It seems that they had received an unwanted fax solicitation on behalf of a travel company.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

They angrily called the fax removal number listed in the fine print to stop the unwelcome intrusions. Unfortunately, between too small print and the low quality of faxes, the number looked a lot like ours.

With voicemail now screening the calls, I set towards averting a future reoccurrence of this fiasco. I called the number in the ad.

My call was abruptly answered by someone who cared little about professionalism or customer service. There was a cacophony of talking in the background. I had reached a call center boiler room!

Once the agent realized I was not interested in her spiel about vacation cruises, she became even less interested. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was disconnected. I called again.

After more futility, I demanded to speak with a manager. I was placed on hold for several minutes—and eventually heard the dial tone. Calling the actual fax removal number, left me trapped in an automated loop with no escape.

At the risk of stating the obvious, permit me to make some recommendations.

For the fax service bureau:

  • Make sure the removal number is easily readable.
  • Provide a way out (press zero for operator or at least let them leave a message).
  • Offer an alternative means of contact, such as email or snail mail.
  • Don’t illegally fax ads.
  • Don’t provide services to unscrupulous clients.

For the call center:

  • Train your staff to be polite and professional. Retrain or terminate those who don’t capitulate.
  • Don’t hang up on callers.
  • Allow calls to be escalated when requested.
  • Have a website; make it easy for people to contact you.
  • Don’t use “bait and switch” tactics.
  • Remember that if you don’t police your agents and compensate only for sales, expect nothing else from them.

Most of the people reading this are not the ones who need to hear it, but perhaps this post will find itself in the hands of a call center manager who needs to reform their company’s wayward practices.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Call Center

eCommerce + Call Center = Success

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

I like to order online. Unfortunately, several of my recent e-purchase experiences have fallen short of expectations—providing valuable lessons in the process.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

The first occurred when ordering a box of books. Upon receiving the email confirmation, I noticed that I had inadvertently ordered forty copies of a different book with an almost identical title. With no option to cancel online, I called their customer service number.

The recording said they were closed for the weekend. I called at 9:10 AM Monday morning only to find that the books had been “shipped” earlier that day. The rep instructed me on how to return them.

When I received the order, there was a second error — one of the three boxes contained unrelated DVDs, but with no packing list and no paperwork for return. I called again.

The rep determined what had happened and how to resolve it. Had their call center been operating 24×7, the errant order could have been cancelled, saving a wrong shipment, a second phone call, a return shipment, a credit card refund, and a month to resolve.

Another time I placed an order, received the confirmation, my card was charged, and the product was shipped—but I received the wrong book. The only customer service option was email. I concisely explained the situation, receiving an automated reply that they would respond within 24 hours.

They did, but with a canned message telling me how long shipping might take. I sent a second message; expect for their automated response, there was no reply. Two days later, I sent a third message, and the next week, a fourth.

My fourth plea was responded to—three days after it was sent. They told me the book I ordered was no longer available, they would refund my money, and to donate the errant shipment to charity.

This incident took three weeks to resolve, required four contacts, resulted in lost merchandise for them, and did not produce the book I ordered. With an available call center, this could have been resolved with one call.

For the third incident, I received an error message during checkout, which I couldn’t resolve. I called customer service; they were so familiar with the error that they knew what I had ordered and told me how to correct it.

However, I had more gifts to order, each going to a different address, thereby requiring separate orders. My second order defaulted to the first shipping address. A second call to customer service was needed to cancel the errant order and receive instructions on how to bypass the default shipping address.

Two needless calls had to be made because their Website was confusing and poorly designed.

So there it is; three e-commerce lessons for call centers.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Call Center

The Masses are Right about IVR

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

I once read an article whose title espoused the opposite perspective of this post. Perhaps you saw it too. I began reading it, in eager expectation of an enlightening and insightful discourse on the use of IVR (Interactive Voice Response) in the call center. I was soon to be disappointed.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Essentially, the author asserted that the masses (code for “customers”) are selfish and shortsighted when they attempt to bypass IVR systems to talk to an agent. Doing so, which he likened to fraud, causes call center costs to go up, thereby resulting in higher priced goods and services.

If a call center is a cost center for their company – one that has no real regard for their customers – then yes, tighten up the IVR.

Force callers to spend more time interacting with IVR so that agents can spend less time interacting with them; do everything possible to block callers from talking to your reps; and hold down costs to make the call center look good.

That works if you have a captive customer base, operate a monopoly, or find it easier to get a new customer than to keep an existing one. Otherwise, we need to listen, really listen, to what the masses are saying — because they are right.

IVR has its place in the call center, but we need to not overstate what that place is. If IVR can truly speed up the call for the customer or gather information that can assist the agent in providing better, more effective service, then use it.

However, when the primary goal of IVR becomes to save money, reduce the agent headcount, or limit customer service options, then it needs to be put on the scrapheap of bad ideas.

Here are my recommendations for the right way to use IVR in your call center:

IVR Dos:

  • Always, always provide an option for the caller to press 0 to talk to an agent.
  • Provide short and basic options that can be readily understood by someone from outside your company.
  • Ask your customers, and even your friends, to call and test your IVR. Then fix the things that bug them.
  • Setup your call center’s IVR exactly as you would want one to work when you are calling someone else.

IVR Don’ts:

  • Don’t block the digit 0.  “The customer is always right” and if the customer wants to talk to a person, then let them.
  • Don’t prompt for an account number if the agent is going to ask for it again.
  • Don’t have callers make entries (such for “billing”) and then not tell the rep which option has selected.
  • Don’t route callers to a general agent queue after you have made them take the time to tell the IVR specifically why they’re calling. Skip the subterfuge and just route the call.
  • Don’t provide level after level of menu options; keep it simple.
  • Don’t force a mildly irritated customer through a frustratingly long and cumbersome IVR tree, because they will exit it highly irritated – and take it out on the agent.

Yes, the masses are right about IVR. In most call centers, IVR is broken and needs to be fixed. What are you going to do about it?

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Business

Customer Since 1978

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

It was an emotional moment for me. After proudly carrying and using a Shell gasoline credit card for more than 20 years, I canceled it and was in the process of cutting it up.

Not that I was angry or upset with Shell, but it no longer made sense to carry their card. You see, Shell, in conjunction with Chase Manhattan, had launched the Shell Master Card. If I used it for my Shell gasoline purchases, I would receive five percent off my fuel expenditures on my next statement.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

For all non-gas purchases, I would earn a one percent rebate on future gasoline. Therefore, I could use the card for more than just gas and get discounts, too. In comparison, my old trusty Shell gas card was an absolute antique. The only practical thing to do was to cancel it.

How did this long-term relationship with Shell start? It was 1978. I was attending electronics school and found myself changing jobs often and moving just about as frequently.

During one such transition of both employment and abode, I found myself on the other side of town, far away from the gas stations whose credit card I carried.

However, there was a Shell station around the corner from my ramshackle apartment, one down the street from the TV station where I worked, and another next door to the school I was attending. Add to this a gas shortage, skyrocketing prices, and Shell’s tendency to not only have gas, but to be one of the less expensive options.

This led to an easy decision to get a Shell credit card. It all began due to practicality, convenience, and frugality.

Of course, it wasn’t long before I finished school, got a “real” job, and moved again. To my delight, there were Shell gas stations both near the office and close to my new home. Soon thereafter, I married and it was a simple matter to order a second card for my wife.

In the years that followed, through job changes and relocations, there always seemed to be a Shell gas station nearby. A habit was formed. By then, even at times when Shell didn’t have the lowest prices, little thought was given to going somewhere else.

This is a lesson for anyone selling a commodity product or service: availability, convenience, and consistency produce long-term customers.

Fast-forward to a couple of years ago when the Shell Master Card was introduced. At first, I viewed their offer with skepticism, but there didn’t seem to be a downside. I could continue my Shell gasoline habit, reduce my overall gas costs, and have a more versatile card.

We applied for the card and begin using it immediately. Even so, I anxiously awaited the first statement, worried about a hidden snag or unanticipated caveat. None appeared, just my rebate to be applied to next month’s gas charges. Still the cynic, I cautiously anticipated my second statement.

Was there some fine print to let them wiggle away from the result I expected? No. The rebate occurred exactly as indicated and for the amount promised.

Even so, my old Shell card remained in my wallet – just in case. Finally, after a year of non-use, I realized the time had come to throw aside any emotional connection to my long-term companion.

It was time to cancel the card. I glanced one last time at the words I had grown to delight in – “customer since 1978” – and cut the card into pieces.

Soon the Shell Master Card was used for all our household purchases and the ensuing rebates grew. Things went well for quite some time. Then a surprise came on our statement, a $29 late fee.

My wife, Candy, called Chase Manhattan to inquire. Since our payment history was stellar and Candy can be most persuasive, it was a trivial matter to get the charge removed. We were admonished to mail the payment earlier in order to avoid future late fees.

The next month, Candy mailed our payment five days before the due date. Again, another $29 late fee appeared. This time she called to complain.

“We don’t care when you mailed your payment nor do we consider the postmark,” came the arrogant reply. “We only look at the date we post your payment.”

Apparently, this was a change in their policy. Plus it seemed a bit despotic, especially considering that our payment was applied eight days after it was mailed.

“But we have no control over when you process our check,” Candy countered.

The agent’s response was quick and terse, “We always post payments on the day they are received.”

No amount of pleading or cajoling could get the late fee removed a second time. The complaint was escalated and soon the only remaining recourse was to submit our concern in writing.

Our letter of complaint was submitted as instructed and a series of automated written responses from Chase Manhattan followed. The last one promised the company would “notify (us) of our findings as soon as they become available.”

That was nine months ago. There have been no further communications from them about this matter.

Since the late fees were exceeding our rebates, we stopped using the Shell Master Card and begin buying our gasoline using an existing Visa card. This afforded us a new level of flexibility since there was no longer any need to continue our routine of looking for a Shell sign.

We could also shop for the lowest-priced gas. (When we used the Shell Master Card, the rebate would more than offset any higher price we paid for their gas.) It soon got to the point that we were seldom going to Shell.

Over the past 24 years, I estimate that we have spent about $20,000 on Shell gas. Assuming that our future gas consumption will remain constant and projecting that prices will increase, we could likely spend another $30,000 on gasoline in our lifetimes.

In line with this projection, a $50,000 lifetime customer and $30,000 in future business was lost due to a $29 late fee and the policies supporting it.

What are the conclusions we can draw from this experience?

The first is to be careful in pursuing strategic alliances. Yes, this is a business trend and, when properly done, it is a great way to retain clients and obtain new ones.

I am sure that Shell saw these benefits, which is why they formed a relationship with Chase. The failure in their strategy is that they relinquished interaction with their patrons to Chase.

Chase did not view me as a $20,000 customer or foresee a $50,000 lifetime value; they likely saw me only as an unprofitable credit card holder (since we always pay the entire balance each month and, until the end of our relationship, continually paid on time).

Hence, when forming any kind of marketing, cross-promotion, or reciprocal business relationship, make sure you retain control over your clients; don’t leave such a critical element to someone else.

The second lesson is about policies. Certainly Chase’s policy to track late fees and interest charges by the date posted is practical and easy to follow (as well as being self-serving), but is it fair?

Care must always be given to ensure that policies and procedures balance the needs of the company with the best interests of the client.

Lastly, consider your staff. The agents Candy talked to did not have the latitude to credit a late fee more than one time. Apparently, their supervisors didn’t either, nor did the managers.

Yes, there is a place for rules and policies, but to make them absolute and intractable, unfairly handicaps agents and can ruin client relationships. The last words that a frustrated client or caller wants to hear are, “It’s our policy,” or “I can’t do that.”

Because of these problems, caused by a partner company, Shell, through no direct fault of its own, has lost me as an exclusive customer and has encouraged me to spend money with its competitors.

[Postscript: We since received a notice from Chase stating in part, “Shell will no longer be participating with Chase in a credit card program.” Do you think that perhaps Shell has realized what I’ve just pointed out?]

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Sticky Series books, including Sticky Customer ServiceSticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Leadership and Management featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan is an entrepreneur and businessman who has managed, owned, and started multiple businesses over his career. Common themes at every turn have included customer service, sales and marketing, and leadership and management.

He shares his lifetime of business experience and personal insights through his books to encourage, inspire, and occasionally entertain.

Categories
Call Center

Customer Service is a Strategy, Not a Slogan

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Does your organization make customer service a priority? I expect that it does. In fact, I suspect that the phrase “customer service” is found somewhere in your mission or vision statement, etched on a wall plaque, proclaimed in your marketing material, and oft orated by upper management.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

However, as is often said, “talk is cheap” and “actions speak louder than words.” So the question becomes, do you actually provide quality customer service or just brag about it? Has the vocabulary of providing world-class customer service been bandied about so often that you – and the entire organization – have been falsely convinced that it is a reality, when in fact it has no basis in truth?

An astute and long-time reader may remember a previous column, “A $175 Oil Change“, in which the local car dealership charged $175, accomplishing no tangible results other than changing the oil. This was the only impetus I needed to return to the trustworthy comfort and integrity of my local service station, where I continue to be a loyal and supportive customer of their car care services. Unfortunately, the day that I dreaded came last summer, when they informed me that repairing my heat-producing air conditioner was beyond the scope of their services; I would need to take the car to the dealer.

With trepidation, I walked into the dealer’s brightly lit and tastefully decorated service department. As I walked up to the “customer service” desk, a representative, clad in business attire with tasteful tie, greeted me by name.  I explained the problem and, knowing their mode of operation all too well, asked for an estimate. With a confidence-building smile and positive words of assuredness, he sent me on my way.

His phone call came shortly after I returned to the office: $1,575!  Following my dumbfounded silence, he launched into an extended explanation, mixing mechanic jargon and automotive terminology – which I doubt even he fully understood – seemingly aimed to intimidate me into accepting their costly diagnosis. According to their investigation, a heater problem was also uncovered and somehow related to the AC repair. True, for only $980, I could fix just the AC, but then it would be over $1,200 to go back later to repair the heater.

“Let’s get realistic,” I challenged him, determined to not be victimized again.

The representative apologized that he had no other options and admitted that his “hands were tied.” I declined to authorize the repair and made arrangements to pick up the car. He kept repeating, “I’m sorry; I know I’ve lost you as a customer.”

It took some time, but eventually I heard about a full-service garage with a reputation for honesty. I took the car in. Sitting in a small and somewhat dingy office with a dated décor and amidst organized clutter, I explained the chronology of events, sharing the dealer’s written estimate. The owner of the garage chose his words carefully, “Well, they could be right, but I think we can get it working for much less.” He had a $185 solution that he wanted to try. Plus, if he was wrong, he would apply that amount to the repair the dealer recommended (for which his normal price was only $800). As far as the heater issue, he found no justification for any work.

I followed his recommendation. The $185 AC repair proved to be accurate, keeping us cool through a hot and humid summer, with the heater working without incident throughout that winter.

The dealership had talked ad-nauseam about their top-notch customer service in their ads, promotions, mailings, and sales pitch. They even put on an impressive front, but there was no substance; to them, customer service seemed to be maximizing the repair bill. The garage, on the other hand, didn’t talk about customer service; they just did it.

A second pair of customer service stories are equally illustrative. Although my family is not often prone to renting movies, we did have a membership in a nearby town. My wife and I entered their store, with a two-for-one coupon in hand and the residual amount from a gift certificate on account. Our expectation was that we would each pick a movie and pay for them using the coupon and credit balance. We were wrong.

The first sign of trouble came in the checkout line, when the clerk could not pull us up in their computer. “We got new computers,” he said curtly as he continued typing in vain. After much too long, he impatiently demanded, “When were you last here?” Our answer irritated him. “Well, that’s your problem,” he announced. “We gotta put ya in again.” He took all of our information and had us sign an ominous contract.

As he scanned the DVDs, I handed him the coupon. “We don’t accept these,” he declared disdainfully. Dumbfounded, I asked why. “It’s for Acme Video Hits and we’re Acme Video Plus, now.” I pointed to the in-store sign displaying Acme Video Hits. “We got bought out and they voided all the coupons. It happened three months ago,” he explained exasperatedly, as though this was common knowledge of which only ignorant people were unaware; “We haven’t changed our signs yet.” He typed some more. “That will be seven dollars.”

“You charged us the price for current releases,” I informed him, pointing to a sign for 99 cent rentals of older movies.

“But you got DVDs,” he said with a not so subtle sigh and slight roll of the eyes. “Ninety-nine cents is only for VHS.” He paused and, saving me from another query, added, “They changed that, too.” An unfruitful discussion ensued, but he gave up and got “the manager” when I inquired our credit balance, which had been lost during either the acquisition or computer upgrade.

The manager appeared and with great boldness and partial aplomb, began demonstrating to his lackadaisical charge, proper problem resolution skills. He aptly summarized anew the critical information that we had pieced together from the unwitting clerk. He stated the company line and confirmed the price of seven dollars. However, he soon relented and eventually offered to partially accept our coupon, zero out the balance on our unverifiable account, and only charge us three dollars.

Sensing this was the best we could reasonably do, I accepted his offer and thanked him. He smiled broadly and shook my hand, no doubt assuring himself of a successfully resolved conflict and a customer retained. My wife and I, however, left with a far different perspective. The uncaring clerk had simply dug too big of a hole for his boss to climb out of; damage had been done and it was irreversible.

It wasn’t until a movie rental chain opened a local outlet that we again rented a movie. We walked in and hesitantly approached the counter. Michelle smiled broadly and genuinely welcomed us. Upon learning that we were first-time customers, she carefully and patiently explained how everything worked, including the store layout, membership, prices, and the specials. Her pleasant and easy-going demeanor was refreshing and put us at ease.

As we began browsing, clerk after clerk would momentarily appear, helpfully restating a tidbit of information, providing direction, or offering assistance, then moving away as quickly and stealthy as they appeared.  This was not like my usual retail experience when a clerk asks if I need help and I feel compelled to say “no” even though I do. At the movie store, the clerks’ interactions were both welcomed and beneficial.

When it came time to pay, Michelle, with her effervescent personality and evident enjoyment of her job, made the process of becoming a member both pleasant and effective, reiterating the value of membership and reinforcing the specials. She even did a successful up-sell – which seldom works with me – to pre-pay for several movies; this was quite a feat considering my prior experience with having a credit balance. But when one has a compelling offer that is presented with infectious enthusiasm, it is easy to be successful.

What amazed me most about Michelle, however, was that through all of this, she was training two employees! She had the ability to give them subtle cues and brief instructions in the midst of serving us, without leaving us feeling slighted or inconvenienced.

It is not surprising that I am looking forward to my next movie rental. I have even planned my selections for that snowy weekend this winter, when I take advantage of their “buy two, get three free” special! Good customer service is always an invitation to return.

To be successful, customer service needs to be more than just a slogan, more than mere lip service. It needs to be a strategy, one that is fully and successfully implemented with the customer’s best interest in mind.

[From Connection Magazine November 2005]

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Call Center

Put the Customer Back into Customer Service

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

I’ve come to the realization that I tend to put off buying things. It’s not because I procrastinate (at least not too much), or because I am adverse to making decisions, or even because it is a money issue. Sadly, the reason that I often avoid purchasing things I want or need is simply because it is too much of a hassle. More to the point, going without some items is less inconvenient than investing the time and enduring the frustration required to acquire them.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

For quite some time – okay, it’s been more than a year – I contemplated getting a couple more cell phones. I anticipated signing up for a family plan and adding phones for my wife and kids. At 10 bucks a month per additional phone, it was a no-brainer. I could then find my wife when she was out and about, keep in touch with our daughter in college, and it would be I nice perk for our son, as well. (When our son garnered his driver’s license, he tactically implored, “Dad, doesn’t it concern you I’m off driving by myself without a cell phone?)  However, I put off expanding our cell phone infrastructure because I dreaded the process of doing so.

Finally the time for action came. I gathered my courage and boldly made a commitment to resolve my shopping-avoidance issues. My dubious plan was to call my existing carrier. They confirmed that my contractual obligation had long been met and would therefore not hinder making any changes. “What I want,” I explained, “is to get on your ‘family plan’ and add a couple of phones.”  I was even willing to buy the additional phones if need be.

“That’s not a problem,” the rep assured. “Each additional phone is only 10 dollars a month and some phones are free if you sign a one-year contract…and,” she added, “we can replace your current phone too!”

This was too good to be true, but before I could tell her to proceed, my short-lived euphoria was interrupted. “Oh, there’s a problem…” The problem was that they required me to be on a plan with more minutes – many more. I tried every angle I could think of: more phones, fewer phones, longer contract, and not replacing my current phone. She was intractable, “No, you still need to move to a bigger plan.”

Doing so, and adding just one more phone, would more than double my rate.  I’m not adverse to spending money – just to wasting it. Her proposal it didn’t seem very “family” oriented. I told her so and then tried an emotional gambit. “I guess I’ll just need to cancel my service and to go another carrier.”

The rep’s response was one of shocking gall and arrogance, “If you need to, go ahead, but you won’t find a better deal,” she stated matter-of-factly and lacking concern. “We’ve all got basically the same rates.”

“Okay, let’s leave everything as is for now,” I said, not wanting to burn my bridges.

Now it was time for plan B. Perhaps I needed to talk to someone face to face, to do business with a local person who would take a personal interest helping me complete my quest. So, on my next outing, I stopped by the local store of a national carrier that does lots of TV advertising. There were several aspects of their pitch that appealed to me. I was confident that they had a plan for me and I intended on completing my mission in one stop.

I walked in the door and as my eyes adjusted to the lighting, a stereo-typical salesperson charged towards me – must be they’re on commission. Brashly, he ushered me into his office and grilled me on what I wanted. With each request, he would nod knowingly and affirm that he could do that. He was typing things in a computer and then gave me a total. His solution was twice the amount of the prior one (I guess the rates are not all the same after all)! I couldn’t help but laugh at his audacity – which seemed to irritate him. “Okay, now let’s get realistic,” I suggested.

“Nope, that’s the best I can do,” he retorted. Thinking we were still pursuing a mutually desired goal, I begin to reply, when he stood up and gestured towards the door. “Sorry, I can’t help you,” he concluded disingenuously – maybe he wasn’t on commission after all.

Not ready to give up, I asked if he had any literature or paperwork he could give me about what we had discussed. “We don’t have any,” he retorted with aggravation. “It’s all online, just go to our website and order your phones there.” In five short minutes, I went from “ready to buy” to unable to leave quickly enough. I later learned that there was in fact a much more attractive package, closely matching what I wanted; I probably would have bought it from him had he only offered it.

On to plan C. Originally, the cell phones were going to be a surprise, but I knew that having eliminated the easier choices, I would need to call for reinforcements. I wisely enlisted the aid of my daughter, who was home for the summer and having just completed her summer-school job, had extra time on her hands. We made a list of the major carriers and she Googled some more. Then she got busy doing research online, while I went back to work. After more than a day, she presented me with a spreadsheet of comparisons. She explained what she learned, we talked about options, and she made a recommendation. It was going to require a two-year contract, so we needed to be sure it was right. We discussed each plan’s weaknesses, the fine-print, footnoted exceptions, and ways we could be charged for services we thought were free.

I agreed with her recommendation and we made a list of questions, the chief one being whether the plan’s coverage area included the city she anticipated moving to next year. I called carrier and verified our understanding of the details. Everything was confirmed and a sale was imminent. Lastly, I asked if the city in question was included. “Yes, it is,” the rep stated a bit too quickly and with insincere bravado. I doubted his veracity and prodded some more. His assertion could not be swayed, but doubting his honesty, I ended the call without placing an order. It was good that I did, as we later found a coverage map – albeit a bad one – online. The map showed the city in question to be annexed from the coverage plan. I have been lied to – imagine that!

We then discussed our remaining options and visited again the website of our fourth selection. Thinking I would once more attempt working with a local rep, I called their closest office. After several rings, a recording informed me that no one was available and summarily disconnected me. Next I dialed their toll free number. This rep was actually helpful. The first truly pleasant and knowledgeable person I had talked to during this whole quest. She patiently and professionally answered my questions, confirmed the plan’s coverage, and told me about their 14-day, no-obligation trail. I placed an order and the phones arrived the next day.

If cell phone companies can’t get a handle on decreasing their churn rates, I can help. All they need to do is to put the customer back into customer service. It will work for them and it will work for you.

Three Wrongs and a Right

  • With my existing carrier, I was willing to buy a second phone, pay an additional $10 a month, sign a long-term contract, and run the risk of overage charges; they were only willing to upsell me and lost a customer in the process.
  • At the second carrier, their rep got greedy (or was under-trained – or both), literally ushering me out the door.
  • For the third carrier, a cavalier lie on an important issue eliminated them from further consideration.
  • After a bad start at the fourth carrier, a well-trained, professional, customer-focused phone rep made a nice recovery and closed a sale.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Call Center

The Myth of Self-Service

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

What is your self-service strategy? Is it in-place and fully functional? Perhaps it’s moving forward, slowly but surely. Conversely, you may still be contemplating what your self-service offerings should be – if any at all.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

If you do make available self-service to your clients or their customers, is it used much? How is it perceived? Has it proven to be a time-saver and relationship enhancer or merely as the lesser of several unacceptable means to solve problems or procure information?

The idea of self-service has existed in many industries for years and even decades. This includes self-serve gas pumps, checking your own groceries, buying airline tickets online, and banking.

First, let’s consider gas stations. Unless you are a 20-something driver, you probably remember the days of full-service gas stations. In fact, they were called service stations, because service was what they were all about. These service stations almost always had one mechanic – or more – on duty. For smaller stations, the mechanic was often the one who filled your car with gas. Here’s how it worked. When you pulled into the station, a strategically placed air hose pneumatically activated a mechanical signal. This alerted the attendant that a customer had arrived and he would scurry out to greet you. Staying in your car, you would roll down your window and make your request, “Fill it up, please.” Often you and the attendant were on a first name basis. As he was filling your tank, he would wash your front windshield and often the back. Next, he would offer to check your oil. (Unless it had just been changed or recently checked – which he remembered.)   That’s not all. He would surreptitiously glance at your tires and if one appeared under inflated, they would whisk a tire gauge out of his pocket and check the pressure, putting in more air if it was warranted. He would also offer recommendations based on other observations, such as, “Looks like you’re ready for new front tires,” “That muffler doesn’t sound too good” or “We better at a look at those brakes soon.” Yes, this was a full-service operation, deftly suggesting up-sells (“Do you want to try Premium today”) and cross-sell opportunities (“When do you want your oil changed”) – though that wasn’t what it was called; it was just good customer service. Today, with self-service, we are left on our own to keep our car in good operating condition and we only see our mechanic when something is wrong.

In an apparent effort to save on labor or cut overhead, some stations began offering “self-service” pumps. In order to entice the public to pump their own fuel, the self-serve gas was priced lower. Most people weren’t too interested, at least until the price of gas jumped and the discount increased along with it. Still some people swore they would never fill their own tanks, but over time they were forced to do so as full-service pumps became scarcer and scarcer. The truth is that most people didn’t want self-serve, but reluctantly did so to save money or were forced to when it became the only option. Today, self-serve gas pumps are an expected way of life, but that simply happened because it became the only option.

Then there is the grocery store. I’ll admit that I don’t often find myself there – and when I do, it’s only to buy a couple of things – but I do gravitate towards the self-checkout. For a few items it can be faster – providing that everything works correctly. Self-checkout can also be irritating, repeatedly barking out annoying instructions and getting obstinate if it thinks you did something wrong. Given a choice between a next-in-line cashier (think of a call center with no queue) and self-service, I will always opt for a person. I find it to be faster and less frustrating. I can’t imagine the time-consuming task of doing a large order via self-checkout. However, when the cashier lines are long – which is generally the case, I gladly duck into the self-checkout and hope for the best. In this case, self-service wins out when full-service lines (that is, queues) are too long. It’s not that it’s preferred, but merely the least objectionable.

Nowadays, it seems that everyone books their airline tickets online. It certainly doesn’t save me time, but it does afford the opportunity to check every conceivable option, finding the ideal balance between cost and convenience. Maybe I scrutinize my options too closely, but I would gladly spend an hour researching flights, times, and airports if it will save me from a long layover, an extra night in a hotel, or a $100 on a fare. Still, the days of calling a travel agent, giving her my travel itinerary in a few seconds, and having tickets arrive the next day provide an appealing invitation to return to full-service.

The banking industry is full of choices. I can select from two full-service options and three self-serve options. For transactions warranting full-service, I can go to the nearest branch or phone their call center. For self-serve, I can use an ATM, bank-by-phone (using an IVR system), or access my account via the Internet. The option I select is primarily a result of what I need to accomplish, but my focus is on speed and convenience. It’s nice to have options: self-service for some things, full-service for others.

The dot-com boom in the late 1990s brought the prospect of self-service to an unwise conclusion. In simplistic terms, their generic business plan (aside from burning through mass quantities of investor cash) was that they would create a scalable website, which could be quickly ramped up as demand for their product or service grew. Customer service would not be an issue (or so they thought) as they would offer self-service options that were likewise scalable. There would be no massive call centers to build and no agents to hire. Basically there would be no people to help their customers; computers would do all that via the Internet. It didn’t work. The few dot-coms that survived did so because they wisely realized that they needed to offer more options than just self-service.

Even with this history and varying degrees of success, it doesn’t imply that self-service is the way to go, especially for call centers, which have the potential to far surpass the generally mediocre service level of self-service. Yes, there are times when self-service is the answer; there are also times when it is not. When properly implemented (which means it must be user-friendly, accessible, and reliable), people will opt for self-service only if it can increase timeliness, save money, be more effective, or is more available. If it can’t do at least one of these things, people will only do self-service if they have to – grousing about it all the while. In reality, most people don’t really prefer self-service. What they want is full-service that is friendly, accessible, and reliable. In our global economy, that often means they want a call center – a good call center.

Self-service is generally not selected because it is the superior option, but because it is the least objectionable one. So what is the ideal solution? It’s a call center; not one with its own self-service options, but one with people. Think about it; who would prefer to spend an hour on the Internet, scrolling through FAQs or waiting for an automated response to an email query, if they could just pick up the phone and quickly get a response? Of course this means a call center done right. What does that look like? Ideally it is:

  • Calls answered quickly
  • No busy signals
  • First-call resolution
  • No transfer
  • No queue or short queue (or a creative, entertaining on-hold program with accurate traffic updates)
  • Trained, knowledgeable, personable, and polite representatives
  • Correct responses
  • Consistent experience

With that, why would anyone want self-service? Why would they ever switch to a different company? A call center, done right, will beat self-service all of the time.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.

Categories
Healthcare Call Centers

Are You Certifiable?

By Peter DeHaan, Ph.D.

Your call center may be an in-house operation or an outsourcer processing calls and contacts for other organizations. Regardless of the type of call center you work in, there is a common need for increased, positive visibility. This is necessary for two key areas. The first is budgeting; the second is your center’s ongoing viability and existence, that is, self-preservation. Related to both of these is staffing costs, technology upgrades, new software, and…respect.

Peter DeHaan, Publisher and Editor of AnswerStat

One option is to do nothing and hope for the best. The other is to be proactive. One such tactic is to seek third-party validation of your call center and/or staff. These can serve to provide credentials on which you can form a positive PR push with upper management, justifying your call center’s budget request and, if need be, your center’s continued existence.

Fortunately, there are organizations ready and able to help this substantiation of your operations’ overall quality, professionalism, and adherence to standard operating procedures in the medical community. Although these are not the end-all, one-stop solution to guaranteeing a favorable nod from your organization’s budgeting and planning committees, they are a great first step.

Read more in Peter Lyle DeHaan’s Healthcare Call Center Essentials, available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of AnswerStat and Medical Call Center News covering the healthcare call center industry. Read his latest book, Sticky Customer Service.

Categories
Call Center

Service Sold It

By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD

Growing up I remember a commercial on the radio with the tag line, “Service sold it.” Even as a young child I was able to grasp the concept that this business provided such a high level of service that their mere reputation was sufficient for them to close sales and gain new business.

Author Peter Lyle DeHaan

Over the years, I have heard this mantra repeated, again and again, either verbatim or conceptually, by various local, national, and international companies. Yet I no longer give this grandiose platitude serious consideration. Indeed these words now have a hollow ring to them; they reek of disingenuous assurance and hold an empty promise

. What was once good business turned into nothing more than good ad copy and now simply gets lost in the clutter of messages which we no longer believe. In fact, the louder this claim is trumpeted, the less I trust it.

The greater the hype, the more I assume that their service is lousy and that their ad campaign’s only goal to convince us – and them – of the contrary. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, “He who can, does. He who cannot, talks about it.”

It seems that no one provides good service any more.

Over the past couple of months, I had to place a series of calls to my favorite computer company. They are still my preferred vendor, offering a quality package at a good price, providing fast shipment, and facilitating the ordering process.

Yet their customer service is rotten. Two prior interactions with their “customer service” staff resulted in one failure and one partial success. My latest episode, requiring a dozen or so phone calls over the span of weeks, ultimately resulted in a satisfactory outcome.

But it required great patience and persistence, long hold times, being transferred to the wrong departments and back again, and talking with “English” speaking reps who could not effectively communicate in a language I comprehended.

One of the more humorous instances was the rep who said, “Excuse please the silence while I hold you.” To accomplish my objective, I had to escalate my call, invoke their “100% Satisfaction Guarantee,” and insist that they accept the return of my entire order — not just the computer in question.

As you might suspect, I deem it a waste of money to buy their extended customer support plan.

Being a glutton for punishment, I attempted to resolve an ongoing problem with my caller ID. The feature that sold me on the product was the promise that, working in conjunction with call waiting, it would display the number of a second caller while I continued talking to the first.

Unfortunately, it never worked. I called repair and reported the problem. I was given the time and date by which it would be repaired. It was not. I reported it again. No change.

I pulled out the multi-page manual and found a small-print footnote, which said that the feature I desired needed to be installed separately. Thinking I was on to something, I called and ordered it. Again, the promised due date came and went. I called again, only to be informed that the feature was not available in my area.

Four people (and their accomplices) decided to ignore the issue, deferring it to someone else or hoping I would give up, rather then simply check to see if the service was available.

On to cable TV. With the escalating costs of my cable bill, it eventually became cheaper to switch to satellite. Now I can get 100 channels and still not have anything decent to watch.

The installation and support of the satellite system was excellent (more on that later), but the simple act of canceling my cable service took months. Each subsequent month a new bill would arrive, announcing an escalating monthly balance.

A call would be placed to the cable company; an assurance would be given that our service was indeed cancelled and that they had no idea why we kept being billed. This went on for over six months. I seriously doubt that any company can be that incompetent, so my cynical nature wonders if they were intentionally doing this to pad their receivables.

I was recently able to install DSL service, but the big challenge came in disconnecting my no longer needed dialup Internet line. Because of a previous series of orders, my Internet line somehow became the billed number and my listed number became secondary.

The representative, fortunately one knowledgeable and thorough, apologized that the only solution was to cancel the entire bill and the reinstall my main line. This would only be a billing function and my phone service would not be interrupted. However, there would be side effects.

First, I would need to call their DSL division to make sure my DSL wasn’t cancelled and to update my billing arrangement. (Apparently, this was not uncommon, because later the DSL representative immediately understood what I was asking and knew just what to do.) 

Then I would need to call my long distance carrier to make sure that when my service was “reinstalled” I would be put on my same rate plan and not their higher default plan. A third call needed to be made for my white page listing.

Surprisingly, each call had its desired effect. But imagine the turmoil that would have ensued had the first representative not fully informed me of all the ramifications and exactly what needed to be done.

Exceptional customer service, however, would never have put me in the position to make those calls in the first place and even good customer service would have done so for me. Service didn’t sell it, being the only game in town did.

Everyone has been similarly frustrated with poor or non-existent customer service. (Remember the “self-service” paradigm of the dotcoms? They are still out there.) 

We all know someone who left one company because of poor service and then subsequently left their competitor for the same reason. Then, after all available alternatives had be tried and consequently rejected, they were faced with the necessity of returning to a previously unsatisfactory company.

Their new goal was to pick the company that was the least bad.

Doesn’t good customer service exist anymore? Fortunately, in some cases it does. In previous columns, I mentioned my mechanic and optometrist, both stellar success stories.

In concert with this, it is noteworthy to mention that the authorized agent for my satellite television is a local company. Is this the reason for my satisfaction with the installation? Is being local the key? No.

My local credit union, bank, and doctor have all caused me great consternation on occasion. Besides, there are other good examples that are not local.

To produce this magazine, the sales, graphic design, and proof editing are all handled by extremely competent individuals who are not local, yet provide an exceptional level of service and responsiveness. A common factor here is that they are all very small organizations.

So then, is company size the key? No, many other small organizations have shown a definite ability to disappoint.

Although being local and being small are two elements that decidedly allow the potential for better customer service, they are not requirements; the real key is relationship.

With each unfavorable example I gave, I dealt with a department, not an individual – not really; the representative had no accountability to me and no stake in the outcome. With subsequent calls, I would talk to a different person.

To them I was not a customer; I had no real value to them. I was just another phone call – a problem – one to get rid of in the shortest time possible, so they could go on to the next call, and eventually punch out for the day.

However, with each company that I cited as a positive example, it was a specific person who made the difference, my primary contact. This was someone who genuinely cared and had a real interest in the outcome, someone who was willing to stay late and make me his or her most important priority if that was what was required.

While these things are critical and most appreciated, an underlying theme is that in each case we had established a rapport and developed a relationship first. It is because of this one-on-one personal relationship that exceptional customer service can exist.

Does your call center provide this same one-on-one personal relationship to your clients? What about your clients’ callers? Can you honestly say, belief, and prove that “service sold it?” If not, what changes do you need to make? Whatever you do, don’t settle for being the least bad provider.

Read more in Peter’s Sticky Series books: Sticky Leadership and Management, Sticky Sales and Marketing, and Sticky Customer Service featuring his compelling story-driven insights and tips.

Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Connections Magazine, covering the call center teleservices industry. Read his latest book, Healthcare Call Center Essentials.