We live in an ever more complex world. Driven by the internet, consumers face an explosion in choice, both when it comes to the range of products out there and who to buy them from. Add in the growth in the number of devices and channels used to interact with businesses and you can see why customers are less forgiving of brands that do not deliver straightforward, fast service through their channe...
Poor customer service from airlines is frequently in the press. Take the infamous ‘United breaks guitars’ incident back in 2008 or the more recent case when Hasan Syed, a BA passenger, invested in sponsored tweets to show his anger at his father having his luggage lost. EasyJet also fell foul of the Twittersphere earlier this year when it initially refused to allow a passenger who&rsqu...
Attempting to predict the future provides some fascinating insights and can help planning, whatever industry you are in. This is especially true when it comes to customer service, as it often feels that we’re in the midst of constant change. Thinking further ahead gives the chance to add perspective and to make more gradual, planned steps on the road to the future.So I read with interest a r...
Organisations understand that every interaction with a consumer is something that they’ve got to get right if they want to win and retain customers. And many strive to excel at each one of these touchpoints, measuring performance and changing operations to improve satisfaction.However, according to a new article from consultants at McKinsey in the Harvard Business Review, by focusing on indi...
Last week the post in our series about effective knowledge management for customer service shared five top tips for successfully deploying and reaping the benefits of knowledge management in your organisation.Here we complete the series with a best practice example from Domestic & General, the UK’s leading warranty specialist. The company has transformed its customer service operat...
Customers want to interact with companies on an ever-widening number of channels. And while newer channels such as mobile and social media may currently be hitting the headlines, it is vital that customer service teams don’t neglect traditional communication methods such as email, the web and phone.In fact, the total number of contacts, across every channel, is increasing. A recent study by ...
We’re currently celebrating National Customer Service Week (NCSW). Organised in the UK by the Institute of Customer Service, it aims to raise awareness of customer service and the vital role it plays in the economy. Similar events are taking place around the globe.While it has been going for a few years, NCSW has never felt more relevant and necessary. Customer service has moved centre stage...
Effective knowledge management is a key element of delivering customer service and that’s why we’ve been focusing on this important area in recent weeks.In our first post we discussed how to get started - outlining the different stages of knowledge management within customer service operations. Following this we covered building a business case, outlining the benefits your organisation...
For those of us that work in customer service, the need to invest in the skills, technology and processes to deliver a superior customer experience can appear obvious. Happier customers means greater retention, more sales and therefore more profits. So why won’t the board sign off on that new system/increased training budget? It all comes down to the business case. What seems a no-brain...
Most organisations have a clear idea of the demographics of their customer base, which makes it easy to create the right tone for all customer service interactions. From understanding the language they use to how they like to be addressed, it enables companies to build engagement and loyalty with the right audiences.Mind Candy, the family entertainment company behind the Moshi Monsters phenomenon,...