CustomerCare News The Promenade at Coconut Creek
by XXX xxxxx
2015
www.customercarenews.com
L
orem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
ing elit. Etiam rutrum interdum arcu
mattis porta. Nulla eget purus massa, non
Emerging strategies to improve customer and employee experience Nullam a consequat quam. hendrerit arcu. Suspendisse potenti. Duis Morbi consequat porttitor imperdiet.
molestie dapibus pharetra. Morbi rhon-
si. Nunc massa massa, facilisis ut vehicula
justo vestibulum. Integer auctor, mi et
eget, luctus sit amet nisl. Vivamus est
velit, interdum a cursus in, fermentum vel purus. Nullam urna ipsum, sodales vel
cus urna eu massa pulvinar nec aliquet
egestas ultrices, nisi urna varius mi, quis consectetur nisl urna a dui.
Donec sed leo tortor. Cum sociis
sagittis ut, hendrerit quis dui. Aliquam
natoque penatibus et magnis dis par-
lis. Ut malesuada, quam varius gravida
Curabitur molestie faucibus magna, et
egestas mi vitae lectus fermentum iacu-
volutpat, lorem neque elementum nunc,
turient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.
Photos by XXXXXXXXX www.xxxx.com
Pellentesque sed neque lacus. Nulla facili-
euismod sapien condimentum at. Fusce
Ways the Omnia vehicula 3nisl erostoet Enhance ligula. Vivamus eu leo sit amet mauris elementum congue. Channel Customer Experience
facilisis, massa et imperdiet congue, lectuspageEtiam dolor quam, volutpat at convallis 3 tortor lobortis tortor, in eleifend ante velit
et, feugiat sed tellus. Nunc eleifend augue
In scelerisque sem varius enim male-
turpis. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et
eget dolor. Curabitur ut sagittis risus.
suada blandit. Curabitur rutrum est sit
amet odio dapibus ultricies. Proin volutpat pretium blandit. Donec ultricies tem-
por neque at tristique. Sed at magna sed ante rhoncus sodales in nec eros. Donec
et ante laoreet commodo. Nam nec sapien magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Integer fermentum, ipsum quis tincidunt dictum, urna nisi egestas
sapien, nec laoreet magna orci at ligula. CCN
et libero risus. Aliquam et tortor sed
est mollis dictum quis ac lacus. Etiam
Smithson linkes to knock off early, going on expensive golf junkets paid for by corporate lobbyists.
A Strong Foundation rutrum, velit et portaofblandit, tortor Service eros Customer = Loyal Customers and ultrices eros, in sagittis felis tellus in Brand Ambassadors 14 purus. Suspendisse non tortor sapien. page In
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam a consequat quam. It Takes A Lot More Than Just Cash-
saving Points To Get Consumers To Sign Up For Loyalty Schemes page 24
Morbi consequat porttitor imperdiet.
at magna eu odio aliquam condimentum
at eu est. Phasellus quis quam dolor, id tempor ante. Nunc laoreet convallis ornare. Curabitur id nunc erat, a volutpat tellus. Cras eleifend ultricies odio, a
Proin volutpat pretium blandit. Donec ultricies tempor neque
Aliquam accumsan auctor faucibus.
Donec et libero risus. Aliquam et tortor sed est mollis dictum quis
pharetra est tempus id.
Vestibulum ante ipsum primis in fauci-
bus orci luctus et ultrices posuere cubilia
Curae; Pellentesque varius lacus nec nibh
porttitor et facilisis magna egestas. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisc-
www.customercarenews.com
at tristique. Sed at magna sed ante rhoncus sodales in nec eros. ac lacus. Etiam rutrum, velit et porta blandit, tortor eros ultrices
eros, in sagittis felis tellus in purus. Suspendisse non tortor sapien. In at magna eu odio aliquam condimentum at eu est.
The Orlans Group is Investing in Key Strategies and Positively Impacting Its Culture page 6
A Celebration Media Publication
Table of Contents 03 3 Ways to Enhance the Omni-
Channel Customer Experience
How to provide an effective, efficient and
16 Five Ways to Profit From Personality
satisfying experience for customers across
It’s the fundamental drive of your
multiple channels
organization’s Customer Experience.
Ignore it at your peril. Embrace it and
06 The Orlans Group is Investing
in Key Strategies and Positively Impacting Its Culture Company’s new multipurpose center
you’ll prosper.
18 SoLoMo Marketing: How to
supports its business, customers and employees
09 Custom Solutions Construction, Your “One Stop Real Estate Shop” in the
Fort Worth area received the Pulse of the City News Customer Satisfaction Award
right CRM system for your company’s needs
in improving customer support in multiple ways
22 Case Study: Lesley University Uses Cloud-based Support Platform to Boost Student Satisfaction
12 Global Survey Shows Involving
Customers Still an Afterthought — With a Big Payoff For Those Who Do Involving customers is a critical
component to achieving world-class quality and customer experience
University finds success by implementing a cloud-based IT support platform with student agents
24 It Takes A Lot More Than Just Cash-saving Points To Get Consumers To Sign Up For Loyalty Schemes
14 A Strong Foundation of Customer Service = Loyal Customers and Brand Ambassadors
Loyalty schemes can provide essential data for establishing meaningful relationships
Survey shows that if you take care of your customers, they can take care of your business
with consumers, if used properly
26 Learning Ticklers™: A New
Generation Retained Learning System
Electronic flash card decks ensure training participants receive the most benefit from attending training courses
27
Associate Publisher Keith Levick, Ph.D.
klevick@customercarenews.com
cschramm@customercarenews.com
Knowledge automation can be a key factor
Five tips to help ensure you are using the
djaslove@customercarenews.com
well, but only if used correctly
Knowledge Automation is a Game Changer
Customer Care
Publisher Dale Jaslove
jrawcliffe@customercarenews.com
20 The Future of CRM: Why
10 Choosing CRM Software: Beyond
2015
Combine the Powers of Social Media, Local Targeting and Mobile Technology to Engage Customers
SoLoMo marketing can benefit businesses
Inc.
CustomerCare News
Glossary of Terms
Editor-in-Chief Jamie Rawcliffe
Production Manager Chris Schramm
Editorial & Materials Coordinator Anne Seebaldt aseebaldt@customercarenews.com
Editors/Writers Amy Pagett
apagett@customercarenews.com
Operations Manager Jennifer Barth
jbarth@customercarenews.com
Website Design Melissa Sherwood Contributing Writers Mark J. Albrecht, Seenu Banda, Alan Berkson, John Goodman, Bernard Louvat, Mike Richardson, Jason Wesbecher, Andy Wood Website Consultant www.sherwoodandblack.com Customer Care News 32000 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 128 Farmington Hills, MI 48334
(888) 438-9528 www.customercarenews.com Customer Care News is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. The publishers have taken all reasonable steps to verify the accuracy and completeness of information contained in Customer Care News. The publishers may not, however, be held responsible for any inaccuracies or omission of information in any article appearing in the Customer Care News.
2015
Entire contents copyright 2015 by Customer Care News. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial content in any manner without written permission is strictly prohibited.
2
Customer Care News
3 Ways to Enhance the Omni-Channel Customer Experience
T
he most important aspect
to have the same smooth experience
Online Engagement in Contact Centers
brand is customer experi-
environments.
technology, your brand is only as good as
ers having switched service providers in
business provides that consistency in cus-
experience is only as good as your contact
(Accenture). With such high demand
Consider the following: if you provide
customers look for in a
ence, with 51 percent of U.S. consum2013 due to poor customer experiences to make it all about the customer, how
can you ensure that you meet customer
expectations? How can you enhance your business’s online customer experience in
order to increase satisfaction, loyalty and revenue?
Mobile Chat
We all know it: mobile is where your
customers are. Look around you — how
many people are engaged on their smart-
phone or tablet? What do you think they
are doing besides texting or checking social media? They are probably browsing for a product or service. A 2014 Nielsen
study says that 7 out of 10 Americans
wherever they are, across omni-channel So, how do you ensure that your
tomer experience across all channels? live assistance through chat on your website, your customers appreciate that fea-
ture in your customer service. In fact, an eDigitalResearch Customer Service Benchmark found that live chat has the
highest satisfaction level above all other
ple prefer to shop or do business on their
smartphone or tablet over a laptop). It is no surprise, then, that a Google research survey found that 50 percent of customers look for mobile-friendly websites and would visit a site less often if it weren’t
mobile-friendly — even if they liked
www.customercarenews.com
from proper training and management alongside the technology it takes to create a seamless and efficient omni-channel engagement program.
will be? Allow them to engage live with a customer agent while they are looking
contact center. Lately, that’s been the
make contact with your brand through
at your site on their mobile device. This
would bridge two mediums of e-commerce that people ask for: a mobilefriendly website and live assistance.
The effortless user experience on
satisfaction. When chat is being used on chat window to be transparent so the user can see the website behind it. When the
screen real estate is limited, this transpar-
ency keeps customers mentally connected
to the website they are browsing. Also, TouchCommerce best practices show
that when the chat window is minimized, it is key for the customer to see the message indicator and scrolling chat — simi-
lar to a chat that the customer might have with a friend.
Bernard Louvat
2015
the business. Obviously, customers expect
tact. Excellence in your agent staff comes
buzzword — omni-channel. Customers
the mobile device, it is optimal for the
Mobile Benchmark, which says that peo-
good as the agents your customers con-
devices — where most of your customers
that same form of service on mobile
ers are increasingly likely to shop or do 2013 Adobe Corporation’s The State of
center, and your contact center is only as
• Omni-channel technology in the
mobile devices is critical for customer
business that way (demonstrated by the
your customer experience, your customer
channels. Knowing that, why not provide
own a smartphone. With mobile device
in hand wherever they are, your custom-
No matter how sophisticated your
3
multiple avenues, browsing your site
all the power. It’s essential to empower
ping in your brick-and-mortar store,
that allows them to quickly and effec-
on their PC or mobile device, shop-
your agents, as well, with technology
calling customer service on the phone,
tively manage multiple concurrent chats;
managing their own account through
to see custom scripts for a faster, more
self-service, or chatting with your
effective chat experience; and to use
agents online, whether it is on the
tools such as co-browsing to guide the
desktop or a smartphone or tablet. The
customer through the buying process.
options keep growing as your custom-
ers’ demand for convenience gets larger.
Finally, boost your power team with
Omni-channel capabilities can make
atmosphere of reward. Establishing a
motivation to perform well: create an
your contact center more efficient. For
performance-based workforce produces
example, an agent who is speaking with
results and even a little excitement as
a lower-risk customer on the phone
should be able to gracefully guide that
customer to using the self-serve options
• Help guide customers to self-service.
• Training within the contact center.
freeing your call agents up for higher-
erate customer adoption of self-service
methodologies that create a powerful
on your site and away from the phone, priority calls. This is only possible if the
call agent can see what the customer is seeing on the website, bringing the two channels together.
• Serve your customers the way they prefer to engage. Your customer acquisition and customer care solutions should
be growing with demand, so take down the dividing walls among automated
through online engagement tools for an
effortless omni-channel experience. For any customer service program, the goal
is to reduce costs of the contact center
while improving customer satisfaction. Enabling and accelerating customer adoption of self-service is an important
requirement of the contact centers in the digital age of the customer.
• Management of the contact center.
engagement history across all chan-
sive, you need the right tools to moni-
nels. If a customer decides to switch from using your automated guides to engaging in a chat, your agents need to
know that customer’s journey without
the customer having to repeat himself or herself.
Establishing a performancebased workforce produces results and even a little excitement as agents compete for the next big prize.
2015
Contact centers can significantly accel-
guides, mobile, voice call and chat by
enabling the agent to see the customer’s
4
agents compete for the next big prize.
Whether your team is small or expan-
tor all online engagements efficiently. Your supervisors need a real-time view
of program and agents’ performance as well as access to key performance indi-
cators (KPIs) to quickly diagnose issues and fix them on an ongoing basis. This
“omniscient” aspect enables supervisors to reach out to agents when coaching is
required. Workforce management also
Daily hands-on exposure to tools and and effective team is an essential ele-
ment in developing your agent staff. Teach them the psychology of a customer and how to recognize the signs of
frustration. Teach them how to relate to
various personalities or demographics, practicing “chat-speak,” or knowing the proper words to use when chatting with a customer. For example, avoid negative words, use power words, get to the
point without jargon and see from the
customer’s perspective. Train with the
intention of forming in your agents the “service” mentality. You may also wish to equip certain agents with special-
ized knowledge of different products or
services. With use of automated guides, your customers can be routed to agents
who will help them with their specific needs, creating a more efficient and productive experience for all involved.
involves knowing what time of day to
Customer Analytics for the Digital Age
is able to handle multiple chat inter-
component in customer care. By utilizing
staff more agents so that your team
actions in a timely, efficient manner. But don’t stop at giving your supervisors
Understanding customers is a critical
tools and programs designed for analyz-
ing data about your customers’ journey, you can learn their search behavior, study
Customer Care News
their demographics, and compare their
While voice is still the core commu-
with a vision to assist online shoppers to
today, digital channels and resources are
retail and online experience, he embarked
likes and dislikes. Mining the data and
nication channel used in customer service
every interaction can help you develop a
quickly gaining ground. Solution provid-
providing analytic insights into each and customized plan and optimize your customer experience programs.
Always ask — are we providing a
customer experience that is personalized
and meaningful, productive and efficient, effective, effortless, and lasting? Make
ers that focus on progressive approaches
to enhancing the omni-channel customer experience are well positioned to succeed
in addressing customer demand and providing better customer experience. CCN
sure you study the data that tells your
Bernard Louvat is the President and
and the quality of service and products
TouchCommerce, the innovative leader
customers’ story and that of your business you provide. Analyze the data to begin writing your own story — to be in
control of the plot. Proactively engage with your customers by personalizing
each individual experience. Enhance the customer experience with verbiage that
is befitting their personality, and guide them toward the products that fit their search behavior or offers that only they would be interested in seeing. And make
sure that you select an online engagement
partner that will help you mine the data and translate the right information into
www.customercarenews.com
in omni-channel engagement solutions for market-leading brands. Driven to transcend the in-store customer service
experience in an omni-channel world, TouchCommerce has perfected a proven approach fusing sophisticated technology with deep human expertise in an innovative,
results-focused
business
model, accelerating incremental revenue
for some of the largest multi-national
companies, such as Comcast, T-Mobile, Virgin Media and many others (see www. touchcommerce.com/clients). Louvat came
to TouchCommerce (then inQ) in 2005
on creating a set of innovative technology solutions to target, engage and assist online
shoppers and returning customers and create a more personalized online shopping
experience. Prior to TouchCommerce, Louvat was Co-Founder & CEO of
Evolution Robotics, an idealab! company (sold to iRobot), CEO & Founder of
Bizbuyer.com (sold to GE), GM at
CitySearch, an idealab! company (sold
to IAC), CEO & Founder of Office Depot
France,
President
and
Founder of The Disney Store France, and
a consultant with
Bain
&
Company. Bernard holds an MBA with
Distinctions
from
Harvard
Business School and a BA in Business
Administration from HEC, Paris, France.
For more information on TouchCommerce, please com
or
visit
www.touchcommerce.
contact
the
company
at
www.touchcommerce.com/contact-us. Follow Louvat at twitter.com/blouvat or at www.linkedin.com/in/blouvat.
2015
actionable insights.
Chief Executive Off icer (CEO) of
buy online. Drawing upon his specialty
5
The Orlans Group is Investing in Key Strategies and Positively Impacting Its Culture
T
he Orlans Group is a women-owned company
soft colors, artwork, huddle rooms, a mix of offices and co-
serving seven states and the District of Columbia,
tions throughout, and TV monitors to communicate company
made up of 500 employees in three law firms
along with five companies serving clients and customers nation-
wide all focused on real estate. The company’s core purpose is:
But something was missing, and it took the company’s
founder Linda Orlans to identify an opportunity to better
land matters.”
a multipurpose meeting area. When asked for her inspiration
Based in Troy, Mich., The Orlans
Group owns a two-story office loca-
tion there that serves as home to more than 300 employees. Additionally, the
company has employees in various
states including Virginia, Delaware, Mark J. Albrecht
Maryland and Massachusetts. Its
renovated building in Troy was professionally redesigned with
2015
information.
“We are passionate about the right to own, use and invest in
real property. You can trust us, because
environmentally green principles in mind and decorated with
6
mingled work stations, kitchens and eating areas, recycle sta-
market the company and improve employee morale by creating
for this area, she said, “One cold winter day our building manager moved our lunch tables away from the building foyer into
vacated office space. In spite of the tables crowded into a small area surrounded by boxes and discarded desk parts, more people were sitting together for breaks and lunches. I thought ‘how good is this?’ With some paint, imagination and effort were we able to convert this newly found space into a place where every-
one could enjoy time together not only for breaks and lunch but for meetings, community gatherings and after-work events.
Customer Care News
“As part of the company’s focus to positively impact our cul-
ture and invest in our key strategies to ‘Create and maintain the right brand image,’ ‘Invest in employee excellence,’ and ‘Promote
and maintain a winning team environment,’ this space would be
more than 60 women from current and potential clients and customers attended classes and working lunches to learn personal and business ideas and tips from successful women.
As part of our company values, Orlans also likes to give
used to market our business, conduct training sessions, support
back to the community through charitable contributions and
place for our employees to relax.”
events in the Orlans Room, bringing in diverse thought leaders
our charitable efforts, and create a comfortable and inviting Like most companies, this discretionary spending was
unbudgeted and some on the executive team questioned the
need for such a room and expense. However, with Linda’s vision, persistence and guidance managing a tight budget, she executed
volunteerism. We have hosted several fundraisers and planning
from the community. This room was also recognized as one of the finalists in the Troy Chamber of Commerce Building of The Year competition for 2014.
a plan to turn this room into a modern, urban-type setting, pay-
Invest in employee excellence
city of Detroit.
management with 32 hours of on-site soft skills training and
polished, unfinished floors. The room has new orange ergo-
personnel. The 5,000 available square feet, along with breakout
ing homage to the company values, its lines of business, and the
The Orlans Center is painted vibrant orange and features
nomical and functional chairs offset by bright white lunch
and training tables. A wall was painted so that it can be used as a giant white board, while another wall serves as a giant chalkboard where employees can
In 2015, The Orlans Group committed to provide all
eight hours of on-site soft skills training to non-management
sitting areas, the smart TV and the giant white board, provide
employees with ample room to engage with one another while learning new skills.
call out positive work to honor their coworkers. A full kitchen
and long serving table are used
for catered events, and a 90-inch, high-definition Smart TV is avail-
able for employees to watch the
news or sporting events, and of course for business and training presentations.
Six months later, has the
Orlans Center achieved its goal to support the company’s key strate-
gies? The data is very encouraging, and additions and enhancements are likely in the near future.
Create and maintain the right brand image
The Orlans Group now has a
dynamic meeting space where it can invite clients and customers to come see the facility and meet the
team. To showcase this new room, Orlans hosted and funded in col-
laboration with the Community
House in Birmingham the “2014
2015
Emerging Leaders Seminars for
Women.” For several months,
www.customercarenews.com
7
Dr. Keith Levick, a training facilitator, recently led three
have been with the company for 10-plus years were invited with
formance team. His sessions included highly interactive learning
celebration featuring a 14-piece band and a fully catered dinner
classes of 75 employees each on the topic of building a high-perusing a hula-hoop, tennis balls and other group activities. When
asked about this training space, Dr. Levick remarked, “This is one of the most functional, modern and interactive spaces I’ve
used for training. It provides a warm, open area for employees to engage and get to know one another better.”
their significant others to a Saturday night dinner and dancing in a room that was decorated to resemble a modern nightclub for the evening.
Other activities the room has played host to include the
employee holiday party in December, and breakfasts and lunches
where senior management serves employees. Additionally, the
company now has ample space to get all 300 employees in two
Promote and maintain a winning team environment
As the company works to promote and main-
tain a winning team environment through training, communication and interaction, President Alison Orlans sum-
groups of 150 to sit together for its twice-a-year “town hall” meetings, using the Smart TV and white board to communicate relevant company information.
“We need the best from everyone who comes to work and
marizes the importance of this area, “The Orlans Center’s
we work hard to give them our best,” said Linda Orlans. “If hav-
needed space to collaborate, communicate and celebrate while
to relax, make friends and feel valued is important, then we have
multifunctional
design
has
provided
us
with
much
also providing our team members with space to relax, study or mingle with each other. It serves as a common gathering
ing a comfortable place where people can enjoy a few minutes succeeded.”
To have an area like the Orlans Center allows the company
place where we can all come together and build relation-
to positively affect the culture, market and generate new busi-
a daily basis. Building relationships with each other fosters com-
abounded on employees’ faces as they engage with one another
ships with people we may not otherwise interact with on munication, collaboration and a winning team environment — all important components of the culture we are creating.”
The Orlans Center has hosted a variety of employee-
focused functions that previously would have been held off
in the new space CCN
Mark J. Albrecht is the Senior Director of Human Resources for The Orlans Group (www.orlans.com). He can be reached at 248-502-1400 or via email at info@orlans.com.
2015
site or conducted in smaller groups. In August, employees that
ness, all while supporting its key strategies. And, smiles have
8
Customer Care News
Choosing CRM Software: Beyond Customer Care
I
n recent years, customer relationship management
ly assigned to the right salesperson. From a marketing perspective,
tomer care specialist looking to deliver excellent service
providing marketers — and management — with a way of mea-
(CRM) platforms have become essential to any cus-
or support. However, not everybody realizes that a correctly
implemented CRM system can do much more than manage customer service for a business. It allows organizations to harness
the power of their customer data to deliver unparalleled service, all while boosting sales and streamlining operations.
time. Compiling reports can also be highly automated, enabling sales, marketing and customer service personnel to devote more time to building genuine relationships with customers.
However, it is not possible to tap into that potential if a CRM
doesn’t closely reflect your business’s type and needs. So, how do
retention targets by facilitating the creation of targeted strategies
choosing a system, or when assessing the performance of a system
that reflect customer behavior, needs and wants. Moreover, in
the age of social media, customers’ electronic footprints are more pronounced than ever before, and as their expectations rise, the previously sufficient level of intimacy between organizations and their client-base is no longer enough.
Thanks to CRM software, customer service professionals
have all the required information at their disposal — a 360-degree view of a customer’s timeline of communications with an orga-
nization, including emails sent, phone calls made, service calls
you choose the right CRM system? Consider the following when already in use:
1. Cliché as it may be, the priority is determining your compa-
ny’s requirements. If you see your CRM primarily as a sales tool, a simple out-of-the-box deployment accessible only by sales, marketing and customer service is likely to be ade-
quate. However, if you might require extensibility to other
business units, check with potential vendors for such options.
logged, etc.
The possibility of integrating with applications already in
also offer organizations a connected marketing and sales
area to investigate in the early stages of your CRM deci-
And this is something often ignored: CRM can
endeavor, increasing lead generation and sales conversion rates via a closed loop of information, one indispensable to the other and both more effective than ever before. The sales
team is provided with an overview of the level of qualification reached before they contact a lead, and prospects are automatical-
2015
suring the return on investment (ROI) of their campaigns in real
Gathering and storing consumer data is a must for any
company wanting to meet and exceed customer acquisition and
10
the entire sales cycle can be tracked through the CRM system,
place, such as email client or accounts software, is another
sion. For example, an investment bank is likely to need a
complex, tailor-made solution with customized forms and connectivity among various external systems. However, a small family business doesn’t require such complexity and associated costs.
Customer Care News
2. A consideration of how the system is going to be
grate its CRM platform with
next question: whether to plump for a cloud or an on-
tem (GIS) to visualize location
deployed and used will have a direct impact on the premises solution. The latter might be a good option
for companies concerned with data security (e.g. law firms) or those willing to pay more upfront in order to avoid greater total cost of ownership later. For a
start-up without a big budget, a cloud-based solution
a geographic information sysdata. With every business having its specific needs, looking into
which vendors provide exten-
sive customization support is key.
with much lower initial cost might be a better option.
Additional fields and connectiv-
If your company is likely to evolve and require changing
for a CRM to pull information
functionalities, making adjustments is easier in the cloud than on-premises, however, the capacity for integration with other systems is reduced. Some vendors facilitate a
swift move from the cloud to an on-premises solution, so
choosing a CRM system that is flexible to accommodate
both might be a wise step if you’re expecting your business to balloon.
ity through links are required from social media. If tools such
as LinkedIn figure high in your business’s operations, integrating
your system with them might
Mike Richardson
enable you to gain a competitive edge.
Once you’ve chosen the perfect platform, the last thing before
3. Estimate the expected number of users. In a mid-size or
deployment is checking whether your company is ready for it.
a start-up is likely to have a fluctuating employee base.
willing to learn new skills — the system will not deliver if the
large company it will be high, but fairly stable. In contrast, If your team shrinks and grows, according to the market situation or even time of the year, scalability should be
one of the most sought-after features in a CRM system. Some cloud CRM system providers offer such flexibility with the number of users easily increased or decreased on a monthly basis.
4. Mobility is the buzzword of today and not without a reason, but it doesn’t mean that every business requires the
same level of mobile access. To assess what will work best, ask yourself these questions:
• Are your organization’s operatives often on the road?
• Do you encourage working from home?
• Will your CRM system need to be updated in real-time?
• Would the company benefit if managers could access the CRM system anytime, anywhere?
In other words, all members need to support the choice and be staff is not excited to work with it. The best way to ensure high
user adoption is to involve the end-users in the decision-making process from the very beginning.
Facilitating the creation and deployment of meaningful com-
munications, CRM can become a tool that enables organizations
to show how much they value their customers’ business and
provides the real foundation for ongoing loyalty and future com-
mercial interactions. Yet, in the times of a continuing economic squeeze, any investment is a big and daunting decision and CRM
systems are no exception. However, studies show that the desire for CRM software has seen stock continually rise, as more and more companies realize the potential benefits.
Amidst the recent hype surrounding CRM systems, it is
crucial to remember that the implementation of any software on
its own is not a magic bullet that will revitalize an organization
and boost profitability. The right decisions have to be made before and after; even the best systems need the best people to make an organization thrive. CCN
5. Last but not least, in order to fully leverage the data in
Mike Richardson is Managing Director of CRM solution firm
other sources of information. Some of these options may
Maximizer in 2000 when he created and headed the Professional
your CRM system, you may need to integrate it with
be available out-of-the-box, as is the case with widely
used software such as marketing or accounting programs. table; a chartered surveyor, for example, will need to inte-
www.customercarenews.com
Services Team. Prior to joining Maximizer, he had a diverse
career spanning the oil and gas exploration industry, the security sector, and business and IT consultancy for SMEs. Richardson
2015
In other cases, a tailored customization might be inevi-
Maximizer Software for the EMEA region. Richardson joined
can be reached at mrichardson@max.co.uk.
11
Global Survey Shows Involving Customers Still an Afterthought — With a Big Payoff For Those Do
A
new
Forbes
Insights/American
Society
likely to have world-class quality. This finding raises three
2014 shows that while many companies
• W hat is the difference between analyzing customer input
for Quality (ASQ) survey conducted in
solicit customer input, few really involve customers aside
from simply receiving their surveys and complaints.
and involving customers?
• Is the payoff worth the investment?
• What do I need to do to get started?
2015
Companies that genuinely involve customers are twice as
questions:
12
Customer Care News
The
difference
between
and involving customers
analyzing
customer
input
How do I get started with customer involvement?
Better a small success than a big disaster. Pick one known
Customer input is usually one directional, mainly via
customer problem and have a two-way discussion with a focus
Involvement is two directional and recurring. The Forbes/ASQ
how and when the problem occurs and what happens just
surveys and complaints, and is often a one-time occurrence. Global State of Quality Survey of 2,100 companies found that the most successful companies shared quality measures across
the company and with customers and used quality as a competitive edge.
Customer involvement mechanisms include online com-
munities, focus groups, ethnographic studies and regularly
scheduled discussions with the customer. Ron Lear, director of
quality at Booz Allen Hamilton, said frequent discussions with
group or segment of your customer online community. Ask before it occurs. You will find that customers have a much more complex understanding of your product than you think they do. Unpleasant surprises and unmet expectations are often the
source of dissatisfaction because customers seldom read the directions or details of any offer. My research has found that customers generally create 20 to 30 percent of their own problems via mistakes and incorrect expectations.
One approach, suggested by the Forbes/ASQ study, is to
customers include specifying the issues that are identified based
create a small group of involved customers, which they call
them. Periodically, they circle back to the customers to learn if
product design, prototyping, production, delivery and use. While
on customer feedback and how the company plans to address
they actually saw improvement based on the company’s actions. The key to involvement is continual monitoring, continuous improvement and ongoing, two-way communication.
Only 24 percent of the Forbes/ASQ survey respondents
strongly agree that they actively involve customers in formal quality discussions, rising to 47 percent among world-class busi-
nesses. Only 16 percent overall strongly agree that they use big data to gauge customer sentiment, compared with 41 percent
“Qustomers” — customers who are involved in the quality of the massive customer involvement is expensive, involvement at these
five critical points throughout the customer journey provide great payoff. For instance, the study recounts the guidance of
Airbus quality manager Thomas Joussen that the “the customer
is at the assembly line doing quality checks for all stages from beginning to end.” In other words, the customer must have input opportunities throughout the entire product life cycle.
The most successful companies shared information on
of world-class organizations. Only 12 percent overall strongly
product quality and service with the customer. Sharing the qual-
rising to 30 percent among world-class organizations.
are measuring the right things. If you think quality is at a 97
agree that they use social media to gauge customer sentiment,
Is the payoff worth the investment?
My research, as reported in my recent book, Customer
Experience 3.0, found that companies that provide great quality and customer experience have dramatically lower marketing
costs because their customers do their marketing for them. For
instance, restaurants The Cheesecake Factory and Chick-Fil-A both have marketing expenses totaling one-fourth that of their
competitors because of positive customer word-of-mouth. Also,
ity metrics with your customers allows you to validate that you
and the customer says, “no it is a 67” – you know the metric is inaccurate. Quality metrics should be merged with or congruent with market success metrics, such as the value for price paid and
willingness to recommend. Ask customers to share the prob-
lems, questions, frustrations and surprises (both positive and
negative) they have had with your products and those of your competitors. Educating customers on product capabilities is also critical for ensuring they get the most out of products/services.
Customer involvement is the best investment for enhancing
to the degree that your customers have fewer problems, attrition
the customer experience. The Forbes/ASQ study shows that a
was the original research that demonstrated that it costs five
product design, production and delivery. Those that do are twice
is lower and less needs to be spent to win new customers. Mine times as much to win a new customer as to keep a current one.
Additionally, higher quality begets higher margins.
Encountering a problem generally doubles customers’ sensitivity to price and two problems double it again. Quality is the
significant majority of companies fail at involving customers in as likely to deliver world-class quality and customer experience, saving marketing costs, preventing customer attrition and achieving higher margins than their competitors. CCN
most powerful differentiator for companies that wish to become
John Goodman is Vice Chairman of Customer Care
department is that if you want to charge a premium price, your
Experience 3.0, is available through Amazon. Follow
world class and charge a premium. The message to the finance
www.customercarenews.com
him on Twitter at jgoodman888 or contact him via email at
2015
customers better not encounter problems.
Measurement & Consulting LLC. His latest book, Customer
jgoodman@customercaremc.com.
13
A Strong Foundation Of Customer Service = Loyal Customers and Brand Ambassadors
W
ith the pervasiveness of social media and
results reflected the importance of customer support across
pany to get away with poor customer service
poor or pristine customer service, and those that incorporate best
online review websites, it’s hard for a com-
in today’s culture. No matter how a company is advertising a product or service, customers act as unpaid press agents — treat
them poorly, and they’ll report it with painfully honest reviews to their personal circle of potential customers.
Though daunting, the reverse is true as well: if a com-
pany treats customers well, they’ll win not only their loyalty as a returning customer, but also the opportunity for them to become a brand ambassador. The customer’s positive reviews of the excellent customer service they receive
will end up benefitting the company in both the short and long term. The proof is in the numbers. Freshdesk
conducted
a
sur-
in
San
vey of 350 participants at the 2014 Dreamforce
conference
Francisco. The survey asked partici-
industries, and highlighted which industries stand out as having
practices for successful customer support. The lessons learned
from these Dreamforce attendees — who are well informed when it comes to customer service — are valuable for companies
and industries across the board, regardless of size, mission or geography.
Customer support: the good, the bad and the bottom line
Among those polled, three out of four professionals have
Seven out of 10 sales professionals reported that their company has lost a customer or a sale due to poor customer support or poor support reputation
pants to discuss their customer service experiences, and the
personally cut ties with a company due to poor customer service. While not surprising, it’s a valuable metric that
proves what savvy business owners already knew: strong customer service is a critical component for retaining customers and must remain a priority.
All customers want to feel impor-
tant, and a misstep can often cause them to feel overlooked. It’s
these customers who can break a company’s bottom line, because
this means not only losing one customer, but also potentially losing friends and followers whom the customer has. One bad
tweet can undo a lot of otherwise stellar customer service. This is
reflected in the Dreamforce data as well — seven out of 10 sales professionals reported that their company has lost a customer or a sale due to poor customer support or poor support reputation.
Alternately, there is another route customer service can take,
and it will affect a company’s bottom line in a positive way. Nine
out of 10 respondents noted that a positive customer support interaction had changed their perception of a brand for the bet-
Winter 2014
ter. So just as a bad experience can mean losing a customer, a great experience can save one.
Beyond the positive experience, customers will likely con-
tinue returning to a company that has treated them well and Alan Berkson
14
become a loyal customer. Even further, after experiencing a par-
Customer Care News
ticularly helpful interaction with a customer service professional,
customer success within their own organizations despite it not
with friends and family. Delivering great customer service can
It is likely that these respondents are part of a company that
customers might go one step beyond and share that experience
being in their primary job description.
spark an opportunity for a customer to turn into a brand ambas-
places significant value on customer service and the customer
brand in the long run.
and customer success ensures every person in the company feels
sador, giving the company a great reputation that can benefit the
Best communication practices for great customer service
The survey also asked participants about the best possible
way for business professionals to engage in customer support. Research data showed that email, phone and chat continue to dominate the customer support communication channels.
experience. Centering company values and culture on customers responsible to deliver the best possible product and experience to
everyone they encounter. This focus needs to start with the hir-
ing process and also include training employees to be constantly thinking about the customer and strategizing for success from the bottom to the top.
The benefits from taking the time to ingrain these values
Email took the greatest percentage of votes as the preferred
into a company’s foundation can be enormous. As seen in the
outlet for customers to clearly write out what problems they are
resentatives can make or break a person’s opinion of a company.
channel for customer support. It provides an easy-to-access experiencing, and then customer service employees can tend to those problems on a case-by-case basis. Due to its asynchronous
nature, email also provides agents with the ability to collect whatever information they need and get the customer a complete answer in a clearly written format.
previous data, just a single experience with customer service rep-
The extra effort an individual customer service employee delivers
to ensure a positive experience can create a profound effect on the company’s bottom line. If an entire company operates with the same mindset, the benefits can be immense.
Ultimately, the survey demonstrates that it’s in every single
Customer service by phone trailed closely behind email,
company’s best interest to provide the greatest possible experi-
preferred for resolving problems. Having a customer service
no-brainer, but as the survey reflects, not every company gets it
demonstrating that a personal, real-time interaction is still often employee who is available to speak one-on-one makes customers feel important.
Lastly, chat took nearly a quarter of the votes, likely due to
the ease of access. Ultimately, offering a reliable channel with constant and personal customer service is bound to appeal to most customers seeking help.
ence for its customers, regardless of circumstance. It seems like a right every time. Those small missteps can add up and cost the
company valued business. By putting customer experience at the center of their values and providing the best possible support
using the customers’ preferred medium of communication, companies can make bold strides to ensure that customers remain happy — and spread the word. CCN
The root of customer service success? The employees
Alan Berkson is the Director of Community Outreach at
Beyond the medium of communication used, customer ser-
founded with the mission of enabling companies of all sizes to
delivering it
half of survey respondents shared that they feel responsible for
www.customercarenews.com
provide great customer service. For more information, go online
2015
vice is deeply rooted in the employees providing it. More than
Freshdesk, a cloud-based customer support platform that was
to www.freshdesk.com.
15
Five Ways to Profit From Personality It’s the fundamental driver of your organization’s Customer Experience. Ignore it at your peril. EMBRACE it, and you’ll prosper.
I
n the late 19th century, the legendary American
calling to resolve a billing error or order a product. But in any
retail landscape — and single-handedly invented the
play. This need has nothing to do with product and everything
entrepreneur Marshall Field forever transformed the
concept of customer service — when he famously declared to
the staff of his eponymous Chicago department store, “Give the lady what she wants!” More than 100 years later, Field’s simple formula for business success is still profoundly effective. It’s also never been more difficult to deliver on.
A constantly expanding universe of choices has made con-
sumers smarter, savvier and far less tolerant of subpar quality and service. And while increased CS automation has added efficien-
accommodate it, you could be risking revenue, retention, reputation and much, much more.
Conversations in call centers are no different than conversa-
tions in any other area of life: they’re better when those involved
have a good connection. And, just as in everyday life, “better” means different things to different people.
In general, people align with one of four major personality
types: Emotions, Opinions, Thoughts and Reactions. Each one
you need to talk to a real person. By the time a customer in
to be treated, including preferences that are communicated to
THE 4 PERSONALITY TYPES 1. EMOTIONS Compassionate | Sensitive | Warm In Service: P refers caring and supportive problem solving In Sales: Is persuaded by emphasizing the benefits to family, friends, people in general 2. THOUGHTS Logical | Responsible | Organized In Service: P refers efficient and accurate problem solving In Sales: Is persuaded by emphasizing facts, logic and analysis 3. REACTIONS Spontaneous | Creative | Playful In Service: P refers hassle-free and supportive problem solving In Sales: Is persuaded by emphasizing the fun/“cool” factor, and by making the buying process easy 4. OPINIONS Dedicated | Observant | Conscientious In Service: P refers commitment and respectful problem solving In Sales: Is persuaded by emphasizing quality and integrity, and by providing high-quality references
2015
to do with personality. And if your call center isn’t equipped to
cies, slashed costs and provided a certain degree of convenience
for customers, there is a downside to self-service. Sometimes,
16
customer/agent conversation, there’s a deeper level of need at
that position has run
through
the
of these types has its own way of expressing itself and of wanting others through things like word choice, tone and syntax.
Most of us aren’t consciously aware of either projecting or
number-
receiving these “advertisements.” We simply know that we click
let and finally
our conversations and relationships accordingly. In the typical
pressing gauntmade with
contact
agent,
a
live
they’re
often exhausted,
confused
and just plain mad.
Even more
s i g n i fi c a n t l y, exactly what a
customer wants
with some people, but not with others, and automatically form
call center, that control is lost. Callers and agents are forced at random into what are really mini relationships, with potentially disastrous consequences.
The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way. In this, as
with so many other things, technology has arrived to save the
day. Highly sophisticated linguistics-based algorithms have been developed to analyze customers’ call data and identify their indi-
vidual personality type. That identification remains attached to a customer’s phone number, following them into call centers that have implemented a software solution to optimize it.
Some of today’s biggest and most service-heavy companies
isn’t always easy
are already deploying this solution. As they’ve discovered, pairing
not
only
beneficial, influencing virtually every critical metric. Here are
for
customers
to identify —
for
agents, but also
personalities in the call center has the potential to be massively five reasons why:
1. You make a great first impression: Every customer goes
themselves. A
into a call hoping for a good experience and outcome. Precisely
ostensibly
personality type. That’s where things can start to come apart.
customer may be
what that means for them, however, depends largely on their
Customer Care News
Even a fairly specific expectation such as “politeness” can vary
of all: lifetime value. With a myriad of other companies vying for
be offensive to another. Imagine the reception you’d get if you
them feel bad, mad or undervalued — and they won’t.
widely at the granular level. What resonates with one type can greeted Warren Buffet with a hearty, “What’s up, bro?!” and you
their business, customers don’t need to stick with one that makes
What’s more, in the age of social media, a single negative
begin to get the picture.
experience can be detailed and broadcast to millions, deal-
stage for the smooth, mutually satisfying interaction everyone
Comcast debacle may be one of the more highly publicized
In those critical first few moments, it’s important to set the
wants. Aligning customers with agents who recognize and respond to their definition of good service — whether that
ing a potentially devastating blow to your business. The 2014 examples of this, but it happens constantly, every single day.
On the other hand, when a customer feels listened to and
means being warm and nurturing, prompt and efficient, or
valued, he or she is much more likely to maintain a positive
up for a successful call.
you’re really doing it right….
respectful and results-oriented — can help to set both of them
2. Your agents get off the phone sooner: Average talk time
impression of you, regardless of the actual call outcome. And, if
5. You create customer evangelists: The flipside of a tweet
(ATT) is a metric near and dear to the heart of every call cen-
or Facebook post that broadcasts disappointment is one that
that metric rises for the simple reason that mismatches create
in — and these days, more and more customers are — can be as
ter’s operations. When agent/customer personalities conflict, a very real language barrier. A customer is using a specific set
of words to communicate his or her needs; the agent is using a completely different set of words to respond. Negotiating that
miscommunication can pile precious minutes onto a call, all while the customer’s blood pressure skyrockets and their satisfaction plummets.
Agents and customers who understand each other’s person-
lavishes praise. A happy customer who is also socially plugged wonderful for your company’s name and numbers as an unhappy
one can be damaging to them. They can put a positive message
about you in front of hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, even millions of people — all without you spending a dime of your marketing budget.
Success in business ultimately comes down to satisfying the
ality language have naturally shorter conversations. And when
deep human need to be heard and understood. Organizations
age 300-seat call center, for example, just a one-second decrease
their call centers are innovating and defining CS/CX standards
ATT goes down, the financial benefits are significant. In an averin monthly ATT can translate into a dollars-and-cents savings
equivalent of as much as one full-time agent’s salary. Companies using personality-based call routing have seen monthly ATT reductions of well more than 100 seconds. It adds up — fast.
3. Your agents are also happier: The notoriously high
turnover rate many call centers experience is understandable. It’s
tough to spend hours and hours a day being yelled at and criti-
cized, feeling like you’re not doing your job well. However, agents who primarily serve customers with whom they have a positive
connection feel understood, appreciated, valued and satisfied. That’s a recipe for a motivated and content employee, while also significantly lowering hiring and training costs.
4. You win the long game (even if you lose a round): Call
center agents are trained to solve the problem a customer presents to them, and rightfully so. But if a customer’s personality
needs aren’t met, chances are they’ll walk away with a negative impression of the conversation, and your organization, even if What’s at stake here is the most important success measure
www.customercarenews.com
for our generation — and scooping up the customers, employees and profits of those that fail to keep pace. CCN
Jason Wesbecher is Executive Vice President and Chief
Marketing Off icer for Mattersight (www.mattersight.
com), which offers a proprietary set of personality-based SaaS applications that help businesses have more effec-
tive, more effortless conversations with their customers. Wesbecher has spent close to two decades holding sales, marketing and executive positions within the B2B SaaS market. As an entrepreneur, he most recently founded and served as CEO of
Docket, a sales enablement software company backed by Austin Ventures and First Round Capital. Prior to founding Docket, he helped guide Jive Software through an IPO as the leader of the
strategic accounts, federal and LATAM teams. Previously he has held sales leadership positions at eLoyalty, Siebel Systems, TIBCO
Software and Trilogy. Wesbecher holds a BA in Economics from
the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is active within the Austin start-up ecosystem and frequently contributes to Entrepreneur Magazine and Huffington Post. You
2015
their transactional needs are met.
that leverage new technologies to meet that fundamental need in
can reach him at jason.wesbecher@mattersight.com.
17
SoLoMo Marketing: How to Combine the Powers of Social Media, Local Targeting and Mobile Technology to Engage Customers purchasing history, and offer them relevant communications and
offers in real-time. However, companies need to be careful about the amount of contact they have with their customers through this channel.
Traditionally, consumers have been in control of how and
when they receive marketing offers from companies, and making
the assumption that all customers are ready to take the plunge
into SoLoMo marketing is a huge mistake. This is confirmed by research findings from GI Insight, which have highlighted that
this channel needs to be treated with caution as not all custom-
ers are comfortable with the level of data sharing that targeted, location-based mobile marketing entails. Getting SoLoMo right
GI Insight’s latest whitepaper, Harnessing the Power of
SoLoMo, investigates whether it is worth investing in the SoLoMo trend, analyzing survey responses from 1,000-plus consumers to gauge the levels of communication they are comfort-
able with. The report highlights a key message: a huge majority
of consumers (70%) were only willing to receive location-based mobile marketing messages if they had given a company direct
A
surge in smartphone and Internet use has changed
the way companies connect with consumers in a huge way: businesses can now gather an unprece-
dented amount of data on their customers from a greater number
of sources and at a faster rate than ever before. For marketers, this means that gone are the days of generic marketing communications and offers across disparate channels — consumers now
want, and expect, personalized customer communications. But how much personalization is too much?
Social, Local and Mobile (SoLoMo) marketing is the inevi-
started communicating with them in this manner. Furthermore, 60% of respondents were only willing to receive SoLoMo mar-
keting messages, and be likely to act on them, if they had longstanding ties with the company in question, such as membership of its loyalty scheme — highlighting the importance of strong customer/business bonds in effective SoLoMo marketing. A sig-
nificant 80% said they would not welcome these messages from any company at all without a prior relationship in place.
This illustrates that while consumers are happy to “check-in”
to various locations through social media and search for local
keting, SoLoMo makes targeted marketing more accurate and
The vast majority of customers are unhappy with the prospect of
effective than ever. Fed by big data, SoLoMo can track consumer
2015
diately unsubscribe from a mailing list if an unfamiliar company
table product of this changing landscape. Combining the power of social media and the precision of location-based mobile mar-
behavior based on a customer’s location, social media habits and
18
permission to do so. The same amount said they would imme-
services via mobile, there have to be some boundaries in place. being targeted with unsolicited mobile marketing, so any business that sends out unsolicited location-based marketing mes-
Customer Care News
sages risks both its reputation and its customers. Moreover, the findings indicate that what really matters to customers is having a good relationship with the company beforehand; only then
are many happy to receive and act upon targeted mobile-based marketing offers.
The weak link in SoLoMo
While social media has become an indispensable channel
for personal communications, the research reveals that consumers largely do not welcome receiving location-based marketing through social networks. The consumers questioned were far
more likely to take part in an offer from a company if it came from them directly, rather than via a social network, with less
than one-quarter of respondents (22%) saying they would be more likely to take up location-based mobile offers received through a social networking site.
On the other hand, an impressive 59% of respondents said
they would be more likely to act on a local mobile marketing offer from a company whose loyalty program they belong to —
illustrating the fact that loyalty schemes and SoLoMo marketing can, and should, go hand in hand when it comes to strengthening customer relationships. This is because the information captured
Andy Wood
tomer behavior and spending habits, enabling marketers to create
evant offers, and the company does not waste time and resources
through a loyalty program can reveal telling insights into cus-
tailored and relevant offers that show the customer the company is using their data wisely.
sending the wrong message to its customers.
Using personal data to tailor and time mobile communica-
Trust in the brand is therefore the key link for consumers —
tions to individual customers beyond just getting the locality
this trust in the brand that forms the good relationship between
ing response. Consumers want to see a level of understanding
it is far more important than a social networking platform, as it is customer and company that makes SoLoMo work. Can SoLoMo work for every business?
There are many aspects of this exciting new marketing
development that businesses should already be adopting, but the
research also highlights some key warning signs. The findings
right plays an enormous role in engaging people and encouragand personalization when it comes to targeted marketing, oth-
erwise it is no better than unsolicited junk mail. The companies
that pick up on the right data and use it thoughtfully to tailor offers and deals to each individual shows a level of customer intelligence that doesn’t go unnoticed by consumers.
So, while SoLoMo can work with large segments of custom-
make clear the pivotal importance of having a good relationship
ers, it is important to bear in mind that there is not a one-size-
activities, as without this companies risk alienating both poten-
vast amount of customers thanks to the fact that many simply
with the customer prior to embarking on SoLoMo marketing tial and existing buyers. One of the most effective ways of laying the groundwork for successful SoLoMo campaigns is through a
loyalty program, which enables a company to collect the neces-
sary data and evaluate it effectively in order to tailor the right communications to the right customer.
fits-all option. To adopt a uniform approach would alienate a aren’t ready for the level of communication that comes with SoLoMo. Start by building strong customer relationships and you’ll find SoLoMo can become a powerful marketing tool. CCN
This allows businesses to use customer intelligence to offer
Andy Wood is the Managing Director for GI Insight (www.
particular customer needs, when he or she needs it. This in turn
helping you understand your customer’s behavior and using this
tailored, targeted and relevant promotions that reflect what a
helps build a deeper bond between company and customer: the customer is pleased that they aren’t being bombarded with irrel-
www.customercarenews.com
gi-solutionsgroup.com/gi-insight), a company that is focused on knowledge to tailor your marketing communications to boost response rates and return on investment.
19
The Future of CRM: Why Knowledge Automation is a Game Changer
I
n the 1980s, when Customer Relationship Management
and efficiently answer their questions the first time they call. But
what it would be like to speak individually to countless
agents can’t find the information they’re looking for and have to
(CRM) was first introduced, it was merely an idea of
sales leads and customers. Since then, it has become an integral
part of any organization seeking to actively improve sales and
Tools and databases used in the call centers provide good
answers if the answer is available in the knowledge base that
organizations correspond with their key constituents.
silo of a knowledge base has only a portion of the total useful
Companies rely on CRM platforms to manage all busi-
ness relationships and the data and information associated with them. These platforms store account details, leads and sales
information, and customer contact information in a central loca-
tion. Now, this information is most often stored in the cloud, making it accessible anywhere. While CRM platforms are useful
across many departments and have helped companies improve many types of relationships during the past three decades, there is still more that companies can do to leverage CRM for cus-
companies use. However, it is typical in enterprises that a
knowledge available in the company, and that portion is usually
old and outdated. Better and more complete knowledge exists, but it is outside the knowledge silos of call centers. Given the time and effort required to bring the right knowledge into call center tools, searching for what they need not only wastes the
representatives’ time and involves more than one employee, but
it also lengthens the call, upsetting customers and limiting the overall amount of customers agents are able to help.
Knowledge automation can predict what information sup-
tomer support.
port representatives will need based on a customer’s history or
companies to leverage all their content, often scattered across
port they will need while they are on the phone with customers
Knowledge automation — enterprise software that enables
multiple repositories and in diverse formats — will be instrumental in helping customer service reps use CRM to its fullest
capacity in 2015. Knowledge automation will improve customer
support in three main areas: call length and volume of calls, training processes, and uniform support.
Decreasing call length and volume of calls
When customers pick up the phone to
call customer service, the last thing they want
is to spend an hour on the phone with a sup-
port representative who fails to answer their questions, only to hang up disappointed and
have to call back again at a later day or time. According to the 2012 Global Customer
will reduce average call time and lead to improved first-call resolution, which ultimately leads to happier customers. Accelerating and simplifying training processes
Customer service personnel turn over quickly and come
from a variety of backgrounds with a wide range of skills. Training new employees can be a challenge when they are unfamiliar with the company’s culture, best practices and exist-
ing training collateral. When new hires ramp up to familiarize
themselves with all the information in an organization, it can be time-consuming and labor-intensive. But if support representatives don’t get the training they need, the results could be detrimental to customer experience.
It’s nearly impossible to share all the information employees
will need to do their jobs from the outset. Brief training sessions
from agent to agent without any resolution of
jump right in.
their problem.
Customers reach out to customer support
Seenu Banda
on documents that other agents are using. Predicting what sup-
Service Barometer, more than one in four
customers have experienced being transferred
2015
pass the query to someone else.
customer service interactions. Now a 35-year-old industry, CRM is no doubt here to stay, drastically affecting the way
20
customer service can easily become a game of tag when support
expecting to talk to agents who can quickly
can’t cover all the materials, leaving new employees to have to CRM tools are no longer limited to use in the customer ser-
vice department. More and more organizations are recognizing
the benefit of CRM tools across various departments. With the
Customer Care News
breadth of these tools, resources
that individuals need to do their jobs and give exceptional support
are often hidden in a number of silos, making it difficult for
new employees to find the documents they need to offer help to customers.
However, knowledge automa-
tion can make it easier for new employees to do their jobs. The
technology can predict what a new employee will need. From training
sheets and company FAQs to social media guidelines and mar-
Connecting customer service representatives through
keting how-tos, knowledge automation can send new employees
knowledge automation will help them collaborate and offer bet-
customized to them. According to BizLibrary, companies that
approach to customer service across all their platforms, they will
the documents they should read in a dashboard that’s uniquely use enterprise technology in their training processes see an 18
percent increase in employee engagement year after year. This
ter customer support. As companies create a unified and global
see results in the efficiency of support and customer satisfaction. Companies that rely on knowledge automation in the future
may seem unrelated, but having engaged, happy employees leads
will reduce the number of calls they receive from customers and
With knowledge automation, supervisors will know which
to find the training materials they need as it is recommended
to reduced turnover and more satisfied customers.
of their team members are taking time to read their training materials. Ultimately, the use of knowledge automation solu-
tions in the enterprise will alleviate the pressure on customer
support supervisors to be everywhere at once. Less new hires will be raising their hands for help as they use knowledge automation to help themselves find important documents.
Build uniformity across global support representatives
The evolution of CRM and customer service technologies
has allowed companies to offer support from virtually anywhere. While many companies outsource their support outside of the
United States, others offer on-the-go support through mobile, cloud and social media technologies. These resources allow for
the average length of call times. New employees will be able
for them on their individual dashboards, improving training
processes and freeing up supervisors to help in other areas. Organizations will also be able to close the loop on support that
occurs remotely — connecting all employees with information and knowledge.
Complete knowledge exists in the enterprise, but employees
don’t know how to access it from information silos. As information spreads through the enterprise, organizations can be proac-
tive about transforming that information into knowledge as it makes its way to the people who need it. As customer service
agents are given the knowledge they need to successfully do their jobs, customers will ultimately be happier. CCN
customer support anytime and anywhere.
Seenu Banda is the CEO and a founder of Kaybus Inc. (www.
difficult to synchronize communications within the enterprise.
in residence at Artiman Ventures. Previously, he was a VP of
But with support agents scattered across the globe, it can be
Getting agents the knowledge they need, when they need it, requires more than just a CRM platform. It requires a system
that can predict relevant information and suggest that content to the user. This will not only simplify content sharing, but it will also unify support teams across the globe.
Knowledge automation allows support agents to view which
materials are popular based on topic, but also by location. Users in Bangalore could view what documents are popular or well peers may be.
www.customercarenews.com
Enterprise solutions at Alcatel-Lucent. He was the CEO and founder of NetDevices, which was acquired by Alcatel-Lucent in
2007. Prior to NetDevices, he was Senior Director of Marketing
at Cisco Systems, where he managed multiple billion-dollar product lines including the 7200 and 7500. Earlier, Banda
worked for six years at Intel Corporation in strategic and product marketing roles. He holds an MBA from Santa Clara University, a Masters in Computer Science from Michigan State
University, and a BS in Computer Engineering from Andhra
2015
rated among their peers in the Silicon Valley or wherever their
kaybus.com). Prior to founding Kaybus, he was an entrepreneur
University.
21
Case Study: Lesley University Uses Cloud-based Support Platform to Boost Student Satisfaction
M
any higher education institutions struggle
When students submitted their requests, they received inconsis-
There is frequently a lot of red tape for stu-
various accents, making it confusing for students to know from
to offer the best possible technical support.
dents and professors to cut through, and it’s not uncommon for academic institutions to be hampered by tight budgets — meaning they don’t often spend enough to offer the best possible support. There is a pervasive perception of miscommunication
tent responses. They often spoke to service representatives with where their support was coming. The agents on the other end didn’t really understand the campus culture and nuances, and users were often getting answers late.
Prompted by complaints from students, Charles Cooper,
and bad service, owing to a large chunk of the support process
assistant director of information technology at Lesley University,
The most savvy higher education institutions are finding
support system. Taking customer support in-house with the
being outsourced.
ways to cut through this red tape by embracing new tools and
technologies. By implementing new technologies, these institu-
tions have empowered their own students to support internal
users, resulting in higher customer satisfaction and cost savings. Transitioning to a cloud-based customer support system
recognized a need in his department for a more comprehensive help of a cloud-based customer support system helped him
solve three pain points: delivering quicker and better support, reaching students no matter where they are, and transforming customer support into an engaging activity for student agents.
may seem overwhelming to small colleges, but it doesn’t need
Offering local and uniform support
Mass., are proving that a small budget and employee base don’t
University’s IT support back in-house to make it more acces-
Lesley University is a private university with approximately
help them own customer support, do it all in house and take
to be. Institutions like Lesley University, based in Cambridge, need to equate to a lower quality of support.
7,000 students and is well known for its education, creative
writing, counseling and fine arts programs. The university had
been using an outsourced company to manage its IT helpdesk.
In 2013, Cooper was tasked with bringing Lesley
sible and user-friendly. He wanted to find a system that would
customer satisfaction to a whole new level. He also realized the
potential he had to teach students the ins and outs of IT support through first-hand experience.
Cooper turned to Freshdesk, the cloud-based customer sup-
port platform, to implement an easy-to-setup and intuitive help
desk that made it possible to put university students on the front
lines of customer service and IT troubleshooting. Ultimately, Cooper hired more student workers, creating more on-campus jobs, and gave his students valuable IT experience they couldn’t find elsewhere at a liberal arts university.
They offered support in a variety of areas from resetting
passwords and establishing .edu email addresses to accessing
the school’s Wi-Fi. Cooper also used Freshdesk to create and
share scripts that answer the most common support questions. By doing this, he created a uniform approach to service, something that was missing from the previous helpdesk. When new
students came on board as agents, they were able to quickly pick
2015
up troubleshooting knowledge by looking at these scripts. Alan Berkson
22
By using a local cloud-based help desk and student employ-
ees, universities can ensure the messages they are sending to stu-
Customer Care News
dents are aligned with their brand while making sure students get help when they need it.
Reaching students where they are
At Lesley University, the IT office is on the far end of a two-
mile campus. It can take his agents nearly 30 minutes to walk to work if they are coming from the other end of campus. One
feature Cooper particularly liked about Freshdesk was the plat-
form’s mobile integration. With the Freshdesk mobile app, his
agents can login from their phones and offer support on the go. Additionally, Cooper found that with Freshdesk, his agents
could communicate with students through the channels that meant the most to them. Although the Lesley University network worked smoothly more often than not, positive feedback
was rarely retweeted. Cooper noticed an increasing number of
complaints rolling in through social media and used Freshdesk to mitigate those complaints.
Freshdesk enabled the IT team to monitor any mention of
leaders would get special recognition among their peers, creat-
When they spotted an issue, the team would pull it into the
also proved beneficial to students as they claimed more talking
Lesley University on social media that was related to IT issues. platform’s ticketing system and assign it to an agent to handle. Another benefit for Cooper was that he could allow his students
to respond to issues via social media directly from the platform, so he did not have to share the login credentials for the univer-
ing an environment of healthy competition. These challenges points on their resumes. The school found that as more students
participated in gamification, they were happier at work and provided better customer support.
sity’s social accounts.
Better support leads to happier customers
tions to help their students get the on-the-go answers they need.
software, they’ll find they not only save money, but also their
media complaints without sharing login credentials with a high
themselves.
Systems such as Freshdesk enable higher education institu-
This technology also allows multiple users to respond to social volume of individuals. These capabilities make it possible to
offer the best support to students whenever and however they need it.
Making support fun for agents
Customer service support can often be a mundane and
repetitive job, leading to high employee turnover. This is espe-
As institutions implement cloud-based customer support
employees and customers are happier. The numbers speak for After each ticket is resolved, Freshdesk lets Lesley collect
feedback on the service through a customer satisfaction survey. Lesley University’s old support provider operated on a five-star
system and customer satisfaction teetered around four stars, or about 80 percent. Lesley University now has 95 percent positive customer satisfaction.
Universities can leverage internal teams to help students
cially true for student-based support jobs — college students
find the answers they need by focusing their IT support efforts
cational lives. Cooper needed to implement a system that would
universities save money while providing jobs for students.
can become easily distracted at work by their personal and edumake offering support fun.
Freshdesk’s gamification aspect, which lets support
agents score points with each incoming ticket, allowed Lesley University to make the helpdesk more fun and turn customer
through a cloud-based helpdesk. This new focus will also help Investing in a simplified and intuitive approach to customer
support can help universities make the most of their resources while improving student satisfaction. CCN
support into an attractive job for student representatives. The
Alan Berkson is the Director of Community Outreach at
receiving positive customer reviews.
founded with the mission of enabling companies of all sizes to
system challenged students to earn points for closing tickets and
www.customercarenews.com
provide great customer service. For more information, go online
2015
Cooper established quests, such as “close 10 tickets with
positive customer satisfaction ratings in a week.” The challenge
Freshdesk, a cloud-based customer support platform that was
to www.freshdesk.com.
23
It Takes A Lot More Than Just Cash-saving Points To Get Consumers To Sign Up For Loyalty Schemes
L
oyalty schemes can be an invaluable tool when
ers. It is therefore paramount that companies offer meaningful
consumer experience. Our most recent research
business in the minds of customers as the go-to brand within a
it comes to customer satisfaction and the overall
shows that 94 percent of UK consumers are members of at least
one loyalty program, and many belong to multiple schemes.
benefits that appeal to a range of consumers and establish their specific sector.
To be embraced by consumers, a loyalty scheme has to offer
However, to really get consumers flocking to a brand and form-
benefits that provide value and relevance to the particular cus-
simply have a loyalty scheme in place.
do not see as meaningful, they will quickly abandon the scheme
ing a strong bond with it, a company needs to do more than Loyalty schemes have emerged as a critical customer rela-
tionship platform for businesses of all types. Firms that have jumped on the loyalty scheme bandwagon in just the last couple
of years include John Lewis, Morrisons, Papa John’s, Pets at Home and ASOS. The proliferation of schemes has made the competition tight for place of pride in the wallets of consum-
tomer being targeted. If members are being offered benefits they
and possibly take their business to another brand. Research by Nielsen shows that 50 percent of UK consumers will quit a
loyalty scheme or not join at all if they feel the benefits are not worthwhile.
Once a loyalty scheme has been implemented, then the
hard work begins. Running the scheme successfully is really about using the data to better understand your customers and to
extend your relationship with them. The data on members, both the information they have given you and that which you have gleaned from their transactions, provides you with insight into
their preferences, interests, personal circumstances, needs and buying habits. This has to guide the targeting of certain rewards and benefits such as vouchers and exclusive offers.
This database of knowledge that you will build regarding
your customers is essential to growing long-term relationships with them. The insight yielded by loyalty scheme data is critical to furthering customer relationships and maintaining their
engagement with the brand. Your scheme should be treated as a platform for understanding buyer behavior and interacting more effectively with your consumer base — fostering customer inti-
macy. Achieving a high level of customer intimacy is no simple
task, however, and consumers today have high expectations when it comes to loyalty schemes and what they deliver. People
will not continue using a loyalty program if they feel they are not receiving significant value from the brand.
Research shows that many schemes are in fact failing to
engage a significant portion of members: only 50 percent of
people who are actually registered in a loyalty program are actively participating in them on an on-going basis. This shows that there is plenty of opportunity for companies to get more
2015
from their schemes. So what is it customers are expecting?
According to research, collecting reward points does rank
24
Customer Care News
the highest in the list of factors that push people to take part
audience — might
tors that attract them. While 74 percent of the 1,000-plus UK
to
in a loyalty scheme, however, there is a wide range of other fac-
consumers surveyed said redeemable points are a big incentive, 60 percent said vouchers and coupons offering cash off or a percentage discount are a critical selling point, and 53 percent
cite special offers as a major motivator for scheme membership and use.
The survey revealed that women are particularly drawn to
cost savings that are offered by loyalty schemes. Female consum-
ers are more likely to be motivated by redeemable points with 78 percent (compared to 70 percent of male respondents) of
the women surveyed citing these as a big motivating factor to sign up. But more women are also persuaded by vouchers and
coupons (65 percent versus 56 percent of male respondents) and special offers (55 percent versus 50 percent of men).
Interestingly, research showed a larger portion of older
consumers point to redeemable points as a motivator with 80
percent of respondents 65 years and older choosing this option. However, for younger consumers it was less of a driver with only
64 percent of those 18-24 years old choosing redeemable points as a key reason for joining and remaining active in a scheme.
For a significant minority of consumers, convenience was a
key motivating factor, with a quarter of respondents choosing
schemes that are easy to sign up to and to continue using. Our
find it beneficial develop
and
promote a loyalty
app in order to differentiate them-
selves in an already crowded
mar-
ket. The research
showed that 10
percent of 18-24 year olds and 14
percent of 25-34 year olds say they have been positively
influenced
by the offer of a
mobile app. But just two percent of
consumers in the 55-64 age group
and one percent of
Andy Wood
those older than 65
saw the availability of an app as an important consideration.
Of critical importance to developing your loyalty scheme
research showed that factors that related to regular habits, fit
and leveraging it to foster stronger customer relationships is
older consumers than their younger counterparts.
resultant insight to improve communications and better target
with lifestyle and were easy to use were far more important to A noteworthy portion of consumers also view free extras
such as coffee or cake, special offers for birthdays or other occasions, and early access to new launches and discounts as impor-
tant reasons for joining and staying active within a scheme: 17 percent of respondents identify complimentary treats as an incentive, 12 percent list event-linked deals, and 12 percent
point to exclusive/first opportunity to buy new products and take advantage of deals.
analyzing data gathered through the scheme and using the
offers. In the age of Big Data, customers expect precisely tailored messages, services and offers. The research clearly indicates that not enough companies are using scheme data to
more effectively communicate with and target their customers. According to the research, a mere 27 percent of the respondents
felt like companies providing loyalty schemes were successfully analyzing their needs and sending relevant offers.
When a loyalty scheme is set up and managed effectively, it
Many marketers or business owners might think that
can provide a great tool for customer insight and a mechanism
enticing people to sign-up to a scheme; however, this proved not
patterns of customer behavior and segment the database. The
mobile technology would be one of the biggest motivators to be the case. Despite continuing growth in the use of smart-
phones and tablets, having a loyalty scheme that was accessible
through the use of an app did not register as a major enticement for the vast majority of consumers. Only six percent of those
for acting on it. A company can use the data generated to track
result is that you not only cultivate customer loyalty, but you also
encourage more and more frequent spending — which, in turn, leads to more profitable and lasting relationships. CCN
surveyed said this was something that would excite them about
Andy Wood is the Managing Director for GI Insight (www.
Nonetheless, mobile loyalty apps are more of a factor for
helping you understand your customer’s behavior and using this
joining and participating in a scheme.
but some brands — particularly those that have a young target
www.customercarenews.com
knowledge to tailor your marketing communications to boost
2015
younger consumers. The percentages remain relatively small,
gi-solutionsgroup.com/gi-insight), a company that is focused on
response rates and return on investment.
25
Learning Ticklers™
A New Generation Retained Learning System CASH FLOW Cash Flow Cycle Why is it important?
S™ S E N I S BU
01 1 Y T I L REA IBUTION DISTR Learning Ticklers
TM
Flashcards for Business
Balancing all aspects of the business appropriately, including the cash flow cycle, is key to ultimately reaching financial success. Other key areas include operational efficiency, personnel and systems development, supplier relationships, inventory controls, customer service, and quality initiatives.
Gros s to re Profit Ma mem rgin is a b ber: ig
l for
nce
Flashc
ards
for Bu
s
siness
venu
TM
e
BUSI
NESS
ted by:
ologies Method usiness tional Ltd. InternaProfitable Thought TM
Indic
s. Th
L
e fo
llow
s...
0)
REAL
ITY 1
01 ™
DIST
1)
RIBU
TION
His group specifically looked at the elements needed for
sioned to develop a system to prevent learning loss after educational and training sessions in the area of people skills.
As a result, the Learning Ticklers system was estab™
lished and developed. The card deck system highlights
the most important parts of each course, featuring quick
references for easy access and use. With a simple table of
contents and search capabilities, the decks give executives, managers and staff easy access to course highlights at their fingertips via smartphone, iPad or desktop.
The use of flash cards to aid in learning has easily been
the number-one tool for generations. Dr. Levick explored
ic w
55 = 33 .7% 163 (Year
tainable learning and successful transfer of
Levick, President of Goren & Associates, was commis-
raph
rg
the specific use of flash cards, taking a close look at how to
learning from the classroom to the workplace. Dr. Keith
ing g
fit M a
earning Ticklers™ were developed by CCN Learning Resources to foster long-term, sus-
26
ES
ator
ing
2015
Generat
gins
anie
3 + 31.7 % 167
(Year
presen
GAM
res h in... ow w T ell o he h ur b usine busin igher th e gro ss co ess is ntro s s c o p ntro r ls co I lling ofit mar sts. t is a our c g sales n indica osts in the b ette . tion into r our o profi f our t. abilit y to Gros turn s a do llar o Sale Profit f s Re 5
2
Learn in Tickleg r
omp
s Pro
easu
BUSINESS REALITY 101™ DISTRIBUTION
Mar
Gros
I tm
Business
NESS
all c
orma
TM
for
dea
Perf
Learning rs Tickle Flashcards
BUSI
transfer knowledge from the classroom to the workplace. the card in order to create long-term concept retention. He looked at ease of use and on-demand features that will resonate with all educators, coaches and trainers.
For years companies have been spending millions of
dollars to provide top-notch learning experiences for
their workforce. And outcome study after outcome study has shown that without follow up such as user-friendly
material that is easy to access and reference, the learning
goes to waste. The Learning Ticklers™ provide an easy
and helpful system for post-training participants to get
answers to on-the-job issues by reviewing real solutions discussed in training.
In addition to all the current Learning Ticklers, we
now offer custom decks to support learning in every
organization. For more information, call 888-438-9528. Customer Care News
6
A
Customer Care Glossary
Abandoned Call: The caller hangs up before reaching an agent. (Also called a lost call.) Access Provider: An organization that provides access to the Internet. (Also called an Internet Service Provider [ISP].) ACD: Automatic Call Distributor automatically answers calls, queues calls, distributes calls to agents, plays delay announcements and provides real-time and historical reports on these activities.
ARU: Audio Response Unit; automated attendants that
Business Process Improvement (BPI): Betterment of
ACS: Automatic Call Sequencer automatically answers
route calls based on digits callers enter on touch-tone
an organization’s business practices through the analysis
and sequences calls on a first-in/first-out basis.
phones. It responds to caller-entered digits or speech
of activities to reduce or eliminate non-value-added
ACTUAL VALUE: The net present value of future
recognition in much the same way that a conventional
activities or costs, while maintaining or improving qual-
financial contributions from the designated customer,
computer responds to keystrokes or clicks of a mouse.
ity, productivity, timeliness or other strategic or business
behaving in the way he is expected to behave, knowing
(Also called IVR, VRU)
objectives as evidenced by performance measures.
what we know now, with no significant unanticipated
ASA: Average Speed of Answer
Business Process Re-engineering: A structured
change in the customer’s needs, in the competitive
Average Time to Abandonment: The average time that
approach by all or part of an enterprise to improve
landscape, or in the company’s planned strategy. Same
callers wait in queue before abandoning.
the value of its products and services while reducing
as lifetime value (LTV). ACW: After-Call Work. Work that is necessitated by and immediately follows an inbound transaction (Also
B
Baseline Market Segmentation Study: The first mar-
resource requirements.
C
ket segmentation study conducted by an organization.
Aggregation: Combining data in a way that creates
BELOW ZEROs (BZs): The customers who cost more
Call Blending: Combining traditionally separate inbound and outbound agent groups into one group
new information. For example, adding the dollar values
to serve than they will ever return in value. Examples: A
of agents responsible for handling both inbound and
of all of a customer’s transactions together to create a
Below Zero might be somebody who takes a lot of free
outbound contacts.
new field that reflects total purchases.
services, but doesn’t return much revenue. It could be
Call by Call Routing: The process of routing each call
AHT: Average Handling Time; the sum of average talk
a complainer whose complaint was never resolved and
to the optimum destination according to real-time
time and average after-call work for a specified time
therefore no longer does business with you. Not only
conditions.
period. OR Average Hold Time.
is that person worth zero on that account, but actually
Call Center: Term used to include reservation cen-
AI: Artificial Intelligence is computers that act in a way
has below-zero value because he or she will tarnish your
ters, help desks, information lines or customer service
analogous to intelligent human behavior.
reputation in speaking to other customers.
centers. The term contact center is being used more
AMIS: Audio Messaging Interchange Specification; a
Blog: A blog is an online journal that’s updated on
frequently, as calls are just one type of transaction tak-
standard that permits networking of voice mail systems
a regular basis with entries that appear in reverse
ing place. It is the part of an organization that handles
from different manufacturers.
chronological order. Blogs can be about any subject.
inbound/outbound communications with customers.
API: An API (a technical term for application pro-
They typically contain comments by other readers, links
Calls in Queue: The number of calls received that the
gramming interface) allows users to get a data feed
to other sites and permalinks. See SOCAP’s blog at
ACD system has received but that haven’t connected
directly into their own sites, providing continually
http://www.socap.org/networking/blogs.aspx
to an agent.
updated, streaming data — text, images, video — for
BOS: Business Operating System — An environment
Channel: An avenue through which products and
display. For example, Flickr’s API might allow you to
that represents the vast warehouses of knowledge of
services are rendered to end-use customers. Car dealers,
display photos from the site on your blog. When sites
an organization-the way a business is run, the way
retailers, computer resellers, grocery wholesalers are all
like Twitter and Facebook “open up” their APIs, it
people and information come together to add value to
examples of channel members.
means that developers can build applications that build
a business process. A BOS is a repository composed of
Churn: A term that describes customer attrition or
new functionality on top of the underlying service.
a common operating environment, a business process
customer defection. A high churn rate implies high
Application Based Routing and Reporting: The ACD
library and enterprise workflow.
customer disloyalty.
capability to route and track transactions by type of call.
Brand Equity: The level of awareness and consumer
Cloud Computing: Cloud computing (also called “the
goodwill generated by a company’s brands and/or
cloud”) refers to the growing phenomenon of users who
products.
can access their data from anywhere rather than being tied to a particular machine.
www.customercarenews.com
27
2015
called Wrap-up and Post Call Processing.)
Customer Care Glossary
D
Data Aggregation Agent (DAA): As the increasing
2015
demands of marketers and service providers for cusConditional Routing: The capability of the ACD to
Customer Differentiation: The second step in the one-
tomer information begin to clash with privacy concerns,
route calls based on current conditions. It is based on
to-one strategy labeled “IDIC” is to differentiate cus-
new entities called Data Aggregation Agents (DAAs)
“if-then” programming statements.
tomers. Customers are different in two ways: they have
emerge. By consolidating and controlling outside access
Consumer Direct: Also known as Direct-to-
different value to the enterprise, and they need different
to a customer’s personal data, DAAs will help busi-
Consumer, it’s the channel that includes all products
things from the enterprise. Customer differentiation is
nesses provide the customer with relevant and timely
and services delivered directly to the home through
vital to pursuing Learning Relationships.
offers while protecting individual privacy. The basic
catalogs, telemarketing, TV shopping, kiosks, web sites,
Customer Experience Development: The process of
function of a DAA would be to act as a central, online
and the newly emerging automatic grocery-replenish-
overseeing and influencing the totality of a customer’s
storehouse for a consumer’s personal information. In a
ment services. Consumer Direct describes the process
experiences with a brand, product or service, spanning
wide-open, wireless world, customers will require their
involved when a manufacturer sends goods directly to a
all interactions and transactions.
DAAs to shield them from mobile “spam,” while send-
consumer via the Internet (such as providing music or
Customer Loyalty: The degree to which customers
ing through messages that truly respond to their needs.
video) with no intermediaries, but the term also refers
are predisposed to stay with your company and resist
Data Mart: A special-purpose, usually smaller, data
to direct-mail and catalog channels.
competitive offers.
warehouse created and managed for specific business
Consumer Unit: All related members of a particular
Customer Portfolio Management: An organization-
units. Almost always, marketing or finance are the first
household.
al structure placing line responsibility for improv-
data mart users in the enterprise. It’s much easier and
Contextual Commerce: When the advertisement on
ing Return on Customer in the hands of portfolio
faster to deploy than a data warehouse.
the web site directly pertains to the kind of information
managers.
Data Mining: Originally a term used to describe the
a person is viewing, and changes with each visitor, and
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRM
recognition of previously undiscovered patterns in a
with each drill down
is the same as one-to-one marketing. This customer-
database. Now it’s used to add sales value to almost
Continuous Process Improvement: A policy that
focused business model also goes by the names rela-
any kind of data analysis tool. It’s one of the top 10
encourages, mandates, and/or empowers employees to
tionship marketing, real-time marketing, customer
buzzwords in present language. Data mining is crucial
find ways to improve process and product performance
intimacy, and a variety of other terms. But the idea is
in CRM strategies, particularly in e-commerce.
measures on an ongoing basis.
the same: establish relationships with customers on an
Data Warehouse: A data repository created by extract-
Co-opetition: Partnering with your competition.
individual basis and then use the information you gath-
ing data elements from operational and OLTP systems.
Cost of Poor Quality: The costs associated with pro-
er to treat different customers differently. The exchange
Its main purpose is to provide a dataset that users can
viding poor-quality products or services.
between a customer and a company becomes mutually
access without affecting the performance of the online
Cross Functional Process Improvement: Business
beneficial, as customers give information in return for
systems.
process re-engineering with the goal of eliminating
personalized service that meets their individual needs.
Database Management Software: Computer pro-
stove pipe operations.
Customer Satisfaction Research: Research conducted
grams in which data are captured on the computer,
Cross-Selling: Selling related goods and services to a
to measure overall satisfaction with a product or service
updated, maintained and organized for effective use and
consumer. This process is only one way to increase your
and satisfaction with specific elements of the product
manipulation of data.
Share of Customer.
or service.
Database: Any collection of information — from a
Crowdsourcing: Crowdsourcing refers to harnessing
Customer Valuation: The value of a customer to an
simple shopping list to a complex collection of custom-
the skills and enthusiasm of those outside an organiza-
enterprise, composed of two elements. Actual valuation
er information — is technically a customer database.
tion who are prepared to volunteer their time contribut-
is the customer’s current Lifetime Value, and strategic
However, the term is usually applied to computerized
ing content or skills and solving problems.
valuation is the customer’s potential value, if the cus-
records of information.
CSR: Customer Service Representative. ALSO
tomer could be grown to his or her maximum potential.
Design for Manufacturability: Designing or redesign-
Corporate Social Responsibility, a concept whereby
(See also Share of Customer).
ing the production process of a product so that it can
businesses and organizations perform a social good
Customer-Centric: Putting the customer at the center
be manufactured with the least amount of parts in the
or take responsibility for the impact of their activities.
of the marketing effort. For example, measuring cus-
shortest amount of time, using standard as opposed to
Customer Capital: It refers to the value, usually not
tomer value, not product sales.
custom parts. (The concept originated in Japan in the
reflected in accounting systems other than as goodwill,
early 80s.)
which results from the relationships an organization has
Design Interface: The mechanism by which a customer
built with its customers.
specifies exactly what he or she needs. An important aspect of mass customization.
28
Customer Care News
DNIS: Dialed Number Information Service; a string of
Hashtag: A hashtag (or hash tag) is a community-
Lifetime Value: Also known as LTV, Lifetime Value is
digits that the telephone network passes to the ACD,
driven convention for adding additional context and
the “run rate” of a customer’s actual value.
VRU or other device to indicate which number the
metadata to your tweets. Similar to tags on Flickr, you
LTV: see Lifetime Value.
caller dialed.
add them in-line to your Twitter posts by prefixing a
Drip Irrigation: Gathering customer information
word with a hash symbol (or number sign). Twitter
slowly over time, rather than overwhelming customers,
users often use a hashtag like #followfriday to aggre-
prospects and visitors with long surveys they might be
gate, organize and discover relevant posts.
inclined not to fill out, and using each piece to build on every interaction.
I
M
Market Share: The percentage of an industry’s total sales that a company holds. Marketing Mix: The unique blend of product pricing, promotion, offerings and distribution designed to meet
IDIC: The four-step methodology for implementing
the needs of a specific group of customers.
one-to-one relations with customers. IDIC stands for
Marketing Research: The planning, collection and
Enterprise Application Integration: A generic term
identify customers, differentiate them, interact with
analysis of data relevant to marketing decision making,
for software that integrates legacy and disparate
them and customize.
and the communication of the results of this analysis
systems.
Insourcing: The opposite of outsourcing. A service
to management.
Enterprise Resource Planning: Back-end processes
performed in-house.
Marketing Strategy: Guiding the long-term use of
and systems; i.e., inventory management and billing.
ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network; a set of
the firm’s resources based on its existing and projected
Tying your back-end systems with your front-end or
international standards for telephone transmission.
capabilities and on projected changes in the external
customer facing systems is what allows customers to be
ISO 9000: A series of quality assurance standards com-
environment.
able to check the status of their order, and check stock
piled by the Geneva, Switzerland-based International
Mass Customization: Shorthand for high variability
availability on an item. Without front/back integration,
Standardization Organization. In the United States,
in marketing. It uses the power of the database to vary
customers couldn’t do this.
ISO is represented by the American National Standards
the marketing message — or the actual product — to
Error Rate: Either the number of defective transactions
Institute, based in Washington.
fit the characteristics of an individual customer or pros-
or the number of defective steps in a transaction.
IVR: Interactive Voice Response; automated atten-
pect. It is the cost-efficient mass production of goods
Explicit Bargain: The “deal” that an enterprise makes
dants that route calls based on digits callers enter on
and services in lot sizes of one or just a few at a time.
with an individual in order to secure the individual’s
touch-tone phones. It responds to caller-entered digits
Mass customization is not the same as customization.
time, attention or feedback. See also implicit bargain.
or speech recognition in much the same way that a
Customization involves the production of a product
conventional computer responds to keystrokes or clicks
from scratch to a customized specification, whereas
of a mouse. (Also called ARU, VRU)
mass customization is really the assembly of a product
E
F
Fulfillment: The physical handling of an order, information request, premium or refund.
G
K
or the rendering of a service from pre-configured modules or components.
Knowledge Management: The leveraging of collective
Metadata: Data about data. For example, a table
wisdom to increase responsiveness and innovation.
that tells the system how to translate database codes
Geotagging: Geotagging is the process of adding
Knowledge Mapping: A process that provides an
into words that make a data field easier for users to
location-based metadata to media such as photos, video
organization with a picture of the specific knowledge it
understand.
or online maps. Geotagging can help users find a wide
requires to support its business processes.
Microblogging: Microblogging is the act of broadcast-
variety of businesses and services based on location. Globalization: The trend in which businesses cross international boundaries.
H
L
ing short messages to other subscribers of a web service. On Twitter, entries are limited to 140 characters,
Legacy System: An older or outdated computer sys-
and applications like Plurk and Jaiku take a similar
tem or application program that continues to be
approach with sharing bite-size media. Probably a more
used because of the exorbitant cost of replacing or
apt term for this activity is “microsharing.”
Handling Time: The time an agent spends in talk time
reengineering it. Often such systems offer little com-
Microsite: A mini-site within a site, usually for a
and after-call work, handling a transaction.
petitiveness and compatibility with modern equivalents.
partner brand.
Legacy systems are frequently large, monolithic and
Middleware: Software that mediates between different
difficult to modify, and scrapping a legacy system often
types of hardware and software on a network so they
requires reengineering a firm’s business processes as
can function together.
well.
2015
www.customercarenews.com
29
Customer Care Glossary
Permission Marketing: Obtaining customers’ permission to market products or services to them. It is a mar-
MIS: Marketing Information Systems create rather than simplify manipulated data, presenting data in
O
keting method whereby companies get their customers’ permission to market products or services to them.
Occupancy: The amount of time agents handle calls
By talking only to volunteers, permission marketing
a form useful to a variety of people within the
as opposed to waiting for calls. (Also called agent
guarantees that consumers pay more attention to the
organization.
utilization.)
marketing message. The term was coined by author
Mobility: The subject of mobile/wireless.
Seth Godin in his book, Permission Marketing. See also
Monitoring: Listening to agents’ phone calls for quality
One-to-One Marketing: Treating each customer in
Explicit Bargain.
control purposes.
the way he or she wants to be treated. Focused on the
Podcast: A podcast is a digital file (usually audio but
Most Growable Customers (MGC): Those customers
individual customer, one-to-one marketing is based on
sometimes video) made available for download to a
for whom the Strategic Value, that is the potential value
the idea of an enterprise knowing its customer. Through
portable device or personal computer for later playback.
of the customer, most exceeds the customer’s current
interactions with that customer the enterprise can learn
A podcast also refers to the show that comprises several
Actual Value. These are the customers who have the
how he or she wants to be treated. The enterprise is
episodes. A podcast uses a feed that lets you subscribe
most growth potential — growth that can be realized
then able to treat this customer differently than other
to it so that when a new audio clip is published online,
through cross selling; through keeping the customer for
customers. However, one-to-one marketing does not
it arrives on your digital doorstep right away.
a longer period; or perhaps by changing a customer’s
mean that every single customer needs to be treated
Portal: A gateway to the Internet that provides not only
behavior and getting them to operate in a way that costs
uniquely; rather, it means that each customer has a
email, calendars, bulletin boards and chatrooms to visi-
the enterprise less money. Most Growable Customers
direct input into the way the enterprise behaves with
tors or customers, but also customer-oriented service. A
are also known as second-tier customers (STCs).
respect to him or her.
good portal solves problems for its visitors or customers.
Most Valuable Customers (MVC): Those customers
OpenID: OpenID is a single sign-on system that
Companies should use them as access points to improve
with the highest actual value to the enterprise — the
allows Internet users to log on to many different sites
customer service.
ones who do the most business, yield the highest mar-
using a single digital identity, eliminating the need for a
Potential Value: The net present value of the maximum
gins, are most willing to collaborate, and tend to be the
different user name and password for each site.
reasonable future financial contributions from the des-
most loyal. MVCs are those with whom the company
Operational Entanglement: Enmeshing the opera-
ignated customer, if the company were to succeed in
probably has the greatest Share of Customer. The objec-
tions of the enterprise with those of the customer.
applying an optimum proactive strategy for changing
tive of an enterprise with respect to its MVCs is reten-
Providing tools so the customer can perform some of
that customer’s otherwise expected behavior.
tion. See also Below Zeros, Most Growable Customers.
the functions that otherwise would have been per-
Predictive Model Markup Language (PMML): A
formed by the enterprise, usually so the customer can
new industry standard created by IBM and Oracle that
N
assume more control over the service being rendered.
allows models to move from system to system.
Natural Language Processing: Allows the computer
Outsourcing: Contracting some or all of a depart-
Product Service Bundle: The services and features that
to understand phrases that are only meaningful in the
ment’s services to an outside company.
surround the core product, such as invoicing, delivery,
context of an ongoing conversation. Needs-based Differentiation: How customers are dif-
P
financing, packaging and palletization, promotion, and so forth.
Pareto Principle: Named after Vilfredo Pareto, the
Profiling: Using a series of distributions to describe
Two customers may buy the same product or service
19th-century economist and sociologist, the Pareto
customers or prospects in a variety of ways, such as
for two dramatically different reasons. The customer’s
Principle is also known as “the 80:20 rule.” It says that 80
demographically or behaviorally.
needs refer to why the customer buys, not what he buys.
percent of an enterprise’s revenue comes from 20 percent
Niche Marketing: A marketing segmentation strategy
of its customers. In practical terms, though, it might be
in which the firm focuses on serving one segment of the
90 percent of the revenue coming from 5 percent of
market. Niche marketing is very much like segmented
the customers, or 60 percent coming from 30 percent
tionship marketing or CRM. Refers to the utmost level
marketing, only the segments are smaller — a niche is
of customers, depending on the firm’s Valuation Skew
of timeliness regarding the transmission, processing,
a small, distinguishable segment that can be uniquely
of its customer base.
and/or use of information. A firm that collects and uses
served.
Penetration Analysis: Measuring how well a com-
customer data in real time can manage relationships
pany has penetrated its potential market by finding
with individual customers much more effectively. See
and reporting on the number of people who look like
also Zero Latency. The term referred to in his book,
customers, but have not yet bought. (Also called market
Real Time: Preparing for the Age of the Never Satisfied
share analysis.)
Customer.
2015
ferent, based on what they need from the enterprise.
30
R
Real Time Marketing: Regis McKenna’s term for rela-
Customer Care News
Relationship Marketing: see Customer Relationship
Social
Media
Unified Queuing: Combines all incoming traffic
Management.
Optimization (SMO) is a set of practices for generat-
(e-mails, text chat, co-browsing, etc.) into a single
Response Rate: The percentage of responses received
ing publicity through social media, online communities
queue.
from a given promotional effort.
and social networks. The focus is on driving traffic from
Unrealized Potential Value: The difference between
ROI: Return on Investment; a term describing the cal-
sources other than search engines, though improved
Potential Value and Actual Value.
culation of the financial return on a business policy or
search ranking is also a benefit of successful SMO.
Up-Selling: Selling upgrades, add-ons or enhance-
initiative that incurs some cost. ROI may be measured
Speech Recognition: The capability of a voice process-
ments to a particular product or service.
in terms of a payback period for the investment, or as a
ing system to decipher spoken words and phrases.
percentage return on a cash outlay, or as the discounted
STC (Second-Tier Customer): See Most Growable
net present value of free cash flows of an investment;
Customer.
there are many different ways to calculate it.
Sticky Application: A portion of a web site designed to
customer base is concentrated in a small percentage
RSS: RSS (Really Simple Syndication) — sometimes
interact with customers, requiring customers to provide
of customers. A steep valuation skew would be one in
called web feeds — is a web standard for the delivery of
input and grow “smarter” over time about how to meet
which a tiny percentage of customers account for the
content — blog entries, news stories, headlines, images,
individual customer needs. The “application” becomes
majority of the value of the customer base. A shallow
video — enabling readers to stay current with favorite
“sticky” as customers gain a stake in the service and
valuation skew would be one where the valuation of
publications or producers without having to browse
grow reluctant to take their business elsewhere. See also
customers is more evenly distributed across the whole
from site to site. All blogs, podcasts and videoblogs
Learning Relationships.
customer base.
contain an RSS feed, which lets users subscribe to
Stove Pipe: Term commonly used to reflect that a
Valuation: What a customer is worth to an enterprise;
content automatically and read or listen to the material
business function operates in a vertically integrated
see Customer Valuation.
on a computer or a portable device. Most people use
manner, but does not interact efficiently or effectively
Value of Future Customer: The net present value of a
an RSS reader, or news aggregator, to monitor updates.
with related functions.
future customer’s lifetime value (LTV).
Socialbrite founder JD Lasica coined the term “news that comes to you” to refer to RSS.
S
Media
Optimization:
Social
T
V
Valuation Skew: The degree to which the value of a
VoIP: Voice over IP; combines voice and data on a single network.
Touch Points: The priority areas for the application of
Vortal: These are targeted vertical portals, sometimes
Knowledge Management, typically: interactions with
called “vortals,” “vertiports,” or “affinity portals.” They
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The process of
customers, interactions with suppliers and interactions
are aimed at specific interest groups and focus on pro-
improving the visibility of a website or a web page in a
with employees. Each touch point represents an area of
viding consumers with a gateway to unbiased informa-
search engine’s “natural” or unpaid (“organic” or “algo-
potential process or quality improvement and competi-
tion from other sources. A good vortal solves problems
rithmic”) search results.
tive advantage.
for its visitors or customers.
Segment: A group of customers related either by simi-
Triple Bottom Line: The triple bottom line (sometimes
VRU: Voice Response Unit; automated attendants that
lar needs and/or values, or by outward characteristics
abbreviated as “TBL” or “3BL”) is rapidly gaining
route calls based on digits callers enter on touch-tone
(demographics, postal code, etc). Different from a
recognition as a framework for measuring business
phones. It responds to caller-entered digits or speech
portfolio in that customers in a segment are usually not
performance. It captures the values that some organiza-
recognition in much the same way that a conventional
individually identified, and customers can be members
tions embrace: people, planet, profit — that is, social,
computer responds to keystrokes or clicks of a mouse.
of more than one segment.
environmental and economic factors.
(Also called IVR, ARU)
Segmentation: Grouping the individuals in a database
Trusted Agent: An enterprise that treats customers’
into segments based on combinations of demographics,
interests as paramount and speaks on the customer’s
response, purchase behavior or other criteria.
behalf in all its dealings. With most organizations this
Share of Customer: In contrast to Market Share, share
is a very difficult philosophy to implement, because in
mation system in which there is no or little time passing
of customer refers to the percentage of a particular
many cases the interests of the customer and enterprise
between the updating of an information record and its
customer’s business a firm gets over that customer’s
don’t coincide. Only in Collaborative relationships do
availability elsewhere in the system.
lifetime of patronage. The ratio of a customer’s Actual
the true interests of the customer and enterprise match.
Valuation to Strategic Valuation.
U
Z
Zero Latency: A computer term describing an infor-
Glossary of terms provided by SOCAP International.
UCD: Uniform Call Distributor; a simple system that distributes calls to a group of agents and provides some
es a caller’s specific needs with an agent who has the
reports. It is not as sophisticated as an ACD.
2015
Skill-Based Routing: An ACD capability that matchskills to handle that call.
www.customercarenews.com
31
The Stirling Center is a learning and resource center that provides “customer-first” resources such as courses, team training and support, executive coaching, articles, and case studies focused on excellence. A sampling of courses available through The Stirling Center:
MANAGEMENT & STAFF • • • •
Wowing the Customer Emotional Intelligence Team Communication Dealing with Difficult Customers
LEADERS, MANAGERS & SUPERVISORS
STAFF • •
Adjusting to Stress & Change Communication Skills
• • • •
Managing Multiple Generations Communication Skills for Leaders Winning the Talent War Time Management
For a complete list of courses, visit www.pulseofthecitynews.com/stirling-center/courses/ Interested in customized learning opportunities that will best help your organization? Call us at 866-732-9500.
Founder & Director: Frank Andrews 121 W. Nepessing St., Lapeer, MI 48446 | 866-732-9500 | f.andrews@stirlinginsources.com