The Company
From our Customer Experience submissions, we chose a communications behemoth to open our Customer Experience Unplugged blog series. It is an obvious choice with 98% of American households now having access to some form of high-speed broadband. That said, nearly all of us or at least someone in our household has been in touch with a communications company, and it’s not always a smooth exchange. Let’s break it down!
The Breakdown
The mathematical precision and symphony of physics necessary for space exploration is wondrous. It is being executed every moment of every day. So then why – why did it take our submitter countless hours on the phone and nights of frustration before she could get a working internet connection? Let’s break down her experiences into digestible parts:
- Tech Support – after hours of time spent with a phone technician, a white van finally pulled up in the driveway carrying the hopes and dreams of a working internet connection only to have them squashed by the tech who advised her that the original assigned tech had never actually been to the property and that there was no line from the main phone lines connected to the house!
- Billing - why on earth should it take 3 billing cycles for auto pay to be put into effect? The intentions were pure and reasonable - a customer solution that is intended to create greater convenience resulted in more heartache for this customer. It just adds insult to injury to our submitter after the pain of finally getting service.
We are often left to wonder if there is anyone in charge over there. Is anyone reading the copious notes that we think are being logged to our account as a record, proof of the verbal agreement made by the Customer Service Associate? Because we surely hear the clickity-clack of the keyboard on the other end of the phone.
What Went Wrong?
Why does it have to be this way? So much can be gained, financially and emotionally, if only focus was squarely on the customer. All the back and forth is expensive! If only loyalty was earned versus being shackled by contracts and cancellation fees... Safe to say the first company to do this will be hailed the winner!
What Can Be Done to Improve the Customer Experience?
Okay, now that we have had a rant and a good cry, below are a couple easy suggestions to transform the behemoth into something more lamb-like.
- EMPOWER: Give employees the power to make things right. Share with them the importance of their role in the company and how their decisions have an effect on its success.
They know what they are doing – I trust them.
Savings: It would save any company a bundle having issues resolved quickly.
- CLOSED LOOP RESOLUTION: Surprise the heck out of your customers and contact them to make sure their issue was resolved and if not, get it done and close the loop.
They care and want to make sure that my needs are met – they have my loyalty.
Trust and loyalty are two necessary ingredients to create a customer for life. Both are emotion-driven. I am reminded of something I learned at the Retail Customer Experience Executive Summit while listening to Lou Carbone, Customer Experience Author and Lecturer, who spoke of the importance of understanding that the true value of your product is the experience your customer has when interacting with it and the emotion that is derived from this interaction. So true.
Stay tuned for the next installment in our Customer Experience series where we break it down and dish out our thoughts on how to improve the customer experience.
