3 Customer Service Trends Expected for 2018 and Beyond

These 3 takeaways are from a well written article on the Agility PR site.

* In a customer service survey, only 19 percent of respondents trust completely what brands say on their website. Instead, they rely on reviews on other sites to provide honesty. These will be sites such as TrustAdvisor or G2Crowd.

* Most customers will only tolerate a 1-hour response window. This is regardless of how they reach out (social media, web chat or web contact form).

* Customers are online from early morning until after 10pm. This will likely start to shape new hours of operations for social media and customer service departments and/or increase the use of other digital properties like messenger bots.

Please read the original article on https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public-relations/customer-experience-trends-2018-whats-coming-pike/

#CustomerService #CustomerTrends

5 Mistakes You Should Avoid with Your Customer Service Scripts

Somewhere along the line, the customer service industry envisioned that it would be a great idea to start scripting everything. On the surface, it seems as though a script allows little room for error.

Read the full article:
5 Mistakes You Should Avoid with Your #CustomerService Scripts:

5 Amazing Customer Service Lessons From Father Christmas

Christmas is fast approaching, and it’s one of the busiest times for different sectors all across the world. 

Even when you’re rushed off your feet, you can’t afford for your customer service to take a back seat. As a business, the customer is your main reason for existing, and you shouldn’t be afraid to pull out all the stops to keep them happy.

Given the time of year, there’s one person in particular that we can look to for inspiration on giving excellent customer service, and that is Father Christmas. We’ve taken a closer look at the work that Santa does, and chosen five of his best customer service lessons that businesses everywhere should be following.

1. Be friendly

There are certain traits that embody Father Christmas and are as synonymous with the name as the red suit.

While we’re not suggesting that you take a leaf straight out of his book, there’s certainly nothing wrong with injecting a little more friendliness into your customer service.

“Smile while you dial” is a well-known phrase amongst call centre workers, as the smile on your face comes across in your tone of voice. If you’re more customer-facing, be helpful every time you see a customer in need.

They may say no, but at least you’ve acknowledged their presence and shown them that you are willing to help.

2. Have the right team around you

Even the very best at their jobs need support around them; after all, Father Christmas doesn’t do it all alone! Throughout the year he has elves making the toys, and on Christmas Eve it’s up to his reindeer to fly him and all the presents around the globe to make millions of deliveries.

Your employees and co-workers may not have pointy ears or antlers, but they have the exact same value. Providing great customer support is a team effort; it isn’t just down to one single person, and it starts as soon as your customer first comes into contact with your business. From the first “hello” from a receptionist to tweets from a company’s Twitter account, every employee they come into contact with from that moment on should all be pulling in the same direction.

Read the rest of the lessons:
5 Amazing #CustomerService Lessons From Father Christmas

5 Technology Trends That Are Improving Customer Experiences

Technological trends have set the stage for a new level of customer support and satisfaction. In fact, the way that companies interact with their customers has changed just within the last ten years due to the invention of certain apps, smart phones, and other such things that have made our society and businesses more technologically advanced. 

Technological trends have set the stage for a new level of customer support and satisfaction.

Source: 5 trends shaping #CustomerExperience

How 3 Nonprofits Approach Customer Service

By and large, nonprofit organizations depend on a different set of motivations to stay afloat than those in the private sector do — i.e.

How 3 non-profits approach #CustomerService

Nordstrom's Customer Service Is Legendary

Have you heard the story about the guy who walked into a Nordstrom store to return four snow tires? In 1975 a man pulled up to a store with four snow tires in the bed of his truck. He had bought the tires at this location several weeks ago and needed to return them.

Legendary #CustomerService

3 ways to extend customer service across the enterprise

When customers deal with your organization, they don’t care which department they are communicating with – they simply want the best possible experience and service.

3 ways to extend #CustomerService across the enterprise

Chick-fil-A is beating every competitor by training workers to say 'please' and 'thank you'

For comparison, KFC had a "thank you" rate of 84.9%. McDonald's rate was 78.4%, putting it in 14th place out of the 15 chains analyzed.  In 2015, Chick-fil-A generated more revenue per restaurant than any other fast-food chain in the US.

Chick-fil-A excels at #CustomerService

10 Ways You Can Improve Customer Service Today

The quality of your customer service is directly related to your level of customer satisfaction, which — of course — is ultimately tied to your profits and business success.

10 ways you can improve #CustomerService today

5 Technologies To Jump Start Your Customer Service

One of the blessings and curses of being a contact center leader is that you become the target of sales people vying for your time so they can sell you on the next big thing to improve your operation. The blessing is the opportunity to learn about some truly interesting technology.

5 technologies to jump start your #CustomerService

Finding those disgruntled callers...automatically

Contact center supervisors are now using Speech Analytics to automate the process of identifying the calls they really want to listen to.

With some centers recording 10s of 1000s of calls per day, the process of finding the calls was like trying to find the needle in the proverbial haystack.

 The process was made simpler if the contact center agent tagged the call, or if the supervisor knew details about the call - customer name, caller id or agent name, you could then cross-reference a query against those call details, if your system had that information.

Customers now can have all of their recorded calls processed and "listened to".

By creating a category of specific keyword phrases, such as "Disgruntled Callers", the query can be run against the index of analyzed calls and matches can be displayed on screen in seconds.

 What kind of keyword phrases could you use to identify "Disgruntled Callers"?

 "speak to a supervisor"
"mad as hell"
"cancel my service"
"not very happy"
"have to call again"
"need a refund"
"just doesn't work"
"same old runaround"
"find a better deal"
"getting angry"
"HULK SMASH"...and so on.

 There are many different types of speech analytics systems, but they can usually be broken down into two categories: The “Dictionary” based and the “Phonetic” based.

The dictionary-based systems require users to define words and phrases in advance so the speech engine can look for or “spot” those words as the engine is analyzing the audio.

The “Phonetic Based Indexing Engines” are much faster and don't require you to program words in advance.

Our solution, "Virtual Observer Call Insight" is a phonetic-based, enterprise-class Speech Analytics solution that is simple, effective and affordable enough for contact centers of all sizes.

Call Insight provides the ability to receive important search results in real-time within our web-based interface.

The Rewarding, Renewing Cycle of Sales-Technical-Sales

We at CSI are coming off another solid quarter of new business.

The success of our sales teams directly fuels the workloads of our project management, support and training teams.

Ironically, it's the performance of those same technical folks which gives our sales teams added confidence and gives us marketing staffers the customer retention stats, success stories, and testimonials which we so proudly speak to.

It is always a pleasure to open my Outlook inbox and find a shining example of the customer service efforts provided by my team:

"I just wanted to send an email out to thank all of you at CSI for the great tools and support you offer. I can’t really say enough about the level of customer service provided to me on every interaction I have with your teams. We use one of your products (Virtual Observer) and anytime I’ve had a question or any issues, I give you guys a call and it feels like you drop what your doing to make sure we are up and running. I was assisted in the past by the training team,who always takes care of business. I have also been working with the project teams who always takes the time to answer every questions I may have. I also love that  they take the time to check out our systems and ensure we are running to full capacity.

At Rewards Network we pride ourselves in our World Class Customer Service experience and it’s great to know there are other companies out there that feel the same way. Thanks again for all the help!!!!"

This email was sent today from the desk of Gil Alvarez, Member/Merchant Services Trainer/QA Supervisor for the Rewards Network.

The Rewards Network runs Virtual Observer on an Avaya S8710 phone system, handling recording and quality assurance tasks for their customer service center.

This is proof of the endless cycle of sales feeding the technical staff, who in turn feed the sales and marketing folks.

Internally, at CSI, we treat each individual in our company as a customer, with tremendous respect and consideration for their individual goals as well as the company's goals. We're also not shy about crossing over to help out if another team member needs help.

It's all about keeping the cycle turning.

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A. Duie Pyle leverages call center quality monitoring solution from CSI

A. Duie Pyle offers a complete transportation and logistics service throughout the Northeast United States. On-time performance of A. Duie Pyle exceeds 99% on all shipments delivered direct throughout the Northeast.

Investment in technology for customer service has helped Pyle win numerous quality-recognition awards from 1989 to the present.

Two members of the Pyle team, Jeannine Risley, Director of Customer Service, and Jim Dobson, Director of Information Technology, were able to discuss the technology initiatives which have been put in place to continue meeting quality objectives.

In describing the Pyle contact center, Risley stated that "Our objective is to continue to answer the highest percentage of calls within 20 seconds or less. At least 90% of our calls are getting answered within three rings to provide the highest level of customer service possible. Our focus is to be proactive in service, as opposed to the typical call center model where you wait for customers to identify a problem and call you. We make quite a few outbound calls to preempt the inbound calls that otherwise might come." As far as staffing, in 2003 Pyle had 21 people in the contact center and has since expanded to two facilities with 50 people between the two.

When it came down to choosing a vendor for call recording and quality monitoring, Pyle selected CSI’s Virtual Observer solution. "Price and functionality were the two main contributors. They were considerably less expensive than the solution offered by our PBX vendor. And they didn’t just offer the call monitoring. They offered the call evaluation package as well. We really got more for our money. And they were very helpful before we even finalized the contract by customizing the evaluation forms and things like that so that we could have a true sense of what it would look like should we sign a contract with them," Dobson reported.

"It was more than just cost, though. They actually scheduled time with us, including all of our supervisors, so that we could go through a web demonstration and actually see how we could use it. Where Virtual Observer enables to deliver a quality experience to our customers is the way calls are always being monitored. We can go in and review them at our convenience. There’s a call monitoring form that goes over everything, from the way that the call is opened to the conclusion and of course making sure that accurate and appropriate information is given in between. So, we want to make sure that we’re answering the calls quickly and that once we answer them, that we’re providing the highest level of service possible," added Risley.

Read the entire A. Duie Pyle & Virtual Observer success story here

Avaya News: Avaya Appoints new GM and VP of Contact Center Division

Avaya announced it has appointed Bob Lyons to lead the company’s global contact center organization.

The move adds focus on helping companies turn customer service into a competitive asset.

As general manager and vice president of Avaya’s customer service applications division, Lyons will oversee a business that plays a central role in driving customer service for thousands of companies around the world.

Lyons joins Avaya from Convergys, a global leader in relationship management that provides customer service outsourcing, where he first served as CIO and then increased his responsibilities to oversee operations for the company.

Prior to joining Convergys, he was the vice president of enterprise operations and technology at United Health Group, a managed healthcare company.

Lyons was also executive vice president and CIO at Telespectrum, a call center customer services organization, and has been a software entrepreneur and consultant.

Lyons believes that customer satisfaction is a profit-driving asset that can help differentiate companies in a highly competitive business environment. To help companies tap the full potential of customer service, he will focus on leading Avaya to deliver a new generation of contact center solutions that integrate advanced communications technologies, including the ‘always on’ capabilities of Avaya’s unified communications portfolio. Click here to read the full article...

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Polar Extremes of Customer Service

Recently I encountered two extremes in customer service. This isn't call center-related, but it's relevant never-the-less because it again proves why customer service is the single most important thing in business.

I went down to the Ikea store in New Haven, CT, wanting to browse some of the room interior designs for ideas. Typically, I've received good service at Ikea, but this particular event was so bad I simply had to post about it. I was looking at a rack of bathroom mirrors, and didn't see the one I wanted in stock. I looked over, and thankfully, there was an Ikea employee nearby. I asked if he'd mind helping me with a quick question. He grunted, rolled his eyes, and told me he didn't really have time. Now, I didn't overreact, or report him, or anything, but I'm sure the good folks at Ikea would appreciate the incident report. When I told the employee to "never mind", he simply turned and went back to what he was doing, with no further communication. I couldn't believe it.

My second experience (a few weeks back) found me trying out a new wing chain in Milford, CT. I had heard of "Buffalo Wild Wings" during various super bowl and march madness advertising campaigns, and I always wanted to try them. What a wonderful experience. Not only did they have great food and a pleasant atmosphere, but the waitress was filling up my soda glass before I was even finished. That's a good sign of a good operation. Three other employees stopped by our booth to see how everything was. They were going out of their way to show us how much they appreciate our business, and it really made the whole experience shine.

I will be back to Buffalo Wild Wings soon, but it will be awhile before I return to Ikea.

Lessons learned here for all. Stellar service rules. In the call center industry, contact center agents should never, ever forget that they're expected to give stellar service. Every contact center should hang a motivational banner as a constant reminder. Maybe the team should all agree on what it should say - that way, all the individual members can take ownership. You can get your banners printed at your local PIP printing - I've had excellent service there, so I don't mind giving them the referral. If you noticed, Ikea got no link love today.

Starbucks yesterday closed its' stores from 5-9 pm EST for barista retraining - an obvious PR move to show how committed they are to quality of service. They left a sign in their drive-through window which read "We are currently closed so that we can improve the quality of our products." It was a bold move, and it is more likely that complete retraining and improvement would require weeks of ongoing training - but nonetheless, it makes a statement about Starbucks' re-commitment to quality.

What is the ultimate goal of your business?

As a representative of the sales and marketing team for Coordinated Systems, Inc. (CSI), I often have to define what our ultimate goals are for the year. Is it a # of new sales? Is it a # of new strategic partnerships? Is it purely a dollar amount? If you read Eliyahu Goldratt's book "The Goal", the answer would be, well, you need to find the answer for yourself. You could actually use "The Secret" to figure out "The Goal". Sorry, sometimes humor works.

At CSI, our goal is to get as many testimonials as we can. We strive to maintain or improve on our 97.5% customer retention rate. We're looking to provide our customers with stellar service which reaches beyond their expectations. That's why we've hired only the best people to interact with our customers. When we send our implementation and training teams out on the road, it is a rare occasion that they do NOT come back with a testimonial. That's "The Goal" according to CSI.

Netflix contact center stresses personal touch

I actually found two articles related to Netflix's customer service operation. The gist is that they have removed email-based customer service and are pushing customers to call and talk to a human. This is designed to differentiate them from competitor Blockbuster.com

Here is a excerpt from the International Herald Tribune: Netflix set up in Oregon, avoiding other lower-cost places in the United States and overseas, because it believed that the Oregonians would present a friendlier voice to its customers. Then last month, Netflix took an unusual step for a Web-based company: it eliminated e-mail based customer service inquiries. Now all questions, complaints and suggestions go to the call center, which is open 24 hours every day of the week. The company's toll-free number, previously buried on the Web site, is now prominently displayed on the "help" page. Let's hope this trend continues!

...read the full article here

You can also choose to read about this Netflix story and comment on Slashdot.com

Harry & David scale up their call quality monitoring for the holidays

In 1910 Samuel Rosenberg traded the luxurious Hotel Sorrento for 240 prime acres of pears in Southern Oregon's Rogue River Valley and named them Bear Creek Orchards after the nearby waterway. His sons Harry and David began one of the nation's premier direct marketing and e-commerce companies (Harry & David).

In order to support the thriving mail order business, Harry & David set up a customer service contact center. The contact center has changed significantly over the years, especially in terms of technology.

“We’ve implemented technology that was able to better utilize our workforce and increase the effectiveness of the interaction with the customer,” said Jason Phillipson, Director of Planning for Customer Operations.

“The biggest advantage new technology has is that it allowed us to hold our labor needs static. Advances in our online stores, sales & service applications, knowledgebase, telemarketing, call monitoring, and training systems have kept pace and often exceeded the demand for additional labor force. In fact, over the last 10 years the call centers’ labor needs have changed relatively little, while the business grew significantly,” he added.

Currently, Harry & David has several systems in use in their contact centers. The various applications include an order taking/customer service system, web/knowledgebase, email management, call recording and monitoring, electronic time card, electronic product information index, scheduling, multiple phone switches for multiple sites, electronic badge production, electronic employee statistics and evaluations, online work queues and more.

The call recording application is the Virtual Observer solution, interfacing with their Avaya phone system, and enabling call recording for quality assurance purposes. Employing about 300 customer service agents year round, the number swells to about 4000 across multiple contact centers during the busy holiday season.

“The scale of our holiday call activity pushes all our infrastructure and systems to their peak capacity. This is coupled with the condensed time frame we have to do it in….we hire and train the majority of the 4,000 in about 2 months time. There is also a lot of role transition. Many of our year-round staff are our leaders, trainers, and support staff during the holiday season.

During our holiday season we handle about 100,000 calls per day but during the off season we can go as low as 5,000. A typical day would be around 6,500 calls. Needless to say, it’s a busy time for us. The Virtual Observer system scales seamlessly during the holidays, whether it’s 300 users or 4000,” Jason stated.

When asked about the other contributing factors in Harry & David’s decision to implement CSI’s Virtual Observer solution, Jason replied with that “the major factors were price and usability. There are systems being sold out there with many more bells and whistles than Virtual Observer but the question, for us, was, would we really use all those extras? In the end we felt that CSI offered a solution that was one we could understand and use. We just couldn’t cost justify all those extra features. Because of the seasonality in our business, it is always a challenge to size a system for our peak and see that our costs and licensing fees reflect our lower usage the rest of the year. CSI accomplished that for us.”

Many e-commerce companies are faced with trying to achieve Visa payment card industry (PCI) compliance. Harry & David has implemented Virtual Observer’s Media Encryption technology to encrypt all interactions. Besides PCI compliance, this also helps to protect valuable customer information. “This did help us achieve PCI compliance, which is very important to us as we accept customers’ credit cards orders over the phone,” Jason added.

Asked about what type of impact Virtual Observer has had, Jason replied with “One of the immediate benefits was our ability to monitor that large influx of new associates we have at our season. Being able to give them feedback on their performance quickly and correct areas where they are having trouble has lower our attrition, during that critical period, and saved us money.”
“We highly recommend Virtual Observer for other e-commerce contact centers. The features, cost, and ease of use along with the good customer service provided by CSI makes this system an excellent choice.”

Harry & David provides consumers with gourmet-quality fruit and gift assortments year-round from their mail order catalogs, online store, or retail stores nationwide. Their headquarters is in Medford, Oregon, and they also have a campus in Hebron, Ohio. Harry & David operates a seasonal call center in Eugene, Oregon.

Custmer service experiences: you remember the good ones, too!

Everyone talks (or blogs) about the bad customer service experiences you run into. We all know the story about the AOL csr who wouldn't let a subscriber cancel. In fact, the recorded audio was leaked on the net and if you search, you'll find it. In the opposite regard, and trying to focus on the positive, I thought I'd reflect on some of the really good customer service experiences I've had recently.

Maneeleys Catering of South Windsor, CT
Maneeleys has provided exceptional planning and lended a consultative approach to our wedding logistics. They are consummate professionals. They went way out of their way to please us.

New Balance shoes of South Windsor, CT
What a great experience for shoe shopping...not only do they have a wide selection of wides, but they stand behind their products. Our request for a return was met with no problems whatsoever. Highly recommended.

WordTracker.com
This keyword research service is a valuable tool in any search engine optimization firm's strategy. When I recently asked for a refund, they obliged without a hassle. They even took my recommendations for improvements to their service, which is still very good, but I was looking for something a bit more advanced.

What kinds of customer service experiences have you had recently? Send them in via comment and I'll post the best ones.

Gain customer feedback with new Virtual Observer Surveying feature

CSI releases Customer Survey Module for Virtual Observer

Coordinated Systems, Inc. (CSI), of East Hartford, CT, is pleased to announce the release of a new Customer Survey Module for Virtual Observer (VO) 3.0, a complete call center quality monitoring and VoIP recording solution. The new module, named VO Survey, automates the customer feedback process as part of an overall call recording and quality monitoring program.

Users of Virtual Observer have always been able to utilize supervisor evaluations of recorded calls between customer service agents and their customers in order to assess quality and provide training to their agents. This process is now enhanced by the ability to also include actual customer feedback in the evaluation process, creating a very accurate assessment of call center performance....read more about this customer survey tool.