Regardless of what call centers do, call center performance and optimization hinges primarily on the following elements:
Database accuracy, consistency and user friendliness
The system being used by Operators/Agents including its options and user interface
Operator/Agent Practices
Operator/Agent adherence to practices and protocols
The synchronization and alignment of 1 – 4 above
PGL’s audit method measures Customer FulfillmentSM and Customer CareSM which are based upon traditional courtesy, accuracy and productivity measures. The powerful edge that PGL’s processes have is that they are also based upon customer satisfiers and dis-satisfiers identified in Focus Groups. PGL also measures Customer Delight, that elusive but attainable condition of surprising customers with demonstrated aplomb, super-professionalism, sensitivity and understanding within objective work time boundaries.
What Customers Want
In Focus Groups, customers identify the following behaviors as representing Customer CareSM :
Handle my request accurately (Customer FulfillmentSMas a function of database, operator and automation accuracy).
Listen to me.
Don’t ask me to repeat information I’ve already given you. It makes me feel devalued and ignored.
Pay attention to me and give me what I asked for.
Let me know what you’re doing for me so I know you’re representing my interests.
If you don’t have what I asked for, tell me and sound like you’re sorry about it.
Offer me an alternative, if possible.
Operators/Agents have limited time to care for customers but customers tell us they value the feeling of confidence they receive when they perceive that an effort is being made on their behalf. The key is in knowing how to give customers that feeling in a short call interaction. Acknowledging customers throughout the call and, as an overlap, telling them what is being done on their behalf, are two ways to give callers “eye contact over the phone” or, the feeling that the operator is being their advocate.
Customer FulfillmentSM
Customer FulfillmentSM measures the incidences of customers who receive the correct outcome or information as a function of Operator/Agent, database and automation accuracy. Customer FulfillmentSM supercedes all other quality elements in customers’ hierarchy of satisfaction drivers.
Customer FulfillmentSM provides customers with correct information/outcomes. The three elements that make up Customer FulfillmentSM are:
Operator/Agent Accuracy – how effectively are operators keying, following practices, scanning and using effective listening and memorization techniques to provide customers accurate information?
Database Accuracy – is the data accurate, findable and current?
Automation accuracy - e.g., speech recognition.
The Paisley Group’s Customer FulfillmentSM Decision Tree
Where the report given or outcome achieved by the audited company matches the expected outcome or report, the event is FULFILLED – the database is accurate and the operator is accurate.
If the report or outcome is different from the expected report or outcome, it is analyzed and verified. For example, in DA, if the report (number) given also reaches the correct party, the event is FULFILLED. If it does not, it is UNFULFILLED and the PGL auditor re-calls another operator for the listing. If the correct listing is provided on the second call, the error is assigned to the OPERATOR. If the same listing is provided on the second call by a second operator, the error is assigned to the database as being WRONG.
If the operator gives a no find when there is a valid number for the request, a second call is placed and the number is requested again from a second operator. If the correct number is located, the error is assigned to the OPERATOR. If the second call also results in a no find, then the event is Unfulfilled because the requested listing is MISSING from the database based upon two operators being unable to locate it.
If the operator gives a number where a no find is the verified expected report, the number is called. If it reaches the request, it is FULFILLED. If it reaches any service announcement (number changed, out of service) or another party, it is UNFULFILLED. A second call to the operator determines if it is an OPERATOR error or a WRONG number in the database.
The Paisley decision tree also considers any incidence where the customer is disconnected to be an unfulfilled event and an OPERATOR error is assigned.
Customer CareSM
In a very competitive call center environment, companies must provide something extra to their customers in order to retain them, and to win new ones. How companies care for customers is the differentiating factor in environments where there are many similarities in technology and data availability. Customer CareSM has taken place when customers receive their requested outcome or report and feel that a competent, professional operator made the overall call experience a satisfying one.
Customer CareSM is measured by: 1) the extent to which operator/agents leave customers with the impression that they were engaged on their behalf (customer advocacy), and; 2) the extent to which operators/agents follow practices and protocols (call-handling efficiency).
Unlike many subjective measurements of customer service, Customer CareSM measures an array of specific, measurable operator behaviors. Any subjectivity has been removed from the evaluation process. Standards are clear and objective. Customer CareSM has not been demonstrated if operators/agents demonstrate unacceptable behaviors that detract from Customer CareSM. A few examples include:
Operator/Agent does not acknowledge the customer at the beginning, middle, or end of the call.
Operator/Agent must re-search as a result of not listening to customer's initial details (as demonstrated, for example, by requests for details to be repeated).
Operator/Agent does not question or verify appropriately, or suggests inappropriate alternatives.
Operator does not follow extent of search.
Operator interrupts the customer, or exhibits rude or abrupt behavior.
If any unacceptable CareSM behavior is demonstrated throughout the call event, the call is considered "not cared for." A single interaction with a customer can have more than one unacceptable Customer CareSM indicator, meaning the total number of indicators may be greater than the number of call events not Cared for.
Delight
Caring for customers will result in them being so satisfied that they want to continue the relationship. Delighting customers will result in the customers not wanting to do business with any other company. We delight customers when we:
Recover their confidence when it has been jeopardized.
Surprise them occasionally.
Provide their service with aplomb.
Treat them consistently.
Put in place a professional “front”.
Are sensitive to their special circumstances, both spoken and unspoken.
Use vocal variety that implies that the customer is the most important person in the universe at the moment we are giving them service.
Go the extra mile within the boundaries of call time objectives.
Providing true Customer CareSM and Delighting customers requires the Operator/Agent to be totally focused on them at all times during the call event. From this focus comes the ability to satisfy customer’ requests and identify opportunities to delight them.
Audit & Survey Options
On-site or Experiential Audits
Conducted on an “as needed” basis at one or more call centers from a central remote observation position.
Auditors observe, document and evaluate the interaction between the customers and the operators.
On-site audits provide root cause data for optimization and continuous improvement.
Customer demographics
Keying strategy effectiveness
Target listing position and screen density
Influence of operator keying on work time
Operator error root cause data to determine the influence of the following factors on work time and accuracy:
Adherence to practices
Listening
Scanning
Keying
Quoting/reporting
Extent of search
Database error root cause data
Information wrong
Information missing
Information misfiled (in the database correctly but not retrievable using recommended keying strategies)
Customer Satisfaction/Perceptions Studies piggy-backed with on-site audits
PGL can design the survey instrument.
Auditors collect the calling customers’ numbers (ANIs).
On-site surveyors call customers within 1-6 hours of their last call.
Surveyors know whether customer was Fulfilled and Cared for during the monitored call.
Customer-provided information is based on a clear memory of the call event.
Customer Ratings are more about the call experience and less about other customer influencers such as price, last call to the business office or repair.
Results of the combined audit/survey confirm correlation of “passed calls” (calls both Fulfilled and Cared for) to the number of surveyed customers rating their call event/service an A/B. 8-10 or a Very Good/Excellent.
Remote Audits
“Mystery Shopping”
Our auditors become your customers
Valid statistical models
Real-life test sample based upon PGL’s proprietary call composite which stipulates correct percentages of:
DA
Residences
Businesses
Governments
Miscellaneous
Listings that require disambiguation (more than 1 option exists)
