The management-issues.com website has provided some tips on what can be done to eliminate certain issues and absurdities that customers must go through when trying to solve a problem with you.
Try to wait in your own queues
Trying to solve an issue with their own customer service can be a truly eye-opening experience for many managers.
Does one of the managers in your organisation have a problem? Has there been an issue with a company product or service? Great! No, this time there will be no internal contacts or shortcuts. Let them see how customers feel, what they are asked to do and how long it takes.
First-hand customer experience
This kind of testing is useful for both on- and offline channels. So go ahead and call the contact centre, submit an enquiry through the company website or try to deal with an issue in a shop.
If you call, listen to the automatic answer machine and think about whether the messages make sense. Or whether, on the contrary, they make you feel angry and frustrated.
Your colleagues can also help
Encourage your team to propose some ideas for how to deal with specific scenarios and problems. Rethink the existing processes and ways in which your customer service operates.
You may find useful alternatives and replace what is not functioning well. Introduce training sessions, encourage colleagues to experiment and find their own challenges which will help to improve customer service.
Use customer feedback
Delve into the database of feedback from your customers. What irritates them? What are they looking for? How do they want to communicate with your organisation? Don’t hesitate to engage them and ask for clarification. Most importantly, do something about what you discover.
-jk-