We all know when we’re getting good customer service. It’s when you’re listened to and your issues are addressed by someone who takes the time to understand you.
For me personally, when dealing with issues that involve the general public on behalf of Pendle Borough Council, I am often very aware that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to customer care. This means that my team must be sensitive to the preferences and needs of individual customers to ensure that they are supported in a timely manner; the payment or non-payment of benefits and tax is a sensitive issue, and we have a duty of care to the people we serve.
Although they have evaluation levels for each task, KPI reports are not enough to clearly reflect the performance of each individual and sometimes the real aspects of customer care (CSKH) can be missed in all the measurement and calculation tools. That explains the importance of ensuring the focus on each individual, and not simply providing a great customer experience but also focusing on their emotional journey. We understand that the key to overcoming the emotional barrier is to be one step ahead to understand what customers care about and want in the case of their financial support sources are decreasing, the need for food banks is increasing. In other words, we take care of every penny, when it comes to millions and above – KPIs will take care of themselves.
Care for every penny
Paying every penny requires a focus on daily interactions with customers, understanding who they are and the problems they may be facing. Every morning, my team and I read our daily customer survey to gather feedback; we also regularly examine demographic data relevant to our industry to see how our community is changing. Using that data, we can pick up on even the smallest changes to improve our service and increase customer satisfaction.
This can be applied to many situations. For example, the industry is trying to encourage users to self-serve using digital channels. This makes sense because it reduces costs and increases efficiency. However, when implementing this initiative, it is important to carefully consider the demographics of the target audience.
For example, we discovered that although online options were available for the services we provided, 15% were a group of people who had no exposure or knowledge of using technology. Knowing this, we could better serve our customers by holding workshops at local libraries to help them learn how to use the Internet and interact with online applications.
Listen to the Operators
In addition to using data, we also need timely feedback from our call agents. No one knows the issues that our customers face on a daily basis better than these people. For example, we operate in an area where Urdu/Punjabi speakers live, many of whom cannot speak English fluently. Therefore, the call agents suggested developing bilingual signs to connect these customers directly to Urdu-speaking agents if necessary, avoiding waiting and inconvenience for customers.
Employee suggestions can make a big difference and are practical to implement. These ideas only come about when employees feel engaged and valued – and the emphasis is on quality over metrics. An employee who can solve complex algorithms may not be able to interact well with customers because they are more concerned with statistics than service quality.
More than just a customer service center
Great customer service doesn’t stop at the door of the customer service centre. By proactively engaging with large communities, customer service teams can stay ahead of customer complaints. For example, my team helped people understand how they would be affected by the introduction and ongoing testing of the Universal Credit benefits system. This gave us insight into the changes to benefits payments, some of which can be inconvenient and stressful, especially for fully online systems.
Prior to the launch of Universal Credit, we reached out to key local stakeholders and organisations including charities, landlords and credit unions, to ensure that everyone involved was aware of the change. My team also provided personal financial support to help those who needed help managing their finances as previously introduced.
By carefully reviewing customer feedback, connecting with agents, and analyzing demographic data, call centers can spot even the smallest changes to improve customer service. However, truly great service is often overlooked because a small amount of money is given to those who can stop problems before they become widespread. That’s why engaging with a large industry community and addressing these issues only happens when your customer service team is at their best.
