The Customer is King

1. MAY 2012 ISSUE
JANUARY 2011 ISSUE MAY 2012 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
News Online Xchange
serves to give up-to-date information on the products and services under the NMS brand, as well as
news involving the Web and Mobile industries.
The on email and escalation support.
A guide
Customer is King
“
Keeping customers happy is main key to keeping your business alive and profitable. Effective, responsive, proactive customer
“
service could mean the difference between success and failure for your business. So you want to keep your customers happy?
Designing your customer support escalation
It may sound obvious, but does your company have an escalation procedure on how to handle a customer service
issue? It not, it’s a great idea to spend some staff time developing one.
Every business ought to have a set of rules and expectations on how to handle a customer satisfaction or service and
support issue. From frontline customer service personnel through executive management, every member of your
customer-facing team should know what they can and can't commit to on behalf of the company and when and how to
appropriately escalate a problem internal for ultimate resolution.
We’re all aware of the importance of keeping customers happy. It costs significantly more to acquire a customer than
keep one. This isn’t just about re-marketing to existing customers, but about delivering over-the-top service throughout
the customer relationship. (continued to the next page)
New Media Services e info@newmediaservices.com.au
the Go-To company w www.newmediaservices.com.au

2. MAY 2012 ISSUE
JANUARY 2011 ISSUE MAY 2012 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
Always start the escalation process with the first person to talk with the customer: the customer service representative (CSR).
01 When the CSR is working with a customer, it is their responsibility to try to resolve the customer's issue or problem in a pleasant manner. The CSR
should make an effort to really meet the customer need without lying or bending company rules. Often a solution at the first level will make the
customer happy enough that they continue business with the company. Training on how to improved customer service offered on the phone and
in-person will help make this step more effective. This type of training should include role plays to allow the new CSR to practice. Since the CSR job
can be stressful and new information is always pertinent, it is important to offer periodic retraining as well.
If the customer's issue is related to a technical problem or a specific product and the CSR does not have the informa-
tion to help the customer, then they should pass the issue onto an appropriate expert for resolution. The CSR should let
the customer know that an expert will need to handle the issue and give an idea when the customer may expect to heat back from the expert. The
02
expert should reply as soon as they find an answer for the customer, even if they must take the time to leave a voice mail or compose a detailed
email. If a customer's problem goes this far, only a quick and great solution will result in a happy customer.
When there is no expert or the expert does not resolve the issue, the CSR should request the issue be promoted to
03 the customer service supervisor or manager. Or the customer may request this third level of escalation if they are
unhappy with what they have encountered thus far. The supervisory person should resolve the issue for the customer immediately
after they receive the escalation. The supervisor or manager will have to sincerely apologize to the customer and explain what they are going to do
or have done. It they do not, the problem will only get bigger as customer may choose to personally escalate their complaint to a fourth level that
can result in unfortunate consequences for the customer service group
“ A bad customer service experience has tremendous consequences and the potential
to cause serious brand damage. Even loyal customers are likely to stop dealing
with a company lacking good customer service. Worst, unhappy customers are also
more likely to bad-mouth a company after an unpleasant experience, meaning
“
every good effort should be made to ensure your company is up to par.
New Media Services e info@newmediaservices.com.au
the Go-To company w www.newmediaservices.com.au

3. MAY 2012 ISSUE
JANUARY 2011 ISSUE MAY 2012 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
INFORMATION HIGHWAY: KEEPING CUSTOMERS HAPPY KEEPS YOU IN BUSINESS
55% 82%
55 % started patronizing a 82 % stopped doing business
company because of its superior with a company over a negative
customer service reputation. experience.
OF THOSE WHO DECIDED TO STOP DOING WOULD BE WILLING TO GO BACK TO A COM-
BUSINESS WITH A BUSINESS, PANY AFTER A NEGATIVE EXPEIENCE IF
73% 51% 55% 63% 52% 49%
was a reaction was a reaction to were because issues they received an were offered a were offered
to rude staff unknowledge- weren't resolved in a apology or correction discount proof of improved
able staff timely manner from a supervisor service
"Please hold while I transfer you to a representative..."
Customers reveal what frustrates them the most:
Having to speak with multiple agents and start
42% THE BREAKING POINT:
over every time.
More than 80 % of respondents
Being kept on hold for long period of time, or not
getting what I need on the first try.
17% said they were already estab-
Rude or inexperienced representatives or
13% lished customers when they
difficulty navigating a website.
reached their breaking point with
Frequent service interruptions or not being under-
stood by IVR/speech recognition applications.
12% a company due to a bad customer
service experience.
Others. 10%
Long windows to wait for a service technician, and
fee/price increases. 6%
New Media Services e info@newmediaservices.com.au
the Go-To company w www.newmediaservices.com.au

4. MAY 2012 ISSUE
JANUARY 2011 ISSUE MAY 2012 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
REDUCING ESCALATED CALLS
Escalation management is likened to firefighting. Both deals with preventive measures to make sure that only the worth-escalating calls
reach your office. As the supervisor of a contact center, you should employ an effective escalation management plan.
Identify the root cause of a problem. No problems can be solved without
1 knowing what is behind them. Like firefighting, how the problem grew must be
determined. Fundamentalists are right- the cause of a problem provides the
solution.
Understand that every agent is afraid that a caller might misunderstand
2 existing policies. Surely, agents try to explain these policies that are blocking
the interest of a caller. However, some callers are too “programmed” to get the
call escalated.
3 Listen to recorded calls to know what exactly happened during a past call.
This helps in evaluating the skill of an agent in managing calls. Escalation management deals with
hiring of the best agents in the world,
Know the trend. There are times when almost all callers are complaining about who can stop the fire before it ruins
4 the same thing. This technique aids in preparing a script to use when dealing your business down.
with future escalated calls.
Six Steps to Calming and Retaining
Make sure that all agents have the basic information about a service or a Angry Customers
5 product. Calls reaching your office must strictly deal with special concerns.
Thus, it is best to have written documents beside your agents (and they must Whenever a customer does get angry, zip
have read them before receiving calls).
1 your lips and listen.
Reconfirm what they just said so they
Document all escalated calls and inform agents about the noted concerns. 2 know you have listened to them and
6 Teach them how to handle these concerns. Solicit ideas from them if they understand their complaint.
have better suggestions. Agents can also share their first-hand experiences,
Apologize for what has happened even if
3 it is not your fault.
7 Encourage agents to handle calls without asking for advices from someone
sitting beside them. Tell the customer what you are going to
4 do and how soon you are going to do it.
Make sure that the agents are brave enough to answer questions from Thank the customer for bringing the
8 bad-mouthing callers. Agents should not be corrupted by emotional outbursts. 5 matter to your attention.
Conduct mock calls and series of extensive trainings.
Make a courtesy follow-up call to the
6 customer no more than three days after
Tell the agents to open a call with powerful greetings. This can reduce the the incident has been resolved.
9 anger of a caller.
Do not intervene when a caller is shouting at you. Wait for the right time to
10 give your response. When the caller cools down from an “emotional outbreak”,
a part of his anger is gone.
New Media Services e info@newmediaservices.com.au
the Go-To company w www.newmediaservices.com.au

5. MAY 2012 ISSUE
JANUARY 2011 ISSUE MAY 2012 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2011 BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
Why Email Is Better Than Phone Support
Internet and Email have become the most preferred means of data transmis-
sion and customer relationship management. Due to its great caliber to yield result within
short span of time, most of companies are now outsourcing their non-voice customer care requirements
including E-mail support services.
Email support has major role in increasing customer satisfaction and enhancing brand name in the
industry. Compared to other means of data transmission and customer relationship management
methods, email has unique and more advantageous benefits including non intrusive, low cost, any time
and any where access. Every company running online needs the services of an effective email support
RECOMMENDED service to add to the brand building and increase the growth of the company.
1. Grant Conveniences. Can simply fit around 2. Decreases number of phone or live chats.
with business schedules and obtain important Accommodate customers who seek immediate
pieces of information. response.
3. Email support is Inexpensive. There is no 4. Easily recorded. Transmit conversation
need for pricey telephone calls, faxes, printing of instantly thereby improving its quality by
letters and other services. reviewing recent conversations.
Live Operators provide efficient, quick and 100%
satisfaction guaranteed service for your End-Users.
NEXT MONTH ON NOX: INBOUND AND OUTBOUND SUPPORT
New Media Services e info@newmediaservices.com.au
the Go-To company w www.newmediaservices.com.au