|
May 1998 Volume 2.08
Follow Up at Telecom
New Zealand
Clients sometimes ask me to give an example of a business
process that was changed as a result of econometric modelling of
customer data.
In 1989, Telecom New Zealand undertook extensive focus
group customer research to identify what was important to customers.
One of the key customer needs was to be called after an event and
asked if they were happy with everything that had been done. This
is similar to paying the bill at a restaurant, and the maitre d'
asking about your meal and service. Based on the focus groups views
we included in a number of the Telsat (Telecom Customer Satisfaction)
surveys a question on whether the customers had received a follow
up call.
At that time there was no activity in Telecom New
Zealand's business processes requiring employees to make follow
up calls. When the results of the first surveys came in, they showed
that follow up was very important to customers. Not surprisingly,
as nobody was doing it, the surveys also showed that Telecom New
Zealand was rated very poorly on follow up.
The Customer Service Managers began to use the results.
Some tried using mini surveys after work was completed. This didn't
work at all well as people perceived that they were receiving two
surveys - the official Telsat survey and the unofficial mini survey.
These mini surveys by Telecom staff just drove the customer ratings
down in the proper survey. Gradually people applied critical thinking
techniques and worked out how to make effective follow up calls.
(See story in box.)
When basic service needs had already been met at a
'good' level we found that follow up calls work really well at driving
customer ratings up a little higher to world class Excellent levels.
So the customer research results caused the business process to
be changed to include follow up calls, and then the way these calls
were made was improved.
| 60%
say "Excellent"
Question: "Do customers need to be lead and educated?"
Consider the following.
South was the most successful Telecom New Zealand region
in achieving high ratings for, "Whether follow up made".
The following summary from their Customer Service Director
illustrates what their people learned about the wording
needed to make a follow up call that was recognised as such
by customers:
"Whether follow up made", was a yes/no Telsat
question. Theoretically you should be able to achieve a
one hundred percent score for this attribute. We were quick
to learn that follow up telephone calls needed to include
and emphasise the expression; "this is a follow up
call". Hopefully when the Research Company contacted
the customers and asked the question, "whether follow
up made?", the customers in turn would recall our words,
"this is a follow up call".
Most importantly, the customer must not perceive the follow
up call as being a survey, it is not a survey. A customer
will only accept being surveyed once, and the survey must
be only the one from the Research Company.
These simple techniques worked so successfully that they
provided the 'cherry on the top' of extremely good service
that meant that 6 customers out of every 10 rated both the
Service Provision and the Repair Service as Excellent.
|
And The Rhine Makes Its Way To The Sea
I have always had a fascination with the Rhine Riesling
grape and its wines. So much so that I established a vineyard planted
in Rhine Riesling grapes and for many years made some very pleasant
Rhine Riesling wine. So when the opportunity came to visit Rudesheim
in the heart of Germany's premium Rhine Riesling area, I had to
say yes.
So here I am at the Rudesheimer Schloss a hotel founded
in the 16th century run by the Bruer family, noted local winemakers.
For dinner I selected a hessian style potato soup followed by a
main of grilled pork loins on potato cakes with a pepper corn sauce.
Very tasty. The 1997 Georg Breuer Rudeshiem Riesling nicely complements
the meal.
Regards,
Rodger Gallagher
|
