Industry: Call Center
Mark Miller, Head of Customer Service Solutions, discusses why the scale you use in research is critical to your success
This on-demand webcast recording presented by JD Power’s contact center expert, Mark Miller, shares insights regarding the following:
- Key drivers of contact center satisfaction in 2016
- Optimizing the customer experience via IVR routing and CSR channels
- Best practices employed by customer care leaders
This on-demand webcast recording presented by JD Power’s contact center expert, Mark Miller, shares insights regarding two new performance standards and three best practices.
- Two new performance standards that have the power to make or break contact center customer satisfaction
- Three best practices employed by top-performing contact centers that keep them performing at the highest levels without breaking the bank
CUSTOMER Magazine asked Mark Miller, contact center practice leader, to describe the benefits and pitfalls of benchmarking performance when building a world-class contact center.
CUSTOMER Magazine asked Mark Miller, contact center practice leader, to offer guidance to executives who are challenged to deliver both high customer satisfaction and high containment rates.
CUSTOMER Magazine recently spoke with Mark Miller, contact center practice leader, about some keys to utilizing customer based research to drive performance improvement.
The Situation
In 2010, The Guardian Retirement SolutionsTM was looking for a way to get better and be recognized for delivering outstanding customer service from their customer care organization. After looking at multiple options, The Guardian Retirement Solutions chose to work with JD Power, and have been certified in their live phone channel since 2011.
Goals
To remain competitive and meet its own financial goals Guardian has sought new ways to distinguish themselves in the marketplace, encourage high employee retention and productivity, and inspire strong customer loyalty through excellent service.
“Our goal is to be the go to provider in the annuity and 401(k) marketplace, providing value added product, strong distribution support, and exceptionally high levels of customer service,” says Mike Cefole, Senior Vice President and Profit Center Officer of Retirement Solutions.
Tangible Results At-A-Glance
- Higher Customer Satisfaction – Even as a high-performer, The Guardian moved up from an 843 index score out of 1,000 to an 873 after its first year in the program; NPS rose from 39% to 49% in three years
- Savings of $592k in training costs over three years thanks to reduced agent attrition – In 2012, Guardian had a call center staff attrition rate of 16.10%, which fell to 9.3% in 2013 and to 6.25% in 2014
- Increase in Sales – Between 2010 and 2011, after certification, Guardian’s Annuity and 401k business grew collectively by 47%—and it grew again between 2011 and 2012 by 36%
- Better Operational Scores – Improved from attaining 91% of Certification Criteria (best practices) in 2011 to 98% in 2014
How The JD Power Certification is Uniquely Impactful
- “This is absolutely a crown jewel for us in terms of the achievement of the award.”
- “When you think of being recognized for anything great, top of the industry, top of the line, you think of JD Power. It’s such a recognized name.”
- “People know that JD Power represents an exceptionally high standard that we want to make sure we’re holding ourselves accountable to.”
- “It was the highest measurement by standards of all companies, not just insurance companies or investment companies.”
JD Power evaluated consumers purchase experience observations across contact channels: store, telephone and Online. Satisfaction scores do differ between channels in both the U.S. and Canada. Technology also plays a role in maximizing the customer retail experience, especially when it comes to explaining the latest 4G network benefits.
The Issue
One of the largest telecommunication providers that offers both wireless and wireline services in Canada wanted a credible third party to assess their contact center activities, identify service gaps, and align improvement initiatives with those exhibited by the highest performers. Executing this assessment would help the client ensure consistent customer experiences and operating processes across the organization.
The Solution
The client decided to pursue JD Power’s Contact Center Operational Performance Assessment. Their motivation was not simply to gain operational efficiencies, but also to benchmark themselves against high performers across multiple industries, not just those in the telecommunications industry. Identifying best practices that were working in other industries helped the company make more informed decisions that would improve and elevate their own processes, and, in turn, improve customer satisfaction.
How JD Power Assisted
The Operational Performance Assessment provided the client with a suite of easy-to-use self-assessment tools that allowed them to benchmark their metrics against certified performers and gain insights into the leading practices known to drive high customer satisfaction. An intensive on-site assessment was conducted at their contact centers with expert analyses and recommendations provided to improve the customer experience and overall operations. The Operational Performance Assessment confirmed to senior management that their contact centers were operating in line with the highest-performing centers across industries.