Johannesburg, 29 Aug 2017
Here's an experience we can all relate to: someone calls a help desk with a problem or query and the agent is unable to resolve the problem, so they do one of two things:
The first is to keep circling around the problem, applying the same list of questions and responses to the problem. The second is to hand the problem to a different agent, theoretically better equipped to handle it, yet likely to ask all the original questions again.
Customers become frustrated at expending their time and effort to initiate the query, while it feels like they are getting nowhere. It doesn't have to be this way anymore. Chris Volschenk, CEO of StorTech, explains: "The proliferation of digital technology enables us to improve the situation." Not only is it possible to arm agents with better information, but it's also possible to enable customers to solve more queries on their own. Businesses should use digital to make human life better.
"Customer engagement has changed. It's evolved from the traditional forms of communication by human voice interaction, to proactive and integrated digital solutions through applications and real-time solutions like Web chat."
Data analytics is proving to be a powerful tool to find new customer solution insights and drive them to the appropriate people at the right time. But to get there, the next evolution in improving customer experiences is to look at the digital integration of service management across an organisation. Digital enterprise management enables integration between various pillars of IT for a single pane of glass view of IT infrastructure and operations in an organisation. Volschenk emphasises that "StorTech wants to empower customers to engage in a way that improves their experience".
This is how it works: you call with a problem and the business needs to assess the full impact of that problem for the customer. From the caller's vantage, the problem may seem obvious, eg, the sound on the caller's set-top box doesn't work. But the service desk needs to find the cause and not just resolve the problem at face value. To accomplish this, all the relevant information points must be brought together in front of the agent.
Volschenk adds: "The digital service desk uses the data and analytics of all of the information across the entire business to improve the customer experience. So, effectively, it's not just one person with his/her individual insight and knowledge helping the customer; it's a more holistic approach to solving problems."
By making digital integration a priority, companies also open new avenues for improving customer service. One example is automating frequently-used services such as auto resetting of passwords. Ultimately, there should exist a single view that brings the various aspects of customer interactions, services and expectations together. Call it 'customer engagement intelligence'.
"Get one view of all the different areas and make an informed decision about where the error is. The biggest challenge is to identify where the error is, so you need to ensure you create a high-level view. "You could always just 'restart' and hope that resolves the issue. But we've all been on the wrong end of that kind of call - it rarely works out well..."
Service requests have changed from logging calls to an instant real-time solution using technology and apps. Simplify the tracking of a problem for the customer by creating a comprehensive view of the customer's problem. Use the unearthed trends to identify problems proactively, which makes it easier to resolve any future issue. This creates a powerful cycle of information that establishes overlaps between different customer experiences and challenges.
The new paradigm of customer interaction starts with empowering the service desk. Do this by breaking down customer information silos. Take a holistic approach to problems using technology to touch on pain-points. "Digital service management built on digital technology is an effective means of creating a more empowered customer."
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