Measuring the Right Metrics

I'm reading through the October 2009 issue of Destination CRM (I know, you're fascinated) and enjoying the article called "Mistaken Metrics" by Lauren McKay. An interesting article about CSR satisfaction measurement, and something that resonated with me.

You don't realize how critical the CSR part of a company is until you deal with a firm where the CSR is deliberately trained to manipulate the conversation to 'supposed' service, without actually solving the problem. You can see this type of training all the time (not to bad mouth companies or industries)... insurance providers, tv providers, auto or appliance warranties. If you've ever had a problem in those areas, you know exactly how frustrating the call can be.

That type of customer service model must cease to exist.

How can you continue to grow a brand and great culture internally if you are frustrating and infuriating customers? In an attempt to minimize out-of-pocket expenses in correcting mistakes or making good on promises, these companies focus on the fact that their call center folks can use several tactics to make certain NOTHING gets fixed. Here's some of the all-time low CSR responses:

• I'm not showing any record of that account
• Can you hold please
• I can have my supervisor call you back some time in the next 72 hours
• I can only give you my first name
• I don't have a direct extension
• You'll have to call a different number for that
• I can transfer you to that department if you like, click
• I'm sorry, I'm not showing any record of that account
• My computer is slow today
• I can't give you my supervisor's name, but he will call you back within 72 hours
• I can't credit your account, you have to call a different number for that
• I can't see your payment information
• Was I able to answer your questions?
• I can't schedule that service directly, I can only put in a ticket
• I can't credit your account until the ticket is resolved
• I see someone canceled that ticket at 4 am
• No, I can't see who canceled the ticket at 4 am, just that it was canceled
• You must have canceled the ticket
• I only have available people Mon-Friday 9-5
• I see here that we previously gave you the opportunity to schedule that service
• It says here that you canceled the service
• We are going to have to charge you for canceling your service
• If you want to contest the charges, I can't help you
• There is no one to address your complaint to, just write to our address
• It says that you ordered the service, so we will charge you for it, and there will be a surcharge for canceling
• I'm sorry that no one called you, but we can re-schedule your service now
  

If you're one of the companies that participates in these carefully crafted anti-customer care tactics, I recommend some great suggestions for marketers from David Raab, author of The Marketing Performance Measurement Toolkit. (Obviously, I'm having a difficult time trying to be constructive, and David does a great job).

The only point I could make is that no amount of $100 offers for referring a friend could ever influence me.

I would NEVER do that to a friend, or even an acquaintance.