Online customer services - how could they be improved?

[Sabrina911]

Hello everyone,

I would be interested in what kind of experiences you have made with online customer services of manufacturers.
Have you made any specifically bad or good experiences, before or after purchase? Please let me know.

What are your suggestions for improvement?

Thank you.

Best,
Sabrina

[Northernchimp]

Who do you work for?

[Sabrina911]

Haha, I'm currently still studying. Marketing if that helps
It could be a topic for my Master Thesis..I'm trying to understand if there is any room for improvement in that area.

I would be happy to hear your opinions.

[steveo3002]

when asking for help via email /chat /whatever id like to speak to a english person not some 3rd world halfwit reading from a script or giving automated answers

[Troubleatmill]

Well, it isn't rocket science.

1/ When we phone - we deal with a real person.
2/ The person taking the call is a resident of the country I am calling from. ( If companies can afford the marketing/ advertising in the country I live in then they can afford local staff to provide customer service )
3/ Generic call centres should be banned. They cannot cover food stuffs in one call, broadband the next call, pet insurance the next.
3/ Almost without exception every single customer service person I speak to has no authority. The person taking the call is empowered to immediately solve the problem without the need for some claptrap written procedure script, and then needing to get authorisation from their manager. Who will then have to call me back.
4/ Hire people that have a brain and pay them a decent salary. Don't do it on the cheap.

I could go on.


To try to be helpful. Work out how much the sales/ marketing dept spend on trying to get new customers. Compare that to the spend made on customer service to ensure you keep your customers happy.

[Sabrina911]

@Steveo3002
Sounds reasonable ..
Have you made any such experience with any manufacturer recently?
Was it before or after buying a car with them?

[surveyor]

I was not aware that manufacturers had online customer service. In fact like most car traders they seem desperate to drive anybody into showrooms.

[Sabrina911]

@Troubleatmill
Thanks for your reply.
So it seems you have made some bad experiences..
But in general you would still prefer a telephone customer service (supposing the personnel speaks English properly and is knowledgeable) over any online chat? Or do you think these chats have a future, if properly implemented with the right personnel?

[MissChief]

surveyor said:

I was not aware that manufacturers had online customer service. In fact like most car traders they seem desperate to drive anybody into showrooms.

Where, judging by most posters on here they get routinely ignored while walking around the showroom?

[Troubleatmill]

Sabrina911 said:

@Troubleatmill
Thanks for your reply.
So it seems you have made some bad experiences..
But in general you would still prefer a telephone customer service (supposing the personnel speaks English properly and is knowledgeable) over any online chat? Or do you think these chats have a future, if properly implemented with the right personnel?

Of course I prefer speaking. I'm human. Even the crew of the old Star Trek TV series talk to the computer rather than type in their instructions.
Given that we are getting to a stage where VOIP is becoming prevalent - you would think it would be used more.

90% of my experience with online help is dreadful.
The person at the other end is very poorly paid, not knowledgable about the product - and who's bonus is based on getting through X calls per hour.
It is a piss poor metric. The only metric should be - Did you keep the customer happy and solve the problem first time.
If they didn't- odds are they are not empowered to do so.

[Sabrina911]

Troubleatmill said:

Of course I prefer speaking. I'm human. Even the crew of the old Star Trek TV series talk to the computer rather than type in their instructions.
Given that we are getting to a stage where VOIP is becoming prevalent - you would think it would be used more.

90% of my experience with online help is dreadful.
The person at the other end is very poorly paid, not knowledgable about the product - and who's bonus is based on getting through X calls per hour.
It is a piss poor metric. The only metric should be - Did you keep the customer happy and solve the problem first time.
If they didn't- odds are they are not empowered to do so.

True. I guess that's not only a problem in the automotive sector.

[maffski]

Troubleatmill said:

The only metric should be - Did you keep the customer happy and solve the problem first time.

Trouble with a metric like that is that it is an incentive to deal with simple/obvious problems only.

[skelters]

Make it easier to get a number that connects you with the correct person. Usually 10 minutes website search to find the contact number while fighting off online chat pop up screens.

If I have to put my mobile number in or verify who I am while trying to get through I shouldn't have to be asked who I am or if I'm calling about the mobile number I'm calling from then give them the number I'm calling from along with postcode etc.

I expect to speak to someone who has a decent grasp of the english language.

Apologizing continuously or at any time about the problem with Broadband, Virgin TV or mobile phone etc really drives me nuts. I don't need an apology I need it fking fixed.

Nobody in any call centre can pass me onto their supervisor! Why the fk?!

With any TV, Broadband, Mobile, Insurance, Bank or any other problems a good way to deal with them is to get their name and any reference number from them about the call you're calling about.

At the end of the call when they ask if there's anything else they can help you with I usually let them know that I have their name and reference number and if the fault is not resolved within the agreed time I'll be calling up to make a complaint about them personally as they have promised a specific timescale. Usually works very well.

[Troubleatmill]

maffski said:

Troubleatmill said:

The only metric should be - Did you keep the customer happy and solve the problem first time.

Trouble with a metric like that is that it is an incentive to deal with simple/obvious problems only.

"Is the customer happy with the result?" is the only metric that counts. 87% satisfied is a nonsense.
Customer is happy or is not. YES or NO

It is well documented about the communicative behaviour of happy and unhappy customers to their family, friends etc.

[Troubleatmill]

maffski said:

Troubleatmill said:

The only metric should be - Did you keep the customer happy and solve the problem first time.

Trouble with a metric like that is that it is an incentive to deal with simple/obvious problems only.

"Is the customer happy with the result?" is the only metric that counts. 87% satisfied is a nonsense.
Customer is happy or is not. YES or NO

It is well documented about the communicative behaviour of happy and unhappy customers to their family, friends etc.

[Sabrina911]

Sounds reasonable.
Thank you very much for your responses.