Author:  Gary Barnett

Quite often, when consumers are transferred from an automated system to an agent or from one agent to another, they are asked to repeat information.  Sometimes they have to repeat their account number, sometimes they only have to repeat their name, but sometimes they have to repeat a lot more. 

Regardless of what of how much consumers have to rehash, be it for security purposes or not, this practice is all to familiar to customers.  Research shows that nearly three-quarters of all telephone-related consumer experiences begin with automated systems and, once they reach agents, 54 percent of consumers are required to repeat information they already provided.  Half are forced to rehash most of the information, while the other half is asked to repeat some.  

This practice, which has proven to be annoying to consumers, makes life more difficult for agents who are forced to deal with grouchy customers.  It also impacts the amount of business consumers plan to do with your company in the future. Research indicates that one-quarter of consumers who had to repeat information after being transferred from an automated system to an agent will do less business with a company.
 
The good news is that there’s a very simple solution to this dilemma - transfer your customers’ data along with their phone calls. According to a colleague of mine, Deluxe Corp., a top provider of checks in North America, has got this down. They recently turned an expected ho hum experience into a truly exceptional interaction.
 
Here’s what happens when you call Deluxe.  First, you reach an intuitive, easy to navigate automated menu that offers the right choices for your specific needs. Then, if you already have an existing account with the company, your account information automatically pops up on the agent’s screen when you are transferred to them.  Deluxe uses your ANI to automatically pull up your account information - assuming you’re calling from the phone number that is in their records.  
 
In the case of my colleague who called the company on two separate occasions, he was never asked to repeat any information. During each interaction, my colleague introduced himself by name at the beginning of the call.  In both cases, the agents confirmed key information to verify his identity - the name of his company, address, bank account and routing numbers - then referred to him by name during the remainder of the interaction.  The agents were friendly and courteous, they answered all of his questions with authority, and they clearly communicated the next steps.

 
My colleague felt appreciated and respected from the first minute each of these agents answered the phone.  He hasn’t stopped talking about his stellar experience and he’s looking forward to doing more business with this company.  
 
Are you doing everything you can to win your customers’ loyalty?

This entry was posted on Monday, May 19th, 2008 at 9:30 am and is filed under Customer Service/Consumer Demands. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.