KQ Article

Over the last year, Collaborative members worked on a new problem-resolution approach for branches and call centers. They conducted internal audits and extensive field research to meet their objective, which included carefully evaluating the current experience for customers and members, and ultimately designing a new problem-resolution experience.

To test their approach in the real world, Collaborative members conducted a problem-resolution pilot in their individual banks and credit unions. The pilot unearthed an important additional finding: that effective branch and call center customer service representatives (CSRs) are essential to every successful problem-resolution solution. Only engaged, knowledgeable and empathetic employees can deliver the authentic experience customers require.

The approach also focused on how institutional policies and culture impact employee performance and satisfaction, which in turn affect how customers are ultimately treated. Related measures included adopting new empowerment strategies, personalizing employeeworkspaces and rewarding  CSRs for positive problem-resolutionoutcomes.

PRELIMINARY TRAINING
Before the pilot began in Collaborative members’ branches and call centers, some baseline education was required for participants. Through hands-on learning, Web seminars and a selfdevelopment program, employees learned how to:

• Actively listen to customers and members
• Apply effective questioning techniques
• Replace institutional language with relational language
• Leverage every interaction as a relationship-building opportunity
• Apply the LEARN model (Listen, Empathize, Apologize, Respect, Negotiate) to angry callers
• Come across with authenticity
• Make the most of their unique personalities
• Decode and respond to customer emotions
• Optimize their telephone skills
• Make effective follow-up calls with customersand coworkers
• Create positive memories for customers with handwritten notes or gifts

Coaches were also challenged to expand their role in improving CSR performance. To achieve this objective, they received training on a proven coaching model, participated in biweekly coach calls, and received a  Coach Kit complete withtexts, newsletters and tools for recognizing CSRs for exceptional performance.

Coaches held special team meetings, referred to as “huddles,” on a weekly (and sometimes daily) basis. Huddles lasted no more than 15 minutes, and were designed to give CSRs a forum for sharing successes,   discussing problems and learning from each other. Each pilot site also dedicated a room to CSRs only, as a place to read, relax after difficult calls and gather for huddles.

BETTER RESOURCES
Earlier Collaborative research revealed a widespread lack of CSR problem-resolution training and tools. Even more disturbing, the research confirmed that most CSRs  felt unappreciated and sawlittle incentive to increase their skills in this area.

To address these issues, the team developed MasteringConnections — an ongoing self-development program for building CSRs’ problemresolution effectiveness and making stronger connections with customers and members.

Each pilot site received a Mastering Connections library, complete with relevant texts written by industry thought leaders, along with financial acumen workbooks and previous issues of this publication, the Deluxe Knowledge.

THE NUMBERS SAY IT ALL
The pilot had a staggering positive impact on problemresolution effectiveness. Employees were much more eager to assist customers and members, because they felt more prepared to do so. They also felt more engaged with their work and loyal to their organizations, which in turn led to improved customer and member loyalty.

Here are some revealing statistics from participants and customers surveyed before and after the pilot:

• 8 in 10 CSRs “strongly agreed” that their skills had greatly improved.
• 6 in 10 CSRs “strongly agreed” that they felt better prepared to handle emotionally charged issues, compared to 3 in 10 before the pilot.
• 6 in 10 CSRs “strongly agreed” they were  supported by theirorganizations, compared to 2.5 in 10 before the pilot.
• Customers who agreed with the statement, “the CSR took responsibility for the issue,” rose nearly 9 percent from pre- to post-pilot. In addition, those customers who agreed with “I feel a greater loyalty to this financial institution” rose 6 percent. This positive feedback seemed strongly correlated; customers who agreed with one positive statement had a tendency to agree with others.

This increased problem-resolution effectiveness not only resulted in more satisfied employees and customers, but it also had a profound positive impact on operational efficiency. Such empowered employees are slower to make concessions, waive fees and resort to other expensive customer appeasement methods. Loyal employees also provide better service and cost less to support than newly hired staff members due to frequent turnover.

REQUEST YOUR WHITE PAPER TO LEARN MORE
We shared final pilot results and key learnings at the Deluxe Knowledge Exchange Expo in Phoenix in May 2008. If you missed the Expo or would like more details on the pilot and its findings, please contact your Deluxe Account Manager and request a free copy of the white paper, Deluxe Collaborative on Problem Resolution.

SAME PILIOT, SAME RESULTS AT DELUXE
Our business is very similar to yours. Doesn’t it make sense to test this problem-resolution approach in our own call centers? That’s exactly what we did from January through March of 2008, in one of our Deluxe Customer Care Centers in Minnesota.

Two managers, two coaches and 24 CSRs from Deluxe were involved in the pilot, and Deluxe participants received the same training and tools as Collaborative member participants. Positive changes in pre- to post-pilot survey feedback also mirrored that received from the Collaborative pilot:

• Deluxe customers who “strongly agreed” they were effectively guided through problem resolution rose nearly 15 percent.
• Customers who believed their next experience would be positive increased 11 percent.
• Customers who stated they were happy with their D eluxe relationship increased 17 percent.
• Post-call work, or work completed by the CSR after the interaction concluded, decreased 40 percent, improving call center productivity.
• Calls referred to managers decreased by more than 50 percent, also increasing productivity.