Product Description

This book focuses on leveraging the advantages of existing technology-based processes and learning and applying emerging processes and technologies--in cost effective ways--to enable organizations to become ongoing, best-in-class customer care providers. Traditionally, one of the biggest problems for customer care executives has been how to balance CSR productivity with customer satisfaction. By implementing on line solutions which facilitate a timely and relevant response to a customer's inquiry or problem, the executive can realize a significant return on investment both through renewed customer loyalty and direct access to useful market intellilgence. This book is intended to outline the steps required in order to become an active participant in the continuously evolving model of online customer care.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1016103 in Books
• Published on: 1998
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 265 pages

Review
Cusack is clearly an expert in customer care systems. He provides extremely detailed information on best-in-class technology and processes, well-tempered with real-life examples that illustrate common implementation pitfalls. -- Bill Scheerer, President, Performance QUEST LLC, and former Quality, Engineering, Software and Technologies Vice-President AT&T/Lucent Bell Labs

Cusack's book is a timely and detailed introduction to the world of emerging technologies in customer care, and will be a valuable resource to any organization attempting to set up world-class customer care operations today. -- Rohit Ramaswamy, Ph.D., President, Service Design Solutions. Author Design and Management of Service Processes, Addison-Wesley, 1996

I can unequivocally recommend this book to anyone designing or improving customer care processes, as it provides a straightforward, comprehensive review of relevant customer care topics. -- Judith Millsaps, Senior Vice-President, GE Capital Transport International Pool

Online Customer Care is a thoughtful, thorough, and valuable guide to leveraging technology for world-class interaction with your customers. Cusack sets the benchmark, and his book offers an "expert system" for your business. -- Michael Goodman, Ph.D., Director, MA Program in Organizational and Corporate Communication, FDU and Associate Editor IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

This inspiring book is a must read for every employee in any enterprise that truly strives to harness customer care as a competitive differentiator. -- Margaret Molloy, Vice President, Marketing, Telecom Ireland

This is a must read for anyone who is getting ready to implement or re-design their customer interaction systems and processes. -- Michael Tobin, Vice-President, Central Europe, Cambridge Technology Partners, Inc.

About the Author
Michael Cusack is an independent consultant who specializes in evaluating call center operations and implementing best practice principles in the areas of process improvement, systems design, and content management. His client list includes companies such as General Electric, CitiBank, Kemper Insurance, and AT&T. Cusack's background includes several years in the telecommunications industry, principally as a management consultant with the Bell Laboratories Customer Care Group. He was also employed as a human factors engineer with the AT&T Artificial Intelligence/Knowledge Systems Unit, and has been involved in the planning and reengineering of call centers for more than a decade. He is an experienced communicator, and has presented customer care strategies to decision-makers from several multinational corporations, as well as initiating educational forums on worldwide customer care involving representatives from countries such as Holland and Ireland. Cusack has lived and worked in six countries. He received his Master of Arts in Corporate and Organizational Communication from Fairleigh-Dickinson University in the United States. He can be contacted via cusack@worldnet.att.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Chapter 6 - Defining Customer Care Processes (Excerpt)

As discussed previously, there are several contingencies relevant to meeting customer expectations through business processes. These contingencies drive processes which may be organizational, supportive, or customer-facing. At this point, one may assume that management have developed a product or service which satisfies what is believed to be a customer need. Marketing have subsequently compounded that need in the targeted market. As a result of these endeavors, the company expects to receive many contacts from customers. Based on contact volume forecasts, the company has budgeted a customer care offering to answer customer inquiries and problems, gather market intelligence, and perhaps cross-sell other products and services. In order to achieve this goal, customer care will have established a baseline for existent processes. This baseline may require a "best in class" comparison with other customer care operations, identification of the features, functions and technologies of the ideal customer care environment, and observation and tracking of contact types, lengths, follow-ups, and other post-contact activities.

The following list represents a potential high-level grouping of some typical customer care processes:

Organizational Processes

Management

* New Product/Service Support/Marketing Activity Notification * Disaster Recovery (Loss of Telephone or Computer Network) * Customer Contact Root Cause Data Gathering & Analysis * Customer Satisfaction Data Gathering & Analysis * Facilities Management * Screening and Hiring * Partnership and Service Agreements * Customer Care Quality Analysis & Improvement * Agent Appeals * Agent Rewards and Recognition.

Scheduling

* Agent Shift Preference * Agent Vacation Scheduling - Initial Choice Process * Agent Vacation Scheduling - Change Processes * Agent Time-off Scheduling * Agent Closed Time Scheduling.

Supporting Processes

Information Support

* Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Customer Script Maintenance * Initial and Continuation Training * Methods & Procedures Information for Customer Contact Handling * Agent Help System Support (For Customer Care Systems) * Agent Script Development and Maintenance * Content Development for New Product/Service ("How To" Instructions) * Content Maintenance for Existing Product/Service ("How To" Instructions) * Problem-solving Support for New and Existing Product/Service * (Knowledge Acquisition/Engineering).

Systems Development & Maintenance

* Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Functional Improvements * Systems Change Request - Prioritization and Implementation * New Systems Definition, Prioritization and Implementation * Database Administration * Systems Administration.

Customer-Facing Processes

Routing Inbound Customer Calls to Appropriate agents

Classifying, Routing and Responding to:

* E-mail Messages * Fax Messages * Postal Correspondence * Voice Mail Requests * Web-site Communications.

Opening a Customer Contact - Agent Tasks

Handling Customer Account Maintenance, such as:

* Change customer address * Change pricing plan * Responding to returned mail * Renew or cancel contracts * Modify credit limit * Change billing responsibility * Record customer comments

Resolving Pre-sales Requests, such as:

* Pricing Inquiries (non-customer) * Feature Availability * Nearest Branch/Store Location.

Handling Customer Orders and Reservations, such as:

* Inventory location * Credit approval * Price negotiation.

Resolving Billing Inquiries, including:

* Pricing Inquiries (customer) * Request for Invoice Copy * Change Billing Cycles * Explain first bill * Explain feature charges * Create revised bill * Explain taxes * Produce on-demand bill

Handling Collections, including:

* Response to late notice * Response to treatment report * Response to non-pay deactivation

Handling Customer Complaints

Handling Misdirected Calls

Online Escalation of Customer Calls

Customer agent Callback Commitment Handling

Handling Customer Initiated Callbacks

Closing a Customer Contact - Agent Tasks.

Regardless of whether or not customer care management decides to document processes, there obviously has to be some sort of process understanding in order for the operation to exist at all. This common knowledge may have been conveyed verbally during training, or informally by peers and managers. It is not unusual for a manager in a small call center to verbally convey a change in process or policy for all those who were within earshot on a particular day. Often, there appears to be presumption that any agents who were absent for that announcement will adhere to the change by some sort of osmosis. Given that inconsistency in dealing with the customer is one of the primary reasons why call centers experience repeat calls, it is remarkable how many managers exacerbate the problem through failure to ensure rigorous communication and adherence practices. In some cases, the agent may come across a method and procedure which explains what to do in a certain situation. How consistently the process is applied and how effectively it works can only be determined by formal measurements. The critical question applied to these customer care environments becomes "how many of our processes will break when we start getting a lot of customer contacts?" If that question is not addressed, even hiring two hundred new agents to handle increased volume will not have the desired effect. (End of excerpt)

Customer Reviews

This is the one 'must read' book on customer care..........
A wonderfully informative book that stands out amidst the plethora of customer care offerings. Even though the field is changing so quickly, Michael Cusack's book won't date because of (1) the way he applies the lasting principle of soundly balancing technology, process and people, and (2) the masterful manner in which he draws on historical and current knowledge and trends in order to cover likely future developments. Cusack is a true thought-leader who writes to express not to impress, and who freely and comprehensively shares at the detailed level. On Line Customer Care demands to be read by every CEO, Customer Service Director and Service Agent who aspires to customer care excellence.

When the customer calls...
I began with the assignment to recommend software support for an pending Help Desk. I asked around amongst my colleagues, and was told by one of them that perhaps a Call Centre would be more appropriate. Another of my co-workers advised my not to choose any software until I had clarified both my Sponsor and my User Requirements. Some suggested a pilot project of limited scope -- others wanted full service right across the company. Eventually I seemed to have views from every point on the compass. I like being accommodating, and I believe in stakeholder input, but I did need some guidance.

I was referred to Michael Cusack's book, and that was very fortunate. Cusack frames ALL of the issues of "customer care", not just telephone tactics. Besides answering telephone calls, there may be e-mails, faxes, and "snail mail" to handle. Each mode of communication should mesh with the rest, and all should reflect the company's policy on the concerns of the customer. Before I was getting isolated suggestions, and trying to create a list of responses. Cusack allowed me to survey the entire problem, and map the available options.

As Cusack explains it, the three essential components of customer care are:

Customer Satisfaction Cost Reduction, and Market Intelligence If interaction with the customer is planned so that the initial call fulfills the requirements, the customer will go away satisfied AND not call back to continue seeking assistance on an unresolved issue. THAT will lead to cost reduction, because the investment in getting it right the first time is still cheaper than having to deal with return calls as the dissatisfied customer comes back again and again. Furthermore, EVERY question provides intelligence on who has problems, what their concerns are, and what therefore could be re-designed to provide even more value to customers. It really does all fit together into a strategy. And as Cusack reminds us, that strategy is the basis of quality in customer care.

The Best Resource Available Today in Customer Care
A truly detailed study of customer care and an invaluable resource recommended for those looking to link emerging technologies with real world needs. Online Customer Care has the perspective of someone who has thoughtfully digested the multitude of business issues when reconciling what technology promises to what it ultimately delivers. Cusack provides a depth of knowledge and understanding which bridges the gap for the technical developer and call center manager alike. Cusack's insight is at a level of understanding often overlooked by business management at every level. His vision is to empower the user as the ultimate judge. This book holds the technology developer and corporate decision maker accountable. Detailed case studies and research make this book a required read and great reference tool. Highly recommended.