CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOK

Transcription

1 CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOK HOW AUTOMATION DRIVES CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE A Guide for Customer Service Leaders

2 CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOK HOW AUTOMATION DRIVES CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE A Guide for Customer Service Leaders Table of Contents Paper Is Not Your Friend... 3 Taking Control... 4 Creating Engagement Simple Tips for Making Customer Service Extraordinary... 7 Fostering Loyalty...8 Empowering Employees...9 Quitting Paper...10 We Are Esker...13

3 PAPER IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. Problem solvers. Multitaskers. Unsung heroes. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are a lot of things to a lot of people. But as much as they do to keep a business running smoothly, there s one role they should never be asked to fill: the office paper pusher. Why? Printing orders, entering data and tracking down documents doesn t serve anyone well. In fact, the more time CSRs spend on manual tasks, the less time they have for the task at hand customer service. For those looking to empower their CSRs and improve customer service, we have a solution: automated order processing. It helps. A lot. You ll see what we mean... 03

4 TAKING CONTROL. There are two ways to serve customers: proactively or reactively. The distinction matters more than you think. Customers prefer go-getters. CSRs who always know why, when and where orders are being processed. Of course, being proactive is more than preparation. Measures like outbound calls, self-service, social media and customized offers are highly effective ways to get ahead of potential issues and demonstrate initiative. Which brings us to the whole why automation is necessary aspect. It s hard for CSRs to be efficient and knowledgeable much less proactive when they re up to their ears in paper. With automation, CSRs are free to focus on more proactive strategies thanks to a streamlined electronic workflow. Not only that, managers have enhanced visibility into the process, making it easy to identify areas of need, allocate resources, measure performance and promote the right people. 04

5 OF CUSTOMERS SEEKING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SUPPORT WISH IT WERE EASIER AND MORE CONVENIENT TO OBTAIN. Source: Accenture 2013 Global Consumer Pulse Survey, Accenture. 05

6 CREATING ENGAGEMENT. Customer engagement is a driving force behind business growth. If only you had the time and resources for it These days, customers flat out expect more in terms of support options. Live chat, social media and mobile functionality are channels that can enhance the customer experience and boost advocacy. Here s the dilemma: Processing orders the traditional way means dedicating a lot of staff and resources to effectively manage all incoming orders. Time or budget for engagement strategies is a tough sell. With automation, it s a different story. Many paperless businesses are able to a) manage growing order volumes without adding staff, b) repurpose CSRs to more value-added tasks, and c) engage customers through an online, self-service portal. Isn t technology wonderful? 06

7 5 SIMPLE TIPS FOR MAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE EXTRAORDINARY You re gonna want to write this down... Use your customers as a resource. If you re looking for innovative ideas to improve customer service, listen to the people who understand it the best your customers. Studies show that, regardless of the industry, many of the most successful innovations come directly from customers. Change with the times. Based on Accenture s 2013 Global Consumer Pulse Research Study, 56% of customers expect more options for obtaining service. Accommodation for things like mobile and online support is no longer a trend it s an expectation. The times, they are a-changin. You need to as well. Make it personal. For the 21 st century customer, the web can be an altogether confusing place to find service. Make it easy for them. Customers appreciate when solutions and/or products are tailored to their needs as to avoid all of the bad noise of a typical online search. Give your customers a head start on loyalty programs. Turns out, a simple way to increase interest in customer loyalty programs may be to provide a head start. A breakthrough consumer research study revealed that customers are twice as likely to stay with loyalty programs if the programs appear to be already underway. Go for quality over quantity. Speed isn t everything. The quality of a customer service experience is often remembered by how helpful it was, not how quickly it was delivered. According to a Customer Experience Impact study by RightNow, consumers cited rude, incompetent staff as the No. 1 reason to discontinue purchasing from a business, 18% more often than slow service. 07

8 FOSTERING LOYALTY. Every interaction with a customer has the opportunity to make or break the customer experience. More than anything, successful companies are able to master the human element. Loyalty is born when actions match promises. Human-to-human interaction is often necessary when the going gets tough, and can be a defining moment for customer allegiance. For example, 78% of customers are more likely to be loyal to a company that provides real-time, one-to-one support at critical moments. 1 A manual environment is not cut out for crunch-time situations. CSRs are often at the mercy of others in the department who could lose or misplace printed orders. And if there s one thing inquiring customers never want to hear, it s: I m going to have to call you back. Best-in-class solutions can automate workflow as well as provide a place for customers to go for instant communication with your company ensuring that you re there for them throughout the entire process. 1 Source: Connecting with Customers, LivePerson. 08

9 EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES. Creating a great customer experience requires a fulfilling and encouraging environment for your staff. It s difficult for CSRs to deliver a positive experience to customers when they re busy with data entry or frustrated with the low-value and unenjoyable manual aspects of their job. Make their work more enjoyable with an automated solution that minimizes tedious tasks, elevates careers and frees up time to focus on what they re there to do be of helpful service to customers. As a manager, it s important to measure staff performance in order to nurture and grow employees. Customizable dashboards make it a cinch with built-in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and information on who did what and when. 09

10 QUITTING PAPER. Here s how Esker s end-to-end automation solution works: RECEIVE Received customer orders are automatically routed to the correct CSR based on key order information. EXTRACT The solution finds and extracts all relevant PO data and creates the corresponding sales order in the ERP system. VERIFY Esker automatically detects exceptions. CSRs only have to verify that the extracted information is accurate or complete what is missing. MANAGE When exceptions occur, or approvals are necessary, orders are automatically put into a workflow to resolve exceptions without added delays. ARCHIVE Accurate order data is integrated in the ERP system with a copy of the original, available to any authorized user when needed. ANALYTICS & AUDIT TRAIL Orders are 100% visible throughout every phase of processing. Tailored dashboards and metrics deliver key information to facilitate daily tasks. CUSTOMER PORTAL A convenient online portal gives customers self-service access to placing orders, payment information, instant communication with staff and more. 10

11 A statement from one of our many satisfied customers: THE ESKER SOLUTION IS ENABLING CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK SMARTER, BETTER AND FASTER. WE RE ABLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS. Director of Global Customer Support MEDRAD, Inc. 11

12 Digging deeper: Let s explore MEDRAD s story behind that statement. THE ESKER SOLUTION IS ENABLING CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK SMARTER, BETTER AND FASTER. WE RE ABLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR Avoids manual order entry with Esker s automatic data capture and population Reduced order processing time from 8 minutes per order to 1.35 minutes per order Director of Global Customer Support MEDRAD, Inc. CUSTOMERS. Visibility and control over archived orders enabled better customer responsiveness Achieved order entry accuracy rate of 99.6% Previously received 80% of orders via paper fax; now receive 80% of orders electronically 12

13 WE ARE ESKER. Esker is a worldwide leader in cloud-based document process automation software. Organizations of all sizes use our shared platform of solutions, offered on-demand or onpremises, to automate accounts payable, order processing, accounts receivable, purchasing and more. Esker s solutions are compatible with all geographic, regulatory and technology environments, helping over 11,000 companies around the world in their efforts to Quit Paper. WORLDWIDE PRESENCE Founded in 1985, Esker operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific with global headquarters in Lyon, France and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. Last year Esker generated 46.1 million euros in total sales revenue. DATA SECURITY & INTEGRITY Esker has earned SSAE 16 and ISAE 3402 Type 1 and Type 2 compliance for its on-demand solutions. This means Esker s processes, procedures and controls have been formally reviewed and are documented to be in accordance with the rules outlined in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act legislation. RESOURCES Whiteboard Video More Efficient Sales Order Processing with Automation Instant download > ebook: The Great ERP Order Processing Predicament How Fax, & EDI Orders Hold Your Business Back and Why Automation is the Best Way Forward Instant download > SHARE THIS ebook LEARN MORE Website: Blog: blog.esker.com Twitter: twitter.com/eskerinc 13

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