The three levels of customer service frustration – and how to overcome them

I’d like to start by asking you to think about the following scenario. You’ve got a problem with your bank account that you need to sort out:

• Frustration level “moderate” – you pick up the phone and dial the number to your bank. After keying in numbers from a list of options, you’re directed to the relevant queue to deal with your enquiry. Then you sit … and you wait. But worse than the actual wait, it’s the song that plays over and over again, reminding you that you are, in fact … waiting.
• Frustration level “severe” – when you’re finally connected with a customer service representative from your bank, you describe your problem in the best way you know how, giving relevant details that you imagine will be recognizable. The person on the end of the phone listens politely, before telling you they don’t have the information you need, and … wait for it … could you phone back tomorrow?
• Frustration level “critical” – the next day you phone your bank again, gritting your teeth through the waiting – and the music – only to speak to a completely different customer service representative who has absolutely no knowledge of your previous phone call. With your head in your hands, you describe the problem all over again … although not in so much detail this time.

Sounds familiar? You’re not alone. We’ve all been there.

With this experience in mind, here are three ways you can improve your customer experience in the age of digital transformation:

• Implement innovation – improvements in customer experience (CX) and satisfaction are directly related to innovation. CX and technology going hand in hand is becoming the norm, and we no longer speak about CX, but about DCX – digital customer experience. Technology offers us the tools to help us recognize and address the needs of our clients. We need to think innovatively like startups and promote solutions based on technologies that will satisfy our customers.
• Think about your people – DCX is not just about technology. It’s just as much, if not more, about the people who stand behind the entire process and make it happen – people who understand your business operations and are able to adapt quickly to the situation. Implementing digital solutions that facilitate the performance of tasks by your employees has a knock on impact on the level of customer satisfaction. For instance, if your bank (in the example above) implemented a system that enabled their individual customer service representatives to access your customer information and history quickly – using a virtual assistant to speed up the whole process—they would be able to solve our bank account problem much faster.
• Listen to your end customer – in my experience, service organizations concentrate on the end customer – their customer’s customer – all too rarely. However, your end customer’s voice is extremely important, as their satisfaction determines the satisfaction of your whole organization. Your organization needs to have the capability to listen to and look after your end customers and building a lasting relationship with your business partners often demands a revolutionary approach to existing processes.

There are a number of factors responsible for customer satisfaction. Customers never evaluate one particular interaction or experience, but look at the process as a whole. Likewise, implementing technology alone won’t solve all your CX challenges. To look after the needs of your individual customer, you must first think about the people who serve them, and the people they serve.

To learn more about how Capgemini can transform your operations to deliver an improved customer experience, contact: magdalena.matell@capgemini.com

Learn more about how Capgemini’s Finance Powered by Intelligent Automation solution helps our clients create more intimate, intelligent relationships with their end consumers.

Magdalena Matell has over 14 years experience in business services. She is passionate about helping organizations to transform and become more client-centric by changing business models and operations. She has successfully led global transformation programs and executed multiple Finance and Accounting solutions across a range of businesses.

Magdalena Matell

Expert in Finance and Accounting Outsourcing

Since starting with Capgemini in 2004, I have been helping companies evolve in the digital world through building one of a kind, intelligent automation eco-systems. One of the ways I do this is by leveraging client experiences, Capgemini assets, and our network of partners to create a road map for their transformation journey.
I am lucky enough to have built a large network of clients, partners, and colleagues throughout Europe, and around the globe who are just as enthusiastic about ways to create digital transformation within their finance and other support functions departments. Thanks to the effort put in by my team and my passion and dedication for what I do, I successfully created several client partnerships that won the ISG Paragon Europe award for transformation programs.  I also led  three of my teams to win Capgemini’s Innovation Games in the categories of client value, intelligent automation, and partnership growth.
When I am not helping clients with finance transformation, I spend my time enjoying the outdoors, running, and cooking for my friends and family.
If you want to learn more about what I do for Capgemini, take a look at our FPIA site for how we drive finance transformations through intelligent automation.