By Betsy Loeff, contributing writer
One call center representative greeted a customer's query with seven edgy seconds of silence. Another cut the customer off mid-question with a curt "we-don't-do-that." A third CSR advised the caller she could get value from a time-of-use rate plan, provided she lived a "topsy-turvy" lifestyle that included managing household chores between midnight and dawn. That same rep offered up green power as an opportunity to help the environment and pay more for electricity. Yikes! There's a sale for you.
If you heard CSRs say things like that at your utility, you'd probably wince. Kimberly King, founder and president of customer-service consultancy, InterWeave, would like to see your reps "wow" customers instead.
To that end, King had an employee make five "mystery shopper" calls each to 105 U.S. electric utilities, then compared findings to quality standards developed by her company. The researcher dialed investor-owned utilities, cooperatives and municipalities throughout the country.
Results of this benchmarking effort appear in "The Power of Wow in U.S. Utility Contact Centers," a $149 report offered via CD. King chose to package her study results as an "ebook" so she could include 100 call recordings. Some are exemplary. Others: downright cringe-worthy.
Feeling it out
At the heart of King's evaluation criteria is her belief that CSR behavior shapes customer feelings. The emotions customers experience drive actions, which deliver call center results.
She offers this example: If the rep talks too quickly, the customer feels rushed, unimportant and devalued. That makes the customer ask more questions or, perhaps, escalate the call by asking to speak with a supervisor. Call-handle and hold times rise, while customer satisfaction takes a plunge.
Likewise, whisper-voiced reps and those who use a lot of filler words -- "um, hmm, well, let me think about that" -- won't inspire as much customer confidence as reps who project an air of knowledge. Again, customers are likely to ask more questions and, perhaps, ask for the supervisor's involvement.
In contrast, King says, "wow" customer service means "maximizing business resources." So, when CSRs talk to customers, they should be enthused, positive and responsive. Likewise, utility contact centers should use their IVR systems to market extras such as green power or energy audits. And, the website should be offered "appropriately," as an alternative to waiting for an agent, "not tacked on at the end of the call," according to King. That way, it might lower call volume reaching CSRs.
King and her mystery shopper had a list of behaviors they sought. They looked for things such as welcoming statements and an offer of the rep's name to solidify a person-to-person exchange. The caller also wanted to hear reps use appropriate tone and volume, confident word choice without jargon, as well as correct grammar and pronunciation. Courtesy was important, too. As the shopper made her calls, she wanted reps to acknowledge her issues, empathize with them, and allow her to finish questions before jumping in with replies.
Less-than-wow results
All of this is easier said than done, apparently. King and her caller judged only 0.9 percent of reps as using "passionate and confident word choice." Only 2.7 percent of CSRs offered appropriate acknowledgment and empathy. Less than 1 percent summarized the call. Just 10.1 percent expressed appreciation for the customer at the end of the call. And, only 19.7 made a final offer of assistance, such as: "Is there anything else I can do for you today, Ms. Smith?"
Promotional activities fared better. Some 15.5 percent of utilities provided marketing-related information through their IVR systems, so customers could learn about products and services while waiting on hold. Another 6.7 percent offered the website appropriately, which helps customers answer questions online rather than wait for a CSR.
Even better, 87 percent of CSRs allowed customers to complete sentences. But, that means 13 percent cut customers off.
Happily, 96.2 percent of reps used appropriate vocal volume, not shouts or whispers. Some 93 percent offered their names. Nearly 92 percent avoided jargon that could confuse the customer, such as meeting a new service request with, "Sure. We can cut you in tomorrow."
These results come from a total of 477 calls completed, although the research team attempted 525 calls in all. They dropped off the line if hold times exceeded 10 minutes. And, some calls never reached customer service, because the whole department was "out to lunch."
Based on the study's results, it sounds as if some of the reps who answered calls were out to lunch, as well.
Betsy Loeff has been freelancing for the past 15 years from her home in Golden, Colo. She has been covering utilities for almost four years as a contributor to AMRA News, the monthly publication of the Automatic Meter Reading Association.