The seven deadly sins of contact centres

Some contact centres are still getting the basics wrong in fostering a proactive approach to customer services.

According to Tim Easton of Numero, the following are most frequently cited as being the top 7 deadly sins.

1. Organisations say that they want to get closer to their customers and provide a personalised service, but their customers receive email responses that say ‘do not reply to this email’!

2. Companies still get their “valued” customers’ names wrong both on the telephone, and in writing. For example, Mr Eastman, Eastham, Eastern or even “Dear Easton…” or just “Easton…”

3. Requesting the same information from the customer over and over again

4. Outsourced contact centres not understanding the product or its context. For example, a customer calling up to renew a football season ticket who asks the call centre agent what he thought of last night’s game, and getting the response “what game?”

5. Customers are still finding their way through the IVR maze and are then confronted by an agent or ’script-hostage’ with no empowerment to help the customer there and then.

6. Calling customers in the evening at home still persists – why not email the customer with a personalised email that they can read in their own time instead?

7. Having delivered excellent service via the contact centre, the parcel delivery contractors destroy the brand they represent by delivering when it suits them – not the customer, or by handling goods without care and attention.

How many times have you been driven mad by one, several or all of the sins above? Drop us a line and share your experiences with us…