In the evolving world of customer service continuous learning is becoming increasingly essential. At Telia we combine efforts with our customers and offer the services of a team of professional consultants who bring new insights to organizations and its people. Recently, we had the privilege to chat to Bernhard Ödin, one of our skilled CX consultants, and ask him about his work.
Bernhard, can you please tell us about your current assignments?
Certainly. I am currently involved in two parallel projects; a utility analysis with a client that has been with us for a very long time as well as an impact analysis for a new potential customer.
Utility analysis? Can you please elaborate, what does that entail exactly?
In my assessment I examine customer operations and interactions as well as the daily utilization of the ACE system. In this case, I spent a day observing three different departments at the client’s site to understand their customer engagements and how they use the ACE system. Using best principles in the industry, as well as insights from customers who have successfully streamlined their operations, I then conducted a comprehensive gap analysis.
I additionally held two workshops via Teams to discuss challenges and propose improvements from three perspectives:
- Human/Organization
- Process/Methodology
- Technology and System
My final suggestions are expected to generate benefits and impacts for employees, customers and the organization as well as improved resilience.
Have you done many of these?
I have, over the past decade, I have conducted around eighty different analyses for companies, government agencies, municipalities, and organizations.
What does the client expect from you when ordering an analysis or review?
Typically, they are seeking insights, and quite frequently, a business case to support a potential investment.
Can you give a real-world example of how your work makes a difference?
Absolutely. When implementing ACE to route and manage all interactions, such as phone calls, chats, emails, and errands we often see the following results and effects:
- Increased Customer Satisfaction
Quick responses and errand resolutions can boost customer satisfaction. We have seen and measured a 15-20% increase in productivity in the contact center.
- Enhanced Employee Satisfaction
Diminishing queues change the perspective of employees, who gets a more extensive and holistic view of the workload. This reduces stress and allows for a more varied workday. In effect, the job satisfaction levels among employees escalate.
- Productivity boost
The company can now engage in more proactive customer interactions, focusing on activities that were previously overlooked or deprioritized.
- Improved Resilience
Managing interaction flows in ACE as one unified system enables swift redistribution to other competencies based on business rules rather than chance.
Sounds great! Last question, what is the final outcome and greatest gains of your efforts?
The customer gains insights and often a business case for a potential investment. Also, it strengthens our delivery to the customers by providing them with more value for their investment.
You will often hear me say that my colleagues and I are not smarter than our customers, BUT we see things from the outside and offer another perspective, not clouded by day-to-day challenges and preconceived notions. This fresh viewpoint allows us to provide valuable insights and innovative solutions that can make a significant difference for our customers.
