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“Revise Customer Service Processes to put an End Consumer Misery”
CDC Respond tells Utilities Businesses to as EDF Energy Joins List Fined for Poor Customer Complaints Management
There is no excuse – technology can manage the end-to-end process and recover service reputation whilst providing vital, potentially revenue generating businesses data
12 March 2012 – With EDF Energy now ordered to pay a £4.5 million ‘fine’ and npower and British Gas fined over £2 million each for failing to manage customer complaints effectively, Mark Chambers, head of consulting at complaints management specialist, CDC Respond has called on the energy sector to: “Revise customer service processes to put an end customer service misery for millions of UK customers.”
Speaking openly to those responsible for managing customer complaints mark Chambers explained: “There will always be complaints. What matters is how a complaint is managed; how the customer is handled and the processes that lead to a speedy and satisfactory resolution.”
Electricity North West, which owns, operates and maintains the North West’s electricity distribution network has significantly improved its customer complaint handling by putting in place processes that enable the handling and processing of high volumes of customer enquiries, quickly and efficiently.
According to Stephanie Rourke, connections enquiries manager at Electricity North West, “The step-by-step processes, driven by CDC Respond, a widely available customer complaints management platform, allow us to manage our process to deliver the regulatory requirements of the CEAR Act when dealing with customer information requests or complaints.”
Stephanie Rourke continued: “Each step is guided by the fields set-up in the software. All communications are recorded and can be analysed at any point during the processes. We can also export data directly into Ofgem reporting templates to demonstrate that processes are being followed. This is invaluable in the case where a complaint is escalated to the regulator,” explained Stephanie Rourke.
There is no reason why other utilities businesses are not following the customer service excellence route being taken by Electricity North West.
“From an intelligence and administrative perspective, CDC Respond has proven to improve efficiency and highlights choke points within our processes, those that create dissatisfaction with our customers.” The uniform data collation means information can be shared easily between departments, therefore reducing handoffs and interfaces for the customer,” continued Stephanie Rourke of Electricity North West.
Tools, such as CDC Respond, provide customer facing businesses with the ability to manage and respond to customers as individuals, or as groups of similarly affected customers. Controls can be put in place to ensure that every step of the complaints management process, from initial information gathering, through to the point of resolution is recorded.
“Reports generated from customer feedback can be used to improve the business, but also to demonstrate to regulators that all efforts are being made to rectify customer issues and to put in place effective customer complaints management processes,” concluded Mark Chambers, CDC Respond.
@cdcrespondmark http://www.cdcrespond.com
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Banks and insurance firms face huge PPI administration challenge as FSA sets new 8 week resolution time limit
Banks and insurance companies will have just eight weeks to respond to and resolve the PPI compensation claims that will result from the FSA’s instruction that they must write to 12 million PPI customers, clearly stating that they have potentially been miss-sold insurance. If they don’t meet the time limit they face significant fines.
Already the administrative process for most banks and insurance companies is impossible, because they don’t have the tools and processes in place to manage such high volumes of complaints. The result is a major backlog. Getting the process right from the start is vital.
There are three principle steps to follow: 1) Set-up a workflow to ensure the steps to resolution for each case are in place; 2) Ensure the team has the tools and information to follow these steps 3) Know the exact status of each case at all times, identify issues that could affect resolution – and proactively contact the customer if a delay is likely.
If followed, the result will be a lower cost, fast and effective PPI compensation process and a blueprint for customer complaints management excellence moving forward.
Mark Chambers, head of consultants at customer complaints management specialist, CDC Respond
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