How Did You Do in
2007?
By David Saxby
As utilities close out another year of serving
customers, they should ask themselves an important question: “How did we
do?”
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and ponder more pointed questions.
Did you consistently provide excellent service to every customer that called
or walked into your office? Did you educate customers on ways to lower their
utility bills? Did you tell your customers about other products and services
you offer that could make their lives better? Did you evaluate your
processes for turning services on and off, billing and delinquent accounts
with an eye to efficiency?
Is your Web site a model for smooth browsing and easy sign-up for new or
additional service? Did you improve communication and service to your
internal customers (every person that works for the utility)? Do they feel
like they are part of the team?
And finally, what systems do you have in place to measure your improvements?
As you take a look back on your customer service endeavors for 2007 and
create a new strategy for the coming year, consider the following ideas.
Invest in employee development. Your employees cannot meet and exceed
customer expectations if they lack essential customer service skills. Invest
time and money to give your employees the skills they need to communicate
and listen. Teach them how to sell the value of your utility and its
products. Customers turn to your employees for solutions. They want someone
to help them make the decision that will benefit them.
Welcome customer complaints. Customers complain when they’re
dissatisfied with some part of your service. Train your staff to welcome
these complaints. Provide them with the tools and skills to resolve customer
problems. Empower your employees to handle complaints on the spot. Identify
those areas that generate the most complaints. Brainstorm possible solutions
to the service process that could reduce angry customer calls and improve
service.
Aim for consistent service. Consistency is a vital part of creating
an excellent experience for every customer that interacts with your utility.
If I called first thing Monday and then again at 4 p.m. on Friday, I should
receive the same warm and helpful attitude from any employee who answers? I
have a lot of experience cold calling utilities and I know that this just
doesn’t happen. Be the exception! Your customers will appreciate it.
How effective is your technology? Can new customers who just moved into your
service area go to your Web site and do the following:
- Order service online.
- Find out what other services the utility offers its customers.
- Talk with customer service via the Internet while they are on the Web
site to get their questions answered.
Take an even closer look at your Web site. Does it offer a tips
page with ideas on how to decrease energy usage? Does it have a place to
complain to management about a poor experience? Along the same lines, does
it offer a place for customers to share their suggestions on how to improve
the customer experience? Evaluate how user friendly your Web site is for
customers.
Embrace failure. Every new product that hits the market today
experiences a number of failures before it succeeds. If your utility wants
to be innovative in satisfying the needs of a growing and changing
population, you must try creative strategies and embrace the inherent risk.
Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our current problems at the same
level of thinking with which we created them.” Most people are afraid to try
something different because they fear failure. Ask your employees what they
would like to do differently to improve customer service.
Is it fun to work at your utility? Employees deal with customers who are in
a variety of emotional states that range from one end of the spectrum to the
other. Every day, they are faced with solving customer problems. Teach them
how to handle emotional issues and how to create solutions and they will be
much happier.
You have an opportunity to show your staff how much you value them by also
teaching them how to reduce their stress level at work. Provide an area
where they can unwind. Create fun breaks where they can forget about that
last frustrating experience.
Your employees are the key to long-term customer loyalty and repeat and
referral business. Your investment to improve your employees’ attitude will
have a direct, positive impact on your bottom line. What did you learn this
year and how will you use that knowledge to make your utility a more
prosperous, innovative company that is fun to work for?
Recognition is an investment, not an expense. Employee recognition is
a powerful tool! Sadly, many companies do nothing beyond base pay to
recognize their employees for performance above and beyond. Implement a
recognition program to reward employees for exceeding your standards. Reward
them for handling difficult situations with customers. And don’t forget that
timing is everything. To have impact, the recognition needs to occur as soon
as possible after the demonstrated behavior.
I know this is a lot to think about and a lot to do. But ask yourself one
last question. Aren’t your customers worth it?
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David Saxby is president of Measure-X, a Phoenix,
Ariz.-based measurement, training and recognition company that specializes in
customer service and sales skill training for utility companies. He can be
reached at 888-644-5499 or via e-mail at
david@measure-x.com. Visit the Measure-X Web site at
www.measure-x.com.
