Recently whilst browsing Twitter I came across a conversation between a leading international bank and a client.
The customer had an urgent issue and had tried to contact the bank’s call centre but was unable to get through. They then took to Twitter, asking for help and a call back from the company.
Much to my surprise the bank in question replied that they were unable to help as their contact centre only handled inbound calls. The company instructed their client to simply call the contact centre again! No doubt if he did get through this time the customer would have to run through his issues again with a new staff member before even getting started towards a solution.
Scrolling down I was even more surprised to see the same curt response to at least 3 other queries in the space of a single morning!
Surely a company with 30,000+ employees has the capacity to react proactively to clients?
Here we have a customer who has contacted their bank twice, only to be told they have to make contact a third time in order to get any kind of resolution! Not only is this inconvenient for the account holder & an example of poor customer service, but it is also a missed opportunity for the bank.
Quick, efficient handling of complaints and queries builds a rapport between clients and companies, leading to greater customer loyalty. As we know loyal customers both increase profits and act as brand advocates, spreading the word to potential new users.
A Bi-Directional Solution
So how do you prevent this scenario happening in your company? Whilst you could institute manual call-backs from back office staff, the most efficient solution is to empower your contact centre staff with a bi-directional contact centre platform.
This allows agents to proactively engage with customers on multiple channels, whether via call-backs, emails, social media or webchat. The first employee to make contact with the client can now bring the conversation off public forums and resolve it quickly and seamlessly.
Bi-directional platforms are an investment; an investment in improved customer relations and all the returns that come with them. When cost-effective solutions are available clients will increasingly expect more from the organisations they do business with.
