When a 24/7 Call Center Prevents Customer Complaints

By Sue Cunningham-Milito

A critical part of our call center service is handling calls when a customer has a concern, or an issue, and they want to speak to a live person right away.

I hear the same stories that you do about poor customer service; about the automated phone tree, and the disembodied computer “voice” trying to help, when all you want is to get someone to come fix your leaking dishwasher.

A Consumer Reports study: The Problem with Customer Service, stated that the majority of complaints related to poor communications by telephone.

Three out of four people complained that they could not reach a live person on the telephone. Nearly as many said they were disconnected, and then unable to reach the same person again.

Two out of three cited long waits “on hold,” and too many phone menu steps were needed. Automated voice recognition systems annoyed six out of ten callers.

As consumers, we all deserve better, don’t you agree?

Consider the difference of what happened during a weekend series of thunderstorms, high winds and even a tornado in Grand Rapids.

Our Cunningham Communications team had watched the weather reports and we were ready when dozens of callers asked to be connected to our roofing company clients.

As business owners we know that in moments of crisis, there is always an opportunity to provide outstanding service to customers.

The roofers were busy throughout the weekend and for days afterwards, repairing the damage of shingles blown off, and roofs broken by downed tree limbs.

The callers received immediate responses to their requests for help by the roofing companies that rely on Cunningham Communications to serve as their virtual operators around the clock.

I imagine you have heard that a happy customer tells up to five other people about a good experience but an unhappy customer tells as many as 15 other people. Check out this report for other examples of the impact of poor customer service on your business, and how important retaining customers can be to your bottom line.

Often it is simple as having someone standing by just to answer your telephone call.

Want to know more? Call me at Cunningham Communications 616-459-6500.