PROVIDING A WOW OR A THRILL LEADS TO ESTABLISHING AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION .
Accuracy and the Partnership elements and translates them to a market differentiator because they yield a positive emotional connection . People like to take Advice from those in whom they have confidence . We all have hung up from a call and called back not only because we may not have “ liked ” the answer , but because we felt it could be “ wrong .”
When you consider that it is the Advice function that solves problems and makes additional sales , the concept is easy to embrace . Add-on sale offers are the ultimate in Advice . The frontline advises the customer on other products or services that are available and appropriate . I sat in a bank one day and watched an agent kiss a twenty-thousand-dollar CD goodbye because he didn ’ t offer anything else to the customer . The bank had a multitude of programs that the customer could have been advised about , but the agent seemed more comfortable explaining how to cash out the CD .
IDIOM INSIGHTS
Advice is about confidence , critical thinking , brand knowledge , and of course products and services . No matter how smart we may be , smartness only has value to those with whom we have built a relationship and , in fact , a Partnership .
There are challenges to achieving the high-level satisfiers and they often lie at the low levels . If you cannot achieve Accuracy and Availability , you may never have the opportunity to get to the Partnership and Advice level , no matter how good you are at it . Customers will be frustrated before you can ever get to that height . All of these elements must work together , but somehow in order . We need to view our customers as invited guests to a party , and we are the hosts . It is our job every day to make every aspect of the Customer Experience count !
Kathleen M . Peterson is the Chief Vision Officer of PowerHouse Con sulting , a call center and telecommunications consulting firm . www . powerhouse1 . com
@ PowerHouse603
Special 15 th Anniversary Issue : March 2024
Join us for a look back at the events that shaped the contact center industry over the last 15 years .
14 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE