"... WE MAKE IT INTENTION- ALLY EASY TO CONNECT WITH A LIVE AGENT: BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT FOR COMPLEX OR SENSITIVE SITUATIONS, A HUMAN CONNECTION MATTERS MOST."
-- JENNI HAWKINS
OUTLINE YOUR CUSTOMER CARE OPERATIONS. WHAT CHANNELS DO YOU USE TO ENGAGE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS?
A: We operate in a fully omnichannel environment, supporting more than 700,000 customer contacts annually across phone, email, chat, and digital channels.
While 87 % of our interactions are still voice-based, we continue to invest in robust self-service capabilities through our website, mobile app, automated phone system, and chatbot for easy transactions for customers who prefer ease, speed, and convenience.
At the same time, we make it intentionally easy to connect with a live agent: because we know that for complex or sensitive situations, a human connection matters most.
Our Customer Care team supports the full lifecycle of the CX, including enrollment for service, plan selection, renewals, billing inquiries, payments, and transfer service from one location to another.
We think about customers and where they are, offering extended hours including evenings and Saturdays, while ensuring consistent, reliable support across all channels.
"... WE MAKE IT INTENTION- ALLY EASY TO CONNECT WITH A LIVE AGENT: BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT FOR COMPLEX OR SENSITIVE SITUATIONS, A HUMAN CONNECTION MATTERS MOST."
-- JENNI HAWKINS
LET’ S DISCUSS FURTHER YOUR CONTACT CENTER. WHAT FUNCTIONS DOES IT PROVIDE? HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH CONTACTS ARE HANDLED BY AUTOMATED AGENTS VERSUS LIVE AGENTS?
A: Customer Care provides end-to-end support while contributing to growth through new customer acquisitions and partnerships such as Gas South Advantage, which brings our customers additional value with discounts on home services.
We take a human-centered, technology-enabled approach to service. We think about contact handling in three tiers:
1. Self-service for ease, speed, and convenience.
Automation is used where it enhances the CX: handling simple, transactional needs such as payments, service transfers, and account management. However, we intentionally prioritize live agents for complex or sensitive interactions, such as high bill concerns, financial hardship situations, and nuanced customer questions.
Our agents are direct hires, trained in-house, and deeply connected to the customers we serve. That local understanding allows them to provide personalized, empathetic support that technology alone can’ t replicate.
HOW DO YOU SUPPLY YOUR LIVE AGENTS? IN- HOUSE? BPO? WHERE AND HOW( ON-PREMISE, REMOTE)?
A: We made a deliberate decision to operate with a 100 % in-house, community-based workforce. We believe CX is too core to our mission, purpose, and values to outsource.
Our agents live in the communities we serve, which enables them to relate more authentically to our customers and understand local nuances. This approach strengthens both CX and our connection to the community.
Our Customer Care organization operates across two primary locations – Atlanta, Georgia and Gainesville, Florida – with a hybrid workforce model.
Team members primarily work remotely once proficient following new hire training. Agents come into the office monthly for face-to-face recurrent training, collaboration, engagement activities, and community service.
WHAT FACTORS LED TO YOUR STRATEGY? WHEN AND HOW DID YOU EXECUTE IT? WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS? WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES AND IF SO, HOW WERE THEY OVERCOME? WHAT WERE THE RESULTS, AND HOW DID THESE COMPARE WITH YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
A: One of the most transformational decisions in our company’ s history was bringing Customer Care fully in-house, which we did in 2012.
By transitioning to a direct-hire model, we aligned our frontline teams more closely with our mission, purpose, values, and customer expectations. This shift resulted in stronger hiring outcomes, reduced attrition, deeper expertise through tenure and in-house training, and a more cohesive culture.
Since implementing this strategy, we have continuously invested in creating a distinct, values-based CX. The results have exceeded expectations with record levels of customer satisfaction, sustained business growth, and consistently strong employee engagement scores.
2. Assisted service for efficiency and expertise.
3. Human interaction for our people-first approach of empathy and trust.
8 CONTACT CENTER PIPELINE