Improving Team Effectiveness
Challenge: Significant Decline in Customer Satisfaction
A large manufacturing technology supplier was experiencing, poor employee morale, low customer satisfaction, significant loss of business and high attrition. Operational costs were escalating and sales management was at a loss for how to redirect their sales teams. The economy was also taking its toll on profitability so the company was beginning a work force reduction program. Many individuals who had been promoted over the years were now being asked to go back out on the road to augment the sales force and increase visibility with the customer. Many installed base customers were decreasing business or going to competitors. If the company was to survive the downturn in business, it needed to better understand what employees were experiencing and how to respond to customer needs.
Solution:
CC Consulting created a mechanism for collecting ongoing customer feedback entitled "Take 5"- Take Five Minutes to tell us how were doing! The tool was web-based so customers could access it from anywhere at anytime. Customers were encouraged to complete the assessment anytime a product or a service was delivered to them. Due to the confidential nature of the feedback, customers were able to articulate frustrations with service levels and processes. Customer information provided feedback about cumbersome steps in processes, unnecessary duplication of information on sales forms, inability to have simple questions answered by call center employees about products. Customers also indicated frustration with the inability of the company to respond quickly to changes. Many customers were actively soliciting other providers. At the same time, employees were also given an assessment tool to respond to internal processes and other customer related activity. Employees were also able to articulate their frustrations with their lack of autonomy and empowerment to act on behalf of their customer accounts. Company hierarchy hampered simple decisions. Inside sales employees were frustrated that they were not able to provide answers to customers in a timely fashion. They indicated that their business model relied too heavily on providing the same level of service to all customers that hampered new sales and the creation of new services.
Result:
We cross-referenced the employee data with the customer data to see where problems intersected. These were "hot" areas that needed immediate intervention. Positive customer and employee feedback was also analyzed to determine "best practice" opportunities. These suggestions were rolled out to regional managers for immediate implementation. Employees were notified that the feedback had come directly from them. Customers were notified by letter of the results of the survey and were given a summary as to implementation steps being taken by the company to respond to their needs.