American inventor Charles Kettering once said, “A problem well stated is a problem half solved.” This maxim is as relevant to business success as it is to invention. Business growth is often fueled by customers who clearly, honestly report problems. We might tack on an addendum for business: A problem immediately relayed is often more easily resolved. In an ideal world, managers would know about each customer complaint mere moments after it had been lodged. To appreciate how such real-time feedback can impact customer engagement, let’s review a case study: Schlesinger Associates.
First, a little background information. Schlesinger Associates is a 40-year-old research services company with 16 offices in the US and UK. Their customers include marketing and market research executives from several Fortune 500 companies. To retain and grow current accounts, Schlesinger Associates has utilized PeopleMetrics’ Customer Engagement Management (CEM) solution for the last five years. In addition to providing superior service in a competitive field, Schlesinger aims to quickly, efficiently respond to client problems. Since it is estimated that recruiting a new client costs seven times more than retaining an existing client, Schlesinger strives to turn potentially disengaged, disloyal customers into advocates for their company by responding quickly and effectively to grievances.
PeopleMetrics’ CEM solution helps them do so, first by capturing real-time feedback from clients who have recently visited a Schlesinger Associates office. About 100 such customer surveys are completed each month. If a customer indicates that they were dissatisfied with an aspect of their experience, a Recover Alert is sent to the facility manager and the CEO. Each Recover Alert contains information about the customer’s concerns, as well as a compilation of all survey responses. This information empowers Schlesinger Associates managers to quickly, efficiently resolve customers’ complaints.
In addition to aiding managers, PeopleMetrics’ CEM solution allows Schlesinger Associates’ CEO to keep his finger on the pulse of the organization. Because he receives every alert that is sent out, the CEO can track areas for improvement. A transparent culture of accountability and continual improvement has been established at Schlesinger Associates, thanks to automated, real-time Customer Engagement Management Alerts.
Overall, Recovery Alerts help Schlesinger Associates deliver on their promise of excellent customer service. Moreover, PeopleMetrics’ CEM solution allows Schlesinger to understand customer feedback on multiple levels: by individual customer, service area, location, or for the business as a whole.
To revisit our initial quotation from Charles Kettering, Schlesinger Associates gives customers the opportunity to provide “well-stated” feedback. Furthermore, alerts are immediately sent to the CEO and the appropriate employees to facilitate prompt resolution. Could he view Schlesinger Associates’ consistently high customer satisfaction and engagement scores, Mr. Kettering might be inspired to reframe problems as opportunities for perpetual improvement.
~Kate Feather, Executive Vice President
Additional Resources & Related Posts
To learn more about PeopleMetrics’ CEM solution, visit our page on Customer Engagement.
Combating Miscommunication in the Workforce
Customer Engagement Management Tools for Organizing Customer Feedback
Customer Alerts: Turning Customer Feedback into Immediate Sales
Tags: CEM Solution, customer engagement, customer satisfaction, real-time feedback, Recover Alerts, Schlesinger Associates