CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOK

Transcription

1 CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOK HOW MACHINE-LEARNING SOLUTIONS DRIVE ORDER MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE A Guide for Customer Service Leaders

2 CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOK Table of Contents Paper Is Not Your Friend... 3 Taking Control... 4 HOW MACHINE-LEARNING SOLUTIONS DRIVE ORDER MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE A Guide for Customer Service Leaders Creating Engagement... 6 Fostering Loyalty Simple Tips for Making Customer Service Extraordinary... 8 Empowering Employees... 9 Simplifying Training...10 Quitting Paper...12 About Esker...15

3 PAPER IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. Problem solvers. Multitaskers. Unsung heroes. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are a lot of things to a lot of people. But as much as they do to keep a business running smoothly, there s one role they should never be asked to fill: the office paper pusher. Why? Printing orders, entering data and tracking down documents doesn t serve anyone well. In fact, the more time CSRs spend on manual tasks, the less time they have for the task at hand improving the customer experience. For those looking to empower their CSRs and provide stellar customer service, we have a solution: automated order management. It helps. A lot. You ll see what we mean... 03

4 TAKING CONTROL There are two ways to serve customers: proactively or reactively. The distinction matters more than you think. Customers prefer go-getters. CSRs who always know why, when and where orders are being processed. Of course, being proactive is more than preparation. Measures like outbound calls, self-service, social media and customized offers are highly effective ways to get ahead of potential issues and demonstrate initiative. Which brings us to the whole why automation is necessary aspect. It s hard for CSRs to be efficient and knowledgeable much less proactive when they re up to their ears in paper and data entry. With automation, CSRs are free to focus on more proactive strategies thanks to a streamlined electronic workflow. Not only that, managers have enhanced visibility into the process, making it easy to identify areas of need, allocate resources, measure performance and reward top performers. 04

5 MORE THAN 1 IN 3 CUSTOMERS WOULD RATHER CLEAN A TOILET THAN CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE. (2016, October 26) Aspect Consumer Experience Index. Retrieved from 05

6 CREATING ENGAGEMENT Customer engagement is a driving force behind business growth. If only you had the time and resources for it These days, customers flat out expect more in terms of support options. Live chat, social media and mobile functionality are channels that can enhance the customer experience and boost advocacy. Here s the dilemma: Processing orders the traditional way means dedicating a lot of staff and resources to effectively manage all incoming orders. Time or budget for engagement strategies is a tough sell. By digitally transforming the order management process via automation, businesses can A) Manage growing order volumes without adding staff; B) Repurpose CSRs to more value-added tasks; and C) Engage customers through an online, self-service portal. Isn t technology wonderful? 06

7 FOSTERING LOYALTY Every interaction with a customer has the opportunity to make or break the customer experience. More than anything, successful companies are able to master the human element. Loyalty is born when actions match promises. Human-to-human interaction is often necessary when the going gets tough, and can be a defining moment for customer allegiance. For example, 78% of customers are more likely to be loyal to a company that provides real-time, one-to-one support at critical moments. 1 A manual environment is not cut out for crunch-time situations. CSRs are often at the mercy of others in the department who could lose or misplace printed orders. And if there s one thing inquiring customers never want to hear, it s: I m going to have to call you back. Robotic processing solutions can automate workflow as well as provide a place for customers to go for instant communication with your company ensuring that you re there for them throughout the entire process. 1 Connecting with Customers, LivePerson. 07

8 5 SIMPLE TIPS FOR MAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE EXTRAORDINARY You re gonna want to write this down... Use your customers as a resource. If you re looking for innovative ideas to improve customer service, listen to the people who understand it the best your customers. Studies show that, regardless of the industry, many of the most successful innovations come directly from customers. Change with the times. Accommodation for things like mobile and online support is no longer a trend, it s an expectation. For example, based on 2016 strategic research from Accenture, 40% of consumers want even more digital interactions than what companies are providing. The times, they are a-changin you need to as well. Make it personal. For the 21 st century customer, the web can be an altogether confusing place to find service. Make it easy for them. Customers appreciate when solutions and/or products are tailored to their needs as to avoid all of the bad noise of a typical online search. Give your customers a head start on loyalty programs. Turns out, a simple way to increase interest in customer loyalty programs may be to provide a head start. A breakthrough consumer research study revealed that customers are twice as likely to stay with loyalty programs if the programs appear to be already underway. Create a consistent experience. When it comes to providing a consistent experience, 87% of customers think that brands aren t doing enough. That s where strong omni-channel customer engagement strategies can make a huge difference. Today, every interaction whether it s happening on desktop computer, mobile device or telephone represents added value to a business. 08

9 EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES Creating a great customer experience requires a fulfilling and encouraging environment for your staff. It s difficult for CSRs to deliver a positive experience to customers when they re busy with data entry or frustrated with the low-value and unenjoyable manual aspects of their job. Make their work more enjoyable with an automated solution that minimizes tedious tasks, elevates careers and frees up time to focus on what they re there to do be of helpful service to customers. As a manager, it s important to measure staff performance in order to nurture and grow employees. Customizable dashboards make it a cinch with built-in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and information on who did what and when. 09

10 SIMPLIFYING TRAINING New hires want it. Customers expect it. Quicker onboarding creates value across the board. It s no longer debatable every aspect of order management is tied to the customer experience. Today, even the process of training employees to learn your system has a significant impact on an organization s competitive advantage. Fortunately, the intuitive nature of robotic process automation makes onboarding a breeze. Not only are CSRs relieved of data entry demands, previous unknowables like if a product was discontinued or if ATP couldn t be met, for example, are automatically flushed out and presented to the CSR. The result is two-fold. First, CSRs can be trained in a matter of weeks versus months, with more time to engage in actual customer service. Secondly, wooing new recruits is made easier thanks to the lack of tribal knowledge needed to process orders. 10

11 U.S. BUSINESSES LOSE $41 BILLION EACH YEAR DUE TO POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE. (2015, August 27). The multibillion dollar cost of poor customer service [Web log post]. Retrieved from

12 QUITTING PAPER Here s how Esker s end-to-end Order Management solution works: RECEIVE Received customer orders are automatically routed to the correct CSR based on key order information. EXTRACT Machine learning technology finds and extracts all relevant PO data; the corresponding sales order is then created in the ERP system. VERIFY Esker automatically detects exceptions. CSRs only have to verify that the extracted information is accurate or complete what is missing. MANAGE When exceptions occur, or approvals are necessary, orders are automatically put into a workflow to resolve exceptions without added delays. ARCHIVE Accurate order data is integrated in the ERP system with a copy of the original, and made available to any authorized user when needed. ANALYTICS & AUDIT TRAIL Orders are 100% visible during processing. Tailored dashboards and metrics are used for facilitating daily tasks, monitoring performances, and planning and forecasting. CUSTOMER PORTAL A convenient online portal gives customers self-service access to placing orders, payment information, instant communication with staff and more. 12

13 A statement from one of our many satisfied customers: THE ESKER SOLUTION IS ENABLING CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK SMARTER, BETTER AND FASTER. WE RE ABLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS. Director of Global Customer Support MEDRAD, Inc. 13

14 Digging deeper: Let s explore MEDRAD s story behind that statement. THE ESKER SOLUTION IS ENABLING CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK SMARTER, BETTER AND FASTER. WE RE ABLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR Avoids manual order entry with Esker s recognition and machine learning capabilities Reduced order processing time from 8 minutes per order to 1.35 minutes per order Director of Global Customer Support MEDRAD, Inc. CUSTOMERS. Visibility and control over archived orders enabled better customer responsiveness Achieved order entry accuracy rate of 99.6% Previously received 80% of orders via paper fax; now receive 80% of orders electronically 14

15 WE ARE ESKER. At Esker, we re always working to help our clients achieve an improved customer experience. And after more than 30 years in the automation biz, we ve gotten pretty good at it. Our Order Management solution enables companies to digitally transform the manual elements in their process making critical interactions between the company and its customers more efficient, transparent and cost-effective. WORLDWIDE PRESENCE Esker s suite of solutions span the order-to-cash (O2C) and purchase-to-pay (P2P) cycles, helping over 11,000 companies around the world Quit Paper and drive added value in their document processes. Esker operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific, with global headquarters in Lyon, France, and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. DATA SECURITY & INTEGRITY 3 Data Centers Multitenant Platform HIPAA/HITECH Compliance SSAE 16 & ISAE /7 Availability RESOURCES White Paper: Aligning People, Process & Technology An action plan for customer service excellence Instant download > ebook: Advocating for Order Processing Automation How to connect with committee stakeholders and mobilize your project Instant download > SHARE THIS ebook Learn more at esker.com or join the conversation at blog.esker.com. 15

16