mattbush: WTF

Talkiet: 
Total transparency everywhere is stupid.

Imagine the police being totally transparent about where they were going to raid for drugs, or total transparency on private companies' commercially sensitive business plans!

So if you agree that in some cases there is a good argument for NOT having "total transparency from every organisation out there", then now we're just arguing where abouts on the continuum a reasonable compromise is.

Personally I think it's perfectly fine for any company to be able to make resourcing and investment plans in private, without having to tell all their customers and competitors about them.

Cheers - N

xlinknz:

2. Ironically I just left VFNZ but not because of their customer service, their broadband isn't competitive as some e.g. MR who I went with. Only now am I experiencing the current VFNZ 'wait times' as I cannot get hold of them to terminate my account so I have sent an email

xlinknz: 
I just got hold of VFNZ and to boot it only took a few minutes and the lady was very helpful !

xlinknz:

xlinknz:

2. Ironically I just left VFNZ but not because of their customer service, their broadband isn't competitive as some e.g. MR who I went with. Only now am I experiencing the current VFNZ 'wait times' as I cannot get hold of them to terminate my account so I have sent an email

I just got hold of VFNZ and to boot it only took a few minutes and the lady was very helpful !

freitasm: I have contacted said telco about this document and received the following reply:

[Telco] is in the process of consulting on a number of changes with our customer care team, as we look to complete the wider organisational change programme we announced in November last year.

We will be implementing a number of initiatives aimed at achieving faster call answering times and a quicker first-call resolution for our customers. These include; further investment in removing systems and process duplication (particularly for fixed line services); continuing to improve self-service functionality with the [telco] app and on our online site; creating new roles [New Zealand location]; providing a better work environment through a more stable work roster; and leveraging our existing capability at our [offshore] service centre to complete simple transactional tasks (top-ups, account balance enquiries, etc).

This is a draft proposal at this stage, and is subject consultation with our teams. Our top priority is to support our people through this change.

I have to say a public thanks for getting this response so quickly and quite frankly, open.

The document I've seen is just one piece of the puzzle. It suggests changes in the contact centre in terms of headcount (mostly going down), redistribution of transaction types and changes in roster scheduling.

The document put emphasis on increased use of data via high speed networks (no distinction between mobile or fixed line). It also mentions that (gasp) customers expect to get more data for the same spend.

This leads, the author says, to revenue declining over a certain period of time with at last revenue falling short of expectations. The document outlines changes to reduce cost of serving customers contacting the company.

There are some good suggestions there. For example for fixed it suggests current call handling around 20 minutes average and a "expertise limit" at 1.5 - 2 hours, after which calls would be escalated. CSRs would "own" the call. CSRs should escalate calls if customer has repeat unsolved calls (good luck with that, seeing many of the comments I've heard is that customers calling back hear the "I don't have a record of you calling before").

The 55-page document does mention that changes in the customer services team will allow for better roster scheduling, with team leaders available at times similar to their team. (What do they have now? Teams with no leaders at some times?)

Why did I start this topic then? Because, even though companies have a duty to operate in a way to maximise return of investment to its shareholders, it's interesting that the emphasis on saving money seems much stronger than in actually improving customers care. The first is the driver for the change, the other is a consequence. 

I won't post the document because it contains names and specific numbers that I don't think should be disclosed.

surfisup1000: Vodafone must be doing very well though, given stories like this...

"Vodafone says it will establish a new $50 million South Island headquarters in the heart of Christchurch’s new Innovation Precinct"

Unless they are spending beyond their means :)

Russell Stanners has had a pretty good career. He nearly made it big in the USA with IBM a few years back, I wonder what happened there. 

He has been at vodafone a long time though, maybe it is time for a fresh viewpoint. 

NZCrusader: VF writing the rule book on how to alienate customers, make staff fearful for their jobs, extend customer service woes and not post a profit?


I hope the CEO loves his job at VF and is determined to stay, because I seriously doubt he will ever get another good role anywhere else.