604-035
The BCPC Internet Strategy Team: An Exercise
added features (such as caller ID). In 1999 the U.S. local exchange (service), long distance, and wireless markets had revenues of $112, $106, and $40 billion, respectively. In 1999, BCPC was a major player in the wireless technology market with almost ten million subscribers. In providing Internet access, BCPC also competed with cable companies.
Culture of Customer Service Service was a key value at BCPC. Top executives considered customer service to be BCPC's key differentiator in the telecommunications market and strove for only “Very good” and “Outstanding” ratings in customer surveys. Research indicated a substantial drop-off in customer loyalty among people who gave BCPC “Satisfactory” ratings. To continually exceed customer expectations, BCPC ran monthly surveys of 7,500 customers in which they measured satisfaction with various types of company contact by geographic region. Results were analyzed and translated into internal business practices that addressed root causes. For example, the director of customer feedback commented, We periodically do rigorous statistical analysis of the data to determine what we call the “key drivers.” We try to find the internal process measures that correspond to these two, three, or four top items. When that is finished, we communicate the information to the field groups so that they understand what’s important to customers. We look at the cycle time customers have experienced and find the break point to maximize satisfaction levels. In the consumer market we find that about 24 hours is the maximum length of the tolerance for service breakdowns. Customer survey results were dispersed to the top as well as to the front lines of the organization: the CEO and other top managers received monthly reports, from which they reviewed and revised goals and objectives. Managers took these reviews very seriously; 25% of management team bonuses were tied to these results. The results were translated into precise processes and procedures that enabled customer service representatives to provide high quality service on the front lines. Human Resources With the exception of weather-related challenges, BCPC could predict the level of demand for its services, as well as how long each service encounter was likely to take, with a high degree of accuracy, facilitating accurate planning and staffing, and providing a foundation for its culture of customer service. The idea behind BCPC’s intensive customer representative training process was, in the words of one BCPC trainer, that “first impressions are lasting impressions, and when a customer calls and speaks to you, you are BCPC. Furthermore, when a customer calls it may be the only contact they have with BCPC for years. So the impression you make is that much more important.” BCPC was known to screen as many as 20,000 people to fill 800 positions. Once hired, the representatives were enrolled in a four-month classroom and field course that taught them the details of the job (billing, regulatory requirements, and services such as call waiting) and the high level of interpersonal skills they would need to deal with difficult customers. The representatives were allowed some leeway with respect to language and procedures but primarily followed scripts and relied on an online database of information and troubleshooting support.
2
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs