The power of blogging: Belgacom & Proximus react
Yes indeed, after my post on my Telco-frustration both Belgacom and Proximus reacted ... and how! Contrary to what - customer from hell - Clo experiences in her Ikea-saga, I am now a happy customer of both. And I feel we can all learn something from this, so let's dig a bit deeper.
Here's a chronology of the facts:
1. Thursday (in a 'long weekend') I write a blog post
2. Monday: A call from Belgacom
On monday Frederic from Belgacom calls me on my mobile with the following message (in Dutch): Hello Mr. Van Wassenhove, I heard you have a problem with our ADSL service ... Me: - taken by surprise - eeeerh Yes ... Frideric: How can I help you ...
I explain my problem and he simply proposes me to give me a new password, over the phone, no hassle ... total surprise to me, but I'm extremely happy. In two minutes I have all the info I need.
AND ... he promises me to put his Proximus colleagues on my trail so the too could solve my problem.
3. Tuesday: The call from Proximus
Indeed, one day later Proximus calls me with the same question. The mobile problem was a bit more difficult to solve so they called Samsung. Two hours later they called me back with more information. Note that I too had contacted Samsung and they could only refer me to another department rather then solving my problem. But Proximus (obviously) has more power at Samsung so one of the Proximus experts tried everything in his power to help me.
Last phase (I'm getting a bit embarrassed now): Proximus calls me to say they can not solve my problem, they suspect it's a hardware problem so they decided to send me a new phone. Three hours later a new phone is delivered to my house! This service was offered by the VIP service department apparently. Cool, I'm a VIP now.
WHAT DO WE LEARN:
Handling blogs is a new discipline we (marketing/communication professionals) have to learn. I have a view on what the roadmap for managing blogging communication is so let's explore:
1. Listen: read what bloggers say about your brand
Belgacom/Proximus clearly did a good job here. Within days (hours) after my post they knew about it. I don't know whether that is thanks to a organised tracking system, or just some intelligent people in the company doing their job, but it worked. Good job!
2. React: I recommend to react directly on the blog with an open and clear statement, but the main thing is to do something.
Again Belgacom/Proximus scores good. It's just a pity they did not use the comment function on my blog to react. It would have given them positive exposure to the whole community, whereas now they have to count on my good faith to report back the fact they helped me out. So that's kind of a missed opportunity.
3. Learn & Build a customer-centric and HUMAN organisation
I don't know how much they learned from this, but there still is a lot for them to do before they become a really customer/human-centric organisation. It for sure is not easy to realise that in a large organisation but I'm convinced it's possible.
MY FIVE-STAR APPROACH FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE 2.0
1. Use what you know about your customer to identify them correctly (in case security is an issue) and then give the all you have in your database.
2. Use the call-center screening technology (like language, type of problem, etc) as few as possible. Of course I don't mind you asking me in what language I want to be helped. But don't create 100 possible options of which 90 lead to a tape.
3. If you feel too many people are using your call center (with simple questions they could read about on your website), improve your site. Make it easy to navigate, easy to search, accessible with any browser (also mobile, especially if you're a telco operator) and DON'T hide essential information behind a login.
4. Use telco options the way your customers do. Send an SMS (like Proximus did) but especially do NOT use hidden numbers but allow your contacts to call you back after a missed call.
5. Analyse the chain a customer has to go through to get a problem solved as you would analyse your own supply chain. Take out all the unnecessary steps and make it as fast and efficient as possible.
6. Overpay your call center staff ... they are crucial to your success.
So thanks Belgacom and Proximus for listening to me, thanks for solving my problem and I hope my rambling helps you (and other organisations) to improve customer focus.
Technorati Tags: Belgacom, customer from hell, Proximus, Customer Service, Samsung
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13 comments:
All this means nothing except that you are an important person in the advertising world and you have a blog. Do you really believe that all the other common mortals are going to be helped the same way? Does it mean that every Proximus customer should start a complain blog - here is a business idea? Oh no Citobe already had this idea almost 10 years ago - apparently without much results. Anyway, good for you and too bad for the rest of us!!!!
Bert,
You are suprising me more and more! Cool response of belgacom and proximus.
@anonymous, indeed, not everyone will get this response, but their are a lot of examples where simple people get a lot done by just blogging. Like the canon story for example...
grtz
S.
Hi anonymous, I do not consider myself that important you know ... and anybody can start blogging about stuff they are passionate about.
I agree that probably not everybody is helped in the same way, that's exactly what I'm trying to say in the second part of my post. They need to build an organisation where everybody gets the appropriate service and less 'deluxe treatment' and a taped message for others.
If you know someone at HP, send him your golden rules.
They are not listening (following Ikea's example)
http://badideaindeed.wordpress.com/2007/05/25/the-audience-is-listening-hp-isnt/
I had a bit the same first impression as "anonymous", maybe just not said the same way..
Indeed, did they go far enough ? Isn't a bit easy to just give you a special treatment and nothing more for the rest of their customers which haven't a blog and are not a vip (as it seems you are now one ;-)?
On my side, I think they went half way. They need now to tell us what they are going to do to improve the situation for everyone.
When, after the iPod's Dirty Secret story, Mac decided to change its rules regarding warranty of Ipod battery it improved the situation of every customers which will potentialy have some troubles with its battery and not only the Neistat brothers.
Let's give it a try!
I am not famous like Bert but I have the same phone and the same issue. Would Belgacom and Proximus do the same for me?
I would be more than happy to experience such a thing and to share it with my social network through my blog.
My name is David Hachez and I have been a Proximus client for years now and Belgacom client since I was born...
Great story and an example for many companies. Blogger can influence your reputation very heavily!
As Belgacom customer, I would prefer to have clear and useful information in the Belgacom Web page than to start a blog.
Please have a look to Belgacom customer page. This company seems only to have a fax to deal with their customers...
As Belgacom customer, I would prefer to have clear and useful information in the Belgacom Web page than to start a blog.
Please have a look to Belgacom customer page( see below). This company seems only to have a fax to deal with their customers...
http://www.belgacom.be/nationalwholesale/en/jsp/dynamic/standardPage.jsp?dcrName=contact
Belgacom Customer Care:( (continuation)
And if you don´t surrender and , try to register , you´ll be asked :
-information they have already got
- complicated codex that you received in the last invoice
- a very complex personal password
What about if you´re a 70 years old customer not used to technologies?
You are simply lost.
And I need to speak to Electrabel tommorow.
Having to speak to Belgacom and Electrabel in 2 consecutive days is probably one of my worst nightmares come true!
My experience with Belgacom is rather traumatic. The customer support department of this company is unthinkably the worst in the entire Western Europe. Dear Bert, it is impossible for me to believe that you received such good service from them. Probably you referred to another company, or maybe you are well-known to them. Belgacom has managed for years to demonstrate a fixture of incompetence with a huge amount of inefficiency. Marnix
Belgacom one year contract I call now one year of bad-luck. I have spent more time on complaining than using the internet or the phone services. I am now called to court in French part of Belgium although I am living in Flanders. Although I have complained because my contract and the received invoices didn't match they have solved the problem in 5 months. YES, I have went by bike over 200km, and have spent over 24 hours on their offices and when I though I have closed my contract, I am called in court. I called and went to their office and I have been answered that is not in their power. I can not complain anymore to Belgacom, but to their lawyer.
I would recommend this company only to my enemies, if you understand what I mean.
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