Customerspective

Why do you need my phone number?

While researching usability on banking sites, I evaluated the ease of opening a bank account online by actually beginning the application process. I noticed that sometimes banks required that I provide a phone number, but told me I couldn’t provide a cell number. As one of the growing population of people that has dispensed with their land line, I wondered if the banks were actively rejecting those of my dubious communication caliber as customers. Since one of the ‘no cell phone’ banks, Citibank, had Live Chat as a form of user assistance, I decided to use it to question the restriction. The results are quite provocative, and make me wonder why companies can’t be straightforward about why they are asking for specific types of information. Another intriguing aspect of this conversation is the part I’ve highlighted in orange. It’s feedback I’ve given Citibank on how to improve their site. Will anyone read it? Judging from the response ("Okay."), probably not.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Andrea .: Hello kim. Welcome to Citibank! How may I help you?
kim: i am applying for a new account
kim: i am at the part that asks for my home phone
Andrea .: Great! Do you have any questions?
kim: it says i can't use my cell phone number
kim: i have no other phone
Andrea .: Do you have an alternate work number? If so you may provide that.
kim: i'm self-employed
Andrea .: Do you have an alternate number?
kim: no
Andrea .: You must provide an alternate number of some kind.
Andrea .: Just for application purposes.
kim: like, a family member's number?
kim: what is it used for?
Andrea .: Sure. And if it asks for another number you can use your cell if that is all you have. Its to contact you.
kim: just about the application?
Andrea .: Yes.
kim: oh
kim: wamu.com lets you provide a cell number, but just warns you that your cell provider might charge you for the minutes if they contact you
Andrea .: Okay.
kim: to me that's better communication in the form
kim: thanks for your help though
Andrea .: Certainly.
Andrea .: Thank you for participating in Citibank Chat. Have a good day.
You are now disconnected
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Tweakers!

What are tweakers? They improve things, like a car, or a book, or a website! Seth Godin posted a request on his blog for tweaker resources, specifically website tweakers, and got an avalanche of responses.

Now he's set up a Tweakers lens group - so that people can find all the tweaker resources that responded to him. Vox has joined (a pretty good fit, given our focus on improving the customer experience through any and all channels). Stop by and see who else is a member.

California's New Auto Insurance Regulations: If You Can't Fight It, Ride It!

Customers and Insurance Companies don't seem to share the same perspective about California's new Auto Rate regulations... And they may be sorry for that later!

Read more about in our last article and give your opinion here.

Get on the Bus. And Keep an Eye on Your Luggage.

It’s soooo interesting to me that the tag line for Peter Pan Bus Bonanza Lines reads “The People Professionals.” This is because I can say without reservation that the bus driver I met through Peter Pan Bonanza is the only one in my lifetime who ever threatened to drive away knowing my luggage was still on the bus.

I boarded the Peter Pan Bonanza Shuttle Bus at Boston’s Logan Airport to get from Boston to Cape Cod. The idea was to begin a relaxing long weekend. Unfortunately, the word “relaxing” doesn’t come close to describing what happened at the end of the bus ride, when I waited patiently for the driver to retrieve my luggage from the bus's luggage bin.

The driver’s reaction: “Did ya' get it?”

I remember blinking twice to absorb his less-than-helpful words. I then recall squatting to be eye level with the 100 other black bags in the bin.

“You’ll have to get some of the luggage out of the bin before so I can see which is mine,” I say, my anxiety level rising with each syllable.

At this point it is apparent that the driver’s interest in locating my luggage is almost nil. After taking 2 or 3 pieces out of the bin, he delivers a KICKER of a quote with unbelievable calm and audacity: “Well, I am going to be late to my last stop. I may just have to go away and come back if you can’t find it.”

Ahem. Why in the world would it be ok for Peter Pan Bonanza’s driver to suggest that: 
a) He doesn’t feel like looking for my luggage
b) Doing so would conflict with his schedule
c) I spend the next hour of my vacation, after being on a plane for 2.5 and a bus for three, waiting for him to go to his next stop and bring back my luggage

With these thoughts top of mind, the words gush out of my mouth with the sheer force of a volcanic eruption: “NO!” “YOU WILL NOT LEAVE WITHOUT MY LUGGAGE. EXPLETIVE, EXPLETIVE, EXPLEVITIVE!!!!!”

That didn’t exactly help the situation.

Next thing I know, the two friends waiting for me and I crawl inside of the luggage bins to do the job that was apparently above this bus driver. Then one of my friends asks the bus driver to open the one remaining unopened bin.

“It’s not in there, “ he says flatly. “That’s the bin for people going to (the town of) Woods Hole.”

What next, you ask? My friend takes it upon herself to open the remaining bin. Guess what….Luggage found! I know it’s so hard to believe, but Peter Pan Bonanza’s driver was wrong.

Now what?

After reaching my destination, I call customer service. A teen answers and asks me to file a complaint. I angrily explain to her that I am not interested in filing a complaint. I am interested in talking to a live human who will explain to me why Peter Pan Bonanza’s driver thinks it ok to drive away with my stuff.

I am told that someone will call me back on Monday to hear my complaint. Did that happen? Umm…in a word – no.

The happy ending

Finally, after talking to someone in charge of sales, I am told that the Executive Vice President is going to call me. He does. I appreciate that there are actually two entire people at this company willing to hear my complaint and follow through with something.

He tells me that the incident will be investigated, and that I will be contacted when he has more information. I don't believe him since I don't trust this company as far as I can throw it, but he follows through within a week. I am relieved.

He tells me that the bus driver will be retrained and that the incident will be “written up” and put into his file. If the incident repeats itself the driver will receive disciplinary action, possibly suspension. Can’t say that makes me unhappy. Last but definitely not least, I will get a complementary shuttle ticket if I should choose to chance another bumpy ride. That does make me happy.

The morals of this story:

They are simple:

1) Companies that specialize in tourism should not make travel stressful for their customers. Avoiding threats to drive off with their luggage might go down in the books as a good idea, even a best practice!
2) Companies should return calls when they say they will.
3) Companies should hear complaints from their customers.
4) Companies should reimburse customers for inconveniences. 

"Your World. Delivered." ...many mouse-clicks away

It may not make much sense, but I think we've all gone to a company's website only to snatch their 800 number from it. Why would we want to search for answers online, when we can phone a toll-free friend? Maybe we're lazy. Maybe we're programmed. In most cases, it’s because we want to talk to a human. That was my case.

I'm not the main account holder for my household's phone bill, but my name is on the bill, and I wanted to ask a question...about the bill...to a human. So I went to AT&T's website. Spotting the protocol "Contact Us," I clicked it. No 800 number. Instead, I must select if I'm residential or commercial, and I forget the other choices. Ok, I'm residential, now for the 800 number. I click again, but no digits. My phone number is apparently now wanted by the phone company, at least by area code and the first three digits. Is this a joke? Still game, I enter 847-292 and click on. In the short time it takes for the page to ‘continue’, I wallow. Where is this leading? Where is this going? Why is this happening? God, why have you forsaken me? Overboard? Yes, but that’s how I felt. Doesn't AT&T know how quickly users lose their patience online? (About as quickly as they do over the phone) With a closed eyeball roll--you know the one--I'm taken to a page that looks suspicious of an 800 number, but there isn’t one. There is a link however. A beautiful gateway, among others, that calls to me from the other side. A "Call Us" link, and I click it. At last, my darling, 1-8-0-0 something, something, something – something, something, something, something…you are there! After five pages, one dropdown, one manual entry, and six or so mouse-clicks, next time, won't you please be there for me, oh say, on the home page?

The Rage Curve

An interesting way of measuring what customers will put up with when it comes to Call Centers. From the August 2006 issue of Fast Company Magazine:

The Rage Curve

What drives people nuts about automated telephone systems.

Disconnected...AGAIN

Over the past weekend, I attempted to get in touch with Comcast to set up my Internet. When I added Internet as a service I was told that there was a long wait to get in touch with the technical people to get everything started. I was on my way out, so I decided to call them back later.

When I called this weekend, I was disconnected several times. After waiting to get in touch with a live person again, I told her about my horrible customer experience and asked her to connect me to sales so I could drop my Internet (instead of installing it). The women was very nice. She apologized, explained that their computer system often disconnects, and assured me that she would stay on the line with me and make sure everything was fixed and I wasn't disconnected again. She also wrote down the number I was calling from in case something did happen. Finally we reached the tech team and a young man tried to help me get started. For some reason, they couldn't get my Internet to work. Finally (it had been 3 hours at this point), when I thought I was getting somewhere I heard beep beep beep. I was disconnected ....AGAIN. No one ever called me back.

Why can't they fix their computer system phone line so it does not disconnect? I'm sure they can afford a system that doesn't disconnect. I'm also sure I'm not the only customer they've lost over this. 

In the Eye of the Beholder

MarketingSherpa.com had a great article this week on personas. The experience any person feels in any situation is individual. You may not be able to address each of your customer's unique needs all the time, but creating personas will help you categorize and target specific needs of groups that think the same way.

Kings Question

I recently read this little story from Mark Hurst's goodexperience.com and thought to myself "WOW that sounds vaguely familiar!"

Amazing how some things never change no matter how  far companies and society believe they have advanced!

             The king's questions
--------------------------------------------------------------------

There once was a king who wanted to strengthen his castle, improve the morale of his subjects, increase the crop harvest, and generally strengthen his kingdom. He called in his trusted advisors, all the wise men and magicians in the court, and asked them, "What should I do to make the kingdom stronger?"

One advisor said, "Dress yourself in jeweled robes and address the peasants from your balcony. When your subjects see how regal you look, and hear you say that the kingdom is strong, they will act accordingly."

Another wise man had just returned from a long journey, learning about the ways of many faraway kingdoms. "Build a cathedral," he told the king. "Strong kingdoms all have a beautiful, towering structure at the top of the palace hill. Build a cathedral with the highest spire and everyone will know that you, king, are strong."

A third advisor said, "Ask your subjects. *They* will tell you how to improve the kingdom."

After considering the wise men's words, the king went to work. First he ordered the design of the finest possible robes, inlaid with the most expensive gems; then he met with the royal architects to begin planning the tallest cathedral in the whole region. Soon after, he began writing the royal decree that he would read to his subjects about all the improvements underway.

It was around this time that the king remembered the words of the third advisor: "Ask your subjects." A reasonable request, the king thought, especially since the subjects were helping to pay for the cathedral. "I'll prove what a good and generous king I am," the king thought. "I will ask the subjects their opinion."

Within a few months the plans were well underway. The royal robes were already draped over the king's shoulders; the decree was written on the finest parchment; and the skeleton of what was to become the cathedral was already taking shape on the palace hill. It was during this time that, one day, the king asked his guards to bring a handful of peasants into the royal hall.

When the peasants were assembled before his throne, the king spoke.
"Very soon I will address all of my subjects about many things I am doing to improve our kingdom. Today, being a good and generous king, I will ask you, my chosen few subjects, to give me your opinions."

None of the peasants spoke.

The king said, "I ask all of you, what do you think of my new royal robes? The finest materials, the most precious gems. Do they fill you with awe? Do you find my raiment wonderful? If so, you may bow to me." The peasants bowed.

The king continued, in the same way, asking the peasants their opinion on the the cathedral, the decree, and other matters in the kingdom. The peasants said nothing but continued to bow.

After he finished and the peasants returned to their villages, the king summoned the third advisor. "Thank you, wise man," said the king. "I have asked my subjects, just as you advised, and they are in accord with everything that I have planned. I am truly a good and generous king."

The advisor said nothing but only bowed, turned, and left the castle.

Fast Company 2006 Customer First Awards

Fast Company has just published their 2006 Customer First Awards. Check out both the winners, and the winners' own favorite customer experience stories.