Next-Generation Customer Service The New Strategic Differentiator - IQPC
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Perspective Klaus Hölbling
Thomas Künstner
Christina Marsch
Niko Steinkrauss
Next-Generation
Customer Service
The New Strategic
DifferentiatorContact Information
Beirut Houston
Ghassan Hasbani Kenny Kurtzman
Partner Partner
+961-1-985-655 +1-713-650-4175
ghassan.hasbani@booz.com kenny.kurtzman@booz.com
Bahjat El-Darwiche Paris
Principal Pierre Peladeau
+961-1-985-655 Partner
bahjat.eldarwiche@booz.com +33-1-44-34-3074
pierre.peladeau@booz.com
Copenhagen
Torsten Moe Sydney
Partner Ian Buchanan
+45-3318-70-02 Senior Executive Advisor
torsten.moe@booz.com +61-2-9321-2853
ian.buchanan@booz.com
Düsseldorf
Thomas Künstner Vienna
Partner Klaus Hölbling
+49-211-3890-143 Partner
thomas.kuenstner@booz.com +43-1-518-22-907
klaus.hoelbling@booz.com
Christina Marsch
Principal
+49-211-3890-257
christina.marsch@booz.com
Niko Steinkrauss
Principal
+49-211-3890-256
niko.steinkrauss@booz.com
Booz & CompanyEXECUTIVE Across industries and markets, considerable changes in
customer expectations are putting new challenges on the
SUMMARY
customer service function. To fully understand the demands
of next-generation customer service, Booz & Company
recently completed a comprehensive survey. The Next-
Generation Customer Service study reflects more than 30
face-to-face interviews with senior customer service executives
(including chief service officers and CEOs)—and a survey of
50 senior-level managers—in Europe and the Middle East.
Our research uncovered five key challenges to becoming a
successful customer service practitioner: Leverage service for
revenue growth; innovate the customer interface; integrate
customer touch points; drive customer-centricity; and create
high-performance operations.
Customers are demanding more from customer service;
meeting their expectations requires an enterprise-wide
understanding and commitment, not simply an isolated
departmental upgrade. Leading customer service
organizations are emphasizing transparency in service
performance and demonstrating its contributions to
company-wide strategic targets, consumer engagement,
and top-line impact.
Booz & Company 1THE NEW Consumers have never been smarter
than they are today. They have more
seen as opportunities for engaging
more intensely with customers,
CUSTOMER information than ever before to help gaining better customer insights,
SERVICE them make purchasing decisions.
They are accustomed to, and expect,
and leveraging service propositions
for revenue growth. Technology
AGENDA regular interaction with companies. innovation supports this trend,
The breadth of established and new as large amounts of customer
channels for customer interaction—in information can now be generated
shops, in contact centers, over the and leveraged more efficiently than in
Internet, and via mobile devices— the past.
is ever-increasing. Over the last
five years, the ways consumers Booz & Company recently
communicate, learn about products, conducted the Next-Generation
and make purchasing decisions have Customer Service study to more fully
fundamentally changed. understand where customer service
is headed. The study reflects more
Companies are beginning to than 30 face-to-face interviews with
understand these changes in consumer senior customer service executives
behavior and are adapting to them (including chief service officers and
accordingly—e.g., by changing CEOs)—and a survey of 50 senior-
their marketing mix. Customer level managers—in Europe and the
service interactions are increasingly Middle East.
Over the last five years, the ways
consumers communicate, learn about
products, and make purchasing
decisions have fundamentally changed.
2 Booz & CompanyThrough this study and numerous their actions, which remain largely strategic capabilities. Our analysis
discussions with clients—especially focused on incremental enhancements points to five key trends that are
those operating in mature aimed at reducing cost and shaping the next-generation customer
markets—we have learned that many addressing day-to-day performance service agenda (see Exhibit 1).
organizations share a new customer issues. Service organizations are
service vision, one that fundamentally at a critical crossroads that will Leverage service for revenue growth.
redefines service as both a key tool determine whether customer service Best customer service practices seek
to grow the value of the customer remains merely a “hygiene factor” regular engagement with the customer
base and an important strategic or produces a step change toward a and take advantage of every customer
differentiator in saturated markets. truly customer-centric organization. contact. In the past, customer
Achieving the latter places the head of service focused on “getting the
However, our study also reveals that customer service in a fundamentally screen green”—closing one call and
many companies are struggling with new role, away from serving as moving on to the next one as quickly
a serious disconnect between their an operational expert and toward as possible. We are experiencing
innovative customer service vision and becoming a C-suite peer with strong a shift from contact avoidance to
Exhibit 1
Five Trends Drive the Next-Generation Customer Service Agenda
INNOVATE THE CUSTOMER INTERFACE LEVERAGE SERVICE FOR REVENUE GROWTH INTEGRATE CUSTOMER TOUCH POINTS
- Provide multiple channels - Employ cross-selling and retention during inbound - Integrate service channel management across all
- Employ Web 2.0 methods to engage customers service contacts customer touch points
- Apply smart automation to balance human and - Leverage contacts for customer insights - Design and execute integrated channel strategy
automated interaction - Use service proposition as differentiator - Create a seamless service experience
- Experiment with technology innovations
DRIVE CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY CREATE HIGH-PERFORMANCE OPERATIONS
- Establish customer service as a cross-functional - Increase efficiency, balanced with effectiveness
hub - Streamline and synchronize processes and systems
- Appoint a chief service officer Next-Generation - Selectively outsource simple processes
- Demonstrate the value of service Customer Service - Automate responses to standard inquiries
- Establish a service-minded culture
Source: Booz & Company analysis
Booz & Company 3smart contact management. The new Integrate customer touch points. closely with peers in marketing, sales,
challenges: Engage the customer, To maximize the value of every and technology. These executives
manage the relationship proactively, interaction, distinct silos of customer establish a cross-functional end-to-
cross- and up-sell to different touch points are being abolished. end perspective on customer processes
audience segments, and, in mature Multi-product companies make sure with customer service as the key
markets, emphasize service quality as they can service their entire portfolio driver for customer-centricity
a brand differentiator. across touch points with most contact in a central coordinating role as
channels being deployed for both sales the “voice of the customer.” They
Innovate the customer interface. and service interactions. Best-in-class establish transparency in customer
Leading customer service companies players deploy integrated management service performance and contribution
offer multiple channels to their of all contact channels in order to to strategic targets. Some companies
most valued customers, adjusting align cost and value of interactions merge the sales and service functions
their channel mix to the customers’ and to ensure that customers enjoy a in order to avoid counterproductive
communication preferences and seamless experience. rivalry.
striking a smart balance between
automation and human interaction. Drive customer-centricity. Customer Create high-performance operations.
They are using Web 2.0 tools to service sits on one of the largest Mastering the basics of customer
engage with their target audience and untapped resources for companies: service is still the imperative for
offer a series of self-service options customer feedback and proprietary customer service organizations that
to streamline the experience for customer data. Exploiting this are struggling with poor service
customers and encourage them to potential throughout the company and inefficient processes. The key
return. Investments are shifting from is a significant value driver. The challenge lies in putting these
back-end automation to front-end most forward-looking companies are changes in place while simultaneously
enhancement. empowering a strong chief service maintaining activities that will truly
officer—someone with advanced create value for the organization.
strategic capabilities who works
Customer service sits on one of
the largest untapped resources for
companies: customer feedback
and proprietary customer data.
4 Booz & CompanyLEVERAGE insights that support individualized
service—and finally make those
example, the system displays products
and services already purchased by the
SERVICE FOR costly customer relationship manage- customer on the line, automatically
REVENUE ment (CRM) investments pay off. As
one of the participants in our study
proposes new products and services,
and simultaneously provides the
GROWTH observed, “Customer service excel- agent with a script to help pitch those
lence means securing and leveraging recommendations. Agents are then
know-how about the preferences of able to make client-centric offers in 50
the customer.” The return on that percent of incoming calls, at a success
investment is eminently quantifiable: rate of 20 to 30 percent.
“The more customer service insight
A shift in mind-set from contact you have, the more revenues you will Targeted up-selling is already at
avoidance to active contact manage- get,” another participant stated. work in a number of the telecom-
ment is one of the most fundamental munications and financial services
changes in next-generation customer Although it often takes advanced companies we surveyed. In years past,
service. Rather than decreasing con- trial-and-error data analysis and the primary goal of customer service
tact time with the customer to reduce behavioral profiling to personal- was getting the screen green, but our
cost, organizations are discovering ize offers, targeted information survey results clearly show that that
new value by using each contact to helps marketers cross- and up-sell companies today have a stronger
generate new consumer insights, build customers. One telecommunica- focus on active customer management
loyalty, and leverage the interaction tions company in our survey claims (see Exhibit 2). As a result, leading
for cross- and up-selling. extraordinary success through such customer service organizations are
automated support. Available data making a note of every customer
Effective customer interaction about incoming callers enables service contact to increase customer satisfac-
and comprehensive customer data representatives to make customer- tion, improve the service offered, and
management can help generate the specific recommendations. For develop customer value.
Exhibit 2
Focus during Handling of Incoming Calls
TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY FINANCIAL SERVICES/INSURANCE INDUSTRY
Both equal
Both equal
5%
13%
Minimize contact
35% volume and call-
handling times
40%
Leverage contact 55% Quick resolution
for up-selling/care
activities
52%
Leverage contact
for cross- and
up-selling
Note: Base is 31 telecommunications and 20 financial services/insurance companies.
Source: Booz & Company analysis
Booz & Company 5INNOVATE THE Across industries, the most successful
customer service organizations have
Again, technology and service
innovation is no longer solely used to
CUSTOMER fixed the basics of service and shifted enhance productivity and drive down
INTERFACE their focus to truly reshaping the
customer interface as a core driver
staff costs (see Exhibit 3). State-of-
the-art voice recognition systems
for new value. These leading players not only understand what customers
have tapped into third-party services, say using natural language but also
and they’ve learned from best-in- can detect emotional “vibes” that
class innovation examples in other allow the routing system to deliver
industries. the call, depending on the customer’s
Exhibit 3
Technology Innovation in Customer Service
CHANNEL-SPECIFIC CROSS-CHANNEL
SERVICE CHANNEL
TECHNOLOGY TRENDS TECHNOLOGY TREND
- Queue management
- Automated service stations (kiosks) In-Store
- Podcasts (visualized interfaces)
Joint interaction
of agent and customer
- Extended IVR* functionality
- Video contact center
- Electronic quality assurance/ Contact Center
computer-aided customer feedback
Sharing/integration
of information across channels
- Automated mail processing
- Improved personalization
Mail
Leveraging synergies from
cross-channel system integration
- Virtual agents
- Two-way customer communities Online
- Improved search, database features
*Interactive voice response.
Source: Booz & Company analysis
6 Booz & Companymood, to a complaint specialist or end, shared, consolidated knowledge unique customer experience. The
sales representative. In addition to management tools improve both concept is simple: Turn the ordinary
applying channel-specific technology the customer experience (customers business of technology trouble-
innovations, more companies are receive consistent information across shooting into a customer adventure.
leveraging technology to enhance channels) and drive down IT costs The retailer uses Geek Squaders—
the interplay of channels. On the associated with maintaining multiple dressed in Men in Black outfits,
front end, next-generation support knowledge management systems. addressing one another with military
systems allow a smooth interaction titles, and driving specially marked
of an e-channel customer (e.g., a Web Some companies have found that a Volkswagen Beetles—as a unique
shopper) with a contact center agent, service offering, in and of itself, can way to provide customer service to
especially when the customer appears be an important differentiator and residential and commercial clients.
to be abandoning his shopping basket, provide an opportunity to create More than 17,000 Geek “agents” are
or ensure that shop workers have an emotional bond with customers. at work in the U.S., and the program
customers’ full interaction history Best Buy’s Geek Squad is a customer is expanding to Canada, the U.K.,
from the contact center. On the back service differentiator that offers a and Spain.
Best Buy’s Geek Squad turns
the ordinary business of
technology troubleshooting
into a customer adventure.
Booz & Company 7Swisscom, Switzerland’s leading for a price—a premium level of cost but also generate the customer-
telecommunications provider, offers customer support. Similarly, BT and specific insights necessary for value
two innovative service propositions. BlackBerry have found that customers creation.
Help Point classes provide product- will pay for advanced support. Some
use training (e.g., help using a PC organizations have even found that Our research shows that interactivity
or cell phone) for specific customer their business-to-consumer (B2C) will be a primary driver in upgrading
segments. The service is offered in customers are willing to take a call center operations to enhance
specially designed training centers step up in service and pay for the the service experience. Web 2.0
or aboard mobile training buses that programs offered to business-to- possibilities include wiki-enabled
tour the country on a fixed schedule. business (B2B) customers. knowledge databanks, Web chats, and
The HomeService Team helps in-store visual contacts. The use of
residential customers with computer Companies are also leveraging Web these alternative, innovative channels
and network configuration, home 2.0 offerings to actively involve to reach customers plays an especially
installation, security, data backup, customers in the service process. important role in the channel
and general IT topics. The service is Classic Web service features include portfolio in the telecommunications
available not only to Swisscom clients live chats with service agents, industry, in which 55 percent of
but to anybody who needs help—a moderated communities and our interview subjects reported
true market innovation. forums, employee and user blogs, engagement in such services. Striking
and product demonstration videos. a smart balance between contact
Other companies are experimenting Two-way interfaces capture customer automation and human interaction
with paid service as a key element suggestions and allow service agents is a key success factor for service
of their value propositions. Apple’s to comment or directly follow up. organizations.
ProCare package is an example of a These tools not only provide high-
service “building block” that offers— quality customer service at a low
8 Booz & CompanyINTEGRATE As customer service moves from
a pure “after sales” obligation for
across the entire product range,
based on what different customer
CUSTOMER individual products or services to segments need. This yields multiple
TOUCH POINTS a key driver of value generation
and strategic differentiation in an
advantages: increased customer
satisfaction, more cross-selling
overcrowded marketplace, companies opportunities, and cost synergies.
are pursuing integration strategies for
their customer touch points on three 2. Sales and service integration: The
levels. days of functional silos are gone.
Shop does not equal just sales, and
1. Product line integration: contact center does not equal just
More and more multi-product service. The need to respond to the
companies are moving toward customer segments’ preferences and
creating a single interface for their the desire to maximize the impact
customers, away from a product of every customer interaction make
to a customer segment view. For every customer touch point a sales
Deutsche Telekom and many other and service outlet—be it the shop,
telecommunications operators the contact center, or the Web site.
that increasingly sell bundled
products, it is not about providing 3. Touch point integration: In an
“fixed line” or “mobile” customer environment where sales processes
service, but about delivering a often engage as many as three
comprehensive service experience different contact channels and
Customer service is becoming a
key driver of value generation
and strategic differentiation in
an overcrowded marketplace.
Booz & Company 9customers use very different that encompasses all touch points In another example, computer retailer
service touch points depending across both sales and service, Dell integrated the online channel
on the request, the situation, although we have so far seen few with its contact center activities. Live
or their mood, next-generation truly best-in-class examples of full chat helps agents instantly resolve
customer service means two integration across touch points as well customer questions, hence minimizing
things: First, the ability to provide as across sales and service functions. costly dropouts in the sales funnel.
a seamless customer experience Some customer service organizations Furthermore, Dell offers a platform
across channels—i.e., a smooth already leverage channel interplay where customers can provide
handover of customer transactions to drive usage to certain channels or suggestions and solutions to problems.
starting on the Web site, requiring to generate more valuable contact Dell representatives monitor the site,
assistance by an agent, and opportunities. For instance, the providing comments and assistance
ultimately leading to a sale closing online portal of U.S. consumer as needed.
in a shop. Second, the ability to electronics retailer Best Buy makes
formulate and execute a cross- use of integration with the company’s While most contact centers today
channel service strategy, which stores to foster traffic and sales. The already integrate sales and service,
means defining a target service Web site offers specific functionality, other channels—shops and the
portfolio per customer segment and such as reserving items for pickup e-channel—still provide attractive
contact channel, and implementing at the closest store within the hour. untapped opportunities to integrate
steering mechanisms and customer Meanwhile, in-store customers learn the two.
incentives to reach it. about the e-channel at online access
points in stores and through special Meanwhile, some shops are using
Many customer service companies are online vouchers they receive. best-practice “premium service” to
taking first steps toward integration promote further cross- and up-selling.
Best Buy’s online portal allows
customers to reserve items for pickup
within the hour at a nearby store.
10 Booz & CompanyFor instance, Apple’s Genius Bars— manage service appointments online, service area generates more sales than
technical support stations located or make reservations for personal the e-shop itself.
inside Apple’s retail stores—provide shopping, workshops, and other
a unique experience that uses service in-store activities. Customer touch point integration also
to attract and retain current and creates significant challenges at the
new customers. The universally In the e-channel, more and more back end of customer service. In our
trained sales and service staff uses companies realize that online service survey, we found that more companies
the in-store customer interaction should be treated as more than a tool are establishing consistent standards
to promote additional sales. The to avoid live customer interaction (and and processes across all contact and
Genius Bar concept represents a hence reduce cost). Successful online interaction points to ensure that every
highly successful example of sales service destinations actually draw customer receives the same service
and service integration and is referred customers regularly and decisively experience. To that end, they are
to by Apple’s management as “the blur the boundaries between sales making customer data available across
heart and soul” of the Apple store and service. Mobile operator O2 the customer’s product portfolio. In
experience. Germany, for example, has three fact, 60 percent of the companies we
times as many online visits per surveyed believe that making data
In addition, the company’s retail subscriber as its competitors, and consistently available across service
stores are integrated with the online far more sales online. For registered channels will become more important
channel; customers can schedule and users, the “contextual selling” in the in the immediate future.
Apple management refers to its
Genius Bars—technical support
stations—as “the heart and soul”
of the Apple store experience.
Booz & Company 11DRIVE So what does all this mean for the
role of customer service within the
whereas the majority believe it should
be embedded in a broader customer
CUSTOMER- organization? The vast majority contact function.
CENTRICITY of interviewees insist that their
organizations will become more Most companies in our survey
service-centric in the future, with stressed the necessity of interaction
a focus on increasing customer among the service, sales, marketing,
satisfaction. Ultimately, the success and technology functions, with nearly
of customer service depends on three-quarters believing that sales and
the strength, strategic capabilities, marketing will become more strategic
credibility, and influence of the head customer service partners in the near
of customer service. future. Among telecommunications
companies, 71 percent believe that
In our research, we found strong having detailed customer data will
support for an institutionalized chief become increasingly important in the
service officer role. Of the companies next two to five years. Since service
we interviewed, only a third already accompanies customers along various
had such a position. Strikingly, among touch points throughout the entire
telecommunications companies, relationship life cycle, it has a unique
a quarter think customer service ability to listen to customers and
should be a separate board function, understand their needs in a holistic
12 Booz & Companyway. Hence, in a service-centric “product factories” that include sales, it. Today, only 20 to 30 percent
organization, the role of customer marketing, and service representatives of customer service organizations
service is to represent the customer during the development of new systematically track the success of
and drive improvements aimed at products and services. their cross- and up-selling efforts. On
increasing customer satisfaction a more positive note, more than 85
across the organization (see Exhibit Given the new goals of customer percent of the companies we surveyed
4). Relevant insights can be leveraged service to retain customers and drive plan to have some metric in place to
for enhancements in functions such top-line growth, customer service measure customer satisfaction within
as product development, marketing, organizations must make their the next two years.
sales, and operations. In fact, the contributions transparent. Although
best customer service practitioners there is strong evidence that service is EDS, for instance, uses a proprietary
already have institutionalized this an integral part of building customer service dashboard that provides
collaboration with regular cross- retention and loyalty, there are management with a reliable, real-
functional exchanges and even no precise metrics to substantiate time overview of service quality
Exhibit 4
Customer Service as “the Voice of the Customer”
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE POINTS ORGANIZATION
Customer
Product
Development
Find
Get
Listen to and
Communication/
understand
Set Up Marketing
customers
Customer
Use
Service
The voice of
Change the customer Sales
as driver for
improvements
Pay
Help Operations/
Back Office
Exit
Source: Booz & Company
Booz & Company 13while also offering insights about client organizations. This level of we asked our interviewees about the
customer preferences. Customers commitment to service excellence, development priorities for customer
are encouraged to document their the company insists, is its primary service capabilities, our respondents
level of satisfaction during the entire differentiator in the information cited listening to and understanding
customer service process, providing technology marketplace. EDS’s customers’ needs (34 percent) and
immediate feedback to the agent and objectives—100 percent customer improving customer service (32
contributing to a growing database of satisfaction and 100 percent customer percent) as their most important
customer preferences. retention—bear witness to this priorities. By comparison, keeping
commitment. up with technology (18 percent) and
EDS’s customer database is impressive optimizing systems and processes
and powerful: It includes more than Listening to clients—particularly, (16 percent) were regarded as
2,000 executives from 700 active understanding their needs and maintenance factors—rather than
customer companies. Additionally, aligning service offerings to address breakthrough elements—of next-
EDS conducts yearly in-person them—remains the principal item on generation customer service.
interviews with more than 500 the agenda to retain customers (see
executives in its top 150 to 175 Exhibit 5). More specifically, when
Exhibit 5
Top Five Areas for Customer Service Development
Listening to/understanding the customers’ needs 34%
Improving customer service 32%
Trained/knowledgeable staff 24%
Keeping up with technology 18%
Optimizing systems/processes 16%
Note: Base is 31 telecommunications and 20 financial services/insurance companies.
Source: Booz & Company analysis
14 Booz & CompanyCREATE HIGH- staffing. Employee motivation
is a prerequisite for efficient
with two years of experience or
less) dropped from 60 percent to 33
PERFORMANCE operations and high-quality service. percent. And, most remarkably, not
OPERATIONS Our study identified several best
practices to develop and retain high-
a single worker reported leaving the
company because of dissatisfaction
performing staff: Cross-train agents, with Orange’s shifts.
develop specialist roles, prioritize
training and coaching, understand While stable and efficient customer
what motivates agents, and develop service operations are indisputably
Customer service organizations flexible workforce schedules. an important cornerstone on which
need to put in place a solid service to build the service vision, many
foundation before moving on to Orange, the U.K.-based telecommu- companies pay insufficient atten-
establish best-in-class customer nications company, provides a good tion to innovative, forward-looking
service. Our interviews show that example for workforce flexibility. In investments. Within organizations,
many companies are still struggling 2007 the company created a strategy the next-generation customer ser-
to remedy service issues. In some for managing working hours that vice vision proves a hard sell as
cases, poor service actually drives balances the needs of employees with long as urgent performance or cost
customers away; in others, inefficient those of the organization. Each of issues distract from medium-term
processes are inordinately expensive. the seven newly introduced working step changes aimed at achieving the
Nearly two-thirds of survey patterns reflects a different lifestyle. longer-term vision. However, some
respondents reported that their latest The company changed its training interviewees and several of our clients
improvements focused primarily programs to make them more flexible have successfully deployed “freed-up”
on changing or optimizing existing as well. resources for value-generating activi-
operations—processes, systems, and ties, or have otherwise managed to
staff qualifications. The impact was immediate: The ratio strike a balance between short-term
of part-time employees increased from incremental investments and commit-
Once the proper tools and processes 9 percent to 29 percent, job applica- ment to fundamentally redefining the
are in place, the next step in creating tions rose by 29 percent, and recruit- role of customer service.
high-performance operations is to ment costs declined by 30 percent.
optimize organizational structure and The attrition of new employees (those
Telecom operator Orange has created
a strategy for managing work hours
that balances the needs of employees
with those of the organization.
Booz & Company 15CONCLUSION in creating a high-performance
customer service operation and
Of course, none of this is possible or
practical unless customer service is
generating buy-in for medium-term an integral part of an organization’s
objectives from top management value chain. The appointment of a
and front-line customer service staff. strong chief service officer—someone
Although incremental improvements who can speak directly to peers in
Next-generation customer service require financial and organizational marketing, sales, and technology—is
represents a transformation from commitment, they should not come a positive step in the direction of
a necessary function for resolving at the expense of the overarching next-generation customer service.
customer problems into a value- vision. Freed-up resources need to be Providing that individual with
generating service that is a strategic reinvested into activities that truly the resources to coordinate cross-
differentiator in the market. create value for the organization. functional information exchanges is
Performance is no longer measured an essential second step. Merging
solely by cost-to-serve; customer By taking advantage of every point of sales and service responsibilities by
satisfaction and margin contribution customer contact, customer service creating a “chief sales and service
are now key metrics for success. can begin to contribute to the larger officer” is another.
Tomorrow’s value will be driven goal of positively engaging the
by the ability to leverage service customer—managing the relationship, In today’s mature and competitive
to enhance customer interactions, cross- and up-selling to different markets, a company’s success in
generate customer insights, and help audience segments, and using quality winning and retaining customers
transform the entire company into a as a brand differentiator in mature increasingly hinges on its customer
customer-centric organization. markets. The organizations that service performance. Only a step
learn to stay ahead of innovation—by change in customer service approach
Many companies that commit to using Web 2.0 tools to build an even and top management commitment
next-generation customer service will stronger relationship with individual to invest in service innovations
have to begin with an incremental customers, for example—will find will allow companies to deliver on
process-and-tool harmonization. that service can be a powerful means their vision of customer service as a
Fixing the basics is the first step to build consumer loyalty. strategic differentiator.
16 Booz & CompanyMethodology
To explore the increasing demands on customer service, Booz & Company
recently completed a comprehensive Next-Generation Customer Service
study in which we conducted more than 30 face-to-face interviews with senior
customer service executives, including chief service officers and CEOs. We
also surveyed 50 senior-level managers in Europe and the Middle East. We
then created a series of best-practices comparisons across several industries
and used Booz & Company service benchmarks to determine developing
trends and the next generation of customer service best practices.
About the Authors
Klaus Hölbling is a
Booz & Company partner based
in Vienna. He supports leading
businesses in consumer-oriented
industries—such as telecom,
high tech, and transportation—
in enhancing their marketing,
sales, and customer service
capabilities.
Thomas Künstner is a
Booz & Company partner based
in Düsseldorf. He specializes in
building marketing, sales, and
customer service capabilities for
telecommunications and media
companies.
Christina Marsch is a
Booz & Company principal
based in Düsseldorf. She
specializes in enhancing
marketing, sales, and customer
service capabilities for companies
in telecommunications and other
industries.
Niko Steinkrauss is a
Booz & Company principal
based in Düsseldorf. He
specializes in marketing, sales,
and customer service for the
media and telecommunications
industries.
Booz & Company 17The most recent list of Worldwide Australia, Dublin Middle East Mexico City
our office addresses and Offices New Zealand & Düsseldorf Abu Dhabi New York City
telephone numbers can Southeast Asia Frankfurt Beirut Parsippany
be found on our website, Adelaide Helsinki Cairo San Francisco
www.booz.com Auckland London Dubai
Bangkok Madrid Riyadh South America
Brisbane Milan Buenos Aires
Canberra Moscow North America Rio de Janeiro
Asia Jakarta Munich Atlanta Santiago
Beijing Kuala Lumpur Oslo Chicago São Paulo
Delhi Melbourne Paris Cleveland
Hong Kong Sydney Rome Dallas
Mumbai Stockholm Detroit
Seoul Europe Stuttgart Florham Park
Shanghai Amsterdam Vienna Houston
Taipei Berlin Warsaw Los Angeles
Tokyo Copenhagen Zurich McLean
Booz & Company is a leading global management
consulting firm, helping the world’s top businesses,
governments, and organizations.
Our founder, Edwin Booz, defined the profession
when he established the first management consulting
firm in 1914.
Today, with more than 3,300 people in 59 offices
around the world, we bring foresight and knowledge,
deep functional expertise, and a practical approach
to building capabilities and delivering real impact.
We work closely with our clients to create and
deliver essential advantage.
For our management magazine strategy+business,
visit www.strategy-business.com.
Visit www.booz.com to learn more about
Booz & Company.
Printed in USA
©2009 Booz & Company Inc.You can also read
