Telephone Call Routing - Solicitor's Journal
1st February 2005
Solicitors Journal Article
Is Customer Service Top of Your List?
As we all know, ‘You only get one chance to make a good first impression’. How true this is, but do we always put this ‘truism’ into practice within our own organisations? Do we always remember to put customer service at the top of our list of business objectives?
The whole question of how we treat our customers reminds me of three American tourists arriving in a pub in the Yorkshire Dales having driven non-stop from Stratford-on-Avon. On arriving in the bar they announced to the world, that they had travelled 200 miles to visit the ‘best pub in the world’. Their friend in Boston had told them to seek out this famous old Dales landmark and enjoy the history and unique ambiance of an original 17th century coaching Inn. After they had finished their enjoyable introductions they asked the ‘smiling’ landlord for a lunch menu as they were all starving. His response was that the kitchen closed at 2pm. It was just 2pm.
Somewhat shocked, they tried for a sandwich – no joy. The bar didn’t even have a bag of crisps. So what do you think was their first impression of Yorkshire hospitality? Do you think they recommended this pub to all their friends and neighbours back in Boston? I think not.
The ability to ‘delight’ clients with a fast, efficient and professional service should be the objective of all business, including legal practices.
In an attempt to achieve this important business objective many firms are opting to utilise modern technology, especially in the area of telephone call handling.
However as is so often the case, it’s not what you do it’s the way that you do it.
How many times have you made a call to a company only to find yourself ‘talking’ to a disembodied computer system asking you to choose one of a dozen options, then when you have chosen one you have to choose again from a second or third list before you ultimately get through to the correct department – only to be told that your call is important to us and you are 13th in the queue.
Who benefits from the installation of such systems? If you design and implement any system that actually acts against your clients, in any way, then you have made a big mistake. History has shown that organisations that have as their ultimate ethos the well being of their own staff, to the detriment of their clients or customers, will not be as successful as they could, or should be.
Getting back to technology. While automatic switchboards can drive clients mad there is some modern CTI technology (Computer Telephony Integration) that is actually achieving the objective of improving client service and at the same time bringing operational efficiency to the user.
I’m pleased to say that my own company, along with some others, is providing just such a piece of technology to its customers. It’s called ‘CallRouter.NET, the way it works is this: The client makes a phone call. The call hits the switchboard at which point the client is asked to key in their numeric reference number (case or matter number). As soon as the last digit has been pressed a ‘pop-up’ appears on the desktop of the appropriate fee earner telling them that they have a call from client X. At the same time the system accesses the case management system so that by the time the fee earner picks up the phone and greets the client ‘by name’ he or she has all the notes and other relevant case information available on their desktop. Now that’s efficient, that’s professional and that’s service.
Obviously the system also caters for the fee earner being unavailable by building in rules to handle such an eventuality.
Consider the alternative. A client calls an overworked receptionist. Client asks to speak to Mr So-and-so. Receptionist asks client to wait. After the receptionist has answered a couple of other calls she speaks again to the client asking ‘who did you want to speak to?’ and then telling them that they were out at court, or engaged with a client, could anyone else help? The receptionist then has to find someone to ‘handle’ the call.
Eventually the caller is put through to someone who has no detailed knowledge of what the client matter is and certainly doesn’t have immediate access to the file. And so it goes on and on until the client loses patience, hangs up and in some cases takes his or her business elsewhere.
Technology exists to make your business more efficient, more client-centred and ultimately more profitable, by retaining existing clients, promoting referrals and so attracting new ones. However, any new technology you deploy must be designed to compliment your business operations and thereby act as a conduit not a barrier to improved client service.
Remember, “a referral is the finest compliment our friends and clients can give us”, plus it’s free.
P.S. The landlord was from Lancashire !
Tony Klejnow Managing Director
Linetime Limited
Moorfield House
Leeds
LS19 7YA
T: 0113 250 0020
E: info@linetime.co.uk