The Customer Service series is supported by RightNow Technologies. To learn more on how to use cloud technology to improve customer service, visit the RightNow resource center today. Check out the GovLoop/RightNow Customer Service Hub to get smart on how to be awesome at customer service
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Yesterday GovLoop held our 1st GovLoop Symposium (in partnership with Rightnow) where we focused on how government can improve customer service and meet the new executive order on customer service.
We had an awesome group of around 40 government leaders from NIH to DOD to OPM to USDA (over 20 different agencies) where we had an interactive dialogue led by Wendi Brick and speakers Martha Dorris (GSA), David Dejewski (DOD), and Kevin Paschuck (RightNow Technologies)
The group was full of ideas to improve service so I thought I’d right up 22 quick ideas on how to improve customer service that came from yesterday’s session where we organized the discussion based on the 5 questions of the Obama Customer Service Memo.
1) Basic web analytics to get stats on what customers actually doing & words searching on
2) Add a link to a survey in employee signature lines
3) Use social media to get feedback – some people may not want to fill out a full survey but will tell you how doing
4) Host focus groups – a good way to do it is with webinar focus groups
5) Ask the employees on the front line what common complaints are
6) Engage the customer group in setting expectations
7) Society often defines what good customer service is – gov’t keeping with customer expectations across all experiences
8) Set closed loop sessions – Set expectations, train staff, measure performance, reward people, coach others, continuous feedback loop
9) Everyone is different in how interpret customer service
10) Need to start with the knowledge foundations, everything built on a common platform
11) Usa.gov does have a knowledge base, makes a huge difference on the consistency across channels
12) Make sure have FAQ but also SAQ – should have asked questions – what questions should your customers be asking you
13) Get to clear simple mission & get everyone involved that customer service as part of job
14) Hierarchy of needs – set the knowledge information first, consistent message across organizations, survey, get everything solidify and then add more advanced services
15) Define who your most important customers are – your key types of customers
16) Identify the key tasks they want to accomplish and then map how they can accomplish them across channels
17) Provide as much in Tier 0 – Self service where folks can find info without talking to a representative
18) Think seasonal – Certain times of year people want specific information. Prioritize. When in earthquake, show that first. When snow season coming around, highlight.
What ways can we use innovative technology to lower costs, decrease service delivery times, and improve customer experience?
20) Walk a mile in your customer shoes for ideas