The Service Success Combination

Combining technology and smart people

Almost daily I receive a promotion about the latest Customer Relationship Management software, automated phone or online customer management programs. It’s rare when you do hear much about providing great software tools to smart people. The combination of the two creates a very powerful force.

My recent experience with 1-800 Contacts was a positive example of a solid combination of some really enthusiastic, bright people who have been provided with great electronic tools to serve their customers. I won’t bore you with all the details, but suffice to say the contact lenses my doctor prescribed were no longer available from CIBA (which was a drag because it was the best lens I’ve ever worn) and the customer service staff solved my issue with one online (live) chat and a phone call to confirm some details.  They also tried to cross-sell some lens care products and did so in a soft sell manner which did not bother me at all (although I did not accept the offer).

I know many people who shy away from online chat or other electronic service technology, but this was a shining example of a winning service combination in action.  We used chat technology to clarify the issue and a 4-minute follow-up phone call to close the sale.

I’d love to hear about your experiences and examples of winning people/customer service software combinations.

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