Sales pitches disguised as ‘Account Checks’
I wanted to extend my wi-fi range to the garage. Grab a booster, they said. It'll be easy.
In this month's edition of The Happy Customer, I share my recent Optus ordeal and the changes I feel they can make to improve.
Sub-optimal digital CX
If I can find a wi-fi booster on the Optus website, this story ends very quickly, but you’ve already guessed that didn't happen. With no luck using the navigation, the site search led me to articles confirming a booster would solve my problem and that Optus did sell them, only to enter a continuous loop of content, including how much they were, but no way of understanding if they were out of stock or were no longer for sale. You’d think buying a product online would have been well covered, but alas, no. So I jumped on the phone with customer service (in hindsight, this path may have been by design).
Would you like an Account Check with that?
After waiting 30 minutes due to a ‘higher than normal’ volume of calls, I was told a booster would not meet my needs, but an Account Check would. Unsurprisingly, the 'check' recommended an upgraded plan with fibre to the premises and a new modem that promised internet at twice the speed and better range. ‘How much and how long am I locking in for?’ I ask sceptically. ‘There’s no additional cost and no minimum term, sir’. After hesitating for 30 seconds, an extra $10 a month discount was immediately offered to close the deal. NBN install booked and modem on the way. Signed.
All downhill from there
Three days later, our internet grinds to a halt. I bounce between three different people, each either telling me they aren't the right person or that my internet is indeed fine. There is one consistent message, though - ‘I notice you don't have your mobile with us, would you like a complimentary Account Health Check?’.
The final person confirms that yes, my internet is slow, but it's a coincidence, and it's best to wait for the new modem and install it later that week. 72 hours of the wife and kids asking when the internet would be fixed ended when I got an SMS saying the NBN appointment had been cancelled.
A white knight appears
Back on the phone and I speak with someone who re-books the NBN appointment, provides me his email and says he will be my sole point of contact. When I thank him, but explain it’s another week without internet, he arranges a portable connection to be sent out at no charge. It feels like we’re back on track.
Ultimatum & outcome
The connection arrives, but while the device is free, the data costs are on me. The new modem also arrives and the family rejoice. I plug it in, to no avail. The NBN technician arrives and is confused because we appear to already have fibre to the kerb. I explain to him that he’s meant to be installing fibre to the premises. He explains to me that ‘the other NBN guy’ does that, and I need Optus to book another appointment.
I message my guy at Optus through their app, and he calls me straight back, offering a three-month credit I can take as a refund if he can't solve things by the end of the week. Three days later, NBN installs fibre to the premise, and the internet doesn't work, but another call to my guy gets it running at twice the speed and with coverage in the garage. I’m also not paying a bill for the next three months.
How can Optus do better?
The salesperson may have hit his monthly target, and Optus has retained me as a customer, but at significant cost. I’m also unlikely to bump their NPS score up or purchase another service anytime soon. So what can Optus do to create happier customers in a target-driven, cost-cutting environment?
Balance sales goals with customer needs: Don’t give your Customer Service/Success team targets and incentives to sell. Instead, set net growth and retention as primary success measures that enable staff to start with the customer rather than commission in mind
First call resolution: Set targets for the percentage of issues resolved in the first call and amend training programs to include ways to achieve this. It's great for the customer and the company cost to serve them
Single source of customer truth: Before my guy stepped up, I had to explain my situation to multiple people, including when being transferred on the same call. Surely, the CRM can act as a central source of information, including notes on current and previous issues. While doing that, how about a single ID check at the start of the call and not each time I get transferred?
Proactive problem solving: Use proactive measures, such as alerts for poor connectivity. Reaching out to me before I realise there’s a problem is a huge differentiator. Expensive? It doesn't have to be. An SMS with a link to webchat is enough
Flag high churn risk customers: Track red flag metrics, such as frequent and lengthy calls, complaints, and applied credits, to identify and address potential high churn risk customers. Use this to triage proactive outreach calls
Empower ownership: Enable customer service representatives to take full responsibility for resolving issues. Discount delegations and removing targets like ‘maximum call duration’ all help increase satisfaction and loyalty
These aren't rocket science suggestions. Can anyone help me understand why they aren't standard practice?
