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Executive Perspectives: Chris Williams, Vice President Call Center Operations and Back Office Support

In this edition of our Executive Perspectives, we talk to Chris Williams, Vice President Call Center Operations and Back Office Support. Chris shares what defines good customer experience, three things companies struggle with most, and why connectivity is a vital enabler of elevated customer experience.

Q: What is the current context of customer experience?

CW: Personally, I’m probably one of the toughest customers a company can have. I find it incredibly inconvenient to get involved with a company. I want as much self-service as possible. Self-service options are in high demand. People want everything fast and at their fingertips. Impatience is the real trend in customer experience. We want what we want, and we want it now. But self-service means different things to different people. Some want chat. Others want social media. Many want to originate contact in a channel and stay in that channel until they get what they want, whether that’s an answer to a question, a technical fix, or a new product or solution. It’s important for companies to recognize this and supply services across different types of channels, so customers can get service according to their preferences.

Q: Why is customer experience so important?

CW: Customer experience is a vital part of a company’s brand. If I have a bad customer experience, it will impact whether I want to do business with that company. First and foremost, good customer experience is proactive. When I call, the agent knows who I am, and I don’t have to go through multiple rounds of validation. Technology today allows a company to know everything about its customers with a few clicks. It’s a matter of whether companies are investing in that technology and training their people to use it properly.

Q: What are companies struggling with most when it comes to customer experience?

CW: First, customers should be investing minimal effort in their own experiences with a company. Technology and data should enable more seamless insight and better response right from the first interaction. Second, many customer service representatives need to listen actively and effectively. They rely on workflows rather than listening to what the customer is expressing, what the customer wants, or the problem the customer wants to solve. I used to be a field technician. Customers would tell me what they heard from agents, which was so far from what actually needed to be done to solve the problem. More than half the time, the notes on file had nothing to do with the customer’s problem. Third, many companies are hampered by legacy systems. They can’t get to the right data, at the right time to provide the right insights. Tools help. But in many cases, training is lacking. Without proper training, the tools are just applications on a computer. Companies need to find the right combination of technology and training to really take advantage of the investments they are making in customer experience.

Q: Can you comment on solutions you’ve seen in the market that address those challenges effectively?

CW: I think proactive communication is really effective. Many companies are using APIs, data, and insights to provide value-added communication in anticipating issues that may arise. For example, APIs into a power company’s database allow an Internet provider to notify customers of potential power outages in their area that may affect their Internet service. It’s a way to build trust with no customer effort.

Q: What role does connectivity play in customer service strategies?

CW: Our mission at Frontier is to Build Gigabit America. For enterprise organizations, having a stable, reliable fiber network delivers better performance. Faster speeds, fewer outages, and fewer service interruptions create opportunities for companies to embrace enhanced technologies. For example, if you have a better performing network, your website is going to be more reliable and perform better. You can then diversify your channel strategy (i.e. incorporating chat) or upgrade applications to improve customer information and troubleshooting.

Q: Can you talk about Frontier’s journey with customer experience? What are some key lessons learned that could benefit other companies?

CW: We have made a big investment in self-service. We’re a bit behind, but we remain committed to catching up and innovating. In Residential and Small Business, self-service options include IVR, chat, app, and .com. We launched our Gigabot to proactively answer questions and avoid agent intervention. We’re listening to our customers. We are starting down the same path in enterprise. We’ve recently launched a customer portal on .com for enterprise customers. We plan to introduce chat in 2024. Our goal is to allow customers to start in their channel of preference and stay in that channel. We are building the foundational elements for enterprise and are leveraging what we’ve done well in Residential and Small Business so we can get enterprise up to speed quickly. Customer experience is critical. We know that and we are investing in it so we can be where we need to be for our customers.

Q: Any final thoughts?

CW: Customer service equates to brand allegiance and revenue generation. It’s important not to take connectivity for granted as a real enabler of possibilities for elevating customer experience. Be thoughtful and strategic. Evaluate connectivity as more than a necessary commodity. With the right connectivity solutions, you can open up a world of opportunities and unleash the untapped potential of your customer service capabilities.

LEARN MORE: https://enterprise.frontier.com