As we mentioned in Part, good service is achieved by consistently exceeding customer expectations in every interaction, whether it’s on the Web, via email, or over the telephone. To guide you through the myriad of potential service improvement projects, we’ve laid out the eight most important areas (see previous page) and 10 of the easiest (below). Later, you will find advice on improving email service and Web-based support Finally, we’ll conclude our multi-part series by analyzing the e-service capabilities of Net pioneer NextCard.

10 Easy E-Service Improvements

1. Help button on every page, especially at login

2. User-friendly Web-based help forms

3. Links to FAQs in email responses

4. FAQs written in customer language

5. Autoresponses to emails

6. Email service standards

7. Opt-in email list with service announcements

8. Templates for email responses

9. Email address for customers to provide feedback

10. E-reps rewarded for improving online FAQs

Source: Online Banking Report, 12/99

Definitions

Autoresponse: An automatic, generic email sent back to anyone who sends an email; the confirmation alerts the user that their question has been received and is in the process of being answered.

CSR: Customer service representative.

E-rep: Customer service representative specializing in questions originated over the Internet (email, Webmail, online chat).

Webmail: Similar to an email, but written within a form on your Web site allowing control over content elements and structure.

Improving Email

We first published a list of email advice four years ago. We’ve reprinted the article
because it’s still accurate and illustrates that while the Web may move at “Internet speed,” many of the core issues, especially email, haven’t changed much at all. But we have a lot more experience with email now, and we’ve expanded the list with 10 more email service suggestions

Why is Email Service Important?

Improved customer support

•  Faster, more convenient for frequent users of email (work or home); able to interact with the bank in quick bursts when user is in a “personal finance” mode.
•  Creates a written record of questions and answers benefiting both the user and the bank.
•  Potentially higher quality answers with links to more detailed information, attached documents, and so on.
•  Potential for customer to interact with the same rep for follow-ups on outstanding issues or to ask new questions of someone they already “know.”
•  Customer can save or print answers for future reference.
•  No more phone menu trees to navigate.

Better market data

•  Ability to categorize questions more easily.
•  Efficient and detailed incident tracking.
•  Provides a steady flow of user feedback that can be captured in a database.
•  Easier to capture customer preferences.
•  Easier to route copies of questions/answers so that others (e.g. Marketing) can “hear” what customers are saying, unfiltered and in real time.

Potential* cost savings

•  Ability to handle questions during off-peak times.
•  Ability to route questions (worldwide) to lower-cost centers.
•  Ability to outsource certain question types.
•  Ability to automate answers to routine questions.

Bottom Line: Your competitors will offer e-service because it’s what the customer wants.

Source: Online Banking Report, 12/99

* Cost savings are purely theoretical for now, but when providers and customers get down the email learning curve, and when appropriate automation has been deployed, we are convinced that e-service will lower the overall cost to service a customer account. However, measurement and recognition of any savings will continue to be elusive as the nature and frequency of questions changes with the medium.
 

Making Email Responses More User-Friendly

•  Include FAQ links in autoresponses.
•  Provide response time estimates in autoresponses; extra credit: program the server to provide variable response times based on the current customer service queue.
•  Repeat the original question with confidential information masked.
•  Use good formatting:
  – indent
  – physically separate ideas
  – white space
  – bullet points, lists, tables
•  Keep paragraphs and sentences short.
•  Include intuitive URL for customer comments and feedback, such as<comments.yourbank.com> and/or email comments@yourbank.com.
•  If responses go to a secure mailbox within the online banking program, send an additional email to the user’s Internet mailbox(es) telling them that an answer is waiting (with a link to it).
•  Archive customer questions and your answers so users can refer to them later.
•  Include “time received” and “time answered.”
•  Include “thanks for using the Net.”

Source: Online Banking Report, 12/99

Email Support Matrix
Highest to Lowest Priority

Classification	Clues	Priority	Action
VIP	Webmail from VIP customer	Highest	Autoresponse message (VIP) and route to VIP rep (see example right)
Follow-up	Contains reference number	High	Autoresponse (follow) and route to same rep
Complaint	Uses emotional language and/or mentions previous contact(s)	High	Autoresponse (possible complaint) and forward to senior rep
Webmail	Originates from Web form with a defined question	Normal	Autoresponse (normal) and queue for rep
Interpretive	Unstructured with an identifiable routine situation	Normal	Autoresponse (normal) and queue for mid-level rep
Unknown/ junk	Unstructured or repeat	Low	Channel to junior rep

Source: Online Banking Report, 12/99; Online Customer Care: Strategies for Call Center Excellence, by Michael Cusack, ASQ Quality Press, 1998.

 

Autoresponse Types*

Type	Message Components
Normal	Thanks, time received, approximate time to respond
VIP	Thanks with VIP treatment, time received, approximate time to respond, VIP contact (name, email, phone)
Complaint	Thanks with concern, time received, approximate time to respond, escalation procedure, phone number
Follow-up	Thanks with understanding, time received, approximate time to respond, escalation procedure, phone number

*Assumes you are using Webmail where the message type can be readily categorized; or an intelligent software agent which categorizes questions. If not, all questions get the same autoresponse.

 

Example #1: Generic Normal Autoresponse

To: Customer
From: Yourbank Ebanking <service@yourbank.com>
Re: Your email question

Thanks for using the Internet.
This is an automatic message to tell you that we received your message at 10:12 AM Sept. 29 and have forwarded it to the proper department for a priority response.
Most questions are answered within a few hours, but it could take up to 24 hours in certain instances.

Regards,
Ebanking Customer Support
(800) 123-45677
http:/www.yourbank.com/support

 

Example #2: Personalizes VIP Autoresponse*

To: Customer
From: Pat P. Smythe <pat_smythe@vipservice.yourbank.com>

Re: Your email question
Thanks for using the Internet.
This is an automatic message to tell you that I received your message at 10:12 AM and am working on an answer. Expect to hear from me within an hour. If I am unable to get back to you in an hour, I will forward your question to a colleague who can.

Feel free to call, email, or leave a message on my Web site if you have further questions.

Regards,
Pat Smythe, VP - VIP Service
Phone Direct: (415) 555-1234 Toll-free (888) 555-9876
http:/www.yourbank.com/vip_service/pat_smythe

*Assumes the email was sent directly to pat_smythe @vipservice.yourbank.com, otherwise a more generic response would be generated (see # 1 above).

 

Flashback: Email Tips for
Customer Service Representatives

Reprinted from OBR Jan. 96

Do

•  Reply to all emails immediately with an “I’m working on it” message.
•  Resolve problems within 24 hours.
•  Create a file of stock answers that can be “cut and pasted” into your email answers.
•  Post relevant questions and answers to your online FAQ (frequently asked questions/answers).
•  Use concise and clear language with good grammar and spelling.
•  Stay upbeat, but don’t waste space getting overly chummy.
•  Sign the message with your name and phone number.
•  Warn customers to never to respond to unsolicited E-mail from the bank asking for confidential information such as account numbers.

Don’t

•  Never include account numbers or any other private information. It’s simple to forge an email address and adopt someone else’s online persona. Always assume your E-mail may find its way into the wrong hands.
•  Never accept “change of address” requests via email without verifying them against bank records.
•  Never send information/supplies to a postal address cited in an email without verifying the address first.
•  Try not to get discouraged by rude comments sent via email. It’s easy for people to be more crass or abrupt online than they would be in person.
•  Refrain from putting anything in an email you wouldn’t want your mom, or boss, to read. Email messages are easily passed to others or even posted on the Internet for millions to see.

Source: OBR 1/96

 

What if You Don’t Have Enough Resources?

While it probably isn’t a viable long-term strategy, budget realities my temporarily preclude you from offering email service. In this case, don’t just ignore email messages, program your server with an autoresponse that refers questions to telephone and/or Webmail. For example:

Webmail Referrals: If you choose to respond only to messages submitted via Webmail (aka Web-based form), send an autoresponse along these lines:

Sample Autoresponse #1:
Referral to Webmail

To: Yourcustomer <yourcustomer@theirisp.com>
From: E-Service <eservice@yourbank.com>
Re: Your Email Question

Dear Customer:
Thanks for your email question received a few minutes ago. This is an automatic response to let you know that we appreciate your interest in yourbank.com, but due to the volume of junk/spam coming to our public mailboxes, we can only respond to questions submitted via our Web-based service form. Click here to go directly to that form (if you can’t click on it, then type this address into your browser):

http://www.yourbank.com/askus/

Thanks again for your interest in yourbank.com. Based on current volume, we should be able to respond to your question within 24 hours. Thanks for your patience.

Yourbank.com E-Service
(800) 123-4567

Toll-Free Number Referrals: If your policy is to refer all questions to your 800 number, you might as well admit it. Even though it may be a minor inconvenience to your Net users, for the most part, they will appreciate your candor:

Sample Autoresponse #2:
Referral to Call Center

To: Yourcustomer <yourcustomer@theirisp.com>
From: E-Service <eservice@yourbank.com>
Re: Your Email Question

Dear Customer:
Thanks for your email question received a few minutes ago. This is an automatic response to let you know that we appreciate your interest in yourbank.com, but due to the volume of junk/spam coming to our public mailboxes, we are currently only able to answer your question via toll-free phone call.
Customer service specialists are currently awaiting your call at 800-yourbank. Generally, wait times are less than 2 minutes except during the peak hours of 8 AM to 9 AM.

We will begin supporting email questions later this year. We’ll let you know when it becomes available.
Thanks for your patience and please give us a call.

Yourbank.com E-Service
(800) 123-4567

Boosting Web-based Support

Although email is the key to outstanding service, the interactive features of your Web can be used to improve service and drive down costs. Some of the most pertinent past articles are listed below. We’ve also compiled some new ideas in the table on the right.

Web Building from Previous OBRs

Subject	Issue	Pages
Online strategy matrix	52	8 - 17
Creating a trust-worthy Web	48	1 - 6
Making a good first impression	47	4
Building a winning e-payments Web	45	11 - 16
One-click lending	43	6
Small biz Web sites	41 29	6 - 9 4 - 12
Creating a financial hub/portal	38/39	1 - 9
Non-financial Web content	34 35	2 - 13 4 - 15
Tactics for your loan Web	30	10 - 12
Creating a personalized Web experience	25 24	1 - 7 1 - 5
The model mortgage Web	23	3 - 5

Contents of the “Contact Us” Area

•  FAQ/email form for asking questions
•  white/yellow pages with email/phone numbers of dept. and selected individuals (see First Tech)
•  checkbox and drop-down forms for general questions
•  free-form suggestion box with an option for anonymous feedback

 

Perks for Feedback

If you want to generate more feedback from customers, consider a rewards program. While the research community has mixed feelings about the impact of rewards on the quality of a response, there is little doubt it increases the quantity. You could incent users with:

•  private recognition for submitting ideas
•  public recognition for ideas that are used
•  prizes for ideas that are used
•  random prize drawings
•  cumulative recognition, for example, “Thanks for your help in 1999. You were one our most valuable customers, submitting four suggestions and/or ideas.”
•  cumulative recognition with a gift, for example, “Thanks for your help in 1999. We appreciate you taking the time to send us four service improvement suggestions. Enclosed is a token of our appreciation.”

 

Additional Web Service Ideas

Better Navigation

•  Help or Contact Us button on every page
•  Table of contents and/or map
•  Logout button in password-protected area
•  Multiple levels of service by relationship level, e.g. special VIP login and post login screens

Improved Search Capabilities (larger sites)

•  Basic text string search capability
•  Natural language searching, i.e., AskJeeves www.ask.com
•  Make sure the top search terms (e.g., home equity loan) return good results (we recall several years ago, searching for checks on Wells Fargo’s site and getting no results)
•  Track customer search strings, so that you can build FAQs to address those questions
•  Help users find personal finance information outside of your Web

Better Self Service

•  Provide good navigation on your login screen; especially links to Help for forgotten passwords and the usual login woes
•  Multiple FAQs, such as one for customers, non-customers, for each product, for certain target markets, geographic areas, etc.
•  Email forms imbedded within FAQs

Better Service Experience

•  Personal Web sites for e-reps where they could build credibility for themselves, rapport with customers, and increase job satisfaction. Consider using an outside service, such as Homestead.com which received a good review in Walt Mossberg’s Wall Street Journal Personal Technology column (12/30/99). Homestead provides free and easy-to-use templates for creating personal Web sites.
•  Real-time chat option
•  Call-me buttons to request a call from
  customer service

Source: Online Banking Report, 12/99

 E-Service Implementation Checklist

•  Established multiple customer service email addresses; for example, service@yourbank.com, info@yourbank.com, and so on?
•  Established an identifiable service area with its own intuitive URL, for example, <service.yourbank.com>, <vip.yourbank.com>, or <www.yourbank.com/service/>?
•  Included email and Web addresses in company literature and advertising?
•  Programmed the server to automatically respond to email messages?
•  Developed templates for the most common email questions?
•  Developed procedures for handling undeliverable emails?
•  Developed a secure password reset procedure and monitoring program ?
•  Developed security/privacy guidelines for handling confidential information in user email?
•  Developed fraud detection algorithms and procedures for email requests such as password resets, change of address, and so on?
•  Developed procedures for escalating customer problems?
•  Developed guidelines for distributing email questions to the appropriate departments?
•  Developed tracking and follow-up mechanisms to ensure all emails are answered in a timely fashion?
•  Hired independent “mystery shoppers” to periodically evaluate your e-service performance?
•  Developed performance metrics (e.g., response time, percent resolved within 24/48/72 hours, customer satisfaction with response, etc.), methods to capture the data, and reporting timetables?
•  Communicated service standards internally and externally?
•  Developed a process for maintaining and improving internal and external knowledge base and FAQs?
•  Developed guidelines and approval procedures for editing approved email response templates?
•  Developed an email training program for e-reps, branch staff, and other customer contact personnel?

Example E-Service Standards

Type	Public Standard*
Webmail autoresponse	15 minutes
Webmail first response	2 hours
email autoresponse	15 minutes
email first response	8 hours
call center answer	human in 100 seconds
call center response	same as email (important that email response appears as fast as the telephone)
online chat	same as call center

Source: Online Banking Report, 12/99

*Internal service standards would be tighter than public guidelines.

Putting a Face on E-Service

We are not particularly enamored with the idea of video conferencing for customer service. Even with ubiquitous broadband, we’re not sure users really want to look at the customer service rep. as they work through a problem (and we are sure users don’t want anyone looking at them). There may be certain big-ticket sales situations, such as a mortgage application, or large-dollar investment, where user confidence is increased by seeing the salesperson.

However, we do think there is a place for static personal information such as name*, direct email address, and individual Web area where e-reps can put a human touch on e-service and build rapport with his or her client base.

___________________________________________

*For privacy reasons, reps may want to use pseudonyms, an acceptable practice online.

Clarification on “Customer Expectations”

Regarding the table on , “Customer Expectations in Retail Banking.”

A subscriber at a start-up bank was concerned with the different results achieved in their market research. “Personal service” (we rated medium) and “transaction speed” (we rated low) had been rated very highly.

We don’t dispute those results. In market research, consumers will usually rate positive product attributes high. Who is going to say they want impersonal service or slow transactions? It’s a given that consumers want those things (although they may not act on those wants). We were trying to highlight areas where you might be able to exceed customer expectations and differentiate yourself. Personal attention is a good area because customer expectations are generally low. Transaction speed is not a powerful differentiator, because most customers expect it to be fast across all providers.