This document discusses changes in customer relations and expectations. It contrasts how customer relations were handled in the past versus today. In the past, companies took a reactive approach, focused on transactions, had uniform processes set by the company, and segmented customers based on spending. Today, the document advocates for a more proactive, interactive, and authentic approach that focuses on influence, follows customer preferred channels of communication, and tailors processes and segmentation to individual customer needs and preferences.

1. Oleg Vojtíšek | 13.3.2014 | IIR workshop
CUSTOMER
RELATIONS
and the systems
supporting them
BEFORE...
… AND TODAY

2. This is how the
customer
relations in
Czech Republic
look like...
You say you have a
fancy white leather
sofa there?
That does not change
anything.
The process is the
same.

3. NOWADAY
CUSTOMERS:
Who are
they?
They get the news from Twitter
and Facebook.
They scarcely watch TV.
They learn about new products
from their friends.
They verify all information about
you on the Internet.
They ridicule and ignore or
parody the advertising.
They defame corporations, while
buying their goods.
They are always too busy (they
have many activities).
They expect that you listen to
them and answer them quickly.

4. © Forrester report Understand Communication Channel Needs To Craft Your Customer Service Strategy, March 11, 2013

5. BEFORE… …TODAY
REACTIVITY
We wait until they contact us
PRO-ACTIVITY
We contact the customer ourselves
TRANSACTION
"First, give me your
customer number, please"
INTERACTION
„I suppose that you are calling
because you have a problem?“
SPENDING-BASED
SEGMENTATION
We love the most
spending ones
INFLUENCE-BASED
SEGMENTATION
We love the ones who bring other
customers and spread a good name
of our company
CUSTOMER
RELATIONS:
principles
INSIDE-OUT
We know what is the best
OUTSIDE-IN
Customer says what he likes
UNIFORMITY AUTHENTICITY

6. BEFORE... …TODAY
PROCESS AS THE
COMPANY WANTS IT
As it suits ourselves.
PROCESS AS THE PEOPLE
WANT IT
As it suits the customers.
OPEN FROM - TO
"Please contact us within
our business hours."
OPEN ANYTIME
„Feel free to write us in the night,
we'll contact you in the morning."
CHANNELS SET BY THE
COMPANY
"You must call, we do not
process the text messages."
CHANNELS SET BY THE
CUSTOMER
"I want to text-message you same
way as I do with my friends or
family."
CUSTOMER
RELATIONS:
processes
CLAIMS DEPARTMENT
"Call the Claims
Department, please."
ANYONE IN THE COMPANY
"Let me solve this (or get
someone, who can help you)."

7. Examples?
Well…
a restaurant.
Your task:
Find the
examples in
your
company.

8. transaction interaction
"Specify your order,
please: soup,
appetizer, main
course, dessert, drink
and your credit card
number."
"It has been a long
time since we last
met! Are you also
feeling the cold? ...If
you would like some,
we brewed a very
tasty grog today."
We cannot imagine such an attitude in the restaurant.
Yet this is often the way we treat our customers.

9. reactivity pro-activity
"Oh, I am so sorry
that your drink was
spilled, I will clean it
straight away and...
shall I get you a
clean shirt?"
"…well, he spilled
wine on himself,
drunkard, but I do
not care, it is his
fault. I must serve
the customers...
maybe if he will ask
me for help..."

10. reactivity pro-activity
Solution time:
20 minutes
/listening

11. reactivity pro-activity
We prevent both conflicts and gossip
Only some 5 to 30% of customers with problems actually complains,
the rest simply leaves at a certain point (and will slander you).
We are more effective
We contact the customer at times, when we are catching up with
our work = when it suits us = we prevent the peak hours creation.
And even 50 text messages are cheaper than one angry call.
WOW-effect
We surprise the customer (so far).

12. spending-based
segmentation
influence-based
Which one of them is the more valuable customer?
And who can harm you more when you disappoint her/him?
He ordered the largest burger
She has 681 Facebook friends

13. inside-out outside-in
Try to at least
name the
things
according to
your customer.

14. uniformity authenticity
Whom do you want to talk about the food with?
With the "deputy manager" or with the cook?

15. process as the company
wants it
process as the people
want it
Wait in the queue. Approach individually.
Do you think that it is convenient for your customers?

16. process as the company
wants it
process as the people
want it
Many want to talk with
you and with each other
SIMULTANEOUSLY.
They trust more other
customers and often they
also help them better.
This concerns both sales
and support.

17. channels set by
the company
channels set by the
customer
We text-message our friends, family or colleagues.
However, when we call to the bank, we are back in 1997: phone-call, touch-tone telephone, please select on the
following options….
The customer wants to
communicate with us
as with his/her friends.

18. "Claims
department"
anyone in the
company
The Czech employee is not interested in an unsatisfied
customer. His interest is to get rid of him. As fast as possible.
Is the "Claims
department"
effective after all?
Is it not by chance
cheaper to solve
everything during
the first contact?
The customers DO
NOT WANT to talk
to Customer Care.
Then maybe we
should CANCEL
the department,
shouldn't we?

19. Oleg Vojtíšek
oleg@vojtisek.net
oleg.vojtisek@bertelsmann.de
linkedin.com/in/olegcz
slideshare.net/vojtisek
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Thank you for your time!
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