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I hate to burst the bubble, but … to qualify for the Sapphire card your credit score must be high - very high. This is a prestige card legitimately offering a high level of service to a desirable segment of customers. The ads make it appear that perhaps all Chase customers could be Sapphires. Alas, that is not the case. And it would not make any sense. Chase is using its marketing knowledge of customer segmentation to target this high level of desirable customers. The size of Chase gives the company advantages that others may not enjoy: sophisticated systems, knowledge of intelligent call distribution to route callers to the appropriate level of “advisor,” multiple sites (I suspect) to route calls, and a massively appealing advertising campaign that is stirring conversations among a multitude of industries.

So while the Chase Sapphire ad has a certain magnetic force - focusing attention on consumer frustration with confusing menus and long delays (hold) while accessing service - the reality is that this is a limited service to a limited customer segment that Chase is … well … chasing.

The “lust” for “live answer” at the executive level is by no means new. This seduction occurs every now and then. It is generally ignited by these types of “promises” in advertisements or the abundance of complaints regarding long delays, difficulty in reaching an agent, and poor service.

Senior executives want to know, “Why can’t we just do that?” They may even DEMAND that all calls reach a person first, perhaps without understanding what experience the caller is actually going to enjoy. I am unsure whether these orders to replace menus with “live answer” include any genuine consideration or analysis around exactly what the front line answer person will actually be able to DO for the caller. Sometimes I believe there is a general/shared hallucination inherent in this model that callers will actually be immediately served. For that outcome to occur, any front line “live answer” MUST be able to answer the caller’s questions, requests, etc. (Chase Sapphire model). But few organizations possess the resources and budget to establish this type of operation effectively.

If the planning, resources, and ability to help the caller at this first point of “live answer” are not met, the effort may qualify as a Customer Experience “Deadly Sin’ while the Chase model is a “Desired Destiny” since Chase has clearly done its homework, allocated the resources, and advertised the hell out of it.

When Call Centers are “forced” into the “Deadly Sin” model by executive dictate or a manager’s desire to impress, the front line answer often acts simply as a human IVR by routing the call to the proper party. This is actually kind of a … dumb…. idea. Here are some problems I see.

· If the front line “live answer” is primarily redirecting calls, this is a switchboard, which in many organizations is a necessity. However, switchboards often sit behind a menu to offload callers who already know where they want to go and remain available for those needing assistance in getting their call directed.

· Often in a front line “live answer” model the call is simply answered and THEN transferred to a queue where the caller may wait on hold for the “next available agent.” All this really accomplishes is repositioning the delay for the caller. (It most likely will also increase cost and add little value beyond accommodating an executive directive or experiment.)

· Often these models begin to morph into the front line “live answer” answer group that attempts to resolve low complexity call types. These calls are longer than those handled in the switchboard operator model (i.e., “catch and pass”). The longer these calls become, the more people will be needed to meet the “live answer” objective.

· The caller - if routed to a specific individual or department not equipped with ACD - could VERY likely end up in someone’s voice mail. This leaves their issue unresolved and their timeline pushed to second place - behind the timeline preference of those the caller is attempting to reach.

· Organizations sometimes add to the front line load of “live answer” by having the front line serve as overflows for internal departments or as “zero out” escapes from voice mail - despite the fact that these agents are not, should not, and cannot be in the business of providing administrative support to the entire enterprise.

If you are confronted with the “live answer” directive, are you prepared to respond? Managing the conversation with executives is the job of those folks leading the Call Center, the Customer Experience, and the Brand. It must be pointed out to (well-intentioned) executives that there has to be an extensive and exhaustive amount of analysis that precedes the execution of such an option. Do you possess the capability to walk an executive through the considerations for a “live answer” option? Or are you willing to remove the menu, stick an inexpensive front line answer team in place, and then transfer to another queue? While “live answer” is for many a “Desired Destiny” the execution process morphs it into “Deadly Sin.”

I guess my point is to be wary of lust and in this case the lust for “live answer.” This can be a Customer Experience DEADLY SIN. Why? … Because in my experience the model is not well thought out, is done in a crisis-driven moment (executive stuck on hold!), and is not staffed by people whose job it is to HELP the caller. It is working the wrong problem. If the menu is convoluted, then FIX the menu. Most consumers today are perfectly comfortable making a menu selection as long as it is not so complicated that they get irritated! Focus on the real issue. If “live answer” is in fact your DESIRED DESTINY, do the homework on what it will take: planning, staffing, forecasting, systems, skills, call types, etc. I promise you it is a lot of work and if you connect a caller to an agent who has to transfer them - that caller will quickly forget the ‘live answer” and remember being transferred and perhaps having to tell their story twice.

So congratulations to Chase Sapphire! It is quite a feat to have made and met this promise. However if you’re not Chase and you’re not chasing the top consumer segment that will fund “live answer,” DIG DEEPER to where dissatisfaction originates and fix THAT problem.
 
Good luck and remember that executives rely on operations and front line leadership to guide them. And “live answer” is an area where they will need guidance. So be prepared and speak up.

“Castles made of sand melt into the sea eventually.” Jimi Hendrix

PowerHouse Consulting, Inc.
360 Route 101, Suite 6, Bedford, NH 03110
www.powerhouse1.com 1-800-449-9904