May I refer you to my supervisor?

The Client
A provider of long distance and international telephone services to residents of Alaska.

The Problem
Telephone operators were trained to receive and process long distance requests. Because of the nature of the service at that time, direct dial for international calls required operator services. Operator services employees were not allowed to resolve billing errors or to credit callers for failed calls. They were instructed to refer all problems to a Service Advisor who would then assess the problem and refer it to a supervisor. The effect of this system was that at any given time, as many as three people would be working on the same problem. Most of the problems involved amounts of less than $20.00.

The Performance Improvement Approach
We facilitated the formation of a task force to evaluate the actual size of the problem and identify any other issues that were affecting an operator’s ability to solve minor customer problems. In addition, Service Advisors and Supervisors were trained in assertive confrontation skills and verbal problem solving. A training series for operators was also facilitated.

At the conclusion of the training (and based on recommendations from the task force) a significant corporate cultural change initiative was undertaken. Operators were empowered to solve customer problems within a specified range. A problem solving protocol was established to help operators evaluate problems and offer solutions quickly.

The Result
Supervisors found they had more time to coach employees, focus on process improvements and reinforce positive results. Service Advisors were able to accept more responsibility and engage in job enhancement programs. Customer satisfaction improved dramatically because problems could be solved quickly and effectively.

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