Most companies have some form of customer service. However, companies that are good at customer service do more than just offer it. They have a process for escalating customer issues to prevent them from losing the customer. They then train their customer service staff on that process, as well as how to best serve the customer within company policy and make them happy too. Consider documenting a customer service escalation process and training to use it. At a minimum, the process should include the following levels of escalation.
Always start the escalation process with the first person you speak to the customer. For customer service over the phone or online, this is typically a customer service representative (CSR). When the CSR is working with a client, it is their responsibility to try to resolve the client’s issue or problem in a pleasant manner. The CSR must make an effort to truly satisfy the customer’s need without lying or bending company rules. Often a solution at the first level will make the customer happy enough to continue the business of the company. Training on how to improve customer service offered over the phone and in person will help make this step more effective. This type of training must include role plays to allow the practice of the new CSR. Since CSR work can be stressful and new information is always relevant, it is also important to offer regular training.
If the customer’s issue is related to a specific product or technical issue and the CSR does not have the information to help the customer, then they should escalate the issue to an appropriate expert for resolution. The CSR should inform the client that an expert will need to handle the problem and give an idea of when the client can expect to recover from the expert. The expert should respond as soon as they find an answer for the customer, even if they have to take the time to leave a voicemail or compose a detailed email. If a customer’s problem goes this far, only a quick and excellent solution will result in a satisfied customer. Providing a list of product experts or technical issues that CSRs can refer to will facilitate this second step of escalation. However, experts must receive additional training in interpersonal skills so that they also treat the client appropriately.
When there is no expert or the expert does not resolve the issue, the RSC should request that the issue be escalated to the supervisor or customer service manager. Or the client can request this third level of escalation if he is not satisfied with what he has found so far. The supervisory person must resolve the issue for the customer immediately upon receiving the escalation. The supervisor or manager will have to sincerely apologize to the customer and explain what he is going to do or has done. If they don’t, the problem will only get bigger, as the customer may choose to personally escalate their complaint to a fourth level, which can have unfortunate consequences for the customer service group.
A well-designed customer service escalation path with properly trained representatives should indicate that customers don’t need to seek a fourth level. However, the fourth level customers can choose to implement themselves. This could be writing a letter or email to the division manager, company president, or organization’s CEO. Or for outside customers, they can choose to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Customers wanting to scale to a fourth tier will be lost to the business unless they get a solution that they feel is above and beyond what could reasonably be expected at the other tiers. Avoid the need for the customer to want this level of escalation by responding to her need and solving her problem at one of the first three levels.
For the reasons outlined above, consider documenting a customer service escalation process and properly training customer service personnel. An effective process for escalating customer issues will help keep current customers as well as future ones. Be a company that offers more than a customer service contact, but is also good at service delivery.