In researching this book, Yellin got to travel all over the world observing what defines customer service. Her focus is primarily on a facet of customer service that gets a lot of Americans yellin’: call centers. Her travels took her to Argentina, Egypt, Britain, and Switzerland; while stateside, she sat in contact centers (the politically correct name) at companies who've achieved service success like FedEx and JetBlue.
Yellin’s insights are particularly intriguing to those with a background in marketing and communications. While older business models see the contact center as a necessary cost of doing business, Yellin's research demonstrates how two-way dialogue between customers and a product/service provider are actually invaluable marketing bellwethers:
“…companies need to stop treating customer complaints as an annoyance and see them instead as one of their best feedback and marketing tools. By welcoming complaints…and taking what they can learn from them, their products and services will improve.” (As stated by Claus Møller, p. 61)
When customers receive the cold shoulder and communication decisions are made by higher-ups in a disconnected corporate office, that’s when angry, empowered consumers Tweet, blog, and Facebook their anger. That’s when companies have PR crises on their hands. Many organizations are, however, learning the value of the call center employees and the unprecedented consumer insights they can supply. Corporate programs and policies are being shaped by the voice of the consumer, and it’s even become trendy for the CEO to step out of the corner office and work on the front lines for a day or so.
Another topic Yellin goes in depth on is the treatment call center employees receive, or rather the abuse they are subject to. This is especially true as more contact jobs are outsourced off shore. Call center employees in India were cited reporting vulgar, profane, and abusive American callers seeking to dismantle them emotionally and get them to quit their jobs. This, supposedly, would return jobs to American soil. It hasn’t brought home the work, but it has painted a sour picture of Americans abroad. The breakdown between cultures is tellingly explained in this book, and may help some people see the humanity on the other end of the phone line.
Of course the evolution of telephone, web, and communications technology get plenty of treatment too. Anyone who has ever called Amtrak has talked to Julie, an interactive voice response (IVR) system that tries to maintain some semblance of a conversation with callers. If you’ve got Skype, say hello to Julie now at 1-800-USA-RAIL.
SUMMARY
In summary, Your Call Is (not that) Important to Us is worthy of perusal by anyone in the business, marketing, communications, and PR industries. It provides good insights into the contemporary two-way model of communication between businesses and consumers while also supplying case studies where innovation in the contact center and beyond has led to increased profitability. The Zappos business model (see two posts ago) is also a cited case study.
But perhaps you're just another consumer waiting for someone to assist you. Canned music is blaring in your ear only to be interrupted by, “Your call is very important to us. Please stay on the line and the next available operator will assist you.” Get yourself a copy of this book. Not only will it make your wait go by faster, but it may just put a face on that voice who (finally!) answers on the other end.
GET IT
Released in 2009, but still very relevant today, Your Call... is available at major booksellers and Amazon.com. eBook copies are also an option, or you can be cheap like me and reserve a copy from Buffalo Erie County Public Library.
PERSONAL REFLECTION
When I call a 1-800 number, I know it’s not going to be the highlight of my day. I navigate the menu of options or try to talk with the IVR (love it when you hear simulated keys tapping away—as if its pulling your file!). I wait for the next available agent. And I hold myself to being polite with whoever answers. Call center reps have a hard job. It’s not their fault if things aren’t going my way, and thus, it’s not my right to take it out on them. Being polite and courteous has, in just about every instance, gotten me satisfactory results. Last month I had to deal with Orbitz customer service to cancel a hotel and car package I had booked. Cancellation carried stiff penalties, but my flights had been cancelled and I wanted to see what could be done. My patience and politeness with the call center reps—who by their accents I would guess were in the Philippines—is what I believe got me a full refund.
Furthermore, we are ambassadors of America when communicate with those in foreign countries. While a fictional Indian story, Yellin demonstrates sentiment toward Americans citing One Night at the Call Center:
“Why do some fat-ass, dim-witted Americans get to act superior to us?...I’ll tell you why. Not because they are smarter. Not because they are better people. But because their country is rich and ours is poor.” (p. 159)
We may not like outsourcing, but how do we want to represent our nation? It's just a thought that I try to keep in mind when navigating the labyrinth of a phone system and speaking to "Shawn" even though his real name is probably "Sanjay".
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