While you’re immersed in next-year planning, we’d like to tap on your shoulder on behalf of your customers. Assuming you want those customers to stay with you to 2017 and beyond, now is the perfect time to zoom in on your customer experience management strategy. Here are some of the key areas to focus on, on both sides of the teller’s counter.
FRONT-END PRIORITIES
Customer Intelligence
Every effort towards improving the customer experience is built on the foundation of customer intelligence. Now more than ever, banks should be looking at how they collect, analyze, and use their customer satisfaction data. Are customer feedback surveys asking the right questions? Are there untapped information resources to mine? Is there an effective system in place for integrating data from different channels, or are you suffering from the “silo” effect?
Digital Development
The demand for online & mobile banking solutions continues to march forward. At the same time, digital channels like web chat tools and social-enabled support are carving out their niche in the customer service department. Some banks will need to focus on catching up to the leading edge of these technologies, implementing or upgrading their websites, mobile apps, ATM user interfaces, or self-service kiosks. For others, 2016 could be a year of refining what’s already in place to create a seamless omnichannel customer experience.
BACK-END PRIORITIES
A Culture of Service Delivery Excellence
The internal culture of a bank, at the corporate level and at each individual branch, spells the difference between success and failure. Continuous employee training & coaching initiatives support the creation and maintenance of this culture. Customer service is ultimately about people; having the right people in the right roles with the right skills and attitude will set the stage for excellent service delivery.
Legacy Systems
Are your hands tied by the limitations of your back-end hardware or software? Are there internal policies, procedures, or practices that are getting in the way of, or at least not promoting, cross-department communication and collaboration? These are potential roadblocks that need to be addressed. System upgrades and remodels may be costly and time-consuming, but staying in the comfort zone of what you already have in place isn’t going to do you any favors, either.
Security
Part of inspiring customer loyalty and confidence comes from your efforts to assure customers that their personal information is in safe hands. Bank hacks make headlines and leave consumers skittish about the wisdom of using the digital tools and interfaces referenced above, no matter how convenient or snazzy they may be. With so much at stake, you can’t afford not to prioritize security.
Bottom line: Use the tools at your disposal.
Voice of the Customer data and Benchmarking Analysis reports work together to consolidate an image of the current state of your institution, inside and out. If you’re looking for areas of opportunity, this is where you’ll find them – right at your fingertips!
You don’t have to face the New Year alone. Contact us by email or call (800) 841-7954 ext:101 to talk to one of our experts about your customer experience goals for 2016 and what support you may need to reach them.
