Over the last few months, digital has been put to the test like it has never before. Business continuity, internal ways of working, servicing customers all meant that organizations who are not digitally-led were least equipped to deal with the global crisis and its unfolding repercussions. Ensuring a resilient CX strategy starts with asking the right questions within your organization, here’s what to keep in mind.
Service
Customers expect smarter engagements with utility providers that fit neatly into their smart-homes and digital-led lifestyles. Utilities should be looking to give customers a greater sense of control than that they have in the past. This means, ensuring interactions happen in real time and through channels that are most relevant and convenient to customers- through the entire read to cash cycle. Looking for ways to remove friction will only result in better relationships and free up capacity in contact centers for non-repetitive, value-adding activities.
In order to deliver customer-led service rather than a commodity, organizations need a full understanding of the customer journey.
- Have you unified disparate back end systems and silos to offer a single user experience?
- Can you identify the points on the customer journey that have the greatest impact on customer attrition and engagement?
- Are you empowering your customers with holistic solutions across mobile and web for digital payment , controlling start/stop service, changing plans and managing service without having to contact you?
- Do you rely on automated procedures for exception management and resolution?
- Do you have a call deflection strategy in place that relies on digital self service and conversational AI?
- Where will AI create the largest number of efficiencies for your organization?
Security
Keeping up with policies and technologies around security and customer data privacy can be difficult at the best of times. Let alone in the year that has been 2021. But, an accelerated reliance on digital means organizations have the responsibility more than ever of keeping customer data safe. Cisco’s 2020 Contact Center Global Survey highlights that out of 700 respondents “70% view security policy management and enforcement, and customer data privacy as the two top challenges facing contact centers today.”
What you to think about if you hold large amounts of customer data
- Is your data center access limited and controlled by biometric scanning?
- Are you ensuring point-to-point communication encryption?
- Do you have data backup systems in place?
- Are all employees educated about procedures in the event of data breach or security malfunction?
- Are you transparent about how you are using your customer’s data?
Sustainability
“Sustainable action will safeguard organizations and help them meet the vocal demands of customers and stakeholders.”
A recent Deloitte Resources 2020 Study, reveals that among US business and residential energy and resource consumers, “sixty-eight percent of residential consumers surveyed agree strongly or somewhat with the statement ‘I’m very concerned about climate change and my personal carbon footprint.’”
The opportunity for utilities lies not only in transitioning towards clean energy but providing their customers the tools and insights to help them on their personal transition too.
- Are you providing your customer with clear and actionable insights about their home efficiency in order to drive informed behavioral change?
- Can customers easily transition to clean energy plans through simple methods and interfaces?
- Are you looking at new ways to extend your offerings (such as, financing electric vehicles, appliance programs or other), creating customer incentives around sustainability?
