Customers First Issue 4
Global insights on strategy & innovation
Better together: How a new partnership is redefining the customer experience for global brands | P.7
At war with the status quo Discover Nest Labs’ unique approach to customer service | P.13
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TELUS International
Jeffrey Puritt, TELUS International president and CEO, and Dan Kiely, Voxpro co-founder and CEO
The perfect duo to support your
Contents 4
6
7
9
Does big data always mean big benefits for customers?
11
Why Millennials prefer banking with
blitzscaling customer growth!
non-financial brands
tech and other marketplace disruptors that we serve today and hope to serve in the future. Through the lens of customer experience excellence, learn how technology brands are managing
Data is the foundation of modern inno-
How fast-growing tech companies are
When it comes to truly great partner-
porting the blitzscaling growth of
customer data, launching omnichan-
vation but whether it always makes the
using customer service to attract and
ships, you can’t really think of one
marketplace disruptors. At TELUS Inter-
nel support, retaining Millennials, and
world better is up for debate.
retain Gen Y customers.
without the other. Batman and _______,
national, we couldn’t be more excited
importantly, ensuring that high-tech
Abbott and ________, peanut butter
to build upon this mission, bringing our
always remains high-touch.
At war with the status quo: Nest
and ________ - you get the point! While
own expertise around omnichannel,
Whether transitioning from start-
Labs’ unique approach to customer
each may be good on its own, they are
cloud contact center, analytics, and
up to scale-up, or from established
premium customer experiences
service
much more impactful when paired. And
more to support growing customer care
brand to new product expansion, we’re
Irish charm isn’t the only reason Ireland
Nest’s customer support lead reveals
that’s how we feel about our newest
programs.
here to keep the customer experience
is such an attractive location.
the company’s mission for CX.
partnership with Voxpro – a unique pro-
In this issue of Customers First mag-
front and center during times of rap-
vider of beautiful customer experiences.
azine, I invite you to get to know Voxpro
id growth. Like our partnerships with
On August 16, 2017, we welcomed
a little bit better, including its captivat-
Google Cloud and Airbnb, among
experience – new research
Voxpro, and their 2,700 “Voxpronians,”
ing CEO and co-founder (and now my
others, we look forward to meeting your
services industry
A practical guide to successful omni-
to the global TELUS International family.
friend), Dan Kiely. His entrepreneurial
customer experience needs – and con-
Interview with TELUS International’s
channel execution, created in partner-
Now operating as “Voxpro – powered
spirit and relentless desire to redefine
tributing to your own blitzscaling growth
Jeffrey Puritt and Voxpro’s Dan Kiely.
ship with Everest Group.
by TELUS International,” the Ireland
and disrupt the outsourcing industry
in any way we can.
headquartered company brings a
through serving the customer expe-
Cryptocurrency exchanges: The
dynamic track record supporting the
rience needs of fast-growing brands
new outsourcing El Dorado
world’s innovators and disruptive tech-
makes Voxpro the ideal customer
Discover how player support is evolv-
How outsourcing can help meet the
nology companies, helping them evolve
service partner. Learn more in our joint
Jeffrey Puritt
ing to meet new standards set by the
growing customer service demands of
and scale into some of today’s most
interview on page 7.
President and CEO
industry.
cyrptocurrency users.
renowned global brands.
Why the Emerald Isle is the goto destination for outsourcing
How a new global partnership aims to redefine and disrupt the business
How to adapt gaming customer service to modern tech disruptions
13
16
18
Delivering omnichannel customer
As Voxpro says, it’s all about sup-
To celebrate our new partnership,
Enjoy the magazine!
TELUS International
this issue is dedicated to fast-growing Customers First | 3
Noteworthy
TELUS International
Does big data always mean big benefits for customers?
and quantifiable can lead to massive
When Amazon first opened its digital
monetary losses; a large-scale data
doors in 1995, it appeared to be a
breach can cause a loss of customer
humble online bookseller. Behind the
trust from which even the most beloved
scenes, however, it was one of the first
brand may never recover.
blind spots for businesses. When hackers take advantage of these blind spots, the costs can be staggering. In 2017, a U.S. judge ruled Yahoo would face litigation brought on behalf of a billion users following a series of breaches between 2013–2016. And that’s just
companies to successfully leverage the internet as a conduit for valuable be-
Losing sight of the customer
havioral statistics. Customer purchases
Fundamentally, big data has the ability
and searches were tracked in order to
to disrupt industries, but an over-reli-
point users to products they might like
According to Dimension Data’s 2017
ever, personalization and intuition don’t
When big data goes bust
ance on it can cause companies to lose
to buy next, while geographic data was
Global Contact Center Benchmark-
hold a candle to convenience. The pace
used to cut down shipping time.
ing Report, customer analytics is the
at which people work, eat, shop and
As big data gets bigger, companies
Considerable losses come in the form
too high-level to give an accurate por-
number one factor that will improve the
socialize demands that any modern
have the potential to uncover intimate
of executives making unprofitable deci-
trayal of what drives people to make the
work out of running an e-business,
customer journey in the next five years.
customer experience be as efficient as
details of consumers’ lives. For in-
sions based on bad data, time wasted
choices they do. Or, as Loomba says,
Amazon transformed itself into the
And as the report explains: “The impor-
humanly (or mechanically) possible. The
stance, Target has long collected data
correcting flawed data or IT teams
“The data doesn’t tell you why. It’s just
industry-disrupting juggernaut it is
tance of understanding and harnessing
food service industry, in particular, offers
on every person who walks through its
using all their bandwidth integrating
numbers. You add the why.”
today. For this and many other modern
(mass) data is now critical to perfor-
fertile ground for data-driven disrup-
doors. The retailer used this data to fig-
incompatible data systems. On top of
Poring over massive dumps of
innovations, data is now the founda-
mance... [it’s] analyze or die.”
tions.
ure out when someone is more likely to
that, when a business invests time and
information can enable powerful de-
try a new brand of cereal (after a move)
money into collecting, cleaning and
cision-making, but using small data
By using big data to take the guess-
tion and the driving force — allowing
Software for analyzing restaurant
sight of the customer. The data is often
companies to become more personal-
Big data in action
inventory, accounting, scheduling
or coffee (after getting married). They
analyzing data, its stakeholders expect
— monitoring individual preferences or
ized, efficient and agile in response to
While some industries have been hesi-
and customer behavior has existed
also figured out how to tell if someone
to find valuable insights — even when
small-scale customer behaviors — can
popular demand.
tant to pursue new data-driven product
for nearly 20 years, but more recent
is pregnant. In the early 2000s, Target
they aren’t there — if only to justify their
provide little clues that may reveal large
and service opportunities, fashion and
restaurant-management platforms, like
used their “pregnancy-prediction mod-
efforts.
trends. These clues sometimes rely on
beauty retailers, like Sephora, are using
Upserve, are using that data to improve
el” to send coupons to newly pregnant
data to delight shoppers in innovative
the dining experience. Its Server Score-
ways.
The transformative power of data Data is completely disrupting business, says Jim Carey, a data strategy
Aman Loomba, lead product man-
conversation and empathy to reveal
women. But such insights are not al-
ager at GameChanger, a sports scoring
human-centered insights that, when
card feature, for example, ranks servers
ways welcome, as Target learned when
app owned by Dick’s Sporting Goods,
pieced together, can provide a more
across multiple attributes and assigns
it accidentally outed a pregnant teen to
deals in data every day. He believes that
nuanced picture of what people want
her father.
an over-reliance on it can lead to an ab-
and what they value.
consultant and professor of integrated
For years, the Sephora Innovation
marketing communications at North-
Lab has collected user data via touch-
them to the tables where they can best
western University. “Look at what Uber
points like its Beauty Insider loyalty
provide a balance of speed and friendly
has done to the taxi industry. Look at
program. By learning attributes like
service.
how Nest has legitimized home auto-
age, skin tone/type and preferred price
mation. It’s all because they knew how
point, Sephora is able to offer custom-
to turn data into customer happiness,” says Carey. 4 | Customers First
dication of decision-making responsibili-
In the end, a balanced approach
Over-reliance on data
ty. “At the end of the day, the reason we
between big and small data leaves
Big data is successful because it casts
[rely on data] is because people don’t
room for empathy and common sense,
world and when used effectively, it can
a wide net, but that’s also why it can
trust themselves to make decisions,”
which together form the foundation
ers a more personalized experience. In
drive innovations that make life easier
backfire. IBM estimates that bad data
Loomba says.
for building customer trust, loyalty and
the hierarchy of consumer needs, how-
for the average consumer.
costs the U.S. $3.1 trillion per year.
Big data is shaping our modern
This fixation on what is measurable
satisfaction. Customers First | 5
On the road
TELUS International
Why the Emerald Isle is the go-to destination for outsourcing premium customer experience Irish people are known to be blessed with “the gift of the gab,” but Irish charm is far from the only reason Ireland is such an attractive destination for international companies looking to outsource their customer service operations. Here are the top
How a new global partnership aims to redefine and disrupt the business services industry
three reasons why the world’s premier tech companies choose Ireland as an outsourcing destination. A unique position within the EU Ireland is the only English speaking country within the Eurozone, making it an attractive destination for companies moving into Europe. Working within a Eurozone member state also ensures that companies are not exposed to
In August 2017, TELUS International announced its acquisition of
personal level, it’s his likeability factor.
currency fluctuations when trading in
Voxpro, an Ireland-based provider of beautiful customer experiences
He’s all about putting other people first.
the Eurosystem.
to some of the world’s most disruptive technology brands. As TELUS International President and CEO, Jeffrey Puritt (JP), and Voxpro
How are TELUS International and
Highly educated and diversified
co-founder and CEO, Dan Kiely (DK) share in our interview, both sides bring a lot
Voxpro stronger together?
workforce
of CX know-how to the partnership – including a desire to meet the needs of mar-
JP: Historically, Voxpro’s focus has
Thanks to Ireland’s free education
ketplace disruptors like no other service provider around.
been start-up tech companies looking
system, the country boasts a talented
for a partner that can support growth
pool of highly qualified workers. With
Who approached who about a part-
say it’s almost like looking in the mirror
while remaining focused on the cus-
the ability for European citizens to move
nership? Was it love at first sight?
in a business sense.
tomer experience. What TELUS Inter-
freely within the EU to live and work,
JP: We’ve had our eye on Voxpro
Ireland has also developed a diverse,
for several years. Their fun corporate
What do you admire most about
experience supporting a more mature,
multinational workforce.
culture, top-tier clients and charismatic
one another?
developed customer that has stabilized
leaders aligned closely to what makes
JP: It would have to be Dan’s entrepre-
their growth trajectory. These custom-
An internationally recognized tech
TELUS International a unique customer
neurial spirit and the fact that he never
ers are now looking for a larger foot-
hub
experience provider. This made Dan
loses sight of the people around him.
print, additional languages, and a next
Ireland has become world-renowned for
and his Voxpro team such a good
Voxpro started in 2002 as a six-person
generation solution set like automation,
being a center of technology excel-
catch. And besides, it’s hard not to fall
team above a pub in Cork, Ireland and
analytics, omnichannel, cloud and IT
lence. Dublin, Cork and beyond have
in love with everything Irish, including
today is an award-winning customer
support. With Voxpro’s entrepreneurial
attracted some of the world’s top tech
Dan’s co-founder and wife, Linda, in
experience provider with 2,700 team
spirit and our global expertise, we are
companies, including Google, Face-
particular!
members, thanks to his and Linda’s
well positioned to address all stages of
book, Airbnb, Dell, EMC and Apple for
DK: For me, it was definitely a case of
leadership.
growth.
their European headquarters. Hosting
love at first sight – I had never come
DK: Jeff is relentless in the pursuit of his
DK: TELUS International and Voxpro
these tech giants has resulted in a richly
across another company that shares
goals. What he has achieved over the
are an unbeatable combination. We’re
innovative and dynamic tech scene in
the importance of culture, the team and
last 10 years with TELUS International
bringing something unique to the mar-
the country.
our people as much as we do. I would
is absolutely astonishing. On a more
ketplace that hasn’t been seen before.
6 | Customers First
national brings to the partnership is the
Customers First | 7
Interview
TELUS International suffer. I hear time
scale.’ Simply speaking, I think the key
and time again
elements to support this type of growth
that our corporate
are having a global mindset, always fo-
culture and level
cusing not on where you are, but where
of team member
you’re heading, and getting fast access
engagement is
to the right people.
like no other BPO.
This means our
What’s the key to success?
clients benefit
JP: Both Voxpro and TELUS Interna-
For me, beautiful customer experience
from extremely inspired and tenured
tional recognize the critical importance
is at the forefront of redefining and rein-
team members empowered to own
of delivering exceptional employee
venting the customer experience mod-
the customer experience, who are truly
experiences as a precursor to delivering
el. And, while we enhance the customer
brand ambassadors for their products
beautiful customer experiences. The
experience, we’ll be offering fantastic
and services.
only way we can really be successful
opportunities for our own people to
DK: Our partners view us as an exten-
and deliver value to our clients is by
develop globally.
sion of their own business. A company
having the most engaged employees
should never lose that start-up and
– team members that want to live our
Do you have a favorite client?
scaling mentality, and because of this,
brand and culture and, by extension,
JP: That’s a lot like asking who my
our partners see us as being extreme-
the brand and culture of our clients and
favorite child is (shhh, it’s my daughter
ly agile, where we have the ability to
their customers every day. Success
Alexa!). While I won’t name clients, I
anticipate their needs and the needs
starts with culture and engagement –
will say that, based on past experi-
of their customers. I think they see our
the other results like low attrition and
ence, we’ve decided we’re much less
ability to mirror their cultures as unique
high CSAT follow.
interested in supporting transactional
in the industry. They also think we’re su-
relationships. While companies can
per-smart, super-nice and super-stylish!
How many emails are in your inbox right now?
definitely derive cost and operational
How to adapt gaming customer service to modern tech disruptions
industry’s approach to player support, and what gaming companies can do to keep pace. Mobile player support isn’t onesize-fits-all While the gaming console isn’t dead,
efficiencies with us, we’re more focused
What’s the secret to supporting
JP: An awful lot. However, I never want
on the customer and brand experience,
blitzscaling growth? (and what does
to discourage our team members or cli-
We’ve come a long way from Pong of
Between streaming services, mobile
and how TELUS International can add
that mean?)
ents from reaching out. So please keep
the 70s. No longer tethered to a con-
devices, graphic innovations and virtual
ing landscape becomes more and more
value to business partnerships. (I know
DK: Once you hit on a product or ser-
them coming!
sole and controller, the gaming industry
reality (VR), new technology is improving
competitive, smart games companies
Dan won’t go near this question. It’s like
vice that the market wants, other peo-
is growing by leaps and bounds. Last
the quality and accessibility of games,
can enhance the value of their brand
asking him to pick his favorite Irish pub!)
ple see this and competitors start lining
What’s the best part about being
year, mobile gaming alone generated 37
while innovating the gaming experience
through better service. “Think about
up to try to eat your lunch. If you don’t
Irish?
percent of all video game revenue, ac-
itself. Whether it’s offering in-app mobile
all the different entertainment uses of
What would clients say about
scale fast enough, you lose the lead
DK: Our strong sense of community
cording to Mediakix. Meanwhile, digital
assistance, or player support within a
a mobile device. Games have a ton of
working with TELUS International /
and somebody else gets to enjoy the
and our famous “Céad Míle Fáilte” –
distributor Steam says it attracts any-
VR environment, gaming companies are
competition for eyeballs,” says Jerry
Voxpro?
spoils of your unique idea. LinkedIn and
which literally means a hundred thou-
where from eight to 13 million gamers
seeking ways to adjust to these new
Leisure, the senior director of player
JP: Our industry has been slow to
PayPal co-founder Reid Hoffman calls
sand welcomes in our native language.
per day. Add to that the more than 100
innovations and expectations, shifting
experience at mobile-game develop-
realize that surrounding employees
this type of growth ‘blitzscaling’ - ‘the
The Irish really look after one another,
million unique users that log onto live
their approach to customer service and
er Kabam. “You want yours to stand
with the finest tools and technologies
science and art of rapidly building out a
and this helps to open doors for us
streaming platform Twitch, and it’s easy
the user experience.
out as the number-one entertainment
is great, but if engagement is low and
company to serve a large market, with
doing business, especially in the
to see that the gaming industry is in the
attrition is high, customer service will
the goal of becoming the first mover at
U.S.
midst of a new golden age.
8 | Customers First
mobile gaming has experienced a huge
Here are some of the most significant trends currently disrupting the gaming
surge in adoption. As the mobile gam-
option on people’s phones, and service can be part of that differentiation.” Customers First | 9
Industry focus
TELUS International
Service impact of streaming and virtual reality Gamers have been posting tutorials and troubleshooting tips on YouTube and forums for years, making self-support one of the leading customer service channels. Twitch — a live-streaming video platform on which some of the best players livestream gameplay and tutorials — has capitalized on this to build its huge user base. Leisure explains that service per-
scription isn’t as big of an investment
The next step in the revolution will
sonalization is the best approach when
as a console,” says Custy. “But, if I’m
require gaming companies to integrate
it comes to mobile — and especially
paying for it and it’s underperforming to
tutorials and self-service into the games
freemium — gaming. Players spend
my expectations, retention is going to
themselves, especially as virtual- and
varying amounts of time and money
be difficult.”
augmented-reality (VR/AR) gaming
on their favorite games, and some only play occasionally. “Being able to
To combat low switching costs,
different player persona — and what will help keep each one engaged with the game — I think is the real secret sauce. It’s one of the key disruption points in the
The number-one reason why players leave a game is because they didn’t feel their issue was properly resolved.
transition from console to mobile gaming,” Leisure says.
with non-financial brands
of all kinds. PayPal has already revolutionized the way we pay for goods and services, and industry analysts have predicted that Amazon is “the tech giant most likely to become a dominant
gains popularity. Headsets like the Oculus Rift make gaming a completely im-
Carly Olsten doesn’t have a natural af-
big tech companies is that they simplify
player” in the emerging financial tech-
leverage big data to
mersive experience; players won’t want
finity for traditional banks. The 23-year-
their language. I guess a bank could
nology (fintech) space. So where does
increase player retention.
to take the headset off to troubleshoot
old digital strategist was taught while
recruit me as a customer by putting the
that leave banks and other financial
“All our internal player data
the game. That means game-makers
growing up in small-town Massachu-
banking jargon into more recognized
firms hoping to connect with the covet-
is integrated with sup-
will be forced to think about ways to
setts to be “savvy and skeptical” of big
terms,” says Suggett.
ed Millennial audience?
port tools,” he says. “Our
offer virtual, in-game support in an
financial institutions by her parents, who
agents can tell at any given
immersive 3D environment.
favored the personalized service they
on traditional banks and fast-growing
Gaining a generation’s trust
got from their local credit union.
tech companies aren’t unique. A report
According to Mike Brown, an analyst
from Scratch, a creative-consulting
with student loan marketplace LendE-
Leisure says games companies should
identify what will help each
Why Millennials prefer banking
time where the player has
Custy says this will likely lead to
progressed in the game,
more exciting ways of educating play-
Now, Olsten believes that traditional
Olsten and Suggett’s perspectives
how many posts they have in our
ers. Instead of watching a YouTube
banks are “tired and slow,” and don’t
team operating within media company
DU, history is to blame for Millennials’
community, and what support tickets
video, calling support or browsing
offer convenient hours of operation. “If
Viacom, revealed that 71 percent of
widespread wariness of banks. “It’s all
The pressure is on for gaming-as-a-
they’ve submitted. Front-line agents
FAQs, gamers could potentially tap into
I’m being totally honest, they’re usually
Millennial consumers would rather go
rooted in the financial crisis of 2007 and
service
can then take a 360 view of the player,
an in-game and interactive AI-powered
staffed with older people that I have a
to the dentist than listen to a message
2008. For younger Millennials who were
Brick-and-mortar video game retailers
and think about how to retain them,”
virtual assistant, he says.
hard time relating to,” she says.
from a bank.
growing up during that time, it left a bad
may soon become a thing of the past.
Leisure says.
As platforms like X-Box shift away from
New technologies like these can be
Meanwhile, Clara Suggett, a 23-year-
For traditional financial institutions,
taste in their mouths.”
Based on Kabam’s analysis, Leisure
overwhelming to both game-makers
old student and ski instructor in British
that’s a sobering thought, made even
In order to gain this generation’s
selling games via physical stores and
says the number-one reason why play-
and players, and it’s unlikely that the
Columbia, Canada, admits that, al-
more unsettling by another data point
trust, traditional financial services com-
towards offering monthly subscriptions,
ers leave a game is because they didn’t
pace of innovation will slow down any-
though there’s “something solid” about
from the study: A full three-quarters of
panies will have to go head-to-head
more pressure is on service teams to
feel their issue was properly resolved.
time soon. The key to keeping players
traditional banks, she and others her
Millennials would rather get their finan-
with powerful opponents. PayPal and
deliver great support lest people get
“Empowering our agents with data, and
playing, say experts, is continuing to
age are more likely to trust a tech com-
cial services from a tech company like
Amazon have become a part of the
frustrated and cancel, notes John
getting them to focus on retention, has
drive personalization, a goal that games
pany. “I think it’s because we have so
Amazon, PayPal or Google.
daily Millennial experience. By provid-
Custy, a gaming customer service con-
been critical in helping us keep players
companies can pursue no matter what
much interaction with them [on the day-
sultant at JPC Group. “A monthly sub-
playing,” he says.
the next big disruption might be.
to-day],” she says. “A positive about
10 | Customers First
Banking with tech companies is an
ing mobile solutions and services built
increasingly viable option for consumers
around convenience, they make it easy Customers First | 11
Success stories
TELUS International
for consumers to get the goods, con-
age of users who have an intense brand
tent and customer service they need, all
relationship. But that sentiment isn’t
in one place.
necessarily standard across the bank-
The brand-name recognition is also
ing industry.
worth a lot. For every Amazon, there are
At war with the status quo: Nest Labs’ unique approach to customer service
John Moses is head of customer support at Nest Labs, a Google-owned maker of smart thermostats, smoke detectors, security cameras and other security systems - and one of the
20 big banks and 200 fintechs, all com-
Give customers what they want
peting for the same customers. It takes
While tech companies have, as Na-
a truly fantastic product and exceptional
tarelli puts it, “leapfrogged” traditional
joining Nest in 2015, Moses was VP of
customer service to gain traction with
business models, what really speaks to
global customer care for HP’s printing
younger generations, which is why
Millennials is the frictionless customer
and personal systems division, oversee-
tech companies are a threat to banks.
experience tech companies are adept
ing a 14,000-person support team.
“The interests of these companies feels
at providing.
leaders in the Internet of Things (IoT) consumer technology space. Before
Moses takes a strategic “test and
more win-win because they don’t place
There’s no reason why traditional
learn” approach to customer service, a
money as the goal at the forefront like a
banks can’t strive for the same level of
skill he brings from his nearly 15 years
bank would. It’s more ‘let us serve you’
experience. In MBLM’s Brand Intimacy
as a strategy consultant. As part of
in my mind,” says Olsten.
reports, “fulfillment” and “enhancement”
the Voxpro Studios podcast series,
are factors that impact satisfaction and
Patrick Haughey recently spoke to
The value of relevance
loyalty. Fulfillment relates to delivering
Moses about how Nest is trying to bring
Connecting with Millennials requires at
superior service and meeting custom-
warmth, humanness and a sense of
least an honest attempt at recognizing
ers’ expectations, while enhancement
self-sufficiency to customer support,
and embodying their values. Citibank
reflects how smart and capable a com-
while helping users address the inherent
has made inroads with the Gen Y
pany is in the eyes of consumers. Both
complexity and overwhelming feature
audience by identifying what matters
fintech and financial services firms can
choice in today’s IoT-enabled devices.
to them. Its parent company, Citigroup,
build fulfillment and enhancement by
Edited excerpts of that conversation
offers Millennial employees the ability to
offering on-demand customer service
follow.
take a year off work to volunteer — a
ed to brands in the space where they
delivered seamlessly across multiple
perk that’s sure to change the way con-
live most — digital,” says Mario Na-
channels.
sumers view this massive, multinational
tarelli, managing partner with MBLM,
company.
an agency that ranks brands based on
footsteps of Google and, as Suggett
tomer service?
emotional connections, or brand intima-
puts it, “simplify.” Google’s customer
John Moses (JM): I would say that
company Engagement Labs reveals
cy. “If you look at top brands overall for
service page makes use of icons and
Nest is at war with the status quo. We
that Citibank has earned the distinction
Millennials, they’re digital companies.”
drop-down menus to pare down the
want to challenge what people have
process of reaching an agent. “I trust a
been trained to believe about their
A report from consumer-engagement
of being one of the brands that Millenni-
In MBLM’s latest report about the fi-
How would you characterize Nest’s approach to the market and to cus-
Another strategy is to follow in the
al men aged 25 to 39 talk about most,
nancial services industry, PayPal ranked
system that can get the job done quick-
homes and the products that are on
alongside Heineken, FOX Sports and
first, but was followed closely by Chase
ly the first time,” Olsten says.
their walls, like thermostats or smoke
Corona.
and Visa. That’s because Visa has a
Citibank also regularly uses its
large percentage of “fusing customers”
authentic, omnichannel customer
Twitter account to invite consumers
— consumers who feel deeply linked
experience is the only way to reliably
with questions or concerns to get in
to the brand. Chase, meanwhile, had a
connect with Millennial consumers right
touch. Its customer service is visible
strong intimacy quotient score overall,
now - and to build their loyalty into the
and always-on. “Millennials are attract-
meaning it ranks highly in the percent-
future.
12 | Customers First
detectors, and say it doesn’t have to be
In the end, pursuing a streamlined,
that way.
John Moses, head of customer support at Nest Labs, speaking at a recent Voxpro – powered by TELUS International event
When you’re doing things differently and disrupting a traditional industry as Nest has done, what are some of Customers First | 13
Success stories
TELUS International
the main customer challenges you
data and analytics, and then you say
In 10 years time, what will custom-
face?
“what can we do differently?” And you
er support look like, specifically
JM: I think that we’ve introduced cus-
can experiment. You can try things,
around IoT? How different is it
tomers to beautiful products, but what
do a pilot, and you can always change
going to be?
we’ve also done is given people more
back. So we’re doing that all the time
JM: I think customers are still going
choices, more options to configure and
and making it an ongoing experiment
to want products that allow them to
use them in a way that fits their desires,
and a strategic problem-solving story
live a more connected, controlled and
their goals, their lifestyle.
week-over-week.
informed life. These things are going to
Nest products are probably the finest
be very attractive to people. But they
quality, hardest worked products that
How would you characterize the
also present big challenges. What is
you’ll come across. And because we’ve
current state of customer support
the sense of privacy? Who can see the
loaded these things with functionality,
in the tech industry?
data that’s generated, and could it get
I would say that the greatest custom-
JM: Like in most functions, the pres-
hacked? So there’s this huge anxiety
er service challenge - now and in the
sure to manage cost is tremendous,
that comes with it.
future - is feature adoption. This is an
and so you have had the majority of
I don’t think customers will forego
educational challenge. How do I help
A lot of the customer interactions
equation; you’ve got an agent on one
written. We want to bring what we call
companies working very hard to not
the experience because of that, so it’s
people to first adopt a product with a
at Nest start with us helping them with
side and you’ve got the customer on
“Nestiness,” a warmth and humanness
do support. They’re trying to save 10
going to be up to brands and sup-
killer feature, but then get them to learn
one thing, but at the end of every call,
the other. What I’m trying to build is
to the dialog, where we’re not robots,
cents, but they’re losing a
port departments to help
about the other 10 or 20 things they
I insist that we send them an email
some experience between those two
where customers don’t feel like the
dollar. They’re trying to say
reassure people that using
could do with that product?
with some additional information or an
people, and there is no pre-cut way of
conversation is scripted, where they
no to customers or trying
article to say, “Here’s what we showed
doing that. There are certainly funda-
have a sense that we’re being personal
to deflect calls instead of
a smartphone today, most customers
you how to do, and by the way, you
mentals that we want to teach, but
and human.
just opening the floodgates,
are doing five or six things with it, but
could’ve done that yourself, and here’s
we want that customer to feel like that
the device can do much more. Helping
something else that we talked about
agent listened, that they actually built a
Where do you see the most op-
customers on a journey to learning, to
that you might be interested in.” What
personal connection, that there might
portunity in the customer service
non-support that happens
embracing, to trying what that product
we’re doing is basically helping to cre-
have even been some level of humor in
world?
where you didn’t help the
can do, is the position customer sup-
ate self-sufficiency, and that’s some-
the dialog.
JM: They say customer service is the
customer, the customer
port teams should be taking.
thing that customers are very proud of.
new marketing, because people don’t
didn’t get their problems
How do you see the role of social
necessarily listen to what the brand
solved, they might have
I think that when you give someone
taking it in and learning. I think there’s this cost to
Helping customers on a journey to learning, to embracing, to trying what that product can do, is the position customer support teams should be taking. John Moses Head of Customer Support, Nest Labs
this capability can also be done in a way that’s private, where they’re respected and in control and that they’re not taking some unnecessary risk. The second challenge is with all the choices, all the decisions. While these IoT-enabled products are
With Nest products and other
What do you think are the qualities
support, chat and the various other
says about itself, or what a company
returned the product, and
IoT-connected devices, how do you
inherent in a really great customer
support channels that may be a bit
says about itself. They’re going to listen
they probably told 10 people about
there are also more and more features
help customers overcome the per-
support agent?
less personal?
to what other customers are saying,
the bad experience they had. So that’s
and interplay between how customers
ceived (or real) complexity?
JM: I think we’ve all made this harder
JM: Customers by and large would
and so your service function becomes
where you’ve lost the dollar when
use the product and how products
JM: There’s a misperception that cus-
than it has to be in terms of delivering
much prefer to have a dialog in a chat
more and more strategic and critical. I
you’ve saved the 10 cents. I just think
work together, the choices I make,
tomers call [customer support] because
great customer experiences. That’s
or on social media where they are
would say service is the largest room in
it’s shortsighted and it’s a shame. By
who can see what, etc. And so I call it
they don’t want to do the groundwork
because we haven’t always enabled an
controlling the time frame. They can ask
the house for improvement in a com-
and large, that’s been the norm.
the “configuration challenge” that may
to really understand a new product, but
agent to be successful. We haven’t put
a question, look at their computer or
pany. It’s a playground where you can
I think most customers would love to
them in a position to be free, to do what
their phone and do something else, and
make change and experiment and see
pendulum is swinging, and a lot of
it isn’t about fixing broken things but
self-serve. I think we need to build their
they need to do, to build a personal
then come back to the answer later.
progress before your very eyes in a way
companies are figuring out that it’s a
more about educating customers about
confidence, to point the way, to teach
connection.
But the communication doesn’t have
that you might not in other functions.
losing proposition for their brand and
all the available options.
them to fish if you will. 14 | Customers First
I always say that this is a human
to be any less informal, even when it is
You have this flood of information,
But I think it’s changing. I think the
getting incredibly powerful,
create a dilemma in the future, where
their sales in the long run. Customers First | 15
Center for excellence
TELUS International initial steps, but they are only half the battle. The next stage is developing a comprehensive strategy to plan and execute
People • Plan change management roadmap • Develop and empower highly-skilled agents • Build a balanced talent model
The key elements of an omnichannel transition
the transition, and then to assess post-implementation effectiveness. Everest Group, in partnership with TELUS International, developed a guide, Delivering Omnichannel Customer Experience, with carefully designed steps and practical checklists to help brands assemble key resources and measure
Process • Revamp business processes • Design and monitor new organizational and people KPIs
Omnichannel transition
their omnichannel results. Read on for excerpts from the guide to help you successfully tackle the next steps in your journey to omnichannel customer experience. Critical success factors Prior to beginning omnichannel transition efforts, it’s important for organizations to ensure they build the following critical success factors:
Technology • Integrate systems and information from all channels • Augment with analytics and automation
• Customer-centric approach: Similar to an industry
Delivering omnichannel customer experience – new research
disruptors’ approach, it’s key to create a delivery model from the point of view of your customer, as opposed to one that accommodates certain channels or locations, which don’t always line up with how your customers want to interact with your brand. • Increased role of senior leadership: To ultimately
Download the complimentary omnichannel papers: Part 1 – From Multichannel to Omnichannel Customer Experience: A Checklist for Assessing Readiness to Make the Jump Part 2 – Delivering Omnichannel Customer Experience: A Practical Guide to Successful Omnichannel Execution
succeed at omnichannel, you’ll require the support of
Omnichannel customer experience is quickly becoming an
senior leaders across your organization to champion
People. Process. Technology
channel transition can be challenging
impressions (reach), the conversion rate
established consumer expectation. Companies that create a
and prioritize the necessary investments in people and
With these critical success factors in
as multiple touchpoints are managed
from impressions to contacts (acquire),
unified brand experience, ensuring customers get the same
technology and to remove roadblocks and inefficiencies
place, the elements of omnichannel
together, driving both customer and
and the repurchase and upsell rates
service, support, and information regardless of how they
that may arise along the way.
transition can be divided across the
business outcomes. The key is to
(retain).
three dimensions of people, process,
understand that success cannot be
an internal transition team with representation across
and technology. All three must be
attributed to one particular channel or
analyzing business and customer out-
This is especially true when it comes to industry disrup-
the various departments within your organization, you
addressed in a synchronized manner
location, but rather, to evaluating and
comes to inform your customer service
tors in the fast-growing tech sector. Their value propositions
can ensure that the people, process and technology
through a series of planning steps for
optimizing a holistic set of touchpoints
and potentially your product or service
typically center on finding new ways to deliver an existing
requirements of making the transition to omnichannel
implementation.
along the customer journey.
evolution on an ongoing basis. Critically,
product or service in a more convenient, efficient and person-
are effectively captured and that you are receiving timely
alized way. For the majority, this means adopting an omni-
feedback as you progress.
interact with the brand, will attract, retain and delight their customers while driving top-line growth.
channel strategy so they can meet their customers where, when and how they want.
• Organizational readiness for change: By forming
The Everest guide provides an
That said, it’s still important to
in-depth look at the investments you
track channel-specific KPIs in order
quickly to challenges, but it will also
should consider across the three
to effectively locate the root cause of
enable you to anticipate and proactively
transition to omnichannel will require a shift in culture
dimensions, as well as the benefits you
customers’ challenges at any point in
address your customers’ desires, lead-
and a change in mindset for employees at all levels of
will reap in return.
their journey. Some helpful metrics that
ing to a more personalized and efficient
the market has begun to explore to
experience.
• Aligning culture with omnichannel imperatives: A
Take it one step at a time
your organization. By clearly and frequently communi-
Deciding to make the jump to omnichannel and assessing
cating your customer-centric vision, you will inspire and
A recipe for success
measure the effectiveness of omnichan-
the readiness of your organization to change are important
engage your team to join the journey.
Measuring the success of an omni-
nel implementation are the number of
16 | Customers First
Another focus is on tracking and
the data you collect will help you react
Customers First | 17
Hot topics
TELUS International
The big picture The ‘Voxgro Dome’ and gardens at the Voxpro – powered by TELUS International headquarters in Cork, Ireland offer an inspiring space for team members (and sometimes the resident chickens!) to congregate and celebrate milestones, dream up new ideas, and grow fruits and vegetables later enjoyed at their onsite juice bar.
Cryptocurrency exchanges: The new outsourcing El Dorado
version of electronic cash that rely on
users grow, so does the number of
blockchain technology. They allow
support questions. This rapid growth,
online payments to be sent directly
combined with the 24/7 nature of the
from one party to another using com-
service and multi-language require-
plex encryption techniques to regulate
ments of users, can be challenging for
the generation of units of currency and
even the most established organiza-
verify the transfer of funds, operating
tions to serve, let alone cryptocurrency
entirely independent of a central bank.
start-ups whose core business is far
CoinMarketCap lists over 1,000 crypto-
from the realm of customer service.
currencies, but only 12 of them have a
As a consequence, most exchang-
“The end of money as we know it,”
market cap of more than U.S. $1 billion,
es are using chatbots as a stopgap
“Why big banks are nervous,” “The
the largest of which is Bitcoin.
solution. But, a robust customer service
new digital gold,” – these are just a few
Crypto exchanges are the business-
strategy is particularly critical for ex-
of the sensationalized claims about
es that actually allow customers to
changes as many users are looking for
cryptocurrencies making headlines in
trade digital currencies, putting global
guidance in a market perceived as both
recent months. Combined with celebrity
buyers and sellers in contact so they
complex and risky. Professional human
endorsements from Paris Hilton and
can perform transactions. One example
interaction offered alongside chatbots
Jaimie Foxx, it’s becoming harder to
of a popular crypto exchange is Coin-
can serve as a competitive differentiator
ignore this financial industry disruptor,
base which operates in 32 countries,
and help users feel more at ease.
and more challenging for cryptocurren-
overseeing more than 27.5 million wal-
The right outsourcing partner can
cy companies to meet the demands of
lets, with an estimated one million users
help crypto exchanges achieve scalabil-
new users.
added in June 2017 alone.
ity, deliver localized support, and meet the growing service expectations of
What is cryptocurrency and how
How can outsourcing help meet the
users, allowing crypto exchange busi-
does it work?
growing cryptocurrency demand?
nesses to focus on their core offering
Cryptocurrencies are a peer-to-peer
As the number of crypto exchange
for greater innovation.
18 | Customers First
Customers First | 19
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