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Call centres contribute to the top line
Friday, November 27, 2009 Online communities can help build brands, yet poor customer service can quickly change attitudes.
Paul Lindley, founder of Ella’s Kitchen told Call Centre Focus that forums and online communities have created a customer dichotomy, giving them unprecedented power to contact a business and expect an answer right away. "Word of mouth and online communications can generate business and help increase top line revenues. But this can quickly turn into a bad experience, if customers are forced to navigate endless menus and passed around the building."
Lindley says that at Ella’s Kitchen, one dedicated member of staff personally welcomes every customer enquiry, helping to deal with any issues that arise, but also involving customers more deeply in the business by encouraging them to join the ‘Our Friends’ list. The remaining 14 staff are all training to deal with customer queries, helping to validate the Ella’s Kitchen commitment to customer-centricity.
As a founder member of the Consumer Forum, Lindley says that the like-minded companies involved share a similar approach to customers, with the Forum aiming to develop best practice to share with other business. “If you look after customers, the numbers look after themselves.” In much the same way that Ella’s Kitchen hones its products by consulting with parents and their children, customers are encouraged to partake in the Consumer Forum’s panel to ensure that a consumer focus permeates all decisions. |
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