Surface Ripples

24/7 Service?

I recently used a UK bank’s “24/7” online messaging service to help resolve a problem.

To be fair, when I initiated the conversation, my location was eight hours ahead of the UK.  The AI or automatic agent did respond immediately but, once it became clear that my needs required “human intervention” it needed to pass me to one of its “human” colleagues. 

The system very kindly advised that it might take up to 30 minutes for a “human” to contact me.  This may have been for several reasons including high numbers of enquiries.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have 30 minutes to wait online whilst the “system” dealt with me.

I’ve no complaints about the “virtual agent” (read AI bot) being used.  After all, this bank has probably discovered that many queries can be answered through AI.  The problem comes when one does need human intervention.

My question: if you advertise a service as 24/7, is the customer entitled to assume that:

It does indeed function 24/7?

They will receive “human intervention” in a timely manner? 

In my opinion, a 30-minute delay isn’t “timely”.  I might just as well have called their hotline and resolved the issue within five minutes if it had been “time sensitive”.  As luck would have it, it wasn’t.

AI is being touted as the answer to everything.  However, it still has a long way to go as we can see from the above example.  Ironically, the reason I was forced to contact the so-called 24/7 service was because I had received a message from that bank which told me I would be able to use its internet banking service or mobile app to apply.  Unfortunately, the message didn’t include precise instructions on the steps required.

I fully understand that one must assume a basic level of “intelligence” in people from time to time.  The problem is that every bank’s internet banking service (and other non-banking services) are laid out differently by people who follow their own logic in terms of website or app design as well as local regulations.  What may be “intuitive” to one person may not be to the next. 

In short, if we as businesses offer a “24/7 service”, we need to make sure it’s a full service that responds to all customer needs.  This means that, as leaders, we need to test our systems to ensure they’re fit for purpose and do “what it says on the tin”.

I’ve spent more than half my life delivering change in different world markets from the most developed to “emerging” economies. With a wealth of international experience in international financial services around the world running different operations and lending businesses, I started my own Consultancy to provide solutions for improving performance, productivity and risk management.  I work with individuals, small businesses, charities, quoted companies and academic institutions across the world. An international speaker, trainer, author and fund-raiser, I can be contacted by email. 

Labels: Customer Care, Productivity, Strategy

posted by William Martin @ 08:41