Comments on: NPOWER – WHEN DOES THE CUSTOMER STOP BEING STRATEGIC?

By: Julian Rawel

Julian Rawel — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 09:52:27 +0000

In reply to Anita.

Hi Anita
Thanks for your detailed comment.
A simple summary – how many managers at “the top” ever really engage with their customers or employees who engage with customers? Not too many…thus your comments.
Regards
Julian

By: Anita

Anita — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 09:44:29 +0000

Dear Julian,
While customer-centricity is talked by almost all corporates, it is interesting to understand the following important processes:
1. Listening to current and potential customers.
2. Linking the customer voice to change in the customer service process
3. Testing the efficacy of customer interface.
In most companies the customer voice is heard by an outsourced company possibly an offshore no-name whose cultural background is so diverse that he can hardly be blamed for a mechanical job. In fact he/she takes the entire customer anger and frustration for what is wrong and accolades for what is right.
Some corporates have taken the initiative of designing a performa to catch customer voices. These performas are based on the companies perception of Customer and not Customers perception of company and its services. Mirror is already coloured so the outcome is limited.
Many companies don’t have this ritual either.
Usually there is a small and least important department/unit that collates whatever customer insight comes. Since in the large corporates power play, these are pigmies, they are not heard enough and hardly acted upon.
Those running the customer processes remain dissected with no reference to these lesser mortals called research team and invariably dictate their understanding of what the customer wants. Ultimately, the falling revenue hits Business Development and Finance directly who look for solutions elsewhere than where the problem sits.

By: Julian Rawel

Julian Rawel — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:41:12 +0000

In reply to Florian.

Hi Florian
Thanks for your comment. Everyone seems to be thinking the same. Its time to persuade corporate leaders to really appreciate the experiences of their customers. That’s why I developed Market Echoes.
Regards
Julian

By: Florian

Florian — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 15:27:44 +0000

Hi Julian,

An interesting article and from my opinion you are right. “Npower should treat customers with empathy and respect”.
Many (big)companies are cutting in wages or jobs during a depression. They are looking too much into the figures instead of paying attention to the customer.
Npower’s greatest assets are their customers. Npower have to realize that without customers they wouldn’t exist.
I always try to keep in mind what Michael LeBoeuf said, “a satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all”!

Regards, Florian

By: Julian Rawel

Julian Rawel — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 16:53:29 +0000

In reply to Frank.

Hi Frank
Thanks for your comments. In service terms what you say is so obvious – but why do companies ignore the obvious?
Regards
Julian

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 09:23:23 +0000

A good example how ‘saying one thing and doing another’ produces confusion or worse. If the company invested into improving home-made capabilities to better deliver on their promise, what an inspiring communication platform they had.

I enjoy your articles. Many thanks, Julien

Frank

By: Julian Rawel

Julian Rawel — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:31:41 +0000

In reply to Sergio.

Hi Sergio
Your comments are quite sad, though absolutely accurate.
Big corporates too frequently see customers as financial assets rather than living beings. If they saw them as both they’d be on route to bigger assets and happier customers.
Regards
Julian

By: Julian Rawel

Julian Rawel — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:29:16 +0000

In reply to S Baki.

Hi Seyhan
A key issue is how to get companies like npower to see the benefit of keeping customers long term, not through inertia but because they value the supplier.
Regards
Julian

By: Julian Rawel

Julian Rawel — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:26:46 +0000

In reply to Oleksandr Lobas.

Hi Oleksandr
Thanks for your comment.
On the one had it’s about training and culture change but on the other it’s about senior management truly making the customer the centre of their service as well as revenue aspirations.
Regards
Julian

By: Sergio

Sergio — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 06:42:03 +0000

I think in the modern corporate world there is a big disadvantage if you are a customer or user of the service. If a customer doesn’t pay a bill the service is cut off (with hefty reconnection fees) and people are swiftly taken to a process that goes up to the courts. If a provider overcharges that customer and doesn’t resolve the issue, what can they do? Complaint, send letters, make phone calls and waste a lot of time on it. That time, effort and expenses are never compensated regardless if they get the money back or not. There is now a culture (with legislation and bureaucracy to back it up) that protects corporate entities and makes it unpractical for individuals to follow small claims.