Reader’s Digest Australia December 2021

["\u2605 \u2605 2022 \u2022 Voted by Australia ted by Australia \u2605 \u2605 2020 \u2022 VoPet InsurancePet Insurance Service ns \u2022 2020 \u2605 \u2605 ns \u2022 2022 \u2605 \u2605 2021 \u2605\u2605 Pet Insurance \u2605\u2605","2022 QUALITY SERVICE AWARDS \u2605 \u2605 2022 \u2022 Vo ted by Australia ns \u2022 2022 \u2605 \u2605 Wine Subscriptions\/Clubs GOLD \u2605\u2605 Wine Subscriptions\/Clubs NAKED WINES CUSTOMERS ARE AT THE CORE OF the allows Naked Wines to rectify any Naked Wines business, which offers situations and ensure it is able to access to exclusive top-quality wines maintain its strong customer service \u2013 by Australia and New Zealand\u2019s best with the end goal that customers feel independent winemakers. To ensure satisfied, or better than satisfied, at the they get things right from the start, end of the interaction. individual agents in its call centre (better known as the \u2018Customer To this end, representatives are Happiness Team\u2019) are only recruited if provided with a budget to use at their they have service discretion to surprise and delight deeply rooted within their values. customers. As an online Ongoing training and business, Naked development in Wines was in active listening, a fortunate empathy and position during diffusing situations the COVID-19 is provided to pandemic, but everyone in the that doesn\u2019t mean Customer Happiness Team, while it didn\u2019t face any their key performance indicator (KPI) challenges. In fact, it is to receive a five-star rating from is still facing challenges around choked customers. delivery networks, as is much of the retail industry. \u201cWe have navigated Naked Wines internal CRM these challenges by being on the front (customer relationship management) foot in communications, by being software is used to capture data and transparent with customers, and auto-prompt feedback from customers going above and beyond when things once a Customer Happiness go wrong,\u201d said Alicia Kennedy, MD representative has interacted with Naked Wines Australia. them. This gives the wine business the opportunity to follow up on any O\u0003Visit www.nakedwines.com.au low feedback received. Following up 200 readersdigest.com.au www.qualityserviceawards.com.au","","2022 QUALITY SERVICE AWARDS RISING TO THE CHALLENGE Delta forced dramatic changes across the customer service industry, with impressive results. We celebrate the businesses that rose to the challenge WHILE 2020 was the year companies suited to a new post-pandemic world. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES across the service industries were The hastily rolled out trial-run of 2020 forced to hastily adjust to the matured into the sharpest delivery COVID-19 pandemic, 2021 has of customer service practices we\u2019ve witnessed a measured focus of ever seen. So seamless are these consolidating, strengthening and new models, that customers of those rebuilding customer relations to companies setting the benchmarks navigate the new virus-wary business have never been happier. and economic landscape. Customer service departments The Delta outbreak, that appeared across Australia have navigated on Australian shores in late May, lead dramatic changes, with many to fear, lockdowns and disruptions teams no longer working in large \u2013 and a widespread urgency for call centres or shopfronts with their Australians to get vaccinated. As we peers on hand for support. Instead, waited for the double-vaccination these professionals have worked rates to climb, customer service at from home where all aspects of the all levels of the business community customer-business interface \u2013 from \u2013 from corner stores to SMEs and staff-motivation and new technologies multinationals \u2013 introduced new to staff-performance and customer operating models that are better satisfaction rates \u2013 have enjoyed 202 readersdigest.com.au www.qualityserviceawards.com.au","success and growth. Office cubicles leavers, long- and short-term and showrooms moved to the kitchen unemployed and ex-retirees \u2013 have table, study or bedroom-based desk. entered the local customer service For many businesses, the dramatic industry with enthusiasm and new shift from face-to-face interaction skill sets. to online platforms progressed seamlessly. As pandemic numbers These local teams also provided began to peak outside, their customer community service assistance, service teams continued to assist helping customers navigate the customers through phone calls, social lockdown restrictions, solving the media, online messaging live chats, problems that they themselves SMS and even video. Customers are faced. Tips were shared on where more comfortable than ever when to get vaccinated, which streaming using these channels, with many even movies and TV shows were worth preferring self-service over human watching, and what board games contact \u2013 as long as that service is fast they\u2019d dusted off to avoid the and efficient. boredom of lockdown. They also listened to stories of despair caused With the collapse of off-shore by family separation, illness and customer service call centres, a everything else that the health orders new generation of workers \u2013 school impacted. Stories were shared, www.qualityserviceawards.com.au 203","2022 QUALITY SERVICE AWARDS \u201cThe single greatest companies come to learn and adjust PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES way a company can their business settings to the ever- distinguish itself from evolving needs of their customers. its competition is by the level of service it offers\u201d Those needs, regardless of the financial value of the transaction, solutions suggested, and customer remain unchanged: customer service loyalties cemented. focused on making the customer feel respected and valued while As a result, the customer service providing a satisfactory solution to trends of 2022 and beyond won\u2019t just their concern. That outcome needs to be about getting \u2018back on track\u2019 after consistently exceed the customer\u2019s this period of historical disruption. expectations \u2013 regardless of the Companies need to be willing to channel through which it\u2019s delivered. recognise that just as the landscape has changed in the pandemic era, so \u201cThe single greatest way a company too have the needs and expectations can distinguish itself from its of their customers. The road ahead competition is by the level of service it will remain just as challenging as offers, and the higher level of service you offer, the more successful you will be,\u201d says Nancy Friedman, president of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training in the US. \u201cCompanies spend thousands of marketing dollars trying to convince us to buy their products, but if customer contact is not handled just right in a store, at a call centre, or on the web by customer service representatives, all that money is wasted.\u201d The satisfaction and loyalty of customers is not an easy thing to capture and keep. Those companies that succeed in building and maintaining strong customer loyalty have a truly valuable business formula, but at the same time, are adaptable enough to deal with changes in the landscape. 204 readersdigest.com.au www.qualityserviceawards.com.au","AUSTRALIA NEDDE & OW N MA","AIMALGIFINTE IN YOUR HOME Install Australia\u2019s favourite residential lift 1300 303 522 resilift.com.au"]