A note before you read this, I have tried to show in this blog what it takes to treat a customer correctly. This is the end result when you do not.
Dear Cynthia Hardy Young et al., Re: Policy US280231363
This letter is to inform you of my intention not to renew my policy with you. This decision is based on the abysmal performance of your company relating to a fire I had at my residence on January 28, 2009 Claim # Z1075870. Some of the things which have frustrated me include the use of incompetent third parties for damage assessment and investigation, which aggravated an already-stressful experience. The hassle of the inefficient claim process took huge quantities of time away from my work and family. The process was further complicated by the fact that I had to contact the adjuster, Chris Nakano numerous times to get the information I needed to create the inventory that the Crawford Company should have handled from start to finish. Furthermore, after the Field Claims Adjuster for Crawford cleared my damaged building for demolition, the restoration company took half of my inventory to the dump. Mr. Brattos (the Adjuster) had already taken a haphazard inventory, but he had issues that forced his removal from the company (with prejudice). This resulted in a loss of documentation regarding my inventory and an inadequate reimbursement for my personal property. Finally, after the dismissal of Mr. Brattos I was forced to waste more time calling supervisors to get Mr. Nakano to contact me. Even when he did, his attitude and deportment were less than professional. Finally, these events have tarnished my child’s name, sullying the reputation of a 7-year old who was wrongly blamed for this disaster. This travesty of a claim process has managed to lose both you and your parent company a customer.
Your third-party Fire Inspector informed me on-site that he could not determine the cause of the fire, but after his investigation was complete, he blamed my 7-year-old son. This conclusion seems unjust and arbitrary, as it was not based on facts uncovered in his investigation, but rather on his assumptions.
I have never had the misfortune to be treated in this manner by any other company. Fires are stressful enough without being mislead about my insurance coverage by a company that touts how fast and fair they are. It is my opinion that a complete review of the performance of the Claims and Property Reimbursement Departments in the California Office should take place, and that corrections with personnel be “fast and fair.”
I work in the communications field and have been in the customer service industry for over 40 years. Your complete lack of compassion and disregard for the feelings of your customers is a disgrace. Should any of my subordinates act in a similar fashion they would have been summarily dismissed!
This experience has cost me possessions and memories that according to the policy were not covered. For the items that were covered, the estimated replacement costs of brand-name items were priced using generic items of lesser quality from lesser stores to diminish the payout, which should have been the full replacement cost. The exclusion of a personal property item, my Father’s 1972 Chevrolet El Camino that had not been on the road for over 5 years (pending the completion of restoration) was extremely upsetting. The replacement of the 8-person hot tub from a specialty vendor with one from Home Depot at less than half of the prices we quoted from web investigation is another significant example of this nefarious practice.
As a customer of your company, I have been made to feel that if I pay my premium and don’t say a word, then I am the perfect customer. However, the moment something happens that requires action from you, I become merely an expense to be minimized or ignored if possible. I have been treated with disdain and contempt because now you have to do something for the paychecks you get from the silent ones. As of today, it has taken almost eight months to recover from this, and almost all of the reimbursements for my destroyed possessions (those that were actually counted) have gone to the rebuilding of the garage. 10% of the value of the home is not reasonable to rebuild a large stand-alone structure from the ground up. Consequently, I was forced to put 20,000 of the 39,000 I had been given for the replacement of destroyed items into the rebuild.
Now I have chosen a new company with a better service record and higher coverage, although at over twice the amount it cost to have your service. I guess the old adage is true “You do get what you pay for,“ although I would argue that in the case of your company, I did not even receive that. My experience has been chronicled and posted for all to see along with this termination letter. To that end I hope that no one has to go through the hell you have assisted in putting me and my family through.
We as customers have the right to be treated with compassion and respect. You as a company have not succeeded in this. You as a company will find this is not the way to treat your customers. I hope more follow me in discontinuing policies with you to the point where you have to ask for a bailout. This company should take pride in its service and reputation, but in my eyes and those of my family and friends, you are a shabby, untrustworthy, unscrupulous, slack-jawed group of con artists who think that the bottom line is profit, when the bottom line should in fact be the people you serve.
Showing posts with label Communication. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Communication. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Hey, It's not my job!
This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Source: www.comedy-zone.net
Who’s job is it? All of ours. When we need to get to the bottom of an issue, it is not abnormal to go to Client services or sales to get an answer and communicate the information you received back to the customer. I have led Sales to new clients or added services to a customers program. This is not unusual, as this is how teams work together. The 4 people in the above story remind me of places I have worked at in the past. Where everyone knew it wasn’t their job.
There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. Everybody was sure Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.
Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.
It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
Source: www.comedy-zone.net
Who’s job is it? All of ours. When we need to get to the bottom of an issue, it is not abnormal to go to Client services or sales to get an answer and communicate the information you received back to the customer. I have led Sales to new clients or added services to a customers program. This is not unusual, as this is how teams work together. The 4 people in the above story remind me of places I have worked at in the past. Where everyone knew it wasn’t their job.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Build a relation ship…Tips
From the “ Customer Service Advantage”
Four ways to Build relationships and loyalty in short spans of time:
In our business we are the first face of our services so we are responsible for maintaining the relationships the Client Service Managers have established.
Use your time well
Be a wizard at alternative solutions.
Use these four tips to build relationships and customer loyalty during short interactions:
Being creative often means you save customers time and/or money- they will stick around for that.
Brainstorm with co-workers in your department and outside for alternatives to situations that arise.
Listen then repeat
Customers are under pressure to cut costs, save money, do more, etc., in their lives and work.
They want/need a sounding board when they complain or explain their issue.
If you act as one and prove you heard them by repeating their story, they will take your advice and come back for more.
Deliver small acts of kindness
You don’t have to give away the store, but you can build goodwill by giving something useful from time to time. For instance we have a new feature that may help them down the road. If you briefly explain the new feature they will become interested in it and want to know more. Guide them to the customer portal for more information.
Give your best customers a voice
This is the time to make your best customers feel more even more valuable.
Ask them to post on the forum page to let others know how the system works for them and how they get the most out of the service. This feedback will be very valuable to improve customer service and help maintain a healthy relationship with the clients.
Source: “Soothing the Savaged Soul: Customer Love When Times are Tough” by Jeanne Bliss, The Customer Service Institute of America’s Customer Service Excellence, 02/09.
Four ways to Build relationships and loyalty in short spans of time:
In our business we are the first face of our services so we are responsible for maintaining the relationships the Client Service Managers have established.
Use your time well
Be a wizard at alternative solutions.
Use these four tips to build relationships and customer loyalty during short interactions:
Being creative often means you save customers time and/or money- they will stick around for that.
Brainstorm with co-workers in your department and outside for alternatives to situations that arise.
Listen then repeat
Customers are under pressure to cut costs, save money, do more, etc., in their lives and work.
They want/need a sounding board when they complain or explain their issue.
If you act as one and prove you heard them by repeating their story, they will take your advice and come back for more.
Deliver small acts of kindness
You don’t have to give away the store, but you can build goodwill by giving something useful from time to time. For instance we have a new feature that may help them down the road. If you briefly explain the new feature they will become interested in it and want to know more. Guide them to the customer portal for more information.
Give your best customers a voice
This is the time to make your best customers feel more even more valuable.
Ask them to post on the forum page to let others know how the system works for them and how they get the most out of the service. This feedback will be very valuable to improve customer service and help maintain a healthy relationship with the clients.
Source: “Soothing the Savaged Soul: Customer Love When Times are Tough” by Jeanne Bliss, The Customer Service Institute of America’s Customer Service Excellence, 02/09.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Will it go Round in circles?
Karma is fixed to the wheel of life some call it Biorhythm or the UP’s and downs of life. Dharma is revealed to us this way.
The Dharma is the truth as it actually is. Always changing, always re-inventing itself.
Good things happen and bad things happen not withstanding they are just things. How we react is where good and bad come from.
After my short sabbatical I returned to the business of the Fire and started getting bids on the rebuild. The costs are getting lower and lower and we now have a plan.
I haven’t heard from the adjuster in a while (remember he said we will communicate better?) So I e-mailed him a week after sending in my inventory asking if he got it. I called the very next day and left one of “those” voice mails, asking if he received the e-mail, and asked him to call. Three days later I called him again with a little more emotion and asked if he got the e-mail. Fifteen minutes later I got an e-mail indicating he did but I wasn’t supposed to do web research to get replacement costs. “We have a team that does that for you!” Then 3 days later he calls me almost angry that I did do the research. I explained replacement cost is relevant to the area you live in, and his company won’t cheat me.
The restoration company called they said the Adjuster indicated the payment for the work preformed on the house was in the mail 2 weeks ago. I asked about that (using direct quotes and names) he said it was approved on Friday last week. I asked so? Which is it? In the mail? Or in to be approved?
The tune suddenly changed. I like to call this guy on his Bovine Excrement. (Family site you know?)
I explained my Insurance Agent is now involved and that he will be calling and checking on the progress. This did not please the adjuster at all! (I am beginning to see a pattern here, aren’t you?) I really liked it when he said that wasn’t necessary. The roll of the “Insurance Agent” is to sell the policy and make sure the policy is executed to the benefit of all parties.
The agent is looking out for our best interest and will let us know when to contact the attorneys.
Still the bids come and still getting lower….
I Have been getting better at being the customer in order to get what I need done. I have to remember that I have to deliver to my customers as well. This is called walking in the customer’s shoes!
What we do in life is reflected in how life does us this is karma When we do just the basics in our work we are called sloppy, inept and we don’t communicate with the customer. This makes us look bad.
On the other hand when we do all the steps and follow through regardless of the outcome and pass this information to our coworkers or our clients we have done all we can do. This is called good customer service and will maintain customers for a long time.
My wife likes the saying what goes around comes around. Sounds like the wheel of life.
The Dharma is the truth as it actually is. Always changing, always re-inventing itself.
Good things happen and bad things happen not withstanding they are just things. How we react is where good and bad come from.
After my short sabbatical I returned to the business of the Fire and started getting bids on the rebuild. The costs are getting lower and lower and we now have a plan.
I haven’t heard from the adjuster in a while (remember he said we will communicate better?) So I e-mailed him a week after sending in my inventory asking if he got it. I called the very next day and left one of “those” voice mails, asking if he received the e-mail, and asked him to call. Three days later I called him again with a little more emotion and asked if he got the e-mail. Fifteen minutes later I got an e-mail indicating he did but I wasn’t supposed to do web research to get replacement costs. “We have a team that does that for you!” Then 3 days later he calls me almost angry that I did do the research. I explained replacement cost is relevant to the area you live in, and his company won’t cheat me.
The restoration company called they said the Adjuster indicated the payment for the work preformed on the house was in the mail 2 weeks ago. I asked about that (using direct quotes and names) he said it was approved on Friday last week. I asked so? Which is it? In the mail? Or in to be approved?
The tune suddenly changed. I like to call this guy on his Bovine Excrement. (Family site you know?)
I explained my Insurance Agent is now involved and that he will be calling and checking on the progress. This did not please the adjuster at all! (I am beginning to see a pattern here, aren’t you?) I really liked it when he said that wasn’t necessary. The roll of the “Insurance Agent” is to sell the policy and make sure the policy is executed to the benefit of all parties.
The agent is looking out for our best interest and will let us know when to contact the attorneys.
Still the bids come and still getting lower….
I Have been getting better at being the customer in order to get what I need done. I have to remember that I have to deliver to my customers as well. This is called walking in the customer’s shoes!
What we do in life is reflected in how life does us this is karma When we do just the basics in our work we are called sloppy, inept and we don’t communicate with the customer. This makes us look bad.
On the other hand when we do all the steps and follow through regardless of the outcome and pass this information to our coworkers or our clients we have done all we can do. This is called good customer service and will maintain customers for a long time.
My wife likes the saying what goes around comes around. Sounds like the wheel of life.
Friday, March 13, 2009
And The Walls Came Tumbling Down…
Here is more on the experience of the customer and the Fire.
I received an IM from my wife yesterday asking if I was ok? Why do you ask I replied? They didn’t call you?
No, Who? The restoration People?
The back wall of my Garage caved in.
Last week we got the go ahead to tear down the roof and start rebuilding, I was so pleased. I got the check from the insurance and passed it to the contractor The day before we started to demolish the garage.
My wife’s IM was just the start. I got home and found everything in my side yard, Grass torn up and a car on the lawn sheds and continence strewn all over. It looks worse now then the day after the fire!
The back wall was torn about half way down and the roof was gone. As they tried to calm me down they said we can rebuild with wood, or try to fix it but we need engineers to help out (more money to be spent) and determine the best possible route. Well al new brick would cost $9,000 plus Labor the wood and labor 19,000 Just what they gave me!
I have a Brick Mason in the family! He is out of work right now and is going over the situation.
I am finding out I am not the best of customers I really get upset when things go wrong and insist that it works out for everyone when it works.
Now I have to remember that when my customers call. I have to be in the restoration business. Resurrecting the spirit of my customer when it goes wrong so I can see where the actual issue lies.
Todd and Jim did exactly that. They let me vent for a moment, Punch their Dump Truck and then gave me the options for repair.
We do the same thing everyday with almost every call. We are good at being the provider. But how are we as customers ourselves? I find that knowing what to expect from a provider from the beginning has it’s advantages but also pitfalls as well. Setting expectations is a tricky business. Make them small goals, What do you hope to accomplish? How will we do it? And in the long run how much time will it take.
The Scenario was played out at a company meeting The story goes like this. I took my car to the shop and left it. I called each day to check “Oh it in the shop for Diagnostics” That went on for a few days. He went to the shop and found the car had not been moved.
He took the car and placed a few calls to other shops. And got this response from the one he chose."The appointment will be Wednesday and we will acess the car and report back to you! They did and the repair would cost this much and take this long. The part can be ordered today and will be in ,in a week.
You can still Use your call until then. He knew how much it was to cost, how long the job would take and didn’t need to rely on someone else for transportation.
This is how I ran my shop, before it was like the other one. There is a big difference in working towards
An objective and just passing the customer off.
I work hard at what I do, I work with my customers as a team. We have this symbiotic relationship. They need me as much as I need them. I need them to teach me how to be a better customer.
By the way my hand still hurts. Dump Trucks are Hard!
I received an IM from my wife yesterday asking if I was ok? Why do you ask I replied? They didn’t call you?
No, Who? The restoration People?
The back wall of my Garage caved in.
Last week we got the go ahead to tear down the roof and start rebuilding, I was so pleased. I got the check from the insurance and passed it to the contractor The day before we started to demolish the garage.
My wife’s IM was just the start. I got home and found everything in my side yard, Grass torn up and a car on the lawn sheds and continence strewn all over. It looks worse now then the day after the fire!
The back wall was torn about half way down and the roof was gone. As they tried to calm me down they said we can rebuild with wood, or try to fix it but we need engineers to help out (more money to be spent) and determine the best possible route. Well al new brick would cost $9,000 plus Labor the wood and labor 19,000 Just what they gave me!
I have a Brick Mason in the family! He is out of work right now and is going over the situation.
I am finding out I am not the best of customers I really get upset when things go wrong and insist that it works out for everyone when it works.
Now I have to remember that when my customers call. I have to be in the restoration business. Resurrecting the spirit of my customer when it goes wrong so I can see where the actual issue lies.
Todd and Jim did exactly that. They let me vent for a moment, Punch their Dump Truck and then gave me the options for repair.
We do the same thing everyday with almost every call. We are good at being the provider. But how are we as customers ourselves? I find that knowing what to expect from a provider from the beginning has it’s advantages but also pitfalls as well. Setting expectations is a tricky business. Make them small goals, What do you hope to accomplish? How will we do it? And in the long run how much time will it take.
The Scenario was played out at a company meeting The story goes like this. I took my car to the shop and left it. I called each day to check “Oh it in the shop for Diagnostics” That went on for a few days. He went to the shop and found the car had not been moved.
He took the car and placed a few calls to other shops. And got this response from the one he chose."The appointment will be Wednesday and we will acess the car and report back to you! They did and the repair would cost this much and take this long. The part can be ordered today and will be in ,in a week.
You can still Use your call until then. He knew how much it was to cost, how long the job would take and didn’t need to rely on someone else for transportation.
This is how I ran my shop, before it was like the other one. There is a big difference in working towards
An objective and just passing the customer off.
I work hard at what I do, I work with my customers as a team. We have this symbiotic relationship. They need me as much as I need them. I need them to teach me how to be a better customer.
By the way my hand still hurts. Dump Trucks are Hard!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Taking Stock
After the fire we started the long process of taking the inventory of things in our garage. Of course ther was the usual stuff like yard tools, camping equipment, the occasional antique from lives gone by and of course tools. We discovered we still have more junk than we really need.
This is part of the learning experience, Learning that you collect more than you give away is not good!
Well The restoration folks and I got together and put fire under the insurance company. Seems they and I have been leaving voice mails all week with no response. Todd The owner asked if there was any other numbers to call. I looked up another one a nice girl named Trish (customer services) ,Todd called her and was handed to her Boss. While on with the supervisor, my phone started ringing. It was the supervisor of the adjuster I was working with.
He began telling me the situation was not resolved then resolved but under investigation. (Confused? So am I!) He told me no matter what it was to be paid for. We on the other hand wanted to know when we could start (gets better) he said the inventory still needed to be done. I told him I couldn’t enter the Garage until they release it to us, his response? Go ahead and take out the cars as they won’t be covered (the other adjuster said one would and the El Camino would be settled otherwise) when he ws informed of this the tone changed, He quoted policy and I let him have it!
I have been with this insurance company 6 years and had one other claim (handled by Trish the customer service person) with the same adjuster Chris. Not a bad experience. But now my house is in shambles cars strewn all over and it’s just a mess.
Then when I was done with the supervisor, the real adjuster Chris called (it gets better, folks). His story was I still don’t know about the cars and I can’t find the third party adjuster but I spoke to him a few minutes ago (see?) and he will call you when he gets in the office! Kurt (third party adjuster) Never called!
Chris was to call me the next day (never called) and The supervisor never called to follow up despite their promises.
I had explained that I work for a communications firm dealing with schools and technical support, was a service advisor and mechanic for over 40 years and would not have been if I communicated as well as they do! He was pleading! “Give us a chance to improve” and that chance is about over. Today I will call Trish and get things done!
I told all of you that in order to be able to help a customer, Think like one. Put yourself in their shoes?
Do you see what happens when you don’t?
To be continued…
This is part of the learning experience, Learning that you collect more than you give away is not good!
Well The restoration folks and I got together and put fire under the insurance company. Seems they and I have been leaving voice mails all week with no response. Todd The owner asked if there was any other numbers to call. I looked up another one a nice girl named Trish (customer services) ,Todd called her and was handed to her Boss. While on with the supervisor, my phone started ringing. It was the supervisor of the adjuster I was working with.
He began telling me the situation was not resolved then resolved but under investigation. (Confused? So am I!) He told me no matter what it was to be paid for. We on the other hand wanted to know when we could start (gets better) he said the inventory still needed to be done. I told him I couldn’t enter the Garage until they release it to us, his response? Go ahead and take out the cars as they won’t be covered (the other adjuster said one would and the El Camino would be settled otherwise) when he ws informed of this the tone changed, He quoted policy and I let him have it!
I have been with this insurance company 6 years and had one other claim (handled by Trish the customer service person) with the same adjuster Chris. Not a bad experience. But now my house is in shambles cars strewn all over and it’s just a mess.
Then when I was done with the supervisor, the real adjuster Chris called (it gets better, folks). His story was I still don’t know about the cars and I can’t find the third party adjuster but I spoke to him a few minutes ago (see?) and he will call you when he gets in the office! Kurt (third party adjuster) Never called!
Chris was to call me the next day (never called) and The supervisor never called to follow up despite their promises.
I had explained that I work for a communications firm dealing with schools and technical support, was a service advisor and mechanic for over 40 years and would not have been if I communicated as well as they do! He was pleading! “Give us a chance to improve” and that chance is about over. Today I will call Trish and get things done!
I told all of you that in order to be able to help a customer, Think like one. Put yourself in their shoes?
Do you see what happens when you don’t?
To be continued…
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Three tips for dealing with callers on the "Socratic Helpdesk" By Pat Vickers
I stumbled upon this article while researching communications.
Socrates died in 399 BC, of Hemlock poisoning. He drank it after being sentenced to death for the crime of corrupting the youth. Times have changed, and today he would be given his own radio show.
Before his trial, Socrates was most well known for asking questions. He questioned everyone on every topic, particularly his students. He was usually surrounded by a horde of young men who sought to learn from him. Whenever they asked him about any subject -- virtue, ethics, even geometry -- he insisted the inquirers already knew the answers and would proceed to ask question after question until they arrived at the truth. Many trainers today find this approach to be a very effective method of teaching. It's much easier for students to remember what they discover than what they are told.
You might be wondering, "What has all of this got to do with a helpdesk?" The truth is most callers to the helpdesk hold all the answers to their questions. They are the ones in front of the computers. They are the eyes ears and even hands of the helpdesk analyst. Any solutions you might offer will come from information you glean from the caller. In fact, when asked the right questions, callers often discover the solutions, seemingly, on their own. So good analysts don’t have the answers so much as they have the questions.
On the Socratic Helpdesk, before any attempt to give an answer is made, the analyst asks questions, even when the answer is obvious. Callers often don’t have the vocabulary to word their questions correctly. "The printer isn’t working." might actually mean "I have no network connectivity." Or "How do I change the default printer?" We’ve all spent a significant amount of time working with a caller only to learn we were trying to solve the wrong problem. Asking questions instead of offering answers will help prevent that.
You might think that being asked a lot of questions, instead of being offered answers would frustrate callers. Since customers are often very frustrated to begin with, a lot of analysts are reluctant to chance making things worse. That is a valid concern, but there are a few guidelines to keep caller frustration low and analyst credibility high.
Here are two tips that might make an analyst’s job much easier. First, start the conversation by acknowledging the issue, and, second, do so before asking for the caller’s name or employee ID. The conversation could go something like this.
Analyst: Helpdesk, this is Pat. How can I help you?
Caller: I can’t print and I really need to get this document out or I’m going to be in big trouble.
Analyst: OK, printer problems, I’m sure we can take care of that. But first, can I get your employee ID so I can prove I worked today?
Caller: PA211112
Analyst: Thanks, now back to printing. What error message are you getting on your computer when you try to print?
Caller: None.
Analyst: Hmmm, do you always use the same printer?
Caller: Usually but yesterday, oh wait, I see what you mean. Yesterday I was in the Atlanta office and added their printer. I think it is my default now. Yep, that’s it. Thanks! I can change the default.
Starting out by repeating the Caller’s statement accomplishes two things. First, it lets the caller know you have heard him or her and are willing to help. Second, it lets you confirm you heard the caller correctly. From there continue to ask questions until you and the caller discover the answer. Usually it’s not this quick but more often than not, those questions lead you and your customer to the solution.
One last tip for the Socratic help desk analyst: Never ask questions that have a yes or no answer. You’ll get the information you need much faster by asking callers questions that require them to think or even try something on their computer and report the results.
Many helpdesk analysts think their callers lie to them, and frequently they do. Callers often feel their problem could be solved much faster, if the analysts were just willing. So customers say whatever they think will move the call along. Therefore "yes" is the answer customers almost always will give, regardless of the truth.
You’ll get the information you need much more quickly by asking callers questions that require them to think or even try something on their computer and report the results.
You may be doing these things already, and just never thought of yourself as Socratic. If so, congratulations. You are most likely very good at your job. If not, give it a try. Socratic Helpdesk analysts aren’t much different than any other analysts. They just know that, on any given call, the answers lie within the caller. Like Socrates, they are wise in that they know--without the caller’s help--they know nothing.
Socrates died in 399 BC, of Hemlock poisoning. He drank it after being sentenced to death for the crime of corrupting the youth. Times have changed, and today he would be given his own radio show.
Before his trial, Socrates was most well known for asking questions. He questioned everyone on every topic, particularly his students. He was usually surrounded by a horde of young men who sought to learn from him. Whenever they asked him about any subject -- virtue, ethics, even geometry -- he insisted the inquirers already knew the answers and would proceed to ask question after question until they arrived at the truth. Many trainers today find this approach to be a very effective method of teaching. It's much easier for students to remember what they discover than what they are told.
You might be wondering, "What has all of this got to do with a helpdesk?" The truth is most callers to the helpdesk hold all the answers to their questions. They are the ones in front of the computers. They are the eyes ears and even hands of the helpdesk analyst. Any solutions you might offer will come from information you glean from the caller. In fact, when asked the right questions, callers often discover the solutions, seemingly, on their own. So good analysts don’t have the answers so much as they have the questions.
On the Socratic Helpdesk, before any attempt to give an answer is made, the analyst asks questions, even when the answer is obvious. Callers often don’t have the vocabulary to word their questions correctly. "The printer isn’t working." might actually mean "I have no network connectivity." Or "How do I change the default printer?" We’ve all spent a significant amount of time working with a caller only to learn we were trying to solve the wrong problem. Asking questions instead of offering answers will help prevent that.
You might think that being asked a lot of questions, instead of being offered answers would frustrate callers. Since customers are often very frustrated to begin with, a lot of analysts are reluctant to chance making things worse. That is a valid concern, but there are a few guidelines to keep caller frustration low and analyst credibility high.
Here are two tips that might make an analyst’s job much easier. First, start the conversation by acknowledging the issue, and, second, do so before asking for the caller’s name or employee ID. The conversation could go something like this.
Analyst: Helpdesk, this is Pat. How can I help you?
Caller: I can’t print and I really need to get this document out or I’m going to be in big trouble.
Analyst: OK, printer problems, I’m sure we can take care of that. But first, can I get your employee ID so I can prove I worked today?
Caller: PA211112
Analyst: Thanks, now back to printing. What error message are you getting on your computer when you try to print?
Caller: None.
Analyst: Hmmm, do you always use the same printer?
Caller: Usually but yesterday, oh wait, I see what you mean. Yesterday I was in the Atlanta office and added their printer. I think it is my default now. Yep, that’s it. Thanks! I can change the default.
Starting out by repeating the Caller’s statement accomplishes two things. First, it lets the caller know you have heard him or her and are willing to help. Second, it lets you confirm you heard the caller correctly. From there continue to ask questions until you and the caller discover the answer. Usually it’s not this quick but more often than not, those questions lead you and your customer to the solution.
One last tip for the Socratic help desk analyst: Never ask questions that have a yes or no answer. You’ll get the information you need much faster by asking callers questions that require them to think or even try something on their computer and report the results.
Many helpdesk analysts think their callers lie to them, and frequently they do. Callers often feel their problem could be solved much faster, if the analysts were just willing. So customers say whatever they think will move the call along. Therefore "yes" is the answer customers almost always will give, regardless of the truth.
You’ll get the information you need much more quickly by asking callers questions that require them to think or even try something on their computer and report the results.
You may be doing these things already, and just never thought of yourself as Socratic. If so, congratulations. You are most likely very good at your job. If not, give it a try. Socratic Helpdesk analysts aren’t much different than any other analysts. They just know that, on any given call, the answers lie within the caller. Like Socrates, they are wise in that they know--without the caller’s help--they know nothing.
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