Customer service woes

Improving trend still falls below expectations

PETALING JAYA: There is a general view that customer service in Malaysia falls short of expectations but if we look into the operational metrics of individual industries, service levels have been improving, said Customer Relationship Management and Contact Centre Association Malaysia (CCAM) vice-president Chew Su Fong.

She was responding to the findings of Greater Expectations: Keeping Pace with Customer Service Demands in Asia Pacific, a recent report from the Economist Intelligence Unit, which revealed Asian companies were not emphasising service.

Chew told Mail Money that the definition of good customer service was subjective and what was good yesterday was deemed ‘given’ today despite intense competition in the service industry.

“Consumers are more informed. They know their rights better and this gives the perception that here, good customer service is falling short. This is why the findings from studies which span various service industries may be relevant.

“However, judging from the results of our recently concluded 11th CCAM Annual Contact Centre Awards 2010, the variation between rankings of contestants were sometimes close and the scoring, very high for many categories.”

Chew cited examples where drivers can renew their road-tax online and the customer experience improved. In telecommunications and banking, there was pro-active servicing such as call-back and follow-ups until completion of service resolutions.

Chew, who is also Celcom Axiata Bhd senior vice-president of customer service, said common problems affecting customer service performance were networks and tools performances, particularly in the telco industry.

Other factors were fulfillment objectives, follow-ups and product knowledge of front-liners servicing consumers.

"Third parties of distribution channels such as dealers and resellers representing organisations, also contributed to customer service performance because of the conflicting objectives of closing sales and providing good service. In such cases, sales usually prevailed and consumers might complain later of not knowing the full rates of a telecommunications package plan until they received their first bill, for example.”

When asked if customer service should measure up to the price that one is paying, Chew said: “It is fair for service to measure up to the price one is paying. However, servicing options must be provided.