"Scope of Support" is a phrase that every tech support phone rep should be familiar with. It's the guideline that determines what you're allowed to help a caller with. It helps avoid the liabilities of messing with third party products, and makes sure you don't set unrealistic expectations for the next agent. It also causes headaches for customers and support agents alike who know the simplicity of what they're asking for, but simply aren't allowed to get satisfaction.
After years of being told "We don't do x" or "We can't support y" a handful of brave companies are shrugging off these limiting shackles and providing help for their confused callers. The genius move? They're also charging a premium for this service, allowing you to recruit them as your own personal 'tech people' for any issue that you might need to look into. It's like roadside assistance for your technology.
Today I'm sharing a Q&A with Daniel Herscovici, who is managing @Comcast's Xfinity Signature Support service. This big name cable provider and ISP was one of the first on the scene with this idea, offering monthly plans starting at $4.95 to help with your computer woes. The plan scales up from there to cover additional devices and wireless networks, and membership can net you discounts on other services. (XFinity Signature Support)
1. Where did the idea for this expanded scope of support come from? How did it grow from an idea to its own product?
The idea of expanded scope of support came from you, our customers. We noticed that customers didn’t just call us about our core services, but also called to get help with wireless networks, deal with viruses or with questions about how to get the most out of the new digitally enabled home. As customers are connecting more digital devices to our service, we quickly realized that our customers trusted Comcast as a place to go for many technology questions,and we wanted to be able to help them. With one trusted source, customers no longer would be subjected to the finger pointing that appears to be so rampant when it comes to technology support (please call your printer manufacturer, no.. please call your router manufacturer… no please call operating system company). They could just call us and we would stick with them until their technology question was answered. That’s how, and why Xfinity Signature Support was born.
2. Do you have dedicated staff for this? Any special training or extra procedures to consider when putting agents in an expanded support queue?
We do have a dedicated staff that is highly trained in the latest technologies and all the most common issues customers might encounter. Xfinity Signature Support personnel are passionate about technology, so chances are if you have a question, they have seen it and can address it quickly. However, our requirements for agents in our Xfinity Signature Support service go beyond just training and procedures. Not only do they have to be technically experienced and savvy, but we also want to make sure they are good listeners and are empathetic to the customer who’s likely frustrated or confused.
3. What happens if/when you get stumped? Do you have any special resources for your agents to fall back on?
While our front-line experts handle the vast majority of issues we have a “guru crew” that is constantly researching the latest and most complicated issues. They are dedicated to solving the hardest problems, publishing and sharing that knowledge among all our Xfinity Signature Support agents as soon as they make a discovery. We also have a team dedicated to working with industry groups and monitoring blogs and Internet chatter for the latest bots, viruses or just the latest software and hardware issues being talked about so we are well prepared for anything a customer might need.
4. Any interesting feedback or customer stories that you can share?
The most common feedback is how amazing, and convenient, it was to have a problem solved remotely. Customers are thrilled that they literally don’t have to lift a finger once they have given permission to the Xfinity Signature Support agent to take control of their computer and solve the issue and show them how to complete a task. In fact in some instances, customers have actually just left to do other things knowing that when they returned to their computer the problem would be solved. Customers have also commented about how the Xfinity Signature Support agent was very supportive and understanding during their call. The best example of this, and a great way to show you the depth of knowledge of our agents, involves a customer playing an online game called “Second Life”. Once an agent received a call from a customer who, and I quote, “wanted to be taller”. It turns out that if you don’t configure your “virtual character” correctly you can’t make them taller. Our agent, also an avid SecondLife gamer, was able to fix the configuration issue and make the customer taller. While we do a lot of work removing nasty Viruses and Bots as well as repairing and securing wireless networks, we are available to help any technology question…. Even making your Avatar taller!
5. With the blurring lines between online services and the products that use them, what do you see in the future of tech support?
The future of tech support is more about what will be covered and less about how it will be done. We are now experiencing the future in that you now have one contact to address your issue and it can be addressed over the phone, online or in person, whatever makes the most sense for you. As new technologies appear, whether they are a new gadget or a new web-based service, they’ll be rolled into Xfinity Signature Support services so you can continue to have one number to call to address all of those issues. The one change you will see in how support will be provided is an increasing number of issues will be handled by self-healing technologies that Xfinity Signature Support will provide as one of the benefits of being a member. So you’ll spend less time calling support and more time doing what you wanted to be doing in the first place. We make make sure technology is working properly, and optimally… then we work with you to learn how to get the most out all the technology you installed in your digital home.
0 comments:
Post a Comment