Contact Center Service Level Agreement Violations

I keep on wondering whether some contact centers actually measure their Service Level Agreement Violations. Or whether they actually have Service Level Agreements and with whom? Not with me I think.

 

Take the following very real live example of the ING bank. For some reasons that will stay undisclosed here, I was not so happy with their service and this I wanted to discuss with them. I decided this at 10 pm, so no more call center services at that time, but no worries, there is always their website, where you can after some searching, fill in whatever you like. That is, when you have Windows and Internet Explorer. Now, this combination is not available at home; I'm running Linux and Firefox, and their crappy website does not let me it.

 

After typing over a URL manually, it appears that the developer sucks, because he has used javascript that only works for Internet Explorer. But I digress. On Tuesday, the 10th of May I write my thing and press the send button. And then? Nothing.

 

They have asked me for my e-mail address, the colour of my eyes and the size of my shoes and they don't send me a confirmation e-mail in the style:

 

Dear <CustomerName>

 

We have received your e-mail dated: dd-mm-yyyy and have assigned it ticket nr nnnnn.

 

Best regards

 

The Callcentre

 

This, appearently is too difficult for them. Or they are too lazy. Or they don't want to treat their customers as they should. My e-mail has been in some queue for three days, and then someone decided to forward it to another queue. And this time include me in the To: (Great! Someone is thinking at the ING!). Currently we are again three days further, and still no answer. So in total, the e-mail that I have sent via their webform that does not work on Firefox has stayed 6 days in one or more queues. Something in me tells me that this is a gross SLA violation.

 

I wonder whether they would know. Or care for that matter. What they do care for is my money. They really want to keep it, I think.

 

Well, tough chance, I'd say. In further e-mail communications I will include a link to this blog, as a teaser. If you come back to me on the telephone and tell me that you have read it, and this within two weeks, I will stay at the ING. Otherwise, I'm gone.

 

What will it be?

 

Microsoft is launching themselves into the Call Center arena

Look here Microsoft is trying to conquer the Call Center arena. Will this work? I don't know. Let's have a look at their white paper. On screen, it looks good. Until you see the number of servers you need... This will not be for smaller size call centers, from what I read you need at least three or four servers to serve your call center.

 

We will see what happens. My feelings are that this is a nice technology display, but that it will never be put into production.