EFFECTIVE COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT

Conference held in Toronto on March 6 & 7, 2006
Chairs: Jean Lemyre, VIA Rail Canada; Stan Gabriszeski, Indigo Books & Music Inc.; Roger Freitas, Lyresco Office Products, Canadian Division; Barbara Finlay, Ombudsman Office

CD-ROM: App. 10 hours of video presentations

To purchase, please contact Federated Press.

COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

• Pursuing a "voice of the customer" solution
• Capturing complaints
• Transforming complaints into analysis
• Transforming analysis into solutions

"The Voice of the Customer" mission is to present customer feedback in a strategically and operationally actionable and measurable method that can drive positive change in the customer experience."

Video: 41 minutes • Overheads

Implementing a resolution process & managing privacy complaints
Kelly Taylor, TransUnion Canada, Inc.

• Maintaining records of complaints and other documentation processes
• Complaint impact and privacy practices
• Managing complaints received directly from OPCC
• Working with Privacy Commissioner's Office
• Investigation process for complaints

"Since the implementation of PIPEDA, there has been a consistent decline in complaints escalating to the Privacy Office, with a drop of 80 per cent from 2001 to 2005. If a complaint requires investigation, it is imperative to obtain input from key players with direct involvement with the issue."

Video: 49 minutes • Overheads

Case study: Building blocks for an effective complaint management system
Ray Gerard, Customer Expressions Corp., Glenn Williamson, General Insurance OmbudService

• Best in class complaint management system features
• Barriers to creating an effective complaint management system
• Creating a web-based cost-efficient approach to data management
• Benefits of an effective complaint management system

"While many firms have developed programs to handle individual complaints, few have implemented effective complaint management systems to enable the organization to analyze aggregate complaints over time. But in doing so, the benefits are many including improved efficiency and client services, as well as better understanding of the issues."

Video: 35 minutes • Overheads

Case study: Updating the service recovery tools used by front-line personnel at VIA
Jean Lemyre, VIA Rail Canada Inc.

• Using tools to ensure successful recovery efforts
• Resolving issues as they occur in a timely manner
• Review of services and recovery guidelines
• Consulting with frontline employees for ideas and recommendations
• Getting support from corporate stakeholders

"VIA Rail realized that to upgrade the service recovery process, it was necessary to focus on the frontline employees for direct feedback. The consultation process therefore honed in on their expertise, thereby creating new ideas as to how to concentrate on the customer."

Video: 34 minutes

STRATEGIC USE OF CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

Case study: Complaint management strategy & processes at Microsoft
Loren Kousaie, Microsoft Canada and Tom Blackwood, Microsoft Corporation

• Microsoft's worldwide response management system
• Key players in the response management system
• Response management issue flow
• Shared accountability model

"Microsoft's response management system was instituted to change the pre-2000 perception of the company's attitudes towards customers. The system captures feedback, reviews the data, and then escalates if necessary."

Video: 38 minutes  • Paper 12 pgs. (1503 words)

Leveraging customer complaints & feedback in an outsourced contact centre environment
Stan Gabriszeski, Indigo Books & Music, Inc.

• Gathering meaningful data and root cause analysis
• Keeping the voice of the customer heard
• Remote access to outsourcer's systems
• Internal support and escalation teams

"Outsourcing can present problems in keeping in touch with customer attitudes. The answer to maintaining a close watch over this lies in by being there and in doing root cause analysis in order to keep the voice of the customer heard."

Video: 32 minutes • Overheads

Ineffective complaint management as a barrier to customer loyalty
Vishnu Ramcharan, Ontario Science Centre

• Changing attitudes towards complaints
• Removing systematic barriers within the organization
• Re-inventing the wheel
• Understanding the customer first

"Changes in complaint management demand a greater complaint responsiveness. This can be achieved by breaking down organizational barriers and correcting systemic problems in how staff perceives complaints."

Video: 43 minutes

Preventing complaints before they happen: Best practices for complaint avoidance
Dolly Konzelmann, Cutting Edjj Consulting & International Customer Service Association (ICSA)

• Employee engagement
• Building the business case
• What customers want
• Customer service accreditation

"Best practices in complaint management essentially revolve around two major themes, which are common to most types of businesses and organizations. These are to foster an engaged staff and to focus on the customer."

Video: 37 minutes • Overheads

Case study: Automating complaint management systems & the escalation process at Lyreco
Roger Freitas, Lyreco Office Products, Canadian Division

• Live recording system
• Information screens
• Follow up routes
• Reports, measurements and feedback loop

"Using an automated complaint management system enables the company to keep better track of complaint issues, and to implement the proper corrective follow-up actions."

Video: 49 minutes • Overheads

Why we should love complaints
Suzanne Duncan, BMO Financial Group

• Why customers complain
• Collection and self-reporting of complaint data
• Corporate social responsibility measures
• Building a strategic approach to effective complaint management

"Today's business environment of low margins demands that corporations develop effective complaint management systems in order to remain competitive. This means creating a corporate culture that can welcome complaints and thus bring about a better understanding of the customer."

Video: 20 minutes • Overheads

Case study: Investigation strategies to ensure the validity of complaints at ING DIRECT
Benita Singh, ING Direct

• Ladder of escalation
• The complaints tab
• Data capture and trend analysis
• Complaints task force
• Arriving at solutions

"The automated complaints tab at ING Direct enables the company to highlight the top complaint drivers, as well as to do trend analysis on a monthly basis. This, in turn, gives management the ability to then make effective improvements to the client experience."

Video: 24 minutes • Overheads

Helping employees learn how to better handle complaints
Craig Manning, Entretel Incorporated

• Establishing a supportive infrastructure
• Establishing a process for complaint handling
• Teaching staff to handle complaints and difficult calls
• Management support and guidance: positive coaching

"To help employees change their attitudes and perceptions regarding the handling of complaints, it requires a supportive infrastructure within the corporation, which in turn necessitates resources being allotted to training and communication."

Video: 71 minutes • Overheads

OPTIMIZING COMPLAINT PROCESSING & OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

Case study: Streamlining complaint management & resolution at OMERS
Andrea Tayler-Coombs, OMERS

• The need for change
• "Car" process
• First call resolution
• Success measures and going beyond

"OMERS streamlined its call tracking process by upgrading its capabilities and multiple usages. The result has been a high rate of first call resolution and a lower rate of unresolved client issues."

Video: 18 minutes • Overheads

Best practices for the ombudsman process
Barbara Finlay, Ombudsman Ontario

• Four pillars of ombudsmanry
• Tracking trends and problem spotting
• Complaint resolution
• Streamlining operations

"The value of the ombudsman process rests in providing to the public the availability of a public mechanism for complaint escalation, while at the same time giving organizations an increased awareness of possible trends and problems."

Video: 49 minutes • Overheads

Case study: Mitigating the risks in privacy complaints
Trish Lindsay, Xerox Canada

• Establishing a functional review process
• Implementing a privacy compliance
• Employee training and accountability
• Developing a customer website

"In order to minimize risks in privacy complaints at Xerox, the company adjusted the information gathering process internally, and then followed this up with across the board employee training sessions."

Video: 19 minutes • Overheads

Complaint resolution as a factor of listening to your clients & asking the right questions
Wendy L. Knight, RBC Financial Group

• Complaint management techniques
• Best practices for effective complaint management
• The five rules of practical use
• Cost/benefits of an ombudsman's office

"Effective complaint resolution demands the tweaking of both technical capabilities and behavioural patterns within the firm. By refocusing from the cost of dealing with the customer to the value of dealing with the client, there are immediate cost benefits to be accrued."

Video: 50 minutes • Overheads