How to succeed with digitization in customer service
Wanting to implement digitization has its challenges, but there is one reason why you, as a Customer Service Manager, sometimes fail to deliver your message regarding digitization.
Usually, the main challenge is how to convince your CFO and CTO why you need resources and a budget earmarked for customer flow digitization.
Succeed in pitching your project to key stakeholders
In order to get the rest of the organization to understand why this is an important investment, you need to understand YOUR why. Why is this journey important for your company? Once you know this, break it down into what it means for the various entities involved. One tip is to first map out the departments operations where you can clearly identify the need for efficiency through digitization. Clear and defined key figures and KPIs are another way to locate the need for digital tools as these help the organization with measurability and the tracking that is often missing when working without digital tools.
Only speaking about the end-customer value can create friction for teams that are not working directly towards your end-customers and they will not feel the same sense of need and urgency that you do. But if you can break down the process and pinpoint the parts or processes that can relieve, for example, the IT department or demonstrate financial gain through implementation of a digital tool, it is easier to get these departments on board.
Getting the team on board and helping to drive change
The next challenge might be getting the operational team to feel ownership of the changes that are underway and which, at times, may mean streamlining services within the department. The team may also have had experience with previous initiatives that did not have the desired effect and are therefore skeptical of the new one that is underway.
By utilizing the most experienced employee or those who are most against the project, you can gain valuable insights that help you to not repeat the same mistakes as before while also getting the most skeptical to join in and drive change based on their experience. At the same time, these individuals tend to have a strong voice in the group, which means that when they can speak for the project instead of against it, this will help spread a positive attitude in the rest of the group in regards to the project. This can make all the difference in how difficult change is to implement.
Who within Customer Service should implement change?
Finally, I can recommend bringing in an Interim Manager to lead this type of project.Interim Managers do not have the same emotional involvement in the business and daily operations as the employed managers usually have, and can therefore often make the most uncomfortable decisions a little easier than employed managers are able to.
More insights from Oldoz Lundin
Do you want to hear more tips and insights regarding digitalization, motivating your budget to your CFO and creating a technical specification that your CTO will approve? Listen to the webinar below!
About Oldoz Lundin
Oldoz Lundin is an experienced Interim Manager and expert in leading projects within digitization that increase customer satisfaction.
Some of her accomplishments include increasing the self-service degree of incoming errands from 34% to 50% and in only three months having increased customer satisfaction from 1,9/10 to 8,7/10. Oldoz shares tips and insights on how to lead change projects. She talks about digitization projects that increase your revenue and how to sell your idea (and budget) to your CFO and CTO.
