Complaints Handling

Australian Financial Institution

This major financial institution needed to review the strategies, processes, training and culture to influence the way 25,000 staff members handle complaints across the country.

The Problem

• After a major acquisition, the acquiring institution recognised that they needed to significantly improve complaints handling through better
• Strategies;
• Processes;
• Training;
• Company Culture.
• Complaints were not being settled at the first point of contact because there was no empowerment of front line staff.
• The share of complaints reaching ombudsman level was greater than the Institution’s business share of the Australian market.
• Customer service was beginning to be seen as something the institution needed to improve as a response to increased customer dissatisfaction.
• The industry was facing growing criticism from the Australian community.

The Solution

• TMI conducted an extensive consulting process using the 10 factors from TMI’s “Complaints Culture Survey” as the basis of the review.
• Then major Australian states surveyed used a number of 1-1 interviews, focus groups, and surveys.
• A series of training programs on complaints handling was conducted throughout Australia.
• A series of recommendations were developed by TMI.

The Results

• Empowerment levels were increased throughout the organisation.  This lifted the potential to solve problems at the first point of call;
• The recording of complaints increased significantly;
• Numerous recommendations were implemented in encouraging complaints, communication of complaints, and management reporting of complaints

Results

Empowerment levels were increased throughout the organisation.  This lifted the potential to solve at the first point of call.

Numerous recommendations were implemented.

Westpac Bank – Australia

This major financial institution embarked on a process of changing the culture of 5000 frontline staff and team leaders throughout Australia to encourage complaints, build customer loyalty and grow the business.

The Problem

• New complaints capture systems were being introduced with poor acceptance from staff.
• There was a lack of confidence to proactively accept and resolve customer complaints – from front line staff to team leaders, and in call centres and branches.
• Most complaints were shuffled to other parts of the business with few being solved at the point of call.
• Time to solve complaints was unacceptable - ranging from 10-30 days. 

The Solution

• A strategy was developed to have front line staff and supervisors understand the importance of their role in complaints handling, specifically;
1. Retaining customers;
2. Build loyalty;
3. Collecting “free” market research on problems to be addressed;
4. Differentiate service based on excellent complaints handling
• Each staff member participated in a one day complaints handling program to support a new customer focus strategy designed at a management level
• Case studies were developed by TMI based on real banking examples
• The training was aligned to new IT systems and complaints handling processes introduced at the bank. Each element was blended into the TMI training programs to ensure practical results.
• Support staff were established at each facility to provide a second level complaint handling service.

The Results

• Significantly improved customer satisfaction based on proprietary research.
• Increased complaints capture from 10,000 to 40,000 in 18 months;
• Improved internal complaints culture on all 10 TMI Complaint Culture Survey factors
• Proprietary research showed significant improvement in customer loyalty and satisfaction

Results

Significantly improved customer satisfaction based on proprietary research.

Proprietary research showed significant improvement in customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Jetset – Australia

This travel wholesaler achieved significant cost savings in the national call centre through improved customer complaints handling.

The Problem

• Complaints appeared to be low in number, but customers and travel retailers were known to be unhappy with the service they were receiving.
• Complaints were defined as written input from the customer rather than all feedback from travel agents.
• Over 1/3 of call centre time involved solving problems.

The Solution

• Encourage collection of all customer and travel agent feedback.
• TMI identified a series of common complaints.
• Some solutions were easy, and some took significant system and process changes.
• All 110 Jetset staff were provided training in encouraging and handling complaints.
• TMI worked extensively with selected support departments to reduce potential complaints.

The Results

• Increased effectiveness in the call centre resulted in being able to decrease staff numbers from 50 to 30.
• Call centre time is now available for positive customer interaction rather than fire fighting.
• Jetset travel agents response to the improvements was extremely positive.
• A far broader collection process of complaints is now ongoing to capture customer and agent opinions.

Results

• Increased effectiveness in the call centre resulted in being able to decrease staff numbers from 50 to 30.

Jetset travel agents response to the improvements was extremely positive.