MYSTERY SHOPPER EXERCISE: ACTIONS TAKEN TO ADDRESS SHORTFALLS
Introduction
As part of our commitment to excellence in customer service, WLRS commissioned Marketing Innovation Ltd to carry out a programme of mystery shopping. This programme was carried out in two phases during November/December 2008 and June 2009, and tested staff against a number of performance targets via contact by telephone and email.
Following the first survey it became clear that while staff performed well against indicators such as knowledge and professionalism, they would benefit from training in telephone skills. A one day course was commissioned from Marketing Innovation for delivery in April 2009, and the second phase of mystery shopping tested whether this training had improved staff performance.
This paper summarises the main findings in each phase of the contract, and includes two action plans to capture the recommendations for improvement.
The plans identify issues arising during the exercise, and shows what action we have taken, or are intending to take, to improve performance. Actions are numbered to provide ease of reference; where actions are the same, they are assigned the same number.
Phase 1: November/December 2008
The decision to undertake mystery shopping to gain an independent assessment of customer care skills had met with a degree of suspicion from staff. As a result, it was considered unfair to test them without their knowledge, and the dates of the first phase of mystery shopping were made known to staff.
Phase 1 consisted of 110 telephone calls and 25 emails sent to staff across the whole of WLRS and the Defra Helpline. The type of work WLRS carry out is very technical, and because callers had no expertise in this area WLRS provided the company with a range of scenarios together with the answers that should be expected. This allowed responses to be scored for accuracy of reply as well as helpfulness.
Overall results were very positive especially on technical knowledge, but they indicated clear areas for improvement in certain areas such as the ability to empathise with customers and see things from their position.
Marketing Innovation provided a detailed statistical analysis of scores achieved against each question on the questionnaire, and this was used to determine where the greatest need for improvement lay.
Issue |
Rating given |
Action recommended |
Action taken |
Timeliness of response to phone call |
98% within 5 rings |
None recommended. |
None required |
Accuracy of transferring calls from Helpline |
60% of calls were correctly transferred to WLRS |
Helpline staff to be better informed of the work of WLRS to assist them in transferring calls |
1. Briefing supplied to Helpline in June 2009. 2. Two members of the WLRS Quality team visited Vertex in September 2009 and provided improved briefing in a format more suited to their needs. |
Answer machine messages |
On some occasions answer machines were encountered when staff should have been present |
When case officers are on the phone, the recorded message should inform the caller when the case officer will be in the office or give an alternative number to call. |
3. Telephones are put on “seeking” circuit so that when a case officer is on a call, the incoming call is automatically transferred to another phone. |
Greeting |
75% of staff responded “Good morning/afternoon” followed by their name and department |
More consistency is required so that callers know where they are through to. |
5. WLRS management recommended staff to answer calls by giving the name of the department as “Wildlife Licensing” |
Transfers between officers |
Callers were not told to whom they would be transferred |
Provide name and telephone number in case of failed transfer |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point |
Transfers between officers – need to repeat information |
Callers had to repeat their enquiry from the beginning |
Staff should give the name of the caller and summarise the nature of the enquiry on transfer |
7. Staff instructions have been updated on the Operations Manual. |
Manner and tone of welcome |
83% of callers found staff welcoming |
Train staff that answering telephone queries is as important as dealing with paperwork |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point |
Transfers between officers – failed transfers |
19 of 25 calls were transferred correctly, but 5 terminated in an answer machine and 1 who said they would call back but did not. |
Staff should make sure the call will be accepted by the person they are transferring a call to. |
7. Staff instructions have been updated on the Operations Manual. |
Understanding the query |
90% of staff completely understood the enquiry; 10% partially understood |
No action required – this is considered to be a very good result |
None required |
Satisfaction with the response |
83% were completely or partially satisfied with the answer given |
Staff should ask callers more questions to find out the exact nature of their enquiry |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point |
Lack of sign off check |
Only 26% of staff asked whether callers needed any more information |
Staff should make it an automatic way of terminating a conversation |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point. |
Going the extra mile |
Only 34% of staff offered to send the caller additional information |
Staff should ask if the caller would like information sent by post or email |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point |
Referral to website |
Only 28% of callers were referred to the website either to get basic information (29%) or additional information (65%) |
Staff should refer callers to the website |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point |
Manner and tone |
9% of callers found staff ‘curt and cold’ or ‘officious or intimidating’ |
Staff should adopt a regular and consistent style of interaction – polite and businesslike or respectful and friendly |
6. Telephone skills training addressed empathy with customers |
Emails not handled well |
Only 44% satisfied the enquirer; 32% failed to respond. |
Emails should be treated in the same way as any other contact. |
6. Telephone skills training addressed this point |
Telephone skills training: April 2009
Two one day courses were delivered to 26 staff drawn from all grades across WLRS. Training was given to everyone regularly dealing with customers on the phone as part of their normal day to day duties.The training concentrated on building rapport with the customer. It included a communication exercise which simulated a situation where the two participants were talking about different things without initially realising it, which was aimed at encouraging the use of questions to clarify understanding.
The training met with a mixed response, but did at least raise some important issues and suggest some techniques to aid the building of empathy.
Phase 2: June 2009
The second phase of mystery shopping was not made known to staff, as it was felt that this may have influenced the type of response given to callers in the first round. This phase consisted of 50 telephone calls and 25 emails, once again provided by WLRS, and focussed on WLRS frontline staff. However, this time staff were not scored on their knowledge, but on factors involved in building empathy. For this reason calls were not routed via the Defra Helpline.
The survey demonstrated tangible improvements in customer service, in particular in the perceived attitude of staff and in how they delivered information to callers. However, there is still room for improvement.
The table below shows where improvements have been made and where there is still room for improvement. Actions shown in bold were still to be actioned as at 1 October 2009.
Issue |
Rating given |
Action recommended |
Action taken / to be taken |
Timeliness of response to phone call |
87% answered within 3 rings – a 5% improvement |
None recommended. |
None required |
Necessity for call transfers |
90% answered without the need for a transfer – a 10% improvement |
None recommended |
None required |
Departmental greeting and identity |
Responses are still inconsistent. Only 46% gave their name as well as the department – a 15% increase on phase 1 |
Further reminder needed on the benefits in having a consistent greeting and providing a name. |
8. Staff to consider what the best greeting would be and adopt the most acceptable. 9. All staff to be told to give their name when answering the phone. |
Manner and tone |
84% of callers felt that staff were fairly or very welcoming – a 5% increase 84% of callers felt that staff were respectful, friendly, businesslike, polite – an increase of 9% |
Brevity of response and lack of enthusiasm were most common reasons given for the score.
|
10. Case officer job descriptions have been revised to give more emphasis to “maintaining a helpful and respectful attitude to customers at all times”. |
Transferred calls – passing on information |
60% of transferred callers felt that the information had been correctly passed on and they did not need to repeat or correct it – a 27% improvement |
Officers should always give a brief summary of what the caller wants before transferring the call. |
7. Staff instructions on the Operations Manual have been amended to include this point. |
Understanding and knowledge |
90% of callers felt that staff completely understood their enquiry, and 10% partially. This was the same as phase 1. Only 76% asked probing questions to ensure they fully understood the query |
Case officers should be encouraged to ask questions to make sure they fully understand what they are being asked. |
7. Staff instructions on the Operations Manual are to be amended to include this point. |
Satisfaction with the staff response |
72% were completely satisfied – a 17% increase. Dissatisfied callers were not given additional information they needed – eg contact details of other departments/agencies or where else they could go for help. |
Case officers should be given a crib sheet of useful telephone numbers for use in situations where WLRS can’t help but we know who can. |
11. Telephone list is to be extended with additional telephone numbers and information on where to refer people. |
Checking understanding |
73% did not check that the caller had understood the information given– a 1% improvement; 80% did not ask whether they needed additional information – a 4% decrease from phase 1 |
Staff should be reminded that this is important to encourage compliance. This should not be formulaic, but should nevertheless be done at the end of each conversation. |
7. Staff instructions on the Operations Manual have been amended to include the following: “At the end of the conversation, you should always check that the caller has understood what you have told them, and they know what has to happen next. It is good practice to ask if there is anything else they would like to ask, so you can be sure they leave the conversation feeling satisfied rather than wishing they had said something they forgot to mention. “ |
Provision of additional information |
53% of callers were offered additional information in the form of guidance notes – an 8% increase |
There is much more room for improvement. Callers appreciate being given help and this boosts customer confidence and satisfaction |
7. Staff instructions are to be amended to include this point. |
Referrals to website |
37% of callers were referred to the website for further information – a 3% increase. |
Case officers appear to be using the web as a resource intelligently, as an alternative to printed materials. |
None required. |
Overall satisfaction |
61% of callers were very satisfied with the contact – a 16% increase |
When asked, callers suggested that staff could improve by having telephone numbers for other services available, by offering further information, or by having a better knowledge of their own website |
11.Telephone lists are to be improved; |
Email enquiries |
There appears to be a problem with emails going to the enforcement and inspectorate mailboxes – 33% failed to get a response. |
Training should be provided to staff on email protocols, response times, use of jargon free English, grammar, spelling and correct sign offs. |
13. A formal signature has been cascaded out to all staff in Animal Health. 14. Formal training in using emails is to be considered. |
Conclusion
The action taken to improve performance following the first round of mystery shopping did have a positive impact, but there are a number of areas where WLRS can improve further.
An ongoing programme of mystery shopping is being planned for 2010, and consideration is being given to further training requirements.
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS
Actions already taken
- Provide briefing to Helpline
- Visit Vertex (September) and host return visit (November)
- Put telephones on “seeking” so that calls are transferred to a live phone rather than an answer machine
- Case officers to be encouraged to pick up a colleague’s phone and take a message in their absence
- Staff reminded to answer telephone with their section and their name
- Telephone skills training (April) covering:
- Transferred callers given name and tel no of person they are being transferred to in case of failed transfer
- Case officers to sound welcoming, professional and polite to callers – dealing with customers is as important as processing applications
- Case officers to ask questions to ensure they have fully understood the query
- Case officers to ask if callers need anything more before terminating the call
- Case officers to ask if callers would like additional information and either tell them where to find it on the website or ask if they would prefer a hard copy by post
- Emails to be treated in the same way as any other contact – full response in a professional format
- Staff instructions in the Operations Manual updated as follows;
- Case officers transferring calls should give the name of the caller and nature of their enquiry before passing the call to someone else
- Staff should make sure the person will accept the call before making the transfer – ie not put through to an answer machine
Actions to be taken
- Staff to consider and agree what the best greeting should be and use it consistently
- All staff to be reminded to give their name when answering a call
- Case officer job descriptions to be amended to give more emphasis to being helpful and respectful towards customers at all times
- Telephone list to be extended to include helpful numbers callers might need
- Case officers to become more familiar with the website
- Case officers to be reminded to use their official signature on emails
- Formal training on emails is to be considered
Page last modified:09 January 2007
Page published:31 January 2007