Faced with the global impact of Covid-19, consumers have been contacting their key service providers in record numbers. Such a dramatic shift inevitably puts pressure on companies as they try to adapt quickly to the new normal. Businesses who can adapt fast will thrive amidst this uncertainty in the short term, and be best placed for any future changes in the medium to long term.
Forrester has released an article detailing that journey orchestration tools help firms manage real-time decision making in a crisis, mentioning how Alterian's Real-Time CX Platform has benefited our client ScottishPower with their real-time customer engagement.
Forrester defines some key areas where companies are finding that journey orchestration tools are really helping:
- Creating self-service journeys for isolated customers
- Directing customers to services that help in times of crisis
- Pausing non-critical journeys
- Calming customers' fears
- Prioritizing the vulnerable
- Transitioning customers to new, unfamiliar touchpoints
ScottishPower
One of the UK's largest energy suppliers, ScottishPower supplies 100% renewable electricity and gas to over 6 million consumers, and had to adapt rapidly to a crisis such as COVID-19.
ScottishPower's digital team orchestrate in real time enhanced customer journeys for 80% of all interactions between customers and suppliers across a multitude of channels and business lines. Utilizing the Real-Time CX Platform, the team were able to quickly adjust each customer journey to take into account the impact of COVID-19 on the daily lives of their customers, and change the way ScottishPower interacts with customers in person at their property.
Initiative 1: increase self-service
Implementing a new accelerated journey to increase self-service amongst most customers, while customer service teams are reserved for the most vulnerable customers. The key accelerated journey is to educate customers on how to take their own meter readings and digitally inform ScottishPower. By adjusting the digital customer experience with journey orchestration, it makes for a simpler process and gives the customer more control.
Initiative 2: supporting social distancing
By adjusting the smart meter installation journey—a multi-step journey over several weeks involving thousands of customers, multiple business lines and external sub-contractors at any point in time. As social distancing took effect, customers were effectively paused at the point they had reached in any given journey, enabling ScottishPower to deliver clear communications on the changes to installations and giving the ability to switch this journey back on at the same point once social distancing measures had eased.
Initiative 3: flexible payment options
ScottishPower implemented a combination of new digital multi-step journeys to support customers during this unusual time when energy affordability is likely to be a challenge. These included:
- Creating a new affordability survey tool, to help diagnose the best support function for customers
- Introducing payment holidays of up to two months for customers
- Changing the direct debit process, allowing customers greater flexibility in their payments
Since launching online payment management features, there have been more than 100,000 instances of ScottishPower customers self-serving to adjust and manage their payments.
All of the above has been supported with more than 3 million emails, SMS and app notification communications, in addition to more than 125,000 page views for ScottishPower's COVID-19 customer FAQs, to help educate, direct and reassure customers.
Alterian gives us the ability to rapidly adapt our customer journeys to the changing needs of our customers and business. This was a key component supporting our customers in a time of uncertainty.
Global financial services company
A global financial services business providing support to over 13 million customers needed to move quickly to adapt, inform, help and reassure their customers through the ever-changing economic hardship that Covid-19 brought.
Proactive communication and channel switching
This financial services business, like every other business in their industry, saw a huge influx of inbound queries as many customers' initial reaction was to contact their call center.
They utilized Alterian's CX orchestration software to communicate with customers in real time, enabling them to rapidly deploy content digitally and proactively reach out to customers, keeping them up to date with the latest financial changes and the assistance they could give to navigate the impact of COVID-19.
This led to an 80% reduction in inbound call volumes which had spiked in the preceding days. Customers were also better informed, with more up-to-date information available to them earlier across multiple touchpoints.
Step up in times of crisis
To step up in these times it is imperative to adapt and move forward in new ways. It will lead to a resilient business with loyal customers knowing you can be depended upon, and lead the way for future change.
