Dealing with paperwork is never easy. My kitchen is usually full of it on every surface. And none of it is work related as I don’t use paper beyond a day book.
So why do companies send me paper? No doubt they have their reasons but if they want to do business with me why don’t they change? It can’t be more efficient for them and it sure slows things down. Great if they want to say ’the cheque is in the post”, not if they want to sell me something or keep me as a customer. Dealing with paperwork is too much effort for me – so it must be for them.
Take the example in the picture. This is me trying to cancel some policies and buy some new ones. You can see errors and the history of their processes on the receiving end of this chopped down forest – so presumably the signatories and front line staff can see the corresponding problems at their end? Nahhh
How did it get this far? For example:
a) We can’t cancel the policy unless you put it in writing. But I’ve passed security, you’re recording the call and you’re putting my money back into my same bank account from where it came. We’ll send you the forms.
b) We’ll need the original policy from 15 years ago. Why? You were happily taking my money for 15 years so presumably you have a copy and know what you’re providing. I haven’t got it. You’ll need the XYZ form. Have you got it online. No, yes, maybe.
c) Why can’t you upgrade me to a policy that matches the internet new customer offer – which is why I want to cancel? No, you have to cancel and start over. Starting over means a 20 minute interview and then loads of paper ….. I don’t want the paper – you have to have it. Can you email it. I don’t have email.
d) I’ll just stop the direct debits then I won’t need to do your paperwork. But we wont give you your money back. Great, I’ll have to follow your process but I wont do business with you anymore.
e) What would you do if I gave you feedback to help you improve your process…..? You can guess the answer.
Not to mention, the same letters sent twice, the same forms with different contents, the endless explanations that are incomprehensible. And endless compliance statementy stuff that has no relevance to anything I’m trying to do. The final straw is the checklist that I’m asked to send to show I’ve read all their bits, enclosed all the bits.
There’s a clue here folks – when you need your customer to checklist your work…..maybe the customer effort is becoming silly and the business prevention officer has gone too far. Anyone from Friends Provident want some free consulting?
