We were discussing customer effort: physical work, emotional work and reward. We were using the “tank and taps” analogy – See part 2 and part 1
In summary the tank analogy is to understand the flow of investment in the brand, i.e. how perceived value is added or destroyed. We can think of the 3 major flows as physical work, emotional work and reward perceived by customers. We can look at it as a water tank being filled by 3 taps and emptied by 3 similar taps. Each tap represents a flow either in or out of the tank. The taps are a) physical work, b) emotional work and c) reward (both financial and emotional pay back). The tank holds the customer’s investment in the company’s brand. Every step along the customer’s journey can affect the taps and how the water level, i.e. the customer’s investment in the brand, goes up or down.
Let’s take a real example in a utility. The customer demands involved are “The meter reading application doesn’t work”, “You’re charging me too much” and “My bill is wrong”. My investment in the brand of this company is neutral to positive. They never bother me and I do no work, no customer effort involved. I suspect I could get better deals but am too busy to try.
-
- Receive email to request meter reading into voice IVR. Ignored. (Physical work 0, Emotional work 0, Reward 0)
- Receive notification of change in direct debit amount by post based on increase on estimated bills, along with bill (utilisation hasn’t gone up, neither has estimated usage, but estimated payment due has gone up) (PW -1, EW -1, R -1)
- Read meter and phone into IVR app which works fine (PW -1, EW 0, R 0)
- Receive email saying meter reading failed (but not why) (PW 0, EW -2, R 0)
- Try to email but fail security for being able to send an email. It requires the 8 digit account number. (PW -2, EW -3, R 0)
- Call number on the bill and talk to person re reading failure (PW -3, EW 0, R 0)
- Person confirms no failure and that reading had been accepted (PW 0, EW -4, R 0)
- Discuss estimated dd In light of correct readings and agree to reduce back to original level (PW 0, EW +1, R +1)
- Receive confirmation letter of original dd level (PW -1, EW 0, R 0)
- Letter also says I’ve requested no mailings and so they cant tell me if they have a better tariff ( reinforces thought that I may not be on best tariff, triggers switching thought) (PW 0, EW -1, R 0)
- Check bank statement and see dd taken at higher level (PW -1, EW -5, R -3)
- The total so far is minus 27 ( PW -9, EW -15, R -3). If I was at 50 from 100 to start I’m now at +23
This is where I am in practice. The next step will be a call. This has been delayed several days whereas an email would have gone straight away. The call could look like:
-
- Call to get adjustment of that bill and of dd level
- Person accepts mistake with empathy and good reason and corrects it and the dd amount. This would kill thought of switching.
- Or person is neutral, correcting mistake but giving no confidence the next bill wont be wrong. This prompts switching behaviour to check alternatives.
- Or person debates validity before making correction. This causes switching.
- Or person does not make correction or asks for something in writing or another meter reading
I just made the call. I explained the various steps so far when asked. The person blamed the last member of staff for not knowing that amending the direct debit wouldn’t work and gave some long winded tale about why. I sympathised but explained their system problems weren’t my problem and asked for the money to be refunded. I was asked to make a claim. At that point I baled out emotionally speaking, and said I wouldnt and I was going to churn. I asked if she could take feedback. ‘Feedback? I can make a complaint”. I ended the call as there was no point helping them.
In terms of my emotional investment “in the tank” it went:
Got straight through by phone and ID worked: Physical work -1, Emotional work 0, Reward 0
Had to explain why I wanted what I wanted: PW -1, EW -1, R 0
She blamed others and explained systems issues I didnt want to know: PW 0, EW -2, R 0
Didnt take on fix and asked me to claim: PW -2, EW -10, R 0
Couldn’t take feedback, saw it as a complaint: PW 0, EW -3, R 0
Total -20, so my tank now has a nominal drop of +3 left in it. I’m churned by the company’s actions.
So as a test of our tank analogy it’s been quite interesting. Its not a calibrated approach, but next time we’ll look at gridding the customer effort scores across an index in a more organised way.
Any power suppliers out there want my business? Email me
