Google customers in need of customer service may be hard pressed to get a hold of anyone who is able to assist them. Frequently, customers are unable to speak with a living, breathing person, and e-mails often go unchecked, perhaps lying dormant somewhere in a computer ghost town out West. There are a number of ways in which Google could improve the quality of their service, if only they were willing to listen to those who might help!
First, Google should use sales force automation to create a call center, and staff it with individuals who are well-trained and very familiar with its search-engine and its features. Provide a strong framework in which they may work, and if necessary, use a tracking system to order your calls appropriately and fairly.
Provide a FAQ page to customers with similar questions and problems, as well as reasonable responses that will easily result in a resolution to the problems illustrated. This would bring down the number of calls to your call center, and empower users to solve their own problems. In addition, those working in the call centers could focus more on the problems of individuals with more significant issues.
Train personnel to respond to specific problems, therefore employees can deal with one particular issue and become specialists in that area. Rather than train everyone in everything, it’s best to familiarize individuals with smaller chunks of information that they can remember a bit easier. Slowly, they may build on their knowledge through experience, as well as the resources that a wealthy company like Google might provide. Some call center specialists might focus on tech support, while others , for instance, might be delegated to advertising.
Another idea is for Google to provide satellite customer call centers, where calls are directed to locations that deal with specific issues. Data should be compiled to determine which centers may have the highest call volumes. Managers could then provide enough staffing to meet the needs of customers.
A few things that Google needs to consider to improve its customer service include the following: monitoring customer suggestions and complaints, providing timely feedback to those who attempt to communicate with them, communicating effectively using a user-friendly automated service, and hiring more customer service representatives that can provide assistance or respond to questions that are posed or posted. Ultimately, if all other automated systems are exhausted, customers should be able to speak directly to a customer service representative, or at least receive a helpful(not canned) response from one within a realistic period of time.
Sites like Google, that have a huge user base, need to recognize the power of a group that size. Customers would be impressed if they heard by word of mouth how quickly a problem was addressed, as opposed to reading countless online horror stories of users who’ve attempted to get an answer to a question or who have tried fruitlessly to contact a human being who might be able to solve a problem. Also, Google might want to show a bit of humility by acknowledging the faults within Google’s customer support system. Furthermore, they might want to explain to its users how they hope to address any issues they may be having and when.
Google is a valuable tool to those who utilize the Internet. Whether for business, for pleasure, or for searching, e-mailing or advertising, Google has a lot to offer its customers, but it may offer a lot more if the customers are satisfied. Customer relationship management is essential to nurturing the relationship between this large corporation and its users.
