New help desk for corporate customers

A fundamentally new type of the customer service has been created in the corporate block of Vipservice Holding. Specialization in industrial sectors and assignment of a well-coordinated team of managers, that sell, support and run accounts, to the client allow to successfully solve business travel related issues of the company from any industry. We will describe the work of sales managers and account managers in more details in the subsequent publications. Today we interviewed the Head of Customer Service of Vipservice Holding Corporate Block, Svetlana Lebedeva. Svetlana told about the changes made to the operation of the unit to increase the quality of services provided to the customer.

— Svetlana, could you please tell us about the changes made to the most client-oriented department of the corporate business of Vipservice Holding.

— The main thing is the creation of "triples". The united customer service has combined sales managers, customer service managers and account managers. Sales manager, customer service manager and financial supervisor create a "triple" and is responsible for working with a certain client.

Along with that, we have moved to a single space and now literally cooperate side by side. Managers that sell and work with the client from one "triple" sit against each other, face to face, while a financial supervisor sits next to them. This ensures fast and highly accurate information exchange and decision-making. This approach has already proved its effectiveness. Perfectly balanced operation of "triples", the use of CRM-system and close interaction in a united working space allow the mini-group to promptly and completely resolve issues of customers.

The second important thing is the specialization of "triples" in sectors to maximize the understanding of the customer's needs. We have already audited several industrial sectors. Soon we will conduct such studies for each industry. During the audit, we deeply examine activities of a client/company to fully satisfy his desires and use this experience further with other companies within the same industrial block.

Thorough identification of customer needs helps us to implement new products. Such as hotel programs: based on the analysis of the customer's activities, we offer a solution allowing to save up to 20% of the customer's hotel expenses.

— It means that every customer service managers becomes a specialist in one particular industry. But in every sphere of activity, whether IT or FMCG, there are small companies with simple requests and there are large customers with a complex travel policy, large volumes. And these are two completely different clients...

— Of course, we have foreseen such situation. One more important change in our department was a kind of answer to such situations: we have appointed senior managers. We have analyzed the successes and accomplishments of all personnel in course of their work in our company and identified the best ones. Senior managers will work with complex clients with high turnover. In addition, they will have mentoring functions and provide a feedback on junior managers.

— What kind of tools do you use to ensure successful performance of your managers?

— We have developed a quarterly KPI system. In addition, now the client is also able to assess the manager's performance. It is a kind of alarm button: now the signature of every specialist contains a link, following which the client is able to assess the performance of that particular employee. It is necessary to leave a comment with a negative assessment. For every negative feedback, I personally contact the client and find out the details. Every positive feedback increases the employee's KPI, while every confirmed negative feedback leads to a serious reduction in the KPI.

— Are there any changes in terms of technological workflow?

— Yes, and the key word here is automation. Of course, it is based on our CRM, in which we managed to finely tune the interaction with clients. In fact, we create a single IT space for ourselves. It allows us to efficiently work with the client request even when his personal manager is absent. Technologies help to free up the time of my managers for a thorough study of the client's needs.

— In your sphere of activity, a significant role is played by the manager's identity, who in fact is the face of the company. Are there any changes in the manpower policy of the department after you had taken the office?

— It is very important to me that a person is a professional, passionate about his job and keen on the stable improvement of his competence. Our current motto is Grow or out! Taking into account the dynamism of the processes taking place, I prefer employees with leadership skills, flexible, mobile people that can quickly switch from one process to another.

In my department, I bring together like-minded people: people who can make independent decisions and treat all problems as an opportunity to improve their competence. When we analyze errors, we look not for a guilty, but for a systemic problem and fix it.

Now the department is completely staffed. Most of employees were employed by me. I am confident in my team, and that it shares our main goal: have a deep understanding of the client's needs and provide the best opportunities and technologies to solve these challenges!