Knowing that there was a disconnect between the Avis brand and customers’ perceptions of the Company, Avis called in T2 to focus first on its European and then its USA business.
‘Research carried out in line with our ‘We Try Harder’ brand, revealed Avis sometimes comes across as formal and cold,’ said Angie Court, the Director of Customer Service. ‘Customers tell us they want to feel we are friendly and caring.’
After studying letters to European customers and listening to the calls being made from the Budapest Headquarters, T2 tailored a unique Psycho-Linguistics programme to develop the language skills of agents dealing with the British, Germans, Dutch, Spanish, Italians and Portuguese.
‘Delivering Avis brand values is hard enough,’ said Angie Court, ‘but the team has to do it in six languages, all with different cultural expectations.’
The programme included a specially designed methodology that allowed agents to look beyond overt issues customers raised in letters and phone calls, and allowed them to uncover hidden issues that are the real drivers of customers’ attitudes and perceptions.
In addition to this ground-breaking developmental programme, T2 re-wrote all Avis standard correspondence, to make sure brand values were included in the content – and the Company’s values and attitudes were reflected in its words and tone of voice.
The process was so successful that AVIS America jumped at the chance of using the re-writes as part of its revised corporate communication strategy. The US Team tracked customer reactions to the new letters and reported a rise in customer satisfaction levels, proving it is possible to improve customers’ reactions to how they are treated, even in a culture renowned for it service ethos.
This is what the company had to say:
Using techniques they learned from T2 – including words that heal, not hurt – the Team was able to direct customers’ thoughts to the positive and prove the Company was interested in them, personally. The training has been rolled out across all countries and Call Centres to make sure Avis has a consistent approach, whilst recognising cultural differences and expectations.
Angie Court, Director of Customer Service, Avis
Thames Water
Concerned about the quality of the Company’s correspondence, Thames Water asked T2 to launch an initiative to improve replies to customers’ complaints.
After a detailed analysis of letters from a cross-section of Customer Service Teams, T2 designed a programme to explain the impact psychological running orders have on readers’ emotions and how connotation can influence perceptions of the company’s personality.
After briefing the Board and running an intensive master class for all senior managers, Psycho-Linguistics was rolled out to the whole of Customer Service.
Stephen Hugh-Jones, Editor of the Britain section of The Economist was impressed with Thames Water’s new style letters. ‘It was a shock – and a most agreeable one.’ Mr Hugh-Jones wrote to the MD. ‘I fully expected a get this fellow-off-my-back style response. What I got was a thoroughly sensible, non-standard, well-thought out letter directed at the question I’d asked and giving a persuasive answer.’
‘From a customer who knows a thing or two about writing, this is praise indeed’ said Duncan McCrombie.
Thames Water Press Release
A new system of dealing with customer comments and complaints has led to a big drop in overall grievance figures at Thames Water’s Customer Services Department. The system, known as Psycho-Linguistics, was introduced at the start of this year, and has resulted in an 18 per cent drop in repeat complaints compared with the same period two years ago. The system is a new way of responding to customers’ letters, so if a customer writes in a direct manner, the reply admits the problem apologises and explains how it will be dealt with. Less aggressive letters are replied to in a softer manner to ensure customers get the level of satisfaction they need.
‘It has been so successful customers have written to congratulate us on how their complaint was dealt with,’ says Customer Service Manager, Duncan McCombie. ‘Under the new scheme, we deal with the complaint first time and we deal with it properly.’
This is what the company had to say:
In a short time Psycho-Linguistics has had a big impact on customer grievance figures. We’ve seen a drop of 18% in repeat complaints, compared with the same period a year ago. The initiative certainly pays for itself.
Duncan McCrombie, Customer Service Manager, Thames Water
NHBC
As the market leader for warranties in the construction industry, NHBC has an enviable reputation.
Recently, the Company took a major decision to improve its relationship with registered builders and members of the public – who have no specialised knowledge of the industry.
T2 has made a significant contribution to the project, training the Sales and Marketing Teams, the entire Customer Service Division, Claims Assessors and Claims Investigators.
As a direct result of the Project sales have increased, morale has improved, and homeowners have flooded the Company with compliments. NHBC is delighted.
This is what the company had to say:
It’s made people re-think how they explain quite complicated scenarios, and instead of using too much NHBC jargon, to try and put it into simpler terms. They’ve been getting more compliments which I’m absolutely thrilled for them. They are sharing what works well with each other. It’s given them a sense of ownership, and rather than it being us as managers telling them what to do, they are actually joining up in little groups and sharing ideas and thoughts which have been absolutely fantastic. And I know other parts of NHBC are now considering using T2-UK training. They do understand NHBC and know what makes us tick.
Lorraine Bateson, Business Transformation Manager – Claims, NHBC
Thanks Lorraine it was a pleasure working with you and the team.
Posted by T2 Ltd on Wednesday, 4 June 2014
British Gas
When product and price are much the same, the only thing that differentiates one company from another in the market place, is how it treats its customers.
So when British Gas decided to re-launch its brand recently, it seized the moment to change the way its Call Centre agents speak to high-value, residential customers. Instead of the traditional, corporate, jargon-riddled conversations, they’ve been encouraged to make radical changes, not only to what they say, but how they say it.
Before giving the Team its head, T2 was asked to analyse the psychological and linguistic patterns in the Call Centre, and design a bespoke Psycho-Linguistic programme to improve them.
Over 1000 customer service agents have gone through an intensive, two-day immersion course, focusing on the emotional impact of language and sophisticated psychological strategies. Within six months of T2 starting the work, BG’s Average Handling Time has been slashed by 41 seconds, the Net Promoter Score has shot up from 31 to 48 and staff engagement has soared from 64 to 85.
Customer retention has gone up, complaints have come down and the brand has come alive. This is only the start. Our on-going involvement with the British Gas is set to bring even greater success stories.
This is what the company had to say:
Universal feedback from our agents is that this is the best training they have ever had.
James Walker, General Manager, British Gas
Look Who's Writing from T2 UK on Vimeo.