|
|
 |
Remember the old days when we relied on shops or sales representatives to purchase goods? Remember how shops were closed when you needed them to be open and sales reps missed appointments?
Thankfully those days are long gone. Today, just by picking up the phone or logging on, customers have access to the world's best and most competitive products, no matter where they are based. The lynch pin of this increased consumer choice is undoubtedly the 24/7 availability of the customer contact centre - a central point in an enterprise where customers are served using telephone, facsimile, e-mail and the Internet.
One company that has well and truly harnessed the potential of the contact centre to provide customers with the most efficient and cost-effective route to procure products is HP.
Managed by the HP Volume Direct and Teleweb Operations team (VDTO), HP has five contact centre hubs across Asia Pacific and Japan - Shanghai, Japan, Korea, India and Malaysia.
The centres are staffed with well-trained and knowledgeable customer service representatives who provide information about HP's many products in a range of different geographies, for a variety of customers - from corporations, to small and medium businesses and home consumers.
Backed by 24/7 technology-enabled availability, the centres use a state-of-the-art CRM system and the latest analytical software to segment and differentiate customers in order to best meet their specific needs.
For customers, the centres deliver increased choice, flexibility, best products, competitive prices, vendor accountability, consultative sales and reduced total cost of ownership.
For HP, the contact centres help to simultaneously enhance customer service and loyalty - all while enabling the most efficient and direct sales access for customers.
Given this strong commitment to its contact centres, it may come as little surprise that HP recently scooped the pools in the 5th annual Customer Relationship Management and Contact Centre Association of Malaysia (CCAM) Awards. Eligible to compete in five categories, HP took home four 2005 CCAM Gold Awards in the following categories:
- Best In-House Contact Centre - above 50 seats: HP Kuala Lumpur Contact Centre (KLCC)
- Best Contact Centre Champion - above 50 seats: Alexander Suresh Thomas of HP KLCC
- Best Contact Centre Team Leader - above 50 seats: Winnie Lo Wan Ting of the HP Taiwan SMB team, HP KLCC
- Best Contact Centre Professional - above 50 seats, Virginia Loh Pooi Kuan of the HP Regional ITS team, HP KLCC
HP's stunning success marks the first time in five years that a multinational, in-house contact centre in Malaysia has won a number of accolades from a panel of industry peers.
The CCAM is a non-profit, industry-funded trade organisation for self regulation that develops and promotes service standards in the customer service industry. The CCAM Awards are regarded by many as an industry benchmark throughout the region, particularly given Malaysia is the regional hub of many organisations' contact centres.
HP was judged against companies such as IBM, Dell, DiGi, SingTel and VSource on criteria, including:
- customer acquisition, retention and satisfaction strategies
- alignment of Key Performance Indicators against documented organisational objectives and targets
- level of contact centre management expertise
- technology deployed
- and the physical work environment.
The awards were judged by an esteemed panel of foreign judges through an extensive process of site visits and personal interviews.
According to TF Chong, managing director of HP, Sdn Bhd, the awards demonstrate HP's contact centre expertise and leadership that is at the heart of the company's excellent customer service.
"These are not overnight achievements - this recognition by CCAM is further proof that HP walks the talk and our customers, partners and peers can see for themselves that we practice what we preach," he said.
The awards are a major achievement for the KLCC - a group that was established only three years ago at a cost of RM $7.6 million (approximately US $2 million).
Since that time, the call centre has grown to have over 200 contact centre professionals supporting HP customers and partners in eight countries including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. The centre supports a range of languages including Bahasa Malaysia, English, Thai, Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia and Tagalog.
HP utilises the centre for a range of front desk, back office, channel telesales, telemarketing, business support and order administration functions.
With the KLCC and the other centres around the region, HP continues to push boundaries with best practice contact centre management that puts the customers' needs at the heart of the organisation.
So, regardless if you're a customer in outback Australia or a village in remote India, next time you order an HP product, rest assured that you are most likely being served by one of HP's award-winning contact centres which are providing the best advice on some of the world's best products.
Customers give the nod
The judges of the CCAM Awards aren't the only ones to recognise HP's good work in the area. Throughout the region, the most important judges — HP customers — are also heaping praise on HP's Asia Pacific and Japanese contact centres, and particularly the exemplary service provided by HP's customer service consultants:
"Just wanted to thank you for the superb support you have been giving us here in the Philippines. We really appreciate the prompt responses and follow-ups you have been sending," Rene Baretto, Citigroup.
"My team would like to thank those working in GACOM Shell and HP business support functions…. I would like to particularly single out Ron Fairholm, Alison McGregor, Marie & Vishnu who handled the situation in a professional and courteous way. All our enquiries were answered promptly and they tried their best to rush orders that were held up. Our project team mates were also happy with the delivery timelines. It does indeed make the transition much easier knowing we have the support and understanding from the HP team. Once again, we at Shell would like to personally recognise these people. You've got great people there at HP!" Andrew Lau, Shell information Technology International (SITI).
"Despite the many continuous enquiries, I really wished to commend Li Ching who has been pretty patient, possesses good product knowledge and has maintained a consistent level of quality customer service practices," Stewart Lee, Sunway Pyramid, Sdn Bhd.
"I called your Toll Free Hotline this morning and I am pleased that I was served by Mr Tan Chee Yong. He was so courteous, helpful and pleasant and I was delighted with his good customer service," Radin Asiah, Singapore.
|
|
Printable version
