CompTIA Day 2–Who’s Call Is it Anyway? In Search of the Ultimate Customer Support Experience

We’ve all been there.  We call in because our computer has crashed right in the middle of a presentation we’re crafting for the 3:00 pm meeting.  Sometimes we get the help we need–frequently we don’t.  Well, that is usually something that practically makes you cry.  Today, I saw a performance about this very issue that actually made me laugh.    

I’m in San Antonio, Texas at the CompTIA Breakaway 2010.  Since one of my co-workers is on the Executive Council of CompTIA’s IT Services and Support Community, I’ve been sitting in on the sessions in which he has a “starring” role.  Today’s panel was entitled “Who’s Call Is It Anyway?   But instead of the usual dry and sometimes boring panel discussions, today we got a skit.  The IT Services and Support Community’s Executive Council members turned into actors.  Each one of them played a role in the chain of today’s all too common multi-level support quagmire.  Well, it’s really only a quagmire when it runs amuck.  And, today’s CompTIA Execs showed us how that happens–where each link in the chain breaks down.  But, they also give us insights into best practices that are found in superior support organizations.  It was quite funny and entertaining–the exact opposite of a boring panel.  So, guess what?  We all paid attention!    

Comedy Troup--Who's Call Is It Anyway?

 

We all know that good support equals customer satisfaction, and in today’s competitive corporate IT environments, good customer satisfaction is crucial for customer retention.     

Here are the usual causes of bad customer care:    

• Lack of ownership
• Inability to hear negative feedback
• Lack of honesty

But those problems can be fixed.  Consistent customer satisfaction metrics and monitoring are key.  One way to do this is to take advantage of a service offered to CompTIA members:  Customer Interaction Training Programs and Service Metrics.    

Wow, if that’s all it takes, we should really start getting good customer service!