A Finnish company offering social welfare rehabilitation services.

Problem:

The customer service operating model and staff structure have been significantly revamped in recent years. The personnel and job roles have changed, and a new customer service-focused team has emerged. At the same time, significant growth is sought in new customer acquisition, and the process of becoming a customer is perceived as challenging and growth-restricting. The working hours of customer service are insufficient for all the tasks assigned to it, and job satisfaction is at a low level.

Goal:

To describe the process of becoming a customer as a value stream map and to highlight the most significant development projects. To plan the implementation of development projects and bring them into practice. To significantly improve the key metrics of customer service.

Background: 

The expertise of the new customer service team is limited, and the job description includes various tasks, some of which are not related to customer work. The job descriptions are inadequate, and seamless task distribution is challenging. The switchboard is not always able to respond, and customers are left without service. Appointment booking practices vary, and booking rehabilitation times is slow, with most appointments being scheduled too far into the future. Additionally, the care personnel vary, making it challenging to maintain permanent customer relationships.

Implementation:
The development project began by mapping the main process of becoming a customer and the factors influencing it. The problems identified afterward were prioritized, and root cause analyses were conducted for the most significant issues, revealing many important areas for development. The most significant improvement was the creation of a new, transparent, and consistent appointment booking model for the entire operation. The job descriptions and roles of customer service were reformed, and a monitored weekly calendar for task management was created. A “Welcome to the House” process was established for new customers, which simultaneously alleviated the workload of customer service. Several smaller development areas were also implemented. 

Outcome: 

Significant growth in customer service job satisfaction due to the renewed operating model and accelerated appointment booking for new customers. At the same time, a new and functional distribution of tasks and responsibilities in customer service was created. The response rate of the customer service switchboard increased as a result of the changes.