By: Greg Coleman, Service Strategies
There are a wide array of opinions about measuring Service Deflection (commonly referred to as call deflection) out there in the industry today, and as many methods to do so. In a study we did several years ago, we found that out of over 90 survey respondents there were almost 80 different measures of service call deflection being used and no consistent call deflection strategy among the group. The problem with this is that there is no way to benchmark results when everyone is using a different measurement method. It’s an apples to oranges to peaches to pears comparison.
Another issue with the whole subject is that as the Web becomes the primary service delivery channel for many companies, is a service deflection measurement really necessary or relevant to the business? In the early days of Web support, when most of the support volume was originating through the telephone, it was more important to have a call deflection strategy in place and measure the effects of a new Web support site in terms of deflecting customers to the self service channel. Now that the Web is ubiquitous, a high percentage of people will search the web first, then maybe contact a company by phone for help.
There are some caveats to this in that some companies operate in markets, or have customers that may not be as inclined to self help or web support, or the company itself may be in the early stages of developing their web self service offerings. In such a case, measuring deflection may be valuable in determining the impact of the investments being made in Web support.
For those interested in measuring deflection, this short video highlights a method that can provide a consistent measure that incorporates verification from customers as to whether their issues were really resolved via self service. Check it out. To download a slide deck highlighting the method, click the link below the video.
Download a PDF Describing the Deflection Measure
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