Prolog Total outsourced service support

In September 2007 Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd picked Prolog to set up its Customer and Dealership Service centre near Watford in Hertfordshire, initiating a partnership that has proved pivotal in helping the car giant's UK operation provide "a customer experience that measurably delivers leading levels of trust, satisfaction and loyalty."

NMGB's Managing Director, Paul Willcox, opened the Service Centre in Spring 2008. Eleven months later he was back with Network Development and Quality Director, Steve McLennan to tell staff that they had performed ahead of their counterparts in all areas of Nissan's customer satisfaction survey. Prolog had become the benchmark of excellence for Nissan Contact Centres throughout Europe! In ten consecutive monthly UK dealership meetings, not one complaint had been raised about the customer service team, something they challenged other car manufacturers to equal.

Located at the prestigious Croxley Business Park near Watford - only five miles from NMGB's Maple Cross HQ - Prolog's multi-channel Nissan UK Customer and Dealership Service Centre exists to resolve customer issues and complaints, received directly or passed on by Nissan's UK dealership network or its own 'Front Office' call centre.

Whether callers are 'petrol heads', PAs, service technicians or weekend motorists, the imperative is to talk to them knowledgeably, sympathetically and on their own level. Prolog's case managers live and breathe the brand: They work in an environment that is - in all but ownership - Nissan. Nissan's message is writ large on the walls; Nissan systems drive the operation; training follows the Nissan pattern; Nissan's procedures inform the working day and Nissan values are hammered home at every opportunity - inductions, product training and numerous brand events, including popular 'test drives' where agents get close and intimate with all the cars in the range.

Each case is handled by a single agent to establish rapport and save time; and even if the original contact is by email, white mail or fax, as much of the process as possible is handled by telephone.

Case managers are trained to listen intently to what customers and dealers are saying. They record feedback and flag significant issues to their Team Leaders who are empowered to make quick decisions to effect rapid resolution. Incipient product or services issues are 'nipped in the bud' at weekly 'Top Issues' meetings and the feedback is so valued by NMGB that the board routinely discusses it.

At the end of every case, the customer receives a closing call to make sure he or she is satisfied with the outcome, or at least understands why expectations could not be met. This is much more than a courtesy; it is used directly to assess the customer's rating of the service, and feedback is recorded on Nissan's Siebel CRM system.

Prolog is empowered to refer customers to the SMMT conciliation and advisory service. Only buybacks and legal issues are escalated, and even here Nissan frequently seeks Prolog's help with information gathering.

Case managers spearhead the process of improving the customer experience. They are made to feel they matter, and encouraged to express their views and ideas. They question and discuss issues in weekly forums and join in regular brainstorm sessions, frequently beating their managers to ways to improve. Further commitment is shown through structured training and PDPs, often with a prominent 'fun' element like theme weeks or work-related quizzes.

Measurement of 'success' is one of the key features of the partnership. The 'handshake' calls are part of a continuum of monitoring for excellence that includes an independent BPA audit, a monthly NMGB survey of 250 recently contacted customers and independent industry-side customer surveys such as the JD Power satisfaction survey. Since all calls are recorded, any one can be evaluated against a scoring matrix agreed with NMGB.

The BPA Audit involves detailed analysis of calls and correspondence. It looks at tone, pace, vocabulary and customer interaction. Standards for soft skills are exceptionally high and based on cross-industry experience. The NMGB survey specifically examines customer satisfaction with Prolog service delivery, comparing Prolog with the previous supplier and with other European service centres. Anecdotal feedback from the dealer network is also recorded and kept as part of the monitoring process.Prolog measures the performance of individual agents and the team as a whole through Personal Development Plan and Performance Management programmes, and works to stringent client-led KPIs.

The ability of both sides to discuss even difficult issues freely and without rancour characterises the Nissan/Prolog partnership. Support and sensitive information are shared, cementing trust and mutual respect.

Prolog shows commitment through action.

Added value is offered at every opportunity, including sales lead generation and low-pressure up selling to help NMGB through challenging times. Nissan shows commitment by inviting Prolog managers to corporate briefings and by letting case managers drive their cars or get behind the wheel in new high-end models.

Nissan has found in Prolog a brand ambassador - a nimble, proactive partner, whose expertise in customer relations and loyalty management meets, and in some areas exceeds, its own - a partner committed to being able to 'SHIFT' to meet the challenges of a competitive marketplace.