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Detractor follow-up

  • 1.  Detractor follow-up

    Posted 05-18-2021 06:14 PM
    Hello everyone!

    I wanted to understand what is the best way for companies to follow up with detractors? It'll also be nice to get a SaaS perspective on this.

    Thanks

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    Niyati Gulati
    Customer Insights Researcher
    Autodesk
    (647) 613-6005
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  • 2.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-27-2021 03:55 AM
    Hi @Niyati Gulati I have found the best way to follow up with detractors is to call the customer on the phone and speak with them.


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    Scott Gilbey, CCXP
    scottgilbey@growCX.com
    937.215.4104
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  • 3.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-28-2021 09:50 AM
    There really is no substitute for the personal touch.  Yes, it takes TIME to make a phone call, and to prepare for it ahead of time (i.e. read the verbatim) but it also can - **sometimes** - turn someone from a detractor into a passive or even a promoter.  It does take time, but if you are going to run a customer experience program, this really is foundational.  Just measuring a score isn't that important - what does matter is making things better for customers (which ultimately will be good for the business results).

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    Heather Gillbanks CCXP
    Director, Customer Experience
    Cornerstone Building Brands
    Walkerton IN
    (832) 795-9069
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  • 4.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-28-2021 03:14 AM

    HI Niyati, You have asked a great and very important question. Thanks!

    In my experience, it's best to slow boat it a bit. A phone call out of the blue can put a detractor on the spot, making them clam up and feel uncomfortable. That's not what you want because the goal is to get to the bottom of things  -- find out the specifics of what is going on between them and your company.

    So, start with an email, asking for more information, and asking if they would be open to scheduling a phone call. Be as disarming and genuine in your messaging as you can. The person who makes that phone call needs to have distance, they can't be the same person the customer was working with, and ideally they are a true researcher trained in interview techniques. Also, ideally, permission is asked for the interview to be recorded. After the interview, the customer needs a follow-up email thanking them for sharing -- and perhaps additional follow-up that shows how their issues are being resolved. If this sounds like an ordeal, it really isn't. The process can be streamlined and efficient. The results can even be displayed on an interactive dashboard so that everyone is on the same page. 



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    Martha Brooke CCXP
    Chief Customer Experience Analyst & Founder
    Interaction Metrics
    Portland OR
    (503) 205-7003
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  • 5.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-28-2021 09:32 AM
    Hi @Scott Gilbey and @Martha Brooke, CCXP, thank you so much for your responses. :) 

    Would you also know what detractor management practices are being followed by specific companies?​​

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    Niyati Gulati
    Customer Insights Researcher
    Autodesk
    (647) 613-6005
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  • 6.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-28-2021 08:41 PM
    Sure, but specific companies generally don't want to advertise what their practices are which is understandable -- but happy to drill into this in more detail if you like, just send me an email or linkedin. How you handle detractors is one of the most important of all the CX disciplines.

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    Martha Brooke CCXP
    Chief Customer Experience Analyst & Founder
    Interaction Metrics
    Portland OR
    (503) 205-7003
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 05-12-2023 02:50 PM

    Hi @Martha Brooke, CCXP thanks for the great insight! I'm wondering if you can share any ideas on who should do these follow ups- i.e. is it CX/VoC folks, the sales/account managers, customer service, a combination? Also, do you have any suggestions on interview training/where to go/how to get it to make these conversations as valuable as possible. Thanks!



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    Mallorie Riley
    Manager, Voice of Customer
    Canada Post Corporation
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  • 8.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 05-24-2023 12:58 PM

    Hi Mallorie, I got many questions about this following our last B2B CX roundtable because Rob Markey clearly advocated for these follow-ups!

    Your most robust data will come from interviewers who understand your company and the accounts but are not the face of those accounts. When customers are talking with an independent research division, they are much more likely to open up and tell you what they really think.

    It's very important to schedule these interviews and not just call out of the blue. And be sure to ask compelling questions.

    Examples of compelling questions are: Of course, every company could be improved, but what comes to mind right now as something that would improve Company123? Or, if you had to describe Company123 to a friend, what would you say? A great way to introduce these interviews is to tell the interviewee that you are interested in everything that they have to say about Company123 and the ABC industry. 

    Thanks for asking a great question and being part of our B2B CX community! Martha



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    Martha Brooke, CCXP
    Chief Customer Experience Analyst & Founder
    Interaction Metrics
    marthab@interactionmetrics.com
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  • 9.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-29-2021 09:34 AM
    IMO the answer to this is usually "it depends".  If it is a customer who is new to me (CX lead), I normally reach out to the sales rep who handles them, or at least check in the CRM to get a feel for who they are as a customer.

    Sometimes, the sales rep will give me the green light to go ahead and reach out directly; other times, I will get a word or 2 of caution (which I always heed - B2B customers are too valuable to lose even one to a misstep by the CX lead).

    If you have a customer who complains a lot, and you have a long history of following up with them, then just reach out.  I had 1 customer like this in Turkey.  He did not like the fact that our policy on sales reps paying for "dancing girls" (ahem) was being enforced, and he lodged a complaint each & every time we sent a survey.  I called him, dutifully, every time, and eventually he stopped complaining about that issue and we got to more meaty topics where I could actually help him.  Around that same time, their orders did pick up, but I am not certain there is a correlation.

    If you have a customer who is in a high potential situation (you think could be buying more, but isn't) then it is especially important to reach out to them.  These are the people who need every possible attempt to cultivate the relationship.  Someone who calls NOT to sell them something is unusual, and more often than not, appreciated.  At my old company, when I told respondents I was calling from the Corporate office and I wanted to discuss their feedback, I found out that they would sometimes later brag to co-workers that they were important enough for me to call!  It became a badge of honor if I called them, which was extremely helpful in a small community (there just are not that many power companies in the world).

    The most important thing, if you have a small community like that, is to NEVER LIE or stretch the truth.  If they have an issue, and it is NOT in your sphere of control to fix, do not promise that you will.  Say something like "Here are the steps I am going to take.  I cannot promise I will be able to get this resolved, but I will be sharing our conversation directly with Executive XYZ, to increase the chances that you will get your issue fixed.  We will need the support of Department A and Department B to really resolve your issue permanently, and that could take several *time slots* to achieve."  Over time, I developed a reputation with customers as a "straight shooter", and went along with country executives to customer visits many times for that reason alone (it helped that I was there due to that rep; they would listen to me because they knew I wouldn't stretch the truth to save face). THAT is where you want to get, IMO.  Be the trusted partner.

    In one role I had, we had a division that was SaaS as well as the physical side of the house.  Their process (Saas) was virtually identical to mine (physical & services) - check with Sales/ CRM, reach out, give highest priority to high-pots, and only promise what you can deliver.  For the SaaS group, customers who had reach-outs were more likely to renew than those who did not (SaaS group had enough data points to be able to draw that conclusion).  Only reason I know that is they did a big presentation on it, which helped cement CX into their culture pretty quickly.

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    Heather Gillbanks CCXP
    Director, Customer Experience
    Cornerstone Building Brands
    Walkerton IN
    (832) 795-9069
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 06-29-2021 10:27 AM
    Before calling the customer, being prepared is essential, as smartly detailed by @Martha Brooke, CCXP and @Mrs. Heather Gillbanks, CCXP.
    ​​

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    Scott Gilbey, CCXP
    scottgilbey@growCX.com
    937.215.4104
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  • 11.  RE: Detractor follow-up

    Posted 05-27-2023 12:19 PM

    Hi Niyati, I'd like to add a longer view to the recommendations already provided for short term follow-up. 

    Detractors might change their attitude about your brand based on conversation and remedies. However, most Detractors are bothered by systemic issues that keep popping up, eroding both trust and your likelihood of regaining that trust.

    Constructive criticism is an early warning signal to change systemic issues before it's too late. When your surveys include (1) an index question such as likely to recommend, (2) experience questions such as user-friendly, responsive, etc., and (3) comment opportunities, then you have what's needed to permanently prevent Detractors. (If your surveys do not include comments, then you can use data mining from your contact center recordings, social media, etc. If your surveys do not include experience questions, then you cannot conduct a correlation analysis, but what's broken is often obvious.)

    Prioritize action via correlation analysis. This identifies key drivers, such as responsiveness. Then categorize comment themes for each key driver and list the themes in a Pareto chart. This separates the Vital Few issues from the Useful Many. For each Vital Few issue, ask yourselves 5 times: "Why are we letting this symptom happen?". The 5th why is generally the true root cause.

    For each root cause, plan a corresponding action to prevent its recurrence. Review your action plan progress in staff meetings to remove roadblocks.

    Communicate your plan and periodic progress to all customers. This method is called outer loop VoC. I've found that it is the greatest source of CX ROI.

    See more about this here: 

    What is Outer Loop VoC?

    All the best,
    Lynn



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    Lynn Hunsaker, CCXP, RTP
    Chief Customer Officer
    ClearAction Continuum Experience Leadership Mastery
    Phoenix AZ United States
    (408) 687-9700
    lynn.hunsaker@clearaction.com
    Messaging: LinkedIn.com/in/lynnhunsaker
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