IBM - Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year

Company: IBM, Armonk, NY
Company Description: IBM is a values-based enterprise of individuals who create & apply technology to make the world work better. Today, more than 400,000 IBM employees around the world invent and integrate hardware, software and services to help forward-thinking enterprises, institutions and people succeed on a smarter planet.
Nomination Category: Customer Service & Call Center Awards Team Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Customer Service Complaints Team of the Year - Technology Industries

Nomination Title: Enhancing Complaint Management with timely data and AI

For more than 20 years, IBM’s “One Global Complaint Management Team” has helped clients resolve issues and complaints across 5 continents. It has evolved over the years using many different tools & technics to truly understand client concerns, develop & execute remedies to provide client value and ultimately ensure the client’s success. Most recently (within the last 2 years), the team has adopted Agile & Accelerate Principles that have not only improved the way client complaints are handled, but have revolutionized the way root cause problems are identified and corrected to prevent reoccurrence. This has greatly reduced overall complaints in the last 10 years, from an average 12,000 per year in the late 1990’s to just a few thousand in 2020 with declining trends continuing. Overall, this team has been exemplary in enhancing client satisfaction, protecting IBM’s Revenue and ensuring business continuity & value for our Clients.

Outline the team's achievements since July 1 2019 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):

In past 18 months, IBM’s Complaint Management team deployed several programs and enhancements focused on both internal and external processes to improve client experiences. Combined they have resulted in improving the overall cycle time response to clients by 25% on average, along with providing better methods (the Chatbot) for Sellers to seek assistance.

The primary projects that contributed are as follows:

1) Assisted Closed Loop & Client Survey Closed Loop programs are focused on clients who give negative feedback on surveys, addressing their concerns through the complaint process, as needed. These programs are meant to capture issues that have “slipped through the cracks” when for some reason the normal business or technical support process failed. These efforts focus on feedback from both Relationship & Transactional Survey’s. In order to be more efficient in this effort, the Team introduced the Assisted Close Loop (aCLF)Web App Tool, allowing to move away from spreadsheet-based tracking and have something that is more collaborative and delivers information in real time.

2) Automation of Complaint Tool/Application to link with Customer Fulfillment Support enables the IBM Complaint Resolution Owner request direct assistance from IBM’s fulfillment team related to Order, Delivery, Contract, Billing and other issues. It helps to more quickly engage the appropriate personnel who can best resolve the client’s complaint.

3) Global Complaint Management Chatbot deployed in 2020 covers variety of global complaint management related questions assisting its users with the process and how to address client issues in a more effective & efficient manner.

Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):

Here are several client testimonials which demonstrate & provide evidence of the positive progress & ‘in-roads made’ by the aforementioned programs:

“We had no idea a problem even existed until we were contacted by IBM’s Complaint Management Team who quickly addressed & resolved the technical issue on our system which prevented what could have been a major catastrophe for our business & our clients. Thank You IBM!” Client IT Manager.

“We were both blown away with the response from the team. Once the issue was reported the team exceeded our expectations. They not only ensured a solution, but continued to follow-up & confirm there were no new issues. Thank you to all who participated in resolution and ultimatesuccess of the project.” Client Survey Feedback.

“The biggest improvement I have seen in your team over the last 18 months is the way they manage all the IBMers who participate in the triage and resolution. Thank YOU and keep up the great job.” Leader - Data & AI"

"Yes please close the ticket and give yourself 5-Stars. I came to understand the real value-add IBM provides. Your knowledge of who to engage and how to move forward were crucial to bringing a very complicated problem to a great outcome for all involved-and in a short amount of time. Don't know what we would do without people like you who jump in and "get it done." Client IT Manager

Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the team's past performance (up to 250 words):

Identifying client issues in a “Just in Time” manner, and resolving issues quickly, is key to ensure success of our clients. In fact, predicting client issues before they truly impact a client is key to IBM’s Complaint Management Process. This is the catalyst for deploying the Assisted Closed Loop Program as it allows the team be proactive in supporting client needs. We have been able to reduce customer complaints year-to-year by 20% as both Technical & Administrative Support issues are more quickly identified from the Survey Feedback & addressed before rising to a Complaint.

With Assisted Closed Loop WebApp we are able to track & fix errors, simplify communications and improve overall efficiency. Improvements are especially evident during the twice-yearly Relationship Waves where workload increases dramatically during the 30-day wave periods. While the WebApp has become the basis for future improvements and moving clients from Detractors to Promoters, it also drives a culture change where Teams know that they can be making a difference in real-time, driving better engagement and satisfaction with their daily work.

Additionally, IBM Complaint Management personnel have switched roles from being re-active to a more proactive team, allowing for more “face time” with the client to better understand & address problems, build greater relationships and further enhance Client Loyalty.

What differentiates IBM is not only its commitment to every client’s success, but its investments in continued automations and data analysis for which its end goal is continuous improvement to delight customers.