by Nick Saporito, Marketing/Customer Experience Manager
Columbus Telephone Company
For us, USF Reform was an inflection point (as it has been for many independents). We decided we were going to make it a positive instead of a negative by taking the traditional independent business model and running it through the shredder. As such, our 109 year old company has literally been rethinking everything we do…from bold corporate strategy moves, down to how we utilize Customer Master.
With a renewed focus on streamlining operations and enhancing the customer experience, we solicited a database review from MACC. Linda Lemon then provided a detailed report of how we were utilizing Customer Master, what could be improved, and what was frankly just a mess. With her report, we began first with what immediately needed fixed or cleaned up in the data. Once the self-created messes were cleaned up, we moved to making operations more efficient.
Trouble Tickets and Service Orders were transitioned to paperless and we began using historically unused features of Customer Master (at Linda’s recommendation and guidance), such as the Contracts module. Today our technicians all have iPads and iPhones with MACC Mobile installed. They’re receiving their Trouble Tickets and Service Orders directly on those devices while in the field. The days of them having to come back to the CO to see if any new tickets are on the printer are now over – making more efficient use of their time.
Additionally, customers now approve technicians’ on-site work by signing digitally on the tech’s iPad. This has increased accountability for both our staff and customers requesting work that involves charges. It also propagates our company’s high-tech brand image.
The impact on the customer experience has also been a win for the customer. Today a customer can sign up for broadband in our business office and within minutes they can be back home, plug in an Ethernet cable, and immediately have data service.
We’re not done with using the information Linda provided. She also made recommendations regarding the use of CRM and other smaller items we have not yet implemented, but fully intend to by year’s end.
We at CTC found quickly that there is never a lack of resources and advice from MACC. With Linda’s guidance and our employees’ willingness to rethink everything, we’ve made our operations more efficient and afforded our customers a better experience in doing business with us.