Case Study
Southern Municipal Water Department Named Most Improved in the Country by JD Power
Client Background and Overview
In the southern United States, a large municipality’s water department that serviced approximately 1.2 million customers per day faced customer service challenges, including long wait times, unclear communication, and multiple calls to resolve customer issues. To address these challenges, they hired Turnkey Solutions’ team of experts to conduct a thorough assessment of their operations and provide recommendations for improvement.
Challenges
Several challenges hindered the water department’s ability to deliver the level of service its customers deserved. One major issue was the 311 Call Center’s inability to accurately track the volume of incoming calls for the water department. Additionally, not all representatives were equipped to handle complex billing calls, which frustrated customers. Duplicate entry of information was also a problem, as systems were not fully integrated. However, the most pressing issue was the attrition of call center representatives due to COVID-19, resulting in longer wait times and delays in resolving customer issues.
Solution
To tackle the challenges faced by the Water Department, Turnkey Solutions took a comprehensive approach by conducting a thorough assessment of the current situation. Turnkey’s team analyzed analytics reports from the 311 Call Center, conducted interviews, surveys, and focus groups with 311 personnel, and researched best practices from 25 cities in the U.S. that had their own water departments. Turnkey staff also analyzed the IVR system and how calls were currently routed, as well as staffing requirements and software platforms and tools.
After careful analysis, Turnkey Solutions recommended a pilot call center to address the department’s customer service issues. To minimize the impact on other areas of the department, the pilot was staffed with two teams, allowing personnel to work their regular jobs part-time while the pilot was in session. The team also recommended dashboards and reports to be used during the pilot to track progress and ensure success.
Impact
By partnering with Turnkey Solutions, the Water Department was able to address the challenges it faced and improve its customer service. Turnkey’s innovative solutions and expert recommendations resulted in shorter wait times, improved communication, quicker resolution of customer issues, and a resoundingly successful pilot call center for the client that later became permanent. As a result, the Water Department was not only able to provide better service to their customers, generating increased customer satisfaction and loyalty for years to come, but was also given the title of “Most Improved Utility” by J.D. Power for that year. Turnkey Solutions was glad to be able to provide strategic planning and customized solutions for the client to address their complex business and customer experience challenges.