CUSTOMER SERVICE WORKBOOKHOW MACHINE-LEARNING SOLUTIONS DRIVE ORDER MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE

A Guide for Customer Service Leaders

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Paper Is Not Your Friend ............................................................................ 3

Taking Control.............................................................................................. 4

Creating Engagement ................................................................................. 6

Fostering Loyalty ......................................................................................... 7

5 Simple Tips for Making Customer Service Extraordinary ................. 8

Empowering Employees ............................................................................ 9

Simplifying Training ..................................................................................10

Quitting Paper ............................................................................................12

About Esker ................................................................................................15

You’l l see what we mean...

PAPER IS NOT YOUR FRIEND.Problem solvers. Multitaskers. Unsung heroes. Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) are a lot of things to a lot of people. But as much as they do to keep a business running smoothly, there’s one role they should never be asked to fill: the office paper pusher and data enterer.

Why? Printing orders, entering data and tracking down documents doesn’t serve anyone well. In fact, the more time CSRs spend on manual tasks, the less time they have for the task at hand — improving the customer experience. For those looking to empower their CSRs and provide stellar customer service, we have a solution: automated order management. It helps. A lot.

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TAKING CONTROLThere are two ways to serve customers: proactively or reactively. The distinction matters more than you think.

Customers prefer go-getters. CSRs who always know why, when and where orders are being processed. Of course, being proactive is more than preparation. Measures like outbound calls, self-service, social media and customized offers are highly effective ways to get ahead of potential issues and demonstrate initiative.

Which brings us to the whole “why automation is necessary” aspect. It’s hard for CSRs to be efficient and knowledgeable — much less proactive — when they’re up to their ears in paper and data entry.

With automation, CSRs are free to focus on more proactive strategies thanks to a streamlined electronic workflow. Not only that, managers have enhanced visibility into the process, making it easy to identify areas of need, allocate resources, measure performance and reward top performers.

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Experience is Everything: Here’s How to Get it Right, 2018. PwC.

SPEED, CONVENIENCE, HELPFUL EMPLOYEES AND FRIENDLY SERVICE

MATTER MOST, HITTING

OVER 70% IN IMPORTANCE TO CONSUMERS.

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CREATING ENGAGEMENTCustomer engagement is a driving force behind business growth. If only you had the time and resources for it …

These days, customers flat out expect more in terms of support options. Live chat, social media and mobile functionality are channels that can enhance the customer experience and boost advocacy. Here’s the dilemma: Traditional order management requires a lot of staff and resources to effectively manage incoming orders. Time or budget for engagement strategies is a tough sell.

By digitally transforming the order management process via AI-driven automation, businesses can:

� Manage growing order volumes without adding staff � Repurpose CSRs to more value-added tasks � Enable mobile capabilities & support remote work environments � Engage customers through an online, self-service portal

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1) Experience is Everything: Here’s How to Get it Right, 2018. PwC.

One in three (32%) of all customers would stop doing business with a company after one bad experience.Source: Experience is Everything: Here’s How to Get it Right, 2018. PwC.

FOSTERING LOYALTYMore than anything, successful companies are able to master the human element.

Loyalty is born when actions match promises. Human-to-human interaction is often necessary when the going gets tough, and can be a defining moment for customer allegiance. In fact, today 64% of U.S. consumers and 59% of all consumers feel companies have lost touch with the human element of customer experience.1

A manual environment is not cut out for crunch-time situations. CSRs are often at the mercy of others in the department who could lose or misplace printed orders. And if there’s one thing inquiring customers never want to hear, it’s: “I’m going to have to call you back.”

Automated cloud solutions can automate workflow as well as provide a place for customers to go for instant communication with your company — ensuring that you’re there for them throughout the entire process.

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SIMPLE TIPS FOR MAKING CUSTOMER SERVICE EXTRAORDINARY

USE YOUR CUSTOMERS AS A RESOURCE.If you’re looking for innovative ideas to improve customer service, listen to the people who understand it the best — your customers. Studies show that, regardless of the industry, many of the most successful innovations come directly from customers.

CHANGE WITH THE TIMES.Accommodation for things like mobile and online support is no longer a trend, it’s an expectation. For example, according to research done by Hubspot, 86% of service teams think customers are even smarter and have higher expectations than they did last year.1

The times, they are a-changin’ — you need to as well.

MAKE IT PERSONAL.For the 21st century customer, the web can be an altogether confusing place to find service. Make it easy for them. Customers appreciate when solutions and/or products are tailored to their needs as to avoid all of the bad noise of a typical online search.

GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS A HEAD START ON LOYALTY PROGRAMS.Turns out, a simple way to increase interest in customer loyalty programs may be to provide a head start. A breakthrough consumer research study revealed that customers are twice as likely to stay with loyalty programs if the programs appear to be already underway.

CREATE A CONSISTENT EXPERIENCE. When it comes to providing a consistent experience, 87% of customers think that brands aren’t doing enough. That’s where strong omni-channel customer engagement strategies can make a huge difference. Today, every interaction — whether it’s happening on desktop computer, mobile device or telephone — represents added value to a business.

1) The State of Customer Service in 2020, 2020. Hubspot.

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EMPOWERING EMPLOYEESCreating a great customer experience requires a fulfilling and encouraging environment for your staff.

It’s difficult for CSRs to deliver a positive experience to customers when they’re busy with data entry or frustrated with the low-value and unenjoyable manual aspects of their job.

Make their work more enjoyable with an automated solution that minimizes tedious tasks, elevates careers and frees up time to focus on what they’re there to do — be of helpful service to customers.

As a manager, it’s important to measure staff performance in order to nurture and grow employees. Customizable dashboards make it a cinch with built-in Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and information on who did what and when.

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SIMPLIFYING TRAININGNew hires want it. Customers expect it. Quicker onboarding creates value across the board.

It’s no longer debatable — every aspect of order management is tied to the customer experience. Today, even the process of training employees to learn your system has a significant impact on an organization’s competitive advantage.

Fortunately, the intuitive nature of AI-powered automation makes onboarding a breeze. Not only are CSRs relieved of data entry demands, previous “unknowables” like if a product was discontinued or if ATP couldn’t be met, for example, are automatically flushed out and presented to the CSR.

The result is two-fold. First, CSRs can be trained in a matter of weeks versus months, with more time to engage in actual customer service. Secondly, wooing new recruits is made easier thanks to the lack of tribal knowledge needed to process orders.

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(2019, May 1) Top 40 Customer Service Statistics to Move Your Company Forward. Retrieved from https://www.salesforce.com/blog/customer-service-stats/

IN THE U.S. ALONE,

$62 BILLION IS LOST EACH YEAR DUE TO POOR

CUSTOMER SERVICE.

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QUITTING PAPERHERE’S HOW ESKER’S END-TO-END ORDER MANAGEMENT SOLUTION WORKS:

All submitted orders, regardless of type or

format (e.g., email, fax, EDI, portal, etc.), are routed to the appropriate queue for

electronic processing.

ORDER RECEPTIONDifferent layers of AI-driven

technologies accurately extract relevant data from orders, no matter if they are text or image-based

documents.

DATA EXTRACTIONOnce the order data

is verified against the replicated master data, the corresponding sales order is automatically created in

the ERP.

ERP INTEGRATIONWhen exceptions occur, or approvals are necessary, orders are automatically

put into a workflow to resolve exceptions without

added delays.

EXCEPTION HANDLING

Esker’s customer portal and mobile application, Esker

Anywhere™, gives bothcustomers and sales staff the

freedom to place and track orders -- wherever, whenever.

WEB & MOBILE ORDERING

Orders are 100% visible during processing. Tailored

dashboards and metrics are used for facilitating daily tasks, monitoring performances, and

planning and forecasting.

ANALYTICS & AUDIT TRAIL

A convenient online portal gives customers self-service

access to placing orders, payment information, instant

communication with staff and more.

CUSTOMER PORTAL

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THE ESKER SOLUTION IS ENABLING CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK SMARTER, BETTER AND FASTER. WE’RE ABLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.Director of Global Customer Support | MEDRAD, Inc.

A statement from one of our many satisfied customers:

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Avoids manual order entry with Esker’s AI and machine learning capabilities

Achieved order entry accuracy rate of 99.6%

Previously received 80% of orders via paper fax; now receive 80% of orders electronically

Reduced order processing time from 8 minutes per order to 1.35 minutes per order

Visibility and control over archived orders enabled better customer responsiveness

Digging deeper: Let’s explore MEDRAD’s story behind that statement.

THE ESKER SOLUTION IS ENABLING CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO WORK SMARTER, BETTER AND FASTER. WE’RE ABLE TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

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WE ARE ESKER.At Esker, we’re always working to help our clients achieve an improved customer experience. And after more than 35 years in the automation biz, we’ve gotten pretty good at it. Our Order Management solution enables companies to digitally transform the manual elements in their process — making critical interactions between the company and its customers more efficient, transparent and cost-effective.

WORLDWIDE PRESENCEEsker’s suite of solutions span the order-to-cash (O2C) and procure-to-pay (P2P) cycles, helping 6,000+ companies around the world drive increased productivity, enhance visibility, and improve collaboration with customers, suppliers and internally. Esker operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific, with global headquarters in Lyon, France, and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin.

DATA SECURITY & INTEGRITY

� 3 Data Centers � Multitenant Platform � HIPAA/HITECH Compliance

� SSAE 18 & ISAE 3402 � 24/7 Availability

Learn more at esker.com or join the conversation at blog.esker.com

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