A prominent bank was striving to reduce call volume to its support team as part of a cost-reduction effort. Despite a comprehensive digital platform, customer calls remained high, prompting a reevaluation of the full customer engagement channels from a behavioral perspective.
The goal was to uncover the gap between the bank's perception and the actual customer experience, in order to understand why customers choose to call the bank instead of using the readily available self help options.
Our team embarked on a dual approach of analyzing both quantitative data (caller demographics, call times, and other variables) and qualitative data (listening to recorded calls, interviewing support representatives). This comprehensive analysis helped us move beyond the bank's traditional call categorization to a new framework based on the client's perspective.
Findings and Impact:
After going through the qualitative data, we were able to categorize the types of calls from the client’s perspective, rather than using the bank’s categorization method. Then, we performed data transformation and quantitatively analyzed the data again. This allowed us to recognize a recurring pattern.
Through this re-categorization and subsequent data transformation, we identified patterns that highlighted a significant blindspot: the bank's digital platforms were not as informative or user-friendly as assumed. In fact, the bank and the clients had different views regarding what information is: while the bank offered its customers plenty of financial information, customers were often more interested in procedural information regarding how to complete different actions. ֿFor example, customers often sought help for executing specific actions, such as transferring large sums or dealing with ATM issues, which were not adequately addressed online.
Based on this insight, we analyzed the digital self help options offered by the bank, and we revealed that while the bank's website and other digital channels provided general account information effectively, it lacked actionable guidance on how to perform specific tasks. This gap led to increased call volumes as customers sought direct assistance for processes not detailed on the digital channels.
To address these issues, we recommended a three-pronged strategy:
Following the implementation of these strategies, the bank has gained a deeper understanding of its clients' needs and mental model, and has adjusted its digital channels accordingly. The new 'Contact Us' page now effectively guides users to resolve issues independently before contacting support, leading to improved customer satisfaction and reduced operational costs.
Insights: