Data Interchange transform their Support service for an improved customer experience

Why did Data Interchange need to transform?

Since 1986 Data Interchange has grown and with it their portfolio. Originally, Data Interchange had a few product offerings for which they provided support to their customers via a helpdesk. As you know, technology changes and business needs alter. Therefore, Data Interchange launched an EDI VAN, known as DiNet, thus adding to their portfolio. These customers had different needs, so a separate helpdesk was implemented to support them.

Over time customers have grown. Those who started with a simple product now have several services with Data Interchange, which means one customer may need to get into contact with both of Data Interchange’s helpdesks. This duplicated the customers’ efforts to get support which made the customer experience longer than it needed to be.

How did Data Interchange transform to improve their customers’ experience?

In 2019 Data Interchange took the decision to combine both existing helpdesks into one, merging the support functions together. A holistic view of strengths and weaknesses was taken, looking at incident management, customer service and project management, amongst many others.

In addition, identification of customer needs for the future was sought. Alongside this Data Interchange looked at how they could build a new structure to best support the transformation of their helpdesks into one global service desk that is able to support all customer needs from a single point.

This transformation has led to changes such as Dedicated Service Delivery Managers being introduced to provide an in-depth management of their managed service customers. Also, an improved process for customers when they need to make changes, as well as a customer thermometer which monitors customer reviews, meaning continual improvement will take place. Furthermore, upskilling and training has taken place and continues for the Service Desk Analysts. This training will then be provided to the wider team to ensure consistency.

Overall transformation has impacted around 30 staff members and Data Interchange is taking their time to ensure all staff find a new role within the team that fits them as well as hiring new staff to ensure they sustainably grow into the future.

Customer expectations are at an all-time high. Therefore businesses service channels must be coordinated to be effective because 85% will use a different method if they don’t receive a response from their initial inquiry (Source, Zendesk).

To conclude, by transforming their customer support structure, Data Interchange have improved their customer’s experience by providing one point of contact and an allocated person who will support them with their query and follow it through to completion.