We were called to consult with a large wireless service provider. They asked the Ki Group to suggest ways to improve customer retention. Their managers and employees appreciate their customers. They hated to lose even a single valued relationship and asked how they could do a better job of resolving customer issues. We put their policies under a microscope. We launched focus groups and held in depth interviews with customer retention reps and their managers. We looked at business processes, knowledge levels and put ourselves in the place of customers. Surprisingly, we found out that many times customers who had left, didn’t really want to—they were frustrated by how their problems were handled and cancelled service as a last resort. We developed and implemented "soft skills" training that coached representatives in asking questions that helped customers surface their true issues. We also looked at business procedures and policies and made recommendations to change some that needed to become more customer-conscious.

The benefit? Everybody won. Representatives gained new skills that helped customers by resolving their true issues, which made them happy. Employees felt more real satisfaction in their work—and retention rates went up. And to our client that’s not just a statistic, it’s another friend. A productive reminder that every business is people business.