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Omnichannel vs. Multichannel Contact Centers_ What's The Difference_

Omnichannel vs. Multichannel Contact Centers: What's The Difference?

Omnichannel vs. Multichannel Contact Centers: What's The Difference?

If ever there were two buzz words that are always mixed up with each other, it'd be Omnichannel and Multichannel.

Some people think that Omnichannel is just a fancy way of saying Multichannel and that they mean the same thing.

That's wrong, and to make myself look cultured, I'm going to tell you what Omni means! It's Latin for "All" (No, I didn't just Google that before writing this blog... and no, you definitely don't need to check my Internet history).

Omni and Multi both use multiple channels of communication, but what's the difference between the two, and why does it matter? Is one better than the other? You're going to find out in this blog!

What is a Multichannel Contact Center?

multichannel

A multichannel contact centre allows agents and customers to interact with each other through various communication channels.

Here's a spoiler: unlike omnichannel, each channel of communication operates in isolation from one another.

These forms of communication can vary from phone calls, email, letters, SMS's, live chats, video chats... You name it, and it's probably there!

Multichannel was the predecessor to omnichannel communications but is still used by many centres.

If you want to find out more about multichannel customer service, why not have a read of our dedicated blog before you go further?

What is an Omnichannel Contact Center?

omnichannel

As with the previous channel, omnichannel uses multiple methods of communication - The difference being a seamless experience is delivered across all means of communication. Every piece of information given by the customer is stored in one database and can be accessed by any agent on any platform.

Connecting all the dots makes it easier for everyone. Agents can easily access customer information and look at past interactions. This gives them a better view of the situation, increasing the chance of having a First Contact Resolution (FCR).

As with multichannel, these communication platforms can vary from phone calls to social media. In omnichannel communications, all the information is shared across the platforms, whereas it's not with multichannel.

How is it Done?

Every time an employee interacts with a client, they gather valuable data that needs to be stored, examined, and shared.

Businesses need a system that allows fast and errorless access to this data for employees, as well as a system to store and measure the data to help with further improvement strategies.

To successfully implement their omnichannel strategy, businesses need to ensure two things:

1. Data is easily visible to those who need to see it.

2. Staff have quick and easy access to the data.

Why Isn't Every Contact Center Omnichannel?

Since omnichannel is arguably a better version of multichannel, you'd think everyone would be doing it? That's not the case.

Well, it's a bit more complicated than it appears on first glance.

Overhauling The Current System

Depending on systems and software used, an overhaul in the technology may be required to be able to interlink everything.

You need to make sure you make the right investments, and that it's actually worth the money.

Then you've got to install the whole thing! And we all know that it's never as simple as it looks!

Many organizations are put off with the following problems that come from switching to an omnichannel approach.

Financial Cost

You don't get anything for free in this world (except the free version of Cxceed), and being able to connect these dots can be expensive. If a business is unable to demonstrate a return on their investment, then it is simply not a viable option for them.

Of course, by not investing, you would only limit the customer experience you're providing, but that's the price you pay for not spending the cash.

Time

Training agents, ensuring they know and understand new procedures and making everyone is on the same page, takes time.

For some busy centres, this is definitely not a viable option.

When profit margins can be so narrow, many don't want to risk taking a short-term hit, even if it's good for the long-term.

Time is money, and money is, well, money!

Switching to omnichannel takes a lot of planning from a company, as well as full commitment to the cause.

Which is Better: Omnichannel or Multichannel?

There are two sides to this question: the customer experience side and the company's side.

The Customer

For the customer, an omnichannel method of communication would be the best.

It allows for seamless integration of the information and data. So every time a customer interacts with the company, no matter the platform, every agent will be able to access past problems, details, and requests.

In theory, this should allow more issues to be resolved quickly and on the first contact - more efficient service will always keep the customer happy.

I don't know about you, but there is nothing more annoying than having to repeat and confirm many details every time you talk to another agent!

The Company

This isn't as straight forward.

On the one hand, investing in an omnichannel system will improve efficiency for agents, as discussed above. We know that better customer experience is always beneficial for an organisation and its reputation.

An Aberdeen Group study found that the strongest omnichannel companies retained an average of 89% of their customers. This is compared to a mere 33% for businesses with a weak omnichannel strategy.

It's not just about investing in omnichannel though; it's about planning for it too.

But will an omnichannel service define the customer experience provided? Well, I believe it depends on the size of the business. The bigger the company, the greater the need for omnichannel services. Not only because of the need for organised data increases, but also due to the associated costs.

For smaller companies, these costs (both financial and time) can be the difference between success and being another failure.

Smaller companies may be able to get away with it due to the tight-knit nature of operations.

The reality is that you have to plan for the future. If these small companies wish to provide excellent customer experiences, they should prepare for an omnichannel strategy. But the longer you leave it, the harder it can be to change and adapt.

 

The Wrap-Up

Adopting and Omnichannel strategy is undoubtedly the way forward for any business wishing for longevity and success in the future. A seamless experience is a better experience.

By improving your internal operations, you increase the efficiency and service your contact center agents can provide.

If your agents can provide a better service, then your customers will be happy, and the effort put into changing the system will be worth it.

Multichannel operations should be the minimum in today's business world, but omnichannel strategies should be what everyone is striving for.

Cxceed allows you to gain feedback on all communication methods and is suitable for use in omnichannel and Multichannel call centers.

Has your business implemented omnichannel communications? If so, have you noticed an improvement in your day to day runnings? Let us know down below!

Improve Your Business Today

Discover how Cxceed can help improve your customer experience, and boost your profit. 

10 Do's and Don'ts When Dealing with Difficult Customers

10 Do's and Don'ts When Dealing with Difficult Customers

10 Do's and Don'ts When Dealing with Difficult Customers

Difficult customers come in all shapes and sizes.

You have:

> The angry ones, the linguistically colourful on a mission, to make you break a sweat.
> The talkative ones, more pleasant but hog your time. They can't wait to tell you about how their dogs birthday was.
> The demanding ones. Eager for a freebie. They ain't stopping until they get what they've come for.
> And most commonly, the impatient ones. Needing a quick fix. Time is money at the end of the day.

These demanding customers will all pop up at both contact and call centers across all industries - they are unavoidable. If we're honest, most of us have been one or all of the above at one point or another.

Dealing with difficult customers is never easy so to help, here are the Do's and Don'ts for when you come across them.

5 Don'ts

5 donts

Don't Take it Personally

Angry customers are always going to exist. If you let them get under your skin, it's not going to end well.

Just remember, they're not angry at you personally. Staying calm and collected is a must, so having a handy stress ball by your side is always recommended.

Don't Try to Argue

You won't win, well you might until they stick a terrible review online. Never, Never get angry and argue back.

Take an approach of controlling hostility and managing it, rather than questioning the customer's stance. Giving as good as you get will only make matters worse and could potentially damage the company's reputation.

What's that saying? Oh yeah, the customer is always right, (even when they're wrong). You can explain why something has happened the way it has, but be careful not to overstep the line and give the customer another reason to be angry.

Don't Ask Questions the Customer has Already Answered

Don't ask questions that the customer has already answered themselves. Angry customers should not be poked with a hypothetical stick. You're asking for an outcry of fury.

Asking relevant questions will calm a difficult customer down. Things will become conversational, turning a problematic customer into a relatively happy one.

Don't Be The Bearer of Bad News all at Once

If bad news is thrown at customers all at once, it only creates a furious response, so baby steps should be encouraged.

Break bad news in stages, allowing the customer to digest it slowly and respond to every concern sensitively.

You also don't want them to miss a vital piece of information because they were focusing on something else you've told them.

Don't Overuse the Word 'WHY?'

Sounding like a petulant child is never a good look for customer service, so repeatedly asking why is only going to further wind the customer up.

Asking why something went wrong is basically shooting yourself in the foot. Imagine, "Why didn't you receive the invoice on time?". "Well, you didn't send it to me on time." It isn't constructive and digs you into a further hole.

After all, the agent is there to answer the why's, not ask them! Thankfully in the world of customer service, we have the four Ws: who, what, where, and when.

These can be used instead to help get to the bottom of problems, instead of sounding like a Tom Jones record.

5 Do's

5 dos

Do Be Respectful

Remember, they are still the customer. Sounds simple, but with the constant ray of verbal violence being hurdled towards you, it is quickly forgotten.

Remaining as polite with a problematic customer as you would a regular customer is vital.

As long as you treat them with respect, they won't have another reason to get angry!

Do Ask Questions

Asking questions shows that you're invested in the conversation and paying attention. Customers will appreciate the amount of effort you are taking to solve their problem.

More importantly, asking questions can also be used as a stalling technique to give you more time to deal with the problem - just remember not to repeat yourself!

Do Go the Extra Mile

Solving a problem is not the end of dealing with an upset customer. There will still be a sour taste in the customer's mouth, especially if it's been an on going nightmare of an experience.

Offering an unexpected gift or discount to make up for an error will ensure that any slip-ups do not cause lasting damage to your companies reputation.

Your agents are there to deal with unhappy customers, so give them the authority they need to help make them happy!

Do Be Efficient

The more aggressive customers should be viewed as a ticking time bomb and don't want them to go off. Reacting quickly to solving problems will calm them down and prevent a mass explosion.

With more talkative customers, there is a fine line between being efficient and rude. Saying "I hope we have helped you with your call today, do you require any further assistance?", is a perfect way to end a call. Keep it work-related and avoid going off on a tangent.

Most Importantly, Be Polite and Show Empathy

Sometimes Customers are rude and disrespectful and it is tempting to respond in the same way, but you don't know what other things have happened to cause the customer to behave in that way.

I'm offering no excuses for rude customers but before being unhelpful and then slagging them off to your colleague Steve, remember it could easily be you on the other end of the phone.

Be professional, Polite, empathetic and show them the care and attention that every customer deserves because it could easily be you at the other end of the line.

The Wrap-Up

Difficult customers are just part of the territory, and they'll always be present. Even when a problem is solved, as a company, it's important to check if the customer received excellent service.

Getting feedback from customers after the service, you can see if standards have been met by all customers (especially the difficult ones).

Cxceed allows you to monitor customer feedback through surveys to lock down the direct problems which come from dealing with customers. Problems which can be worked on through training to make sure excellent customer service is delivered.

What's the most demanding customer you have had to deal with, and how did you manage the situation? Let us know with a comment below!

Improve Your Business Today

Discover how Cxceed can help improve your customer experience, and boost your profit. 

The Importance of Having a Customer Focus

The Importance of Having a Customer Focus

The Importance of Having a Customer Focus

A company's success relies on many things, with one of the main factors being customers. Now more than ever, in the era of swiping left or right - customers have ultimate control. To succeed the company must place the customer at the front of the queue, which means that differentiated customer service is needed. The best approach for producing excellent customer satisfaction is by developing a customer focus.  

What is Customer Focus? 

The concept is a simple one. It involves putting yourself in your customer's shoes and focusing on the needs, wants and expectations of your customers. Understanding things from your customers perspective allows you to deliver an exceptional customer experience. A customer focus should be your main priority when it comes to any business decision. What do we stand for? How will we promote? Where do we locate it? These questions should be focused on your customer, not you. The 'superhero' companies that collect the accolades and rewards - Amazon, Netflix, Disney, and Apple, to name a few, are obsessed about their customers. Apple products are all modelled to customer experience, whereas Amazon devotes themselves to providing customers with quick deliveries. But for the smaller companies, how do you build customer focus? Here are a few guidelines on how you create customer focus within your business.

customer focus

Define the Customer Service Vision 

Are you going to send your troops to battle without a clear strategy? No. You need a vision to see what needs to be done. How will you incorporate the customer into your business? For example, Harley Davidson has a clear customer focus. The customer becomes part of the family when they purchase a motorcycle. They want customers to be part of the brand; it's an approach that has resulted in thousands of loyal customers being devoted to the Harley Davidson life. A Harley Davidson bike isn't just a motorbike; it's part of the customer's identity. Whatever your vision is, it has to relate to those buying your goods and service. Wear your customer's shoes for a minute. 

Hire Well

Be careful; take your time. Find people who can represent the culture you want to have. Don't just hire someone who is almost a perfect fit. You wouldn't buy an expensive suit that was just too big or too small. If you're going to make a significant investment in them, they have to be the right choice. In one of my other businesses, I liked to give candidates some play-doh and ask them to create something useful to me and pitch why. A bit like Dragons Den, except I don't have as much money as those judges. From toilet seats to basketball hoops, I've had it all. But the test isn't to see who can make the best model. I use it to identify creative, free talking staff who can think on their feet. That's the sort of person my business needed. Make sure any staff you hire understand the vision and can get on board with it. 

Reinforce the Vision When Training 

Employees come with a vast range of skills and talents. It's up to the leaders to match these with the core values of the business. Sometimes employees may lose sight of the businesses identity or get stuck in unwanted habits. The longer you leave it, the more the business suffers along with your customers. Embedding a customer focussed vision into every aspect of a company takes time and persistence. You will need to continually remind your employees of its importance. This can be done through team meetings or training sessions, but it takes time. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is your company. 

Training Employees

Listen to Employees 

The insight and importance of employees should never be underestimated, from the office cleaner to the CEO. Each worker has different experiences with the company; their feedback can give you the answers that you didn't know you needed. How do they feel about the product or service you provide? If there's something they don't like about it, then your customers are more than likely to feel the same. If my businesses didn't use Cxceed to help improve their communications, then how could I ever expect to sell it to you?! 

Collect Regular Feedback from Customers 

How do you know that your customer service is successful? By your Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT). If you don't know what yours is, then I would highly recommend you have a way of knowing. If you're not sure how CSAT works, we've already discussed it, along with other essential must-know metrics. Have a read here.  Companies need a service that helps collect customer satisfaction scores. Lucky for you, this is why we have developed Cxcced! The software that offers integrated feedback requests to find out how successful each specific communication was with your customer. If you want to become a customer-focused culture, you need to get to know them better. 

Target the Right Customers 

Go to the Harley Davidson website; immediately, you see a video of a fast-driving motorcycle. It looks impressive. If I didn't want the security of four wheels, I'd be all over it! Look at the memorizing scenery they use. You want to be there, and you want to experience it. Harley Davidson is selling a lifestyle, a way of life. Customers need to be convinced. Interact through all the muti channels out there. If you are targeting youth, get on Snapchat. Targeting offices, use Email. If you know your target audience, it shouldn't be hard to get in touch. Be adaptable, but always remember the companies core beliefs. 

Customer Targeting

Look to the Future 

Be proactive to match your customer's needs, not reactive. Steering a company through dramatic changes in modern technology is no easy feat. Day to day activities should help achieve long term goals. Never forget that having a flexible business and influential culture will maintain a strong commitment to customer service. If you have any examples of customer-focused cultures or have any advice on how to build a customer-oriented culture, comment below! 

Improve Your Business Today

Discover how Cxceed can help improve your customer experience, and boost your profit. 
How to Respond to a Negative Review

How to Respond to a Negative Review

How to Respond to a Negative Review

Negative feedback hurts.There's no simpler way of saying it. All those hours and sleepless nights you've put into your business, trying to deliver a fantastic service and you're rewarded with an occasional unhappy customer publicly slagging you off. It's not just the fact you've made one person unhappy, though. This review is there for the world to see, and we all know that online reviews play a significant role in the consumer buying process.After all, research suggests that 84% of consumers trust online reviews, with 91% of those consumers trusting them as much as if it was a friend telling them about it. But a bad review isn't the end of the world.Believe it or not, reviews less than 100% can make your business more convincing for potential buyers. Having only 5* reviews might appear excellent for you, but it may also appear a bit fishy to other customers if you know what I mean! Users are in-fact are more likely to be attracted to a product that rates between 4.2 and 4.5 stars!It's virtually impossible to keep everyone happy, with that one customer who expects the world and more! If you can respond correctly though, these bad reviews can help your business in the long run.

Why are Negative Reviews Good?

If customers can see you've acknowledged your mistake or poor service and want to fix the problem, it immediately lessens the blow of that one-star review. Even if the customer never makes contact with you again, at least you've shown the customer, and other potential ones you care and deliver an excellent customer service after the fact.An example of negative customer feedback on Twitter:
negativereview
Of course, we hope you don't encounter too much negative feedback in your business life cycle. But for the ones you do come across, here are 7 tips on how you can respond to a negative review!

Apologize Publicly

Even when you know you're right.Unfortunately, customers feel how they feel, and if you publicly challenge them, it can end badly for you. The last thing you want to be known as is the company that fights with its customers!It allows you to become approachable and create a bit of personality behind your company, rather than just being a faceless robot. If you struggle to apologize for something that you haven't done wrong then get creative. I'm sorry you didn't have a pleasant experience. I'm sorry that we didn't deliver the standard of service you were expecting.

Deal With The Issue Offline

Don't try to deal with the issue in a series of replies to the review. Instead, encourage the customer to send you an email, or direct message, with their contact details and get in touch via email or telephone (or whatever your preferred methods are). Doing so shows the customer, and potential ones, that you are actively trying to solve to problem.Of course, it goes without saying that when you do this, you must ensure you contact them when they give you their details.
Amazon Reply

Be Quick To Respond

When responding feedback, you need to do so ASAP to improve the customer experience and salvage what you can.Hopefully, you are then able to fix the issue for the customer and send them on their way happily. This fast reply shows that you're actively trying to improve your business by staying up-to-date with your customer responses, and a quick response shows the review readers that you value the customer even after the initial transaction.This is your chance to put out the fire before it becomes an inferno; slow responses will only add fuel to it.

Don't Be Generic

Whether it be a one-star review or a five star one, don't just copy and paste the same answer for everyone.There's nothing that says 'we don't care about our customers' more than seeing a "Dear Customer, Thank you for your valued feedback, we look forward to your future custom." especially when it's been put on reviews stating how bad they are!There's something ironic about calling the feedback 'valuable' with a copy and paste reply! Not only does it tell the customers who have left the review that you don't care, but you're also showing it to hundreds of other potential customers.Customers are the essence of your business, and if they think you don't care, why should they bother to give you their hard-earned cash? Take a few seconds of your time to tailor the response to them. If needed, ask how you can help or give them a contact method to go into more detail. Even adding a Dear (Customer Name) can make the reply feel much more personal, it's the little touches that make a difference.

Hold Your Hands Up

We all have off days or make mistakes, so don't be afraid to admit it! It's much better to show the customers that you have acknowledged that it wasn't good enough, as opposed to turning a blind eye.If you can accept your mistakes, then you can work to fix them, so it doesn't happen again in the future. Being stubborn will get you nowhere, but it will make your customers leave!

Make It Right

The majority of the time, a complaint can be dealt with by issuing a refund or sending a free replacement. Who doesn't love a freebie? Even if the customer doesn't take you up on the offer, you've shown you want to correct the issue.Important: If it is something you can't make right for the customer (whether it be time-sensitive or personal), tell them how hard you're going to work to make sure it doesn't happen again. Unfortunately, it might not bring them much comfort, but it could do for others reading your replies.

Don't Get Defensive

Apologize, deal with the issue, keep to the point, don't ramble on about other matters. No matter how badly you want to justify why, the experience was poorer than usual, and go into every little operation of the business, don't.I get it, you've worked hard to build your business up, and you want to defend it. To a certain extent, as mentioned earlier, it's good to hold your hands up and admit it wasn't good enough.But what happens if your emotions get the better of you?You could end up saying something that can upset the customer, even more, appear over defensive, or make it seem you're accusing the customer of dishonesty!On the Internet, you have to be careful. If people see you get easily upset, they may begin to target you. A classic example of this was from Amy's Bakery (you may have seen them on Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares). They let their emotions get the better of them, and the Internet had a field day.A horrible sample reply to negative feedback can be seen when Amy's Bakery pressed the self destruct button on Facebook; it's worth the read.

How Can I Avoid Negative Feedback Online?

Sadly, the harsh reality is that you can't, but you can reduce it significantly. The primary reason that people complain is that they feel that nobody is listening to them.So start listening, ask them for feedback before they go to a review site. Then act on and respond following the above rules.By encouraging your customer to give you feedback directly (and privately), you give yourself a chance to solve any issues and remove their desire to let the world know about their complaint on a review site. Don't just fix what went wrong, analyze what caused the problem and change your system or training to make sure it doesn't happen again.

The Wrap-Up

If you do get a bad review, it's not the end of the world!Follow the tips above, and you can turn a negative review into a positive experience, for your own business develop and the customer.Cxceed enables you to automate the process of asking and receiving feedback and proactively identifying communications that need improving.Have any thoughts, tips or personal experiences dealing with negative reviews? Let us know in the comments section!

Improve Your Business Today

Discover how Cxceed can help improve your customer experience and boost your profit. 
What Is The Future Of Email

What is the Future of Email?

What Is The Future Of Email?

The software which can't be moved, or, so we thought. Now I hear people claim that email is dead.

From my first encounter in the '80s, I've watched it develop from being a quirky way to send messages around the office to the giant it has become, ending the dominance of the Fax Machine (I still have one, but we won't talk about that).

The thrill of sending messages to each other without actually talking to over the phone has long gone though.

Is Email Becoming Obsolete?

I'm no dinosaur, don't let my age deceive you. Email for many has overstayed it's welcome.

The old fashioned, outdated service that causes headaches and outcry. We have all complained about it. With the new digital platforms on offer, that give you more efficient, more straightforward ways to communicate. Who uses email marketing nowadays?

But it's hard to imagine an office without it. I've heard a lot of people telling me the mighty email is dead. Should we let it die, or is it a faithful companion that we shouldn't put down?

Shall we stick or twist with Email?

Stick

Quick Communication

When you have to send an essential message to a business client thousands of miles away from you, there aren't many communication services quicker than Email. After one click of send and a couple of seconds of stalling, it can hit anywhere.

It is quicker than a letter and you can use attachments to send documents. Calling people is inefficient, especially if you need to get through to a specific person. You end up spending half your time taking to Sue in accounts.

Free!

Yep, not a penny. Many smaller alternatives to email require a paid subscription. Years of experience using email, why would companies reach into their purse to only get the same service.

What is free may never die.

Everyone Uses It

It doesn't require training. From Generation Z to Baby Boomers and Silver Surfers, email is universal and doesn't require you to sit down and explain what a GIF is.

More importantly, your customers use email. You NEED then to have the same way of communication. Or you will just be talking to yourself. Never useful.

Everybody Uses It

Email is More Visible

Not all Twitter posts get read. Facebook is even worse, with the constant array of cat videos to scroll through. Email also suffers from this problem, but at least the email won't disappear from their feed. They'll stay bold to catch the users attention until they open it. In fact, your message is 5x more likely to be seen through email than Facebook.

A much larger percentage of people have email addresses than social media. There are 3x more email accounts than there are Facebook and Twitter accounts combined. It's not bad for an old-timer!

It Keeps Record

Receiving hundreds of emails a day, what if you need to check them later? Having the opportunity to archive individual emails is a godsend. It's organized chaos!

Putting them all into carefully labelled folders to keep everything in check is strangely satisfying (You that too, right?).

Time To Twist?

They are Far Too Long

No one appears to be capable of sending a short email. The whole format invites you to write a long email. The younger generation of tomorrow doesn't want to read long, boring emails. They want snappy information in 240 characters. Well, that's what my sons tell me.

With the speed and reach of the internet ever-increasing, people are less likely to wait for a colleague's long response to their message. The world is running at million mph. People want quick short answers.

Spam Filters Causing Havoc

Spam filters are fantastic - saving time and keeping our inboxes clean - but the increased need to keep inboxes clear also raises the chances of real messages not finding their home.

Although they are a much-needed tool to get rid of all those messages from the young single women in my area who are so desperate to speak to a 50-year-old bloke, that they send pictures of themselves without clothes on! That's not all they block; unfortunately, although my filters successfully move hundreds of spam emails a day out of my inbox, sometimes they don't get it right and remove important emails.

email

Group Chats on Email?

Targeting larger groups is a mess. Deciding who should be included or not, is a stressful process, especially if you have a large pool. Then you have the problem of formal conversations taking far too long to solve a particular issue.

Every time you reply, you add to the chain of emails. If you leave your inbox for 15 minutes, you can come back to a long string of emails to open, one by one.

To tackle this, many companies have chosen the modern channel of employee apps like Slack, Rocket.chat and Bitrix24.

Open To (Mis)Interpretation

There is a fine line of being conversational but formal on email. We've all used slang terms when trying to relate to a client, but it may be taken the wrong way.

Clients can't see your emotion or tell when you're trying to be jokey. If you have ticked off a client, sending an apologetic email never cuts the mustard.

Social media giants like Facebook and Twitter encourage emotion, which is very hard to portray it in an email.

Is Email Marketing Effective?

Email marketing should never be underestimated. It may have its flaws, but it's so popular for a good reason. To ignore the email channel when communicating with your customers would be insane.

As long as you're able to please and meet your customer's needs, then do it. I would also encourage you to use other tools of communication as well, such as webchats, video, and social media, having a repertoire of tools at your disposal is useful.

It's 2020, Do You Still Use Emails?

Yes. Yes, I do.

Many see email as an old fashioned way of communicating (Yes I can't believe I just said that either), but it is going to be around for a long time. So you shouldn't be planning to give up on email just yet.

How do you make sure you're staff are using email to provide a great customer service? Through Cxceed! By using this software, you can get feedback from your customers on what they did and didn't like about their email conversation with you, making it easy to evaluate and improve the quality of the individual emails your staff are sending to your customers.

If you believe email is dead, I want to know why! Drop a comment below!

Improve Your Business Today

Discover how Cxceed can help improve your customer experience, and boost your profit. 

11 Ways Cxceed WILL Help Improve Your Business

11 Ways Cxceed WILL Help Improve Your Business!

When we developed the early versions of Cxceed, it was to solve the customer service problems we had within our other businesses. We don't have those problems anymore.

When I look back at all the businesses I've been involved, all the problems I faced and the arguments I've had with staff members over the standard of customer care they delivered.

I'm certain my management life would have been a lot easier. I would have produced better results if I had had Cxceed to help.

I could have had many more hours of sleep, and I'm sure I would have fewer grey hairs! Hopefully, I can now keep what youth remains...

Anyway, as I was saying...

If there's one thing I've learned in my business life, it's that if you have a problem, someone else has it too.

When striving for high customer service levels, complaints can make you feel like your is a sinking boat. There are lots of little holes in the boat, some you can see, and others that you can't. Buckets at the ready you're running around trying to remove the water (complaints from poor customer experiences). You know that poor processes and sub-par staff responses are the holes causing the water to flow in but you can't identify where the holes are. You can use Cxceed to find and then fix the source of those poor customer experiences and make life a hell of a lot easier.

How?

Here are 11 ways that Cxceed will help improve your customer service to make your business better.

Understand What Your Customers Think About You

To improve, you need to know the level you're currently at.

Responses to the benchmark surveys give a numeric score, telling you what customers actually think of your service. If you don't have a benchmark to compare yourself with, you'll never know if you're improving or not.

The benchmark score can be used as a company-wide target. Check it again in three months, if the score is higher then good job, cheer your team on and keep going! If it's lower, you need to find out why and try a new approach.

Get Priceless Feedback

If your customers aren't happy, then your business won't do well. You need to know if John, Jayne, James... has answered each call, email, webchat.... to the satisfaction of each customer.

How do you do this?

Well, you could take a long, complex route, or you could just ask them!

Cxceed sends out feedback requests to customers after your staff communicate with them, to find out how satisfied they are with that individual interaction.

These feedback forms can be fully customized and tailored to target any specific areas surrounding the communications - it's totally up to you!

Identify The Communications That Need Evaluating

Of course, customers don't always respond to our feedback requests. They only tend to respond to a conversation that they are either really happy with or really annoyed about. Yes, they tell you about the interactions that you need to know about!

Don't have time to listen to calls?

I don't blame you, I've been there done that! Listening to calls and trying to find the ones that are sub-par or awesome can feel like your looking for a needle in a haystack. Cxceed uses the feedback score obtained by customers and other criteria to identify conversations for evaluation.

Don't have time to listen to calls that your customers have either complained or complimented you about?

You better hope your competitors don't start using Cxceed!

Improve Employee Skills

When it comes to customer service, employee communications can enhance or destroy your relationship with customers. As we all know, it only takes one misplaced word to send the customer into the embracing arms of your competitors. 

Cxceed's Call Center Quality Assurance system identifies what each employee needs to improve and encourages employees to learn from each other to help produce better results.

Increase Your CSAT Scores

Ah, the elusive CSAT score. We always want it to be higher, but we never seem to be able to achieve it.

Well, by being able to identify areas for improvement and give more effective training, you can!

Better trained employees can deliver better customer service; there's no denying that.

Better customer service equals high levels of customer satisfaction. It's all linked together!

Increase The Effectiveness Of Your Training

Cxceed allows you to easily mark a selection of the best and worst interactions your staff have with customers.

Not only can everyone learn from their own mistakes, but they can also learn from other peoples.

What can you do with these? Well, I found they're very useful when used for training both new and existing employees.

For example, initial training programs can involve having new starters to analyze and evaluate a variety of calls, emails, and live chat communications you've previously had. Not only will this help you understand their ability levels, but it's also an excellent training opportunity to prepare them for what to expect when on the 'front line.'

Sure, you could make up scenarios, but that's like buying a fake football shirt from a market on holiday. It's okay from a distance, but it's just not the same. Why turn your employees into the equivalent of Crustiano Renaldo, when they could be Cristiano Ronaldo?

I know who I'd rather have on my team!

Calibration To Achieve Consistency

Everyone is unique and has different opinions on what's right and wrong. This can be an issue when employees are dealing with customers. One might think they're doing the right thing; others will disagree.

This can be an issue when employees are dealing with customers. One might think they're doing the right thing, but there's a much better way of doing it.

Cxceed helps make sure everyone is on the same page.

Cxceed is set up so when employees evaluate communications, their score is easily compared to how others evaluated the same interaction. Differences in scoring are easily highlighted and discussed in calibration sessions.

When doing so, managers can openly discuss with employees the standards and values that are expected and what the company is aiming to achieve. Just another way that Cxceed helps improve employee performance!

Decrease Defensiveness To Feedback

Nothing demotivates employees more than the dreaded "Let's discuss how you're doing" only to be hit with a thousand things which need improving.

I don't know about you, but when my managers used to tell me what I was doing wrong, I didn't take it well. Who are they to tell me that I'm $#!^, do they know how hard I work?

However, when you allow employees to identify their own mistakes through Cxceed's evaluations, you'll be surprised how much more accepting they are.

When I've heard our employee's using it, there was a lot of Ahh's, and "Damn, I didn't even realize I did that!".

I would much rather hear that than muffled responses as heads look at the floor.

Motivate Your Team

By getting the whole team involved in the evaluation process, Cxceed creates understanding through the self-assessment process.

If you're part of the process, you're more likely to understand and trust the results, making you more accepting of feedback.

Allowing staff to evaluate their own interactions shows that you trust their judgment, and knowing a manager trusts you is a big motivator for any employee.

Reduce Staff Turnover

Happy employees rarely leave. Why is this a benefit to you? Surely I don't need to tell you that!

In short, the longer an employee stays, the better return on investment (ROI) you get from their associated costs, as well as the on-the-job experience they gain.

It's always better to know you're investing in the long term, rather than knowing you're going to have to recruit and train again in a few months.

Spend time and money, improving your business, not rehiring, and training.

Solid Customer Relationships

Of course, the better the customer experience you provide, the more loyal your customers will be. Fantastic!

I've also noticed that customers love to speak to the same person, especially long term ones. If employees are always leaving, then they can't build-up these relationships with your customers.

Relationship building is essential; customer's who deal with the same staff feel safer doing business as they trust them to get the job done to a standard they expect.

It's easier to retain customers than have to continually get new ones. Cxceed makes it easy to do both!

But Don't Take My Word For It, Start Today!

I could preach to you for hours on the wonders of Cxceed, but time is money, and money makes the world go round. So, why don't you try Cxceed for yourself?

If you don't feel like splashing the cash right now, we have a FREE (yes, free!) version of the FULL software. It has ALL the features of a paid version, just without API integration.

What does the API's do?

It automates and makes your life much easier by:

  • Feedback requests automatically after each phone call
  • Feedback requests at the bottom of each email
  • Need to evaluate a call? Click on a link your phone rings, and you listen.
  • Email Surveys to thousands, in a couple of clicks.

Feel like treating yourself with API integration to make life even simpler? Get your money out! If you're not happy within the first 30 days, you can have every penny back!

There's no harm in trying something out, risk-free!

So, what are you waiting for? As they say, actions speak louder than words!

How Stress Contributes to High Staff Attrition

How Stress Contributes to High Staff Attrition

How Stress Contributes to High Staff Attrition

Call center agents have a stressful job; there's no questioning that.There are many things that cause agent stress. In this post we list a few and how it can be relieved using Cxceed, helping lower your staff attrition rate.

A circle containing spreadsheets.

Appraisals

A circle containing a bomb.

Bad Clients

A circle containing a presentation board with different metrics.

Call Center Metrics

A circle containing a person sitting in front of a PC surrounded by flying sheets of paper.

Information Overload

Appraisals

Agents usually start with a strong will to prove themselves and want to improve their performance. When they have to wait for several months for an appraisal, their performance (good or bad) has already become a habit and is hard to change. When appraisal time rolls around, they receive a mountain of issues needed to be fixed all at once. Instead of the will to fix them, they can feel overwhelmed and less motivated to do the job, often leaving.

A rectangle split in two, first part containing ‘Appraisals give agents a mountain of mistakes to fix all at once’ preceded by pieces of paper, and the second part containing‘We offer daily evaluations to make feedback on-going’ followed by the Bebexs logo.

How We Help

Cxceed is a system that utilizes daily evaluations to make feedback on-going and calibration reports to provide consistency across the organisation. On-going feedback not only helps employees perfect their job but also helps management get more out of their employees compared to using the traditional appraisal method.

When given constructive feedback shortly after committing an error, agents can use this to avoid repeating it in the future. Using Cxceed to provide frequent feedback takes the stress away from agents, knowing they are going in the right direction.

Bad Clients

There are thousands of call center workers who put up with customers who cause a headache. While most call because they genuinely need help, there will always be others who are a challenge – whether it’s down to ignorance, a lack of empathy or just plain rudeness.

For any agent working at an inbound call center, the unknown caller is always a stressful experience. If a rude client makes a complaint against an agent, it can cause a lot of stress as they fear they could lose their job.

A rectangle split in two, first part containing ‘Client complaints can make agents stressed’ preceded by a bomb, second part containing ‘Bebexs’ indexing system makes it easy to find and listen to a call to sort issues out.’ preceded by the Bebexs logo.

How We Help

While we can't stop rude customers from calling (we wish we could), Cxceed can put your agents at ease.

Our indexing system makes it easy to find a specific call, so if a complaint is made, it is easy to go straight to the call to hear what actually happened with the client. 

Call Center Metrics

Metrics can cause agents a lot of stress. Take Average Handle Time (AHT) which measures the time an agent is on a call when they are trying to solve the client's query. If agents use a lot of time on just one call they can find themselves in trouble, forcing them to rush calls. Rushing can only lead to one thing and thats mistakes, making the number of dissatisfied customers rise, and the call center's CSAT score go down.

A rectangle split in two, first part containing ‘Misused metrics do more harm than good.’ preceded by a presentation board, second part containing ‘We enable on-going training to improve the overall handling skills’ preceded by the Bebexs logo.

How We Help

Cxceed helps agents focus on their call handling skills through ongoing coaching and training, which will help decrease the average call handling time. Management can help the employees be better problem solvers through this training which will lead to them solving queries faster and more accurately. Less rushing, less blushing - just higher quality interactions with customers.

Information Overload

Agents need to have a firm knowledge of the area they work in and to deliver the best possible service. The beginning months are usually the toughest for agents, given the short amount of time available for them to learn new information. It's the same in all line of work. Managers tend to punish agents for providing wrong information to customer queries and if that wasn't stressful enough, metrics such as AHT force agents to give the correct answer in the shortest time possible! A horrible start to a new job and one which will cause a lot of stress.

A rectangle split in two, first part containing ‘Call center agents have a short amount of time to learn new information’ preceded by a person surrounded by flying sheets of paper, second part containing ‘We make learning a part of their daily routine’ followed by the Bebexs logo.

How We Help

Cxceed helps management target training appropriately, with each evaluation being an opportunity to indicate areas for improvement. Making learning an ongoing process and part of their daily routine, leaves agents feeling less stressed as the workload is spread out. They don't have to cram and can relax a little more when working, creating a nicer enviroment.

The Wrap-Up

Management can lower employee stress levels by implementing Cxceed. Ongoing evaluations identify issues that can be rectified quickly and can also highlight areas where further training is needed.

This feedback helps agents do their job better, leading to greater job satisfaction and lower employee turnover rates - a win-win.

Feel free to leave a comment down below if you have any tips you wish to share.

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How to Improve Your Contact Centers Customer Experience

How to Improve Your Contact Centres Customer Experience

How to Improve Your Contact Centers Customer Experience

More than ever, delivering a fantastic contact center customer experience provides a crucial competitive advantage and one which organisations strive for. Technology is changing the business landscape and evolving customer needs and expectations.Not only do customers want faster methods of contact, but they also don't want to be left frustrated by robotic-like people talking at them. To keep customers happy, they need to have the correct contact center strategy in place!How can a contact center ensure they provide the ultimate experience for the customer?Here are some must dos on how to improve the customer experience your contact center provides!

Multichannel Communication

With access to anything and everything at their fingertips, customers expect to be able to contact a company however they like. Being a contact center that only operates on a small handful of channels is an issue. You need to ensure you have the multichannel communication methods your customers want.Phone calls and emails are traditional methods that have problems — long waiting times, being passed from agent to agent, information being misinterpreted or taking too long to reply, to name a few.That's why a lot of customers (especially millennials) prefer to use chatbots, yet still, a lot of contact centres don't use them! If this is the case, customers may be too impatient for emails, or not want to speak on the phone - and just like that, a potential client is lost.The more contact methods you provide, the more customers you can keep satisfied. The last thing you want to do is immediately upset them by not having their preferred method of communication.

Don't Be A Robot!

If your agents are just sticking to a script when talking to a customer, it can make the interaction feel impersonal and a bit wooden. Every customer wants to feel as if their issue matters, and the employee on the other end of the chat wants to make sure it is resolved.It's okay to be relaxed and slightly more informal when talking to a customer; in fact, it's often better for both parties! Each conversation doesn't have to be the same monotonous, boring script chat. Instead, encourage your agent, to go off-script, it creates a much more personal experience for the customer. Even if the issue takes a little longer to be sorted, the customer should be happier, feeling personally catered to.When agents strictly stick to the script; it can give the impression that they aren't listening to the customer's needs and don't care. Rather than having a script for agents, it may be more beneficial to incorporate guidelines instead. This allows agents to have more freedom in communications while still knowing some specific actions and procedures must be followed in certain circumstances.This can help ensure that every interaction can remain personally tailored and professional! Of course, sometimes organizations do actually use a robot (chatbot) to initiate conversations (before being passed to a real agent) or try to solve more straightforward queries.This is fine, and can be useful! But you have to tell the customer it's a robot! Is there anything more annoying than talking to a chatbot that pretends it's typing and gives the impression it is a real person? And then give answers that only vaguely relate to your question.I wonder how many people have had a one-sided, heated discussion with a chatbot because it won't provide them with the answer they are looking for...

Don't Delay, Respond Today!

One of the most frustrating things for a customer is having long waiting times in between dialogue with the call center agent. If you had to:
  • Wait in a long queue and have your issue resolved fairly quickly.
  • Wait in a short queue and have your issue resolved fairly quickly.
  • Be the first in the queue, but not have your issue resolved for a long time.
Which would you choose? Customers want their issue resolved quickly: so you have to be able to fulfil this need. Of course, sometimes there is nothing you can do but put the customer on hold.However, an agent who possesses a wide range of helpful information will be able to eliminate unnecessary hold times. Don't be afraid to tell the customer you have to look something up or ask someone else.They would rather you take a little longer to give a definite answer than instantly guess the answer and most likely get it wrong! The faster the response helps to show the customer that you do care about them and their needs, and this is what any customer experience orientated company should be aiming for.If a customer isn't going to be able to get a quick response from yourselves, then there are usually plenty of alternatives for them to choose! If you are short-staffed and struggling to answer customer queries in a timely manner, then don't just leave your customers hanging. Apologize and let them know when you will be able to respond.
Timer

Fluid Processing of Information

It's sometimes the case that an agent can't help a customer. In such cases, they may instead need to pass them over somebody else who can. The key here is honesty! If you know you can't answer the question, tell them and pass them onto someone else who can. Customers are understanding of this and will be happy to be transferred if it means they have the best person to deal with their query.However, they won't be pleased if they have to repeat all the information they just gave to the original agent! It's a waste of everyone's time! All agents must be able to access a client database and make notes as the conversation progresses.This way, instead of having the customer spend another five minutes repeating themselves, the agent can quickly review their file and help. This will also come in handy for future cases when the customer comes back for support. If the issue is related, the agent can see what actions were taken last time to help get the issue resolved quicker. Everyone's a winner!

Learn From Every Communication

And I mean EVERY communication, whether good or bad, can be used to improve. Every form of multichannel communication provides a great opportunity to learn, and managers should engrain this strategy into their organizational culture.Contact center agents should be able to review their own interactions as well as other colleagues while getting feedback from the customers they communicate with. It doesn't matter how the agents communicate with your customers; they still need to be able to review the interactions and improve them in the future.If you can highlight low scoring feedback for evaluation, then the possibility of being able to find areas for improvement increases. If agents can self-evaluate, then they will be more accepting of the mistakes they find and will work harder to improve them.Peer-evaluations allows colleagues to learn from each other, and everyone can better themselves. Transparency of evaluation ensures that all agents feel involved in the process and trust the results that are received. This kind of environment is much more appealing for any employee!The result? Reduced staff turnover, more experienced staff, and the ability to provide a better customer experience! Encourage your agents to improve, and your business will follow suit.
Smiling, Call Center

The Wrap-Up!

Those were our must-dos for any contact center to be able to provide the ultimate customer experience. Something every organisation must aim for when just one bad interaction can be blown out of proportion and be amplified online.Contact center customer experience can make or break a company. Don't it let break yours.Have a comment or any of your own tips? Let us know down below!

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five guys vs mcdonalds

Which is Better, FiveGuys or McDonalds?

Which is Better, FiveGuys or McDonald's?

Fast food. It's something we all know isn't the most glamorous of dining experiences, but most of us still eat at these restaurants.

Whether it's fried chicken, burgers, Mexican or desserts, people think all food establishments are all cut from the same cloth. But what is the customer experience like in these places, and how do they differ?

Today I'll look at my experiences at two of the UK's most popular chains, McDonald 's and Five Guys to find out.

McDonald's

McDonaldsSign

I'll start with the one which has been around the longest: McDonald 's.

Since opening their doors to the UK in October 1974, there are now around 1300 restaurants up and down the country, serving 1,277,500,000 customers a year. Yes, you read that correctly. One billion, two hundred and seventy-seven million, five hundred thousand, and just like that, I now get why obesity is on the up.

From Ronald McDonald to the broken milkshake machine, there's something for everyone to love at McDonald 's.

The Restaurant

As with any fast-food chain, the majority of these look the same, with their grey floor tiles, yellow and green decor and wooden panels dotted around the place. I know when I'm in a McDonalds.

Most of them are clean, and there's often enough seating for everyone unless you find yourself in one in London... where you've no chance of finding a table.

Toilets are often a make or break for some people, and well, on the whole they are maintained to a good standard. They're brightly lit, usually don't smell, which is a big plus, and I can't say anything bad about them.

The experience in the restaurant is usually a pleasant one unless you find yourself on the table next to a family with a screaming child which is an actual nightmare. Although this can't really be helped unless McDonald 's ban everyone under the age of 12, which would be a bad business decision. However, it would make my BigMac meal much more enjoyable.

McDonald's also has a major advantage with its 24-hour restaurants. There's nothing better than having 5 Chicken Selects at 4am after a heavy night of drinking to save you from the worst hangover of your life - you can't do that at FiveGuys can you.

Staff

The main aspect of the customer experience is the service customers receive from the staff. Unfortunately, McDonald 's workers often seem overworked and understaffed, resulting in a painful experience.

It can even seem like a chore for them to be taking your order, as if you are spoiling their day by ordering food. My biggest pet peeve is when they have five or six staff behind the counter just talking about their weekend, leaving one poor soul to take the orders for ten people. Just jump on the tills and actually serve me please guys, it's not that hard to do your job, surely?

They're not all like this though. Some staff are kind and polite, but the majority feel like they are being held at gunpoint, and it leaves a bad impression. This is the weakest area of the overall experience for me.

Ordering

One plus with McDonald 's is the table service and ordering boards. Self-ordering kiosks started rolling out in stores in 2015, making buying your food without having to talk to anyone that bit easier. Sometimes they struggle to work, either being slow or just out of order completely, but when they do work, they're fantastic!

Another is the option for table service. When ordering, I can take a numbered plaque, and the staff will bring the meal to me- it's like being in an actual restaurant! We're living in the future, or maybe the past, I haven't quite worked it out.

One downside to these boards is the fact that you can't redeem the coffee vouchers on them, instead, I'm forced to have to speak to the staff at the counter, who try and ignore you for 5 minutes so you will use the self-ordering boards next time.

A big plus for me is the Drive-Thru. Fast food, without having to leave your car, making life so much easier when in a rush, or when you're just feeling lazy.

Of course, you don't have to use it, but knowing I can order, pay for and eat a whole meal without having to move out of the driver's seat is a real plus!

McDonald 's have also recently begun to push the MyMcDonald 's mobile app, which allows you to order your food on the way to the restaurant, reducing the waiting time. No more waiting around for your 20 chicken nuggets, what a bonus that is!

Food

While it might not be the most exquisite cuisine, it's certainly not the worst food in the world.

With 28 main options to choose from (not including sides or adding and taking away toppings), there's something for everyone, and I've never really had a bad experience with any of it.

A burger tastes like a burger should do, and the fries are arguably the best fast-food fry on the market. Perfectly crispy, perfectly fluffy inside and perfectly salted. They're, well - perfect.

If you don't want to pig out on a burger, what are the healthy options? Well, leaving would be a good start! But what if you're being forced to stay by your wife and kids?

You could tuck into a Grilled Chicken Salad, which is only 133 calories and 1.4 grams of fat. Sure, it might not be the peak of healthiness, but for a quick pitstop, it ticks all the boxes for someone watching what they eat.

For the vegetarians and pescatarians, there is some decent enough choice. Alongside the salads, there are the veggie wraps and the Filet O'Fish burger, which is more than what can be offered by FiveGuys.

My main gripe is with the milkshake and McFlurry machine. I dream of the day when it works for longer than two weeks at a time. The lure of a banana milkshake with your meal is so inviting, only for the staff to tell you it's out of service, once again. Disappointing. The McFlurry /milkshake machine has become a running joke amongst consumers, and while it was once a regular occurrence for it to be broken, I have to admit I am noticing this less and less in recent times.

To sum up, though, the food is decent, and it's a place I'm more than happy to go back to for their food.

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Price

The area where McDonald 's comes into its own is the price. For £4.79 (UK) you can get an Extra Value Meal.

A burger, a portion of fries and a drink all for under a fiver is incredible value; it's literally in the name.

You can take a family of five out for dinner and hardly put a dent in your bank account. I'm not taking a random family of five out for dinner though, so my order comes to a fiver - but still, nothing to complain about here!

Overall

Do I feel like I've been transported to America for an authentic taste of the US? No, but I also don't think that's the point for McDonald's.

It's fast food for everyone, no matter where they are — decently priced, decent tasting food which you can get wherever you are.

It's a quick pit stop pick me up, a wham, bam, thank you, ma'am, and you're back to your day.

Anyone can enjoy a McDonald's at any time, and it's this inclusivity, which makes it feel a bit welcoming.

Sure, the staff bring down the overall experience down with their mardy arse attitude to everything. Looking past that though, it's somewhere I will continue to return.

Five Guys

FiveGuysInstore

Now onto the higher end of fast food with Five Guys.

Opening their first UK store on Independence Day 2013 which is a bit ironic, the chain now has close to 100 stores up and down the country and boasts the UK's most popular food chain for 2018 (MarketForce).

The Restaurant

If you thought all McDonald's stores looked the same, FiveGuys takes it to the next level.

The walls are white tiling with red accents, there's an abundance of light stained wooden benches, and you feel like you are sitting in an authentic American diner - I can't tell if I'm in Birmingham, Alabama, or quite disappointingly, The Midlands.

Atmosphere wise, it can be lacking at times, with the music often slightly too quiet to quite catch what song is playing, but there's enough for it not to ensure I can't hear my friend chewing the lettuce in their burger.

It's much the same as McDonald's regarding toilets. Spacious, maintained properly and clean - nothing to complain about here.

Staff

Here for me, is the standout difference for FiveGuys. Their staff are always helpful, smiling and appear actually to be enjoying their work.

When customers are there for the first time, they don't get frustrated or annoyed, but take their time to talk them through the ordering process.

They're often having a bit of a joke around with their conversation with me while the till processes, and it's something which makes me feel more comfortable when ordering.

Fantastic customer service in a stressful role, hats off to the FiveGuys team for that.

Ordering

Ordering wise, FiveGuys keeps things traditional for fast food, making me go up to the counter to place my order.

It's a no-frills experience where you pay and then wait for your food. No option of an ordering screen, no drive-thru, just pay and wait, which is a bit of a shame.

If you don't want to wait, you can order online or via the FiveGuys mobile app or website, where you can choose up to 4 days in advance of when you want your food to be ready.

It's really handy if you work in an office or need to know your order will be accepted. If I was having a meeting with a group of people, the order could be done in advance and it can be one thing crossed off the list - very convenient!

I just wish I could do something similar instore!

Food

Before I talk about the food itself, one thing which I really like about all of the restaurants is that the kitchen is open. You can see the food being made in front of you, and it's refreshing to see it being freshly cooked.

The beef burgers are thick patties, which are flavoursome, and the hot dogs are not bad themselves - The food is fantastic!

There's a slightly limited menu of 16 options of mains, but with all combinations of toppings on burgers, beefdogs, and sandwiches, there's more than 250,000. I've not counted them myself, but I'll take their word for it!

You can have as many toppings as you want on your burger/beefdog, all for free! In other restaurants, you can find yourself paying over a pound per topping!!

Fresh food made how you want it, no arguments this is the better of the two. You can also change your food if you are not happy with it - excellent service!

What does let it down though is the options (or rather lack of) for vegetarians or pescatarians? Okay, it's a burger and fries joint, so of course there isn't going to be the widest range of options. But their vegetarian option is a bunch of veg thrown into a bun, and there is no fish option at all.

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Price

The cost is where FiveGuys falls down with its higher-priced menu for me.

Two people ordering a burger, a portion of fries and a drink each falls just short of £30 (UK). So a family of five would have to remortgage their house to be able to go for dinner.


I've had many an argument about this with my colleague, who says it's not that badly priced as you're buying quality food, with no screaming kids running around.

I see his point as the food is really good quality, but for me it knocks down the overall experience, knowing you've paid so much for what at the end of the day is just a burger and fries - no matter how nice they are.

The Wrap-Up

So overall, who has a better customer experience?

Well, for me, it's McDonald 's. Yes, the food isn't as good as it is at FiveGuys, but for the price, it's good enough and makes me go back. The convenience of ordering is a big plus, and the Drive-Thru makes life so much easier when in a rush or when I'm feeling lazy.

The FiveGuys decor makes me feel like I'm in a 60's American diner, and the staff smile, but McDonald's is fast food at its best. Both restaurants are consistent with their service and most times when I go in, I get around the same level of experience with the food, staff and the building itself.

There's not been a standout fantastic experience I've had, but more importantly, there's also not been a really bad experience either.

Overall, because of its good tasting, cheap food with service, which is quick, McDonald 's rates as the best customer experience for me.

Disagree or have any thoughts about anything discussed? Leave a comment down below!

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