We usually think of customer experience as something a service provider creates for its clients. The partnership between Forus and Enefit shows that clients can play an equally important role in shaping that experience. Enefit shares its knowledge and expertise with us, and we use that insight to deliver better customer service.
Launching the service was neither quick nor easy for either company. To ensure that the Forus control centre could support Enefit’s customers to the same standard as Enefit itself, both teams invested considerable time and effort in training, agreeing on procedures, building a knowledge base and practising customer service scenarios. This joint effort laid the foundation for the service we provide today.
Help is needed around the clock
The Forus control centre supports users of Enefit’s electric vehicle charging network. When someone encounters a charging problem in the evening, at night or over the weekend, their call is answered by one of our employees.
For the caller, it does not matter which company employs the person answering the phone. What matters is receiving prompt, knowledgeable assistance and feeling that their concern is taken seriously.
Forus and Enefit share the belief that excellent customer service can often outweigh a temporary disruption to the service itself.
Charging networks rely on technology, and technical problems are inevitable. Forus and Enefit share the belief that excellent customer service can often outweigh a temporary disruption to the service itself. If a charger is not working but the customer receives immediate assistance, a clear explanation and a solution, the experience can leave a better impression than a trouble-free charging session with no personal interaction at all.
It is often when something goes wrong that customer loyalty is won or lost.
When we answer the phone, we represent Enefit
Our employees do more than simply answer calls. When they pick up the phone, they become the voice of Enefit and take personal responsibility for the customer’s concern. We call this a sense of ownership: rather than simply passing the problem on to someone else, I take responsibility for ensuring that the customer gets a solution.
From the customer’s perspective, they are not speaking to a Forus operator answering Enefit’s phone line. They are speaking to Enefit. That is why our employees must understand Enefit’s services, systems and values, and communicate with customers to the same standard as Enefit’s best customer service representatives.
Taking ownership also means ensuring that no call ends without the customer knowing what happens next, whether the issue has been resolved immediately or there is a clear understanding of who will handle it and when.
Great customer service takes practice
Enefit’s customer service goal is for every customer to leave an interaction feeling that they have been heard, understood and helped to resolve their issue. We share the same ambition at Forus.
Through training provided by Enefit, our control centre employees have learned practical communication skills, such as listening actively, asking the right questions, explaining complex issues in simple terms and staying calm in challenging situations.
Training, however, is only the beginning. A great customer experience comes from putting those skills into practice on every call until they become a natural part of everyday work.
Improving together
Typically, the company commissioning a control centre service sets the service standards and expects the provider to meet them. Enefit has also agreed with us on response times for customer enquiries. We measure our performance and regularly report the results to Enefit.
What makes this partnership special is that Enefit does more than set expectations. It actively helps us achieve the agreed service standards. We share knowledge, review customer interactions and work together to identify ways to improve the service.
Enefit has high expectations for service quality, and that benefits us.
The Forus control centre applies these insights in its daily operations and continues to build on them. This is how we improve customer service together.
Enefit has high expectations for service quality, and that benefits us. Maintaining high standards for one partner raises the performance of our entire control centre. It encourages us to review our processes, measure results and learn from mistakes.
A demanding partner also helps us maintain the quality of our own services and, in turn, retain our customers.
Other customers benefit from what we learn
Forus brings round-the-clock availability, extensive control centre experience and the ability to resolve technical issues to the partnership. Our employees also bring a personal, caring approach to every call.
The skills gained through Enefit’s training are not limited to supporting users of its charging network. The ability to listen, communicate calmly and find solutions benefits every Forus customer.
This is how the Forus promise, “We protect and care”, comes to life in our everyday work. The knowledge we gain from our partner is put into practice by our employees and reaches customers through better service.
When a client helps its service provider grow and improve, the benefits extend to customers as well. That is what genuine partnership is all about.
