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They've Got Your Number - but does choice equal better service?

By Nick Lomax and Stephanie Crawford

Ignore the confusion. Lets assume we all understand how directory enquiries works now and that we can remember all of the numbers available. When we call are we guaranteed a better service, or a cheaper alternative to the old 192? Evidence suggests not. Using our Soft Skills Benchmarking methodology and calculating the cost of making the call, we have assessed 12 of the new directory enquiry services. When we analyse the calls closely we can understand more about why service is not being delivered well.

The secret lies in being able to analyse two key aspects of service; the effectiveness and the efficiency of the call. The efficiency of a call encompasses the speed components, while the effectiveness takes into consideration the way in which the call is dealt with and resolved. These two aspects do not have equal importance in the caller’s mind.

As demonstrated in the graph below, the efficiency of a call to directory enquiries has little effect on the overall impression created - it is the effectiveness and resolution of the call that matters. Therefore, a caller will still put the phone down after a long call to 118 feeling satisfied if they have managed to get the correct number. Total dissatisfaction occurs when a wrong number is provided, or when no number is provided at all.

Graph 1 – Influence of Efficiency and Effectiveness on Overall Impression of Call

It is therefore the responsibility of the agent who handles the call to ensure that it is dealt with in both an efficient yet effective manner. This sounds simple enough, but how exactly do they do that? Through appropriate questioning, listening and confirmation among other skills.
Through our Soft Skills Benchmarking we have been able to define the individual elements that make up a telephone call, and hence devise a method of analysis that evaluates telephone calls in great detail. Using this analysis on a series of calls to twelve of the new 118 numbers uncovered failings in both effectiveness and efficiency.

For example, when asking for the number for HSBC, we were provided with the number for HFC. An error that, had correct listening and confirmation skills been demonstrated by the advisor, should have been avoided. On another occasion, it was apparent that the automated recording was providing the wrong number as the dialling code was for another area, but there was no route back to the advisor.

Graph 2 below shows the results of our analysis, in which some of the most well known services fair very differently. For example 118 118 is the least efficient of all services and is not one of the most effective. In comparison 11-88-88 is the most effective service as well as being one of the most efficient. And our findings are strongly supported by telecom watchdog Oftel, who is now closely monitoring 118 118 following the discovery of dubious practices by operators to limit time spent on each call.

Graph 2 – Efficiency and Effectiveness of 118 Calls

During analysis, the cost of the call was also considered. Surprisingly, the cost appears to have no relation to the quality of service provided. For example, the cheapest service was the most effective and the most expensive service was the least efficient.

Table 1 – Average Cost of Calls

So what effect will this have upon customer perception? Well, probably no effect at all in the short term, as awareness of the actual cost of phoning the different services is extremely low. But if customers were aware that they were receiving both the best quality and cheapest service, perhaps ‘real’ competition can be engaged and service quality improve.

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