OperationsSomeone whose request sits inside an organisation's process

When I make a request, I want the outcome not to depend on who takes it, so I am not calling back until I reach the right person.

Khi tôi đưa ra một yêu cầu, tôi muốn kết quả không phụ thuộc vào ai tiếp nhận, để không phải gọi lại nhiều lần cho tới khi gặp đúng người.

Job context

Who
Someone using a large organisation's services
When
At every contact
Trigger
Two people giving two different answers
Situation
One request, different outcomes by whoever receives it
Constraints
No way to know which answer is correct

5 Pains

  • Each person answers differently

    High

    Both with equal confidence.

    Root cause: Internal rules leave room for interpretation

  • Calling back to reach a more helpful person

    Medium

    And it genuinely works.

    Root cause: The outcome depends on the agent rather than on the case

  • No idea what they are entitled to

    High

    The rules are not published.

    Root cause: Internal rules stay inside the organisation

  • Those who know how to ask get more

    Medium

    So outcomes follow skill rather than entitlement.

    Root cause: Discretion exists and is spent on those who know to ask

  • Nothing in writing to refer to

    Medium

    So the next time starts again.

    Root cause: Commitments are made verbally on the phone

5 Desired Outcomes

  • Get the same answer whoever they reach

    Functional

  • Not call back hunting for a softer answer

    Functional

  • Know exactly what they are entitled to

    Functional

  • Have the outcome not depend on how they ask

    Social

  • Have the commitment in writing

    Functional

5 Existing Solutions

A solution is not the same thing as a product, a customer can hire a behaviour or a workaround too.

  • Call back until someone says yes

    Workaround

    It genuinely works, and only for those with time to keep calling.

  • Ask for confirmation in writing

    Behaviour

    The only way to hold a commitment, and many refuse to send one.

  • Look up published rules where they exist

    Product

    The firmest ground, and most rules are unpublished.

  • Ask to be escalated

    Behaviour

    Usually effective, requiring you to know you may ask.

  • Ask other customers in a group

    Behaviour

    Where internal rules actually circulate, unofficially.

2 Opportunity Gaps

  • The only person telling a customer what they are entitled to is the agent, who both interprets the rule and decides how to apply it.

    Why existing solutions fail: Publishing the rules removes the discretion an organisation uses for difficult cases, so nobody wants to publish, and the price is that a person's outcome depends on who they reach.

    Potential opportunity: Publishing the firm rules and naming which part is discretionary, instead of concealing both.

  • Systems are designed for an agent to close a call quickly rather than for a customer to receive a consistent outcome across contacts.

    Why existing solutions fail: Agents are measured on handling time, so a fast answer always beats a consistent one, and the inconsistency appears in no report because each call is counted separately.

    Potential opportunity: Measuring by a customer's case across contacts rather than by individual calls.