As today's technology gets smarter, so must the training that companies use to prepare customer service field agents. Samsung's smart refrigerators, washers, and other Internet of Things-connected appliances, for example, require customer service providers to have a new skill set and be knowledgeable about servicing not only hardware, but also software. That's why the company has just introduced the Connect Care—Anytime, Anywhere initiative, a program dedicated to customer service training and preparation.
Michael Lawder, senior vice president of customer care at Samsung Electronics America, said in a statement that the initiative will tackle the "rapidly changing pace of technology."
"In today's always-connected, on-demand world, it's more vital than ever that authorized technicians are able to address product issues immediately and efficiently. With Connected Care–Anytime, Anywhere, Samsung is committed to elevating the skills of our authorized technicians to ensure their knowledge remains on track with the rapidly changing pace of technology and the needs of our customers.">
As part of the initiative, Samsung is opening three new training facilities in New Jersey, Texas, and California where employees can learn appliance maintenance and troubleshooting and gain hands-on experience when it comes to working on Wi-Fi connectivity and other software problems. As part of the training courses offered at these facilities, customer service agents will earn certifications from basic to master levels, Lawder added.
"As innovation leaders, our goal is to keep customers' products up and running and if a product requires technical assistance, get them back in action as quickly as possible. Enhancing our training methods will allow our authorized technicians to troubleshoot, repair and communicate with confidence."
Samsung has also introduced improvements to its online digital service platform, the Samsung Tech Guide (STG). Technicians and customers can use the platform throughout the servicing process so both sides have visibility into troubleshooting status. Agents can, for example, update customers when replacement parts are scheduled to arrive or provide information on their locations while they're en route to a service appointment.
Additionally, though customers can still request service on-demand via Samsung.com or the Samsung Members app, the company's new Digital Service Request (DSR) platform will enable consumers to request support ticket status updates via SMS message.