iiNet spares Manila call centre
A former AAPT Manila-based call centre in the Philippines now managed by internet service provider iiNet has been given a new lease of life due to a dramatic turn around in its customer complaints handling.
A source within the company told ZDNet Australia that at the time iiNet bought out AAPT's consumer division, including the Manilla call centre, AAPT's net promoter score (a measurement of customer satisfaction) was around -8. Since the take over, iiNet had sent a team over to Manilla to train the call centre employees and has improved AAPT's net promoter score dramatically to +24. By comparison, iiNet's net promoter score (excluding AAPT) for the 2011 financial year averaged at +50, according to the company's financial results released last month. Complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) had also halved.
iiNet wouldn't comment on whether the call centre had been facing the axe, but iiNet's chief customer officer Maryna Pienaar confirmed to ZDNet Australia that it had come a long way since the takeover.
"Over the last year iiNet has worked with local staff to improve processes and remove unpopular customer policies. We have also invested heavily in training, including the secondment of some of our best operators to Manila," she said.
"Manila staff have shown a real enthusiasm for the new environment, demonstrating flexibility and a solid commitment to customer service. We have a great team in place, one which has proven capable of delivering the class of service iiNet prides itself on."
ZDNet Australia understands that as a result of the drastic improvement, the contract with the call centre will be extended until July next year. The call centre will need an upgrade of its ageing equipment.
Pienaar said iiNet would continue to invest in the call centre, "including IT and infrastructure upgrades where necessary".
iiNet ceased to offer new broadband plans under the AAPT brand as of 31 August 2011, with new customers redirected from AAPT's residential page back to the iiNet home page. Although iiNet looks to be retiring the AAPT brand, CEO Michael Malone said last month that iiNet would continue to support it for existing customers.