Customer service: Putting people first

When the phone rings, the caller usually has a question that needs answering or an issue that needs solving. At Prime, we have 750 customer service specialists who are there to help. “They are how Prime shows up for members when they need us most,” says Dee Kohler, director of service excellence. “This is where we show them that we put people first.”

High-performing

Customer service continues to be a differentiator for Prime. Year to date, our specialists are performing at or above target on service level and quality measures and exceeding 92 percent for first call resolution. That’s no accident.

“We’re investing in people and technology to improve the experience for our customers and our agents,” says Josh Walker, senior director, member services. Active listening helps agents guide calls, anticipate questions and provide better service. Advanced voice analytics helps concierge agents to reach out to members and resolve issues before they happen. And in 2020, new desktop software will bring all the relevant information to agents in a single window.

Flexible

Not long ago, Prime’s customer service specialists worked in contact centers in Omaha, Nebraska, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Today, we still have have our specialists at the contact centers in Omaha and Albuquerque. But now more than half of our specialists work from home, which may be in one of 20 states spread across four time zones.

“Hiring employees that work from home gives us greater flexibility in staffing and a much broader talent pool to hire from,” says Jon Bunch, senior director, member services. “We can scale up more quickly for Peak Season. And it enhances business continuity.”

Engaged

The vast majority of contact center employees are happy working at Prime and would recommend Prime as an employer.

“We have a great team,” says Rick Lane, assistant vice president, training quality and service excellence. “And our contact center leaders are very invested in building relationships, in making themselves available and being responsive to employee feedback. That produces better customer service.”

Thank you

“The representative I just spoke with helped me more than anyone else I think I have talked to in customer service,” says one member. “Her compassion and willingness to help brings tears to my eyes.”

Prime says thanks to all its customer service specialists.