A company’s customer service is a reflection of its entire brand. That’s why it is so important for customer service teams to provide customers with a seamless and efficient support process to satisfy their requests in a timely manner.
Lori Feltmate, Flushmate’s Director of Customer Service, outlines the importance of this topic, and how Flushmate strives to provide its customers with the best possible experience.
What type of feedback do you typically hear from your customers?
We conduct customer surveys, and customers answer the question, "Are you satisfied with the service you receive from our customer service department?" and then we give them the options ranging from “not satisfied at all” up to “very satisfied.” To date, our customer satisfaction rating is 98.6%, which means the majority of our customers are either “satisfied,” or “very satisfied,” with the service they received from us, based on the responses to the survey.
Of those that respond, it’s interesting to note that 76% also provided an optional comment that they were happy with the Flushmate customer service team or product.
Customers have the opportunity to comment on how happy they are with Flushmate overall, and the positive feedback is generally related to the service provided by the customer service department or the product itself.
Additionally, our survey includes an option for customers to opt in to leave a testimonial. We get a lot of positive comments about the Flushmate service and products that we share with future customers.
Flushmate has over 50 sales rep agencies nationwide. Do your customers often find that there is a local rep nearby for them to connect with?
Flushmate has partnered with sales representatives nationwide to provide a local presence for the Flushmate brand and our products. These representatives offer localized support, providing customers with convenient access to product information, assistance with product inquiries, and general installation support. Customers can rely on these knowledgeable representatives to answer any questions about Flushmate, assist with product availability and ongoing support needs.
Have you found that customers like the “where to buy” and “parts finder” tools online?
Our customers find these tools useful, and we utilize them internally to assist customers. Customers will often call and ask where they might be able to find a part or product, so we will utilize these tools to guide them to the right products and a local distributor. Typically, these tools are more beneficial for residential customers, as they may not be as familiar with the replacement parts or where to purchase them. While plumbers typically know where to find our products, they use these tools to verify the correct replacement parts or locate alternative sources if a particular distributor is out of stock.
How has Flushmate’s customer satisfaction rating evolved over the years? Have you seen an increase in the satisfaction level?
Flushmate has always been known for our world-class customer support of our products. Our customer satisfaction level continues to reflect that year over year, and we use our survey as a monitoring tool. If a customer expresses dissatisfaction in a comment, we’ll promptly reach out with their consent, viewing it as a valuable chance to learn and improve. Each instance of dissatisfaction prompts a thorough review of call data to ensure adherence to our ISO certification standards.
Can you expand a bit on Flushmate’s ISO procedures?
Flushmate first received ISO 9001 and 17025 in 1996. Within our ISO procedures, we track customer satisfaction for continuous improvement of our products and processes. We are always working toward a goal of 100% customer satisfaction rating, and if someone answers a question negatively on the survey, it's part of our procedure to reach out to them again for additional insight. As a manufacturer, having ISO certification builds confidence, not just for our customer service, but for the quality of our product and processes.
Are there any specific aspects of customer service that you take pride in?
Minimizing the time our customers are waiting to speak with a support agent is a source of pride here at Flushmate. Our average hold time so far this year is about one minute and 14 seconds, which is great. Our goal is to remain under two minutes on average, so we’ve significantly surpassed that. Response time is also a high priority for our team, and if a customer calls or leaves a message today, they will get a call back today from our U.S.-based call center. If an email message comes in during business hours, a customer will almost always get a same-day response. Same-day return phone calls and emails are very important to us. We hear a lot from our customers that they are thankful to be able to speak to a customer service representative as opposed to an automated response.
Also, if a customer needs a replacement part, as long as the order is placed before UPS is picked up for the day, then it will go out the same day.
How do you ensure that customer calls are routed to the appropriate customer service representative?
We have different departments specifically designated for various types of requests. We have our customer service department, which processes our orders for our distributors, and we also have our technical and warranty support department. When a customer calls in, the first option they’re presented with is the sales department, with the second being technical support, so customers have a very clear idea of where to go. If we need to transfer a customer, they get to where they're going easily with just a single transfer.
Is there a certain aspect to customer satisfaction that Flushmate is focusing on right now?
We’re always seeking to improve the customer experience. In 2021, our customer satisfaction rating was 97.6, and now year-to-date, we are at 98.6. We always follow up on our customer survey asking if the technician resolved the issue. If the answer is “no,” then we will review the call, reach out, and make sure their issue is resolved.
We understand that not everyone wants to make a phone call to troubleshoot, so we generate instructional videos that we share on our YouTube channel or Flushmate.com to help our customers who prefer to troubleshoot on their own.
What sets Flushmate customer service apart?
Our team is so passionate, and we have over 100 years of combined Flushmate customer service experience. Our employees have been here a long time, and I think that is due in large part to their passion for the product and water conservation. We want our customers to be happy and love both our product and the support they receive from us.