Analysing key service attributes for a major bank

A retail bank recognised that measuring the quality of the customer contact experience requires more than simple service performance metrics. In particular, they understood that any meaningful assessment should incorporate less obvious emotional dimensions. These include the customer’s expectations for service delivery, what constitutes a reasonable outcome, the degree of effort expended by the customer to achieve it and the impact of the contact experience on brand sentiment and engagement.

BVA BDRC proposed Experience Intensity as a solution which involves on-going evaluation of the customer contact experience through monthly interviews of both new and existing consumers. The survey included our ‘Experience Intensity’ questions, designed to measure rational, emotional and effort-based dimensions of service provision.

This approach enabled the research team to develop a series of key service attributes, and to provide indices that allow the bank to monitor the attributes most closely associated with satisfaction. The production of monthly reports, tailored to each product category, has given the client the insight needed to make strategic decisions and continuously improve customer facing interactions. The study informed new staff training procedures and negotiations with outsourced contact centre suppliers.