Schneider Electric Simplifies Case Management and Sets Call Agents up for Success

Schneider Electric is the global leader in energy management and industrial automation, with over 128,000 employees serving customers in 115 countries. Scheduling appointments is essential but time-consuming task for customer care centre agents. And when delivering great customer service is a priority, the potential for human error can be a real issue. 

The organisation already uses Salesforce CRM to support its entire global customer base. The challenge was to find a tool to make scheduling appointments faster and more efficient. 

The need for digital service to fulfil customer needs

Anca Deaconescu is Technology Leader for Customer Support at Schneider Electric. She explained how one of their key challenges is dealing with high volumes of customer interactions, and finding an efficient way of managing them, particularly during peak hours.   

Whatever the priority of the call or interaction, many may need further interaction, which means booking another appointment. The team at Schneider Electric identified a need for a solution to do the following:

• Give customers the opportunity for self-service as much as possible before getting to assisted support.

• Address the impact of the number of incoming calls on workload distribution and available resources.

• Effectively manage calls of varying priority and call time.

Salesforce Scheduler supports all these actions, with Lightning Sync integrated into call agents’ Outlook Calendars. It makes it easy to arrange appointments with the right people at the right time.

Better customer service for better customer relationships

To simplify and streamline its case management, Schneider Electric has rolled out Scheduler in Brazil as part of a pilot phase. Currently used by support agents to schedule appointments, the self-service aspect for customers to book their appointments will be enabled in a later phase.

Scheduler offers an out-of-the-box solution that’s integrated as part of the case management flow, so no need for agents to switch systems or processes. They find it easy to make appointments and identify the correct agent or action for further support. 

So how are Customer Care Centre agents and customers finding this new solution?

Pooja Thayil, Integration Architect, Schneider Electric & Anca Deaconescu, Technology Leader, Schneider Electric

Appointment scheduling simplified

For agents, the full integration into their existing case flow makes their day-to-day roles easier. And of course, that’s going to filter along to their customers. The tool allows technical support agents to schedule appointments for specific topics. It also fully links the appointment with Salesforce Case.

Historically agents might have had to check multiple systems and calendars and speak to other departments. Now, they get a clear view of the relevant team’s availability. And the integration with Outlook avoids the issue of double booking, thus ensuring a higher quality of support. It also means there’s no need to put the customer on hold while the agent checks calendars and identifies the correct department. 

“It gives agents extra control over their time,” said Anca. “And allows them better balance out their workload. Being able to avoid stressful situations during a live interaction ensures a smooth process for both customers and support agents. 

Delivering a consistent customer experience

Schneider Electric has been able to deploy Scheduler in a way that best suits the business’s needs. Pooja Thayil is an Integration Architect at Schneider Electric. She shared how her team has used that flexibility to enhance agents’ workflows.

“We’ve been able to add a certain amount of ‘after-work’ time for every call into the tool,” she said. “So when an appointment is booked it automatically adds a 15-minute buffer for when the call ends. That way, the agent won’t have to rush into their next appointment. Instead, they have the time to add notes to the call or even take the next action for the customer, whatever that may be.”

The self-service feature that Schneider Electric will add to the pilot is something that also gives its customers greater flexibility. In the wake of the pandemic, customers are increasingly showing a preference for self-service, and that’s unlikely to change any time soon. Rather than having to call and speak to an agent to book an appointment, customers will be able to log on and book their own. They don’t need to wait in a queue to speak to anyone, and they can get online whenever best suits them – even if it's 3am. 

When it comes to customer care centres, digital efficiency is key

Combining the Scheduler tool with the existing CRM and case management process has already increased efficiency for Schneider Electric. In today’s data-centric world, businesses have to make processes as efficient as possible. Not only do customers demand efficiency, it also saves valuable time and money.

And that’s what Schneider Electric is doing, by facilitating its customer care centre agents to help more customers and faster. Another key focus for the business is sustainability. And by optimising customer calls this way, agents can resolve issues more quickly, and their workflows will be even more efficient.

It's clear from the results so far that the pilot has lived up to expectations. The energy management company’s agents are already able to appreciate how Scheduler makes their jobs easier. 

Next steps with Service Cloud 

The next action will be enabling this premium feature, reinforcing self-service, and rolling out the use of the tool across all locations. What’s already clear is that Scheduler is helping Schneider Electric to build a meaningful journey for its customers. One that’s personalised to the needs of both the business and its customers.

Learn more about Scheduler, and all the other benefits of Service Cloud.