|
BOSTON - March 19, 2002 --
Cross Country Automotive Services (CCAS) today announced that their Total Case Management (TCM) program, an outsourced consumer affairs service through which CCAS case managers are committed to a "one and done" approach to resolving vehicle owners' concerns, is fully operational and closing an average of 75% of cases within one day. Kia Motors America (Kia) approached CCAS to develop and implement a consumer affairs program that would not only resolve customer issues and increase customer retention, but also enhance Kia's ability to improve communications with customers and dealers, reduce expenses associated with escalated customer calls, and improve overall customer satisfaction. Once the requirements were determined, CCAS implemented the program in less than 90 days and is now handling more than 24,000 calls per month.
"We selected CCAS for a number of reasons, including its direct and collaborative approach to working with our personnel," said Michele Cameron, Kia's consumer affairs manager. "Because of the tightly knit alliance between CCAS and Kia, CCAS's case managers are as close to being Kia employees as possible. By allowing CCAS's trained professionals to resolve customer inquiries, we are better able to concentrate on our core competencies, including providing quality, high content vehicles at affordable prices."
CCAS implemented its TCM program by forming a close alliance with Kia and jointly developing a program that specifically addresses Kia's needs and concerns. During the 90-day process, CCAS hired and trained CCAS case managers, established a communication link to access Kia's customer management software and associated databases, and completed a pilot test run. CCAS began by working with Kia to ensure that all of Cross Country case managers had direct collaborative working relationships with Kia personnel and the decision-making authority and responsibility required to bring incoming customer inquiries to a satisfactory, professional and timely resolution. CCAS's TCM case managers were educated as to Kia's history and vehicles, and trained to effectively utilize Kia's systems.
"We are pleased to have been selected by Kia to implement our TCM program," said Michael Saxton, President and CEO of CCAS. "CCAS understands that the key to a successful consumer affairs program is that case management professionals are held accountable for resolving vehicle owner's concerns. In our nearly 30 years in business, we have found that our ability to resolve owners' issues promptly and to their satisfaction increases their brand loyalty, boosting customer retention and ultimately improving OEMs' bottom line. This program does exactly that, capitalizing on CCAS's core competencies to deliver CRM value to Kia, while letting Kia concentrate on selling more cars."
In order to provide CCAS's case managers with full access to Kia's customer databases, Kia deployed Clarify E-Front Office software to connect their national office, four regional offices, the CCAS's contact center and Kia dealerships. The system provided CCAS's case managers with a complete view of customer and vehicle history as well as immediate access to the data needed to deliver excellent service.
About Cross Country Automotive Services
Headquartered in Medford, Massachusetts, Cross Country Automotive Services is a leading provider of integrated vehicle and driver programs in North America. Over 1,800 Cross Country employees serve more than 100 corporate clients and their more than 40 million customers each year. Cross Country Automotive Services is a member of The Cross Country Group, one of the largest privately held providers of customer service programs in the United States. For additional information on Cross Country Automotive Services, please visit their Web site at www.crosscountry-auto.com.
|
