Reflection – Complaint handling enhancement by using the

visualization tool

Challenge & Selection  I am working in a retail company and responsible for the service  improvement project management. Recently, I have received many  feedbacks from the front-line Customer Service, Shop Sales and  management staffs that they are facing difficulty on Complaint handling  process especially when the complaint has to escalate to another party,  seeking for the management advice or submit waive approval request for  the management approval. The poor internal communication process  usually causes service delay which has impact on the end-customer  complaint handling experience. Besides, the disordered communication  makes management staffs not able to understand the full picture of the  complaints and to make a right decision because email is a unique  communication channel and there is no systematic way to save and  review all of the complaints data. The management also have no way to  analyze the data then to identify improvement area for service  improvement.  After quickly understanding of their problem background, I decided to  use Visualization tool to deeply understand the problem among different  stakeholder groups. I have invited different stakeholders and used the  straw man visualization with setting few questions for group discussion.  Through-out defining the scope, key elements and relationship, the  stakeholders are able to put into other’s shoes so that they are able to  learn and understand each other’s pain points and identify the solutions  from another point of view.      Application  I draw few straw man graphics basing on the stakeholder categories  (front-line Customer Service, Shop Sales and management) on a poster  size papers and stated few questions near the straw man:

l Activities – What happen? What are he/she doing? What is

his/her task? What are his activities? How’s the status before  and after the activities?

l Interaction – What is the interaction channel? Is he/she using

any system/interface? How’s he/she interact with other parties?  What is the interaction flow?

l Objects – Is he/she using any device? What is the user

environment/location?

l User – What is his/her role? Who will react on his/her action?  l Pain point – Why he/she is not feeling good on the existing

handling method and workflow? What is his/her concern?

l Want – What he/she wants? What is his/her target?

I divided the stakeholders into 3 groups and each group representing one  stakeholder group. I distribute the straw man poster to each group, and  they have 60 min to write their answers on the poster directly. Once the  exercise has been completed, those 3 straw man posters will be posting  on the wall together. Each team representative present their answers  and other teams provide an insight and additional information to make  the information on each poster completely. During the session, I am  consolidating their insight, commonalities and feedback then revised the  posters and seek for their agreement of the changes.     Insight and Approach    What I learned is that from using this visualization tool, it can easily lead  the discussion and thinking direction of the group members, especially  when they have no clue, this diagram and the set questions can help and  inspire them. In addition, through group discussions, they can increase  interaction and learn about everyone’s different ideas, thereby  increasing empathy and becoming pertinent to the problem’s point of  view. This mode of thinking can also improve the working culture in the  long run. And through using this visualization tool, we can also quickly  find out the problems and pain points faced by the customers, which can  help us create more accurate follow-up solutions.  I will use this valuable graphic in different customer experience  enhancement projects in the future as this tool could help different  internal parties 360 degree review customers situation especially identify  the customer’s pain point effectively.


Reflection – Complaint handling enhancement by using the visualization tool Challenge & Selection I am working in a retail company and responsible for the service improvement project management . Recently , I have received many feedbacks from the front - line Customer Service , Shop Sales and management staffs that they are facing difficulty on Complaint handling process especially when the complaint has to escalate to another party , seeking for the management advice or submit waive approval request for the management approval . The poor internal communication process usually causes service delay which has impact on the end - customer complaint handling experience . Besides , the disordered communication makes management staffs not able to understand the full picture of the complaints and to make a right decision because email is a unique communication channel and there is no systematic way to save and review all of the complaints data . The management also have no way to analyze the data then to identify improvement area for service improvement . After quickly understanding of their problem background , I decided to use Visualization tool to deeply understand the problem among different stakeholder groups . I have invited different stakeholders and used the straw man visualization with setting few questions for group discussion . Through - out defining the scope , key elements and relationship , the stakeholders are able to put into other ’s shoes so that they are able to learn and understand each other ’s pain points and identify the solutions from another point of view . Application I draw few straw man graphics basing on the stakeholder categories ( front - line Customer Service , Shop Sales and management ) on a poster size papers and stated few questions near the straw man : l Activities – What happen ? What are he / she doing ? What is his / her task ? What are his activities ? How ’s the status before and after the activities ? l Interaction – What is the interaction channel ? Is he / she using any system / interface ? How ’s he / she interact with other parties ? What is the interaction flow ? l Objects – Is he / she using any device ? What is the user environment / location ? l User – What is his / her role ? Who will react on his / her action ? l Pain point – Why he / she is not feeling good on the existing handling method and workflow ? What is his / her concern ? l Want – What he / she wants ? What is his / her target ? I divided the stakeholders into 3 groups and each group representing one stakeholder group . I distribute the straw man poster to each group , and they have 60 min to write their answers on the poster directly . Once the exercise has been completed , those 3 straw man posters will be posting on the wall together . Each team representative present their answers and other teams provide an insight and additional information to make the information on each poster completely . During the session , I am consolidating their insight , commonalities and feedback then revised the posters and seek for their agreement of the changes . Insight and Approach What I learned is that from using this visualization tool , it can easily lead the discussion and thinking direction of the group members , especially when they have no clue , this diagram and the set questions can help and inspire them . In addition , through group discussions , they can increase interaction and learn about everyone ’s different ideas , thereby increasing empathy and becoming pertinent to the problem ’s point of view . This mode of thinking can also improve the working culture in the long run . And through using this visualization tool , we can also quickly find out the problems and pain points faced by the customers , which can help us create more accurate follow - up solutions . I will use this valuable graphic in different customer experience enhancement projects in the future as this tool could help different internal parties 360 degree review customers situation especially identify the customer ’s pain point effectively .