Consistency, consistency, consistency……
According to Stephen Meyler Managing Director of General Dynamics this is the key to exceptional customer service. And they should know because as Vangent their original trading name, this organisation has played a major role in the information systems business for well over 60 years.
I caught up with Stephen Meyler along with Paul Reynolds their Operations Manager and Tina Bull from Lambeth Living on Friday afternoon. It was a most worthwhile investment of time with the visit full of facts about areas of call centre progress to be proud of from a close knit management team and their well trained operational staff at the sharp end of this contribution; to just one of the many areas of customer service that we have in our borough.
Outsourcing is a recognised alternative although from my meeting with the agents and listening in to their calls, the term outsourcing belies the healthy working relationship that is now being developed by General Dynamics alongside Lambeth Living and their three main contactors.
Not short of space for the impressive banks of systems overlooking HMS Belfast, this is a working environment that lends itself more to the family atmosphere that was so frequently referred to throughout our conversations and demonstrated in the spontaneous baking of cake marked `God Bless Vangent` shortly after the call centre went live in December 2011.
Their training ethos and customer care expectations are in line with continuous improvement and career prospects – most encouraging for an organisation with both an established track record in a very competitive market and the expertise to expand with confidence. So far; visits from our local councillors have been limited but please don’t wait to be asked Members because Paul and Tina waved us goodbye with an open invitation that was clearly not a casual parting comment but serious commitment to keeping us us informed.
Mayor of Lambeth 