PRESS RELEASE
Digital transformation makes an impact
Customer service at Tele Columbus and PŸUR continues positive trend in the first half of 2020
Berlin, 20 July 2020. Tele Columbus, one of Germany’s leading fibreglass network operators, has further improved the customer service of its PŸUR brand despite the coronavirus pandemic. The availability and quality of the service hotline and the renewed increase in customer satisfaction are proof of the sustained success of the customer-oriented technical and organisational measures.
In May and June, Tele Columbus consistently met its ambitious goals of ensuring PŸUR hotline customers are able to speak to a consultant within an average of only one minute as well as answering queries received in writing within one day as a rule. Customer satisfaction, measured as a Net Promoter Score (NPS), rose again. This was made possible by systematically improving the quality of the products and services, and by expanding the digital service channels for customers.
The extended functionality of the MEIN PŸUR app has contributed to short waiting times on the telephone hotline, allowing standard concerns to be dealt with conveniently via a smartphone and often removing the need for personal contact. In addition to the existing proven functions, such as individual invoice information, customers managing their own data and address-specific information about network status, a digital assistant for faults now assists in home network troubleshooting. This digital assistant makes use of all the data available in the network in real time.
The arrangement of engineer appointments for work directly in the customer’s home has been extensively revamped. Following the latest update to the app, these appointments can now also be booked directly in the app and changed if necessary. If customers prefer to arrange an engineer call-out over the phone, they no longer need to wait for a separate callback to find out when the next available appointment will be – they are offered available appointment dates and times during their initial phone call. This is a new feature following the integration of the systems for on-site service specialist availability, which was completed in the first half of the year. PŸUR now offers proactive information tailored to customers through the app and web portal, and also by text message if requested. A short message provides information about possible network disruptions, as well as credit notes or problems with that month’s direct debit.
The expansion in the services offered has led to a further marked improvement in customer satisfaction. The higher NPS score – the established standard for measuring customer satisfaction in service companies – rose again quite significantly. “After carrying out the system integration in 2017 and expanding digitalisation in 2018, we were able to focus more than ever on quality of service, quality in our processes and quality in the network in 2019 – the benefits of these efforts are clearly visible to our customers,” says Roland Schleicher, Chief Operations Officer at Tele Columbus AG, who is responsible for customer service and the customer experience transformation throughout the company.
“We are pleased with the increased appreciation that we can see in the customer reviews, but of course we won’t stop there. We will continue to strive for better and use the results to drive forward further improvements,” explains Mr Schleicher. “Thanks to customer feedback, we know exactly what we still need to work on. For us, digitalisation is the way to achieve outstanding customer experience while simultaneously lowering costs.”
About us
Tele Columbus AG is one of Germany’s leading fibre network operators which reaches more than 3 million homes. Via its brand PŸUR, the Company, offers high-speed internet including telephony and more than 250 TV channels. All of this via a digital entertainment platform that combines linear TV with video on demand entertainment. To its housing association partners the Tele Columbus Group offers tailored models of cooperation and state-of-the-art services such as telemetric and tenant portals. As a full-service partner for municipalities and regional utilities, the Company is actively supporting the fibre-based infrastructure and broadband internet expansion in Germany. For its business customers the Group offers carrier services and corporate solutions on its proprietary fibre network. Besides its headquarter in Berlin, the Company has locations in Hamburg, Leipzig, Ratingen and Unterföhring/Munich. Tele Columbus AG is a member of the SDAX and since January 2015 listed on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock exchange.
Disclaimer
This release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements reflect the Company’s current knowledge and expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this document.
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