Engineering the User Experience: UX and the Usability Professionals Association

摘要

Somewhere in the world, a customer service representative is on the phone with a customer. The customer has an easy problem; at least it seems easy to him. Unfortunately, it's not so easy for the rep. She has to negotiate three differen t applications— one for entering the caller's issue, another for searching the product's support knowledge base, and still another for making call notes—all while responding quickly and attentively to the customer's issue. She starts to fall behind, so she does what the reps have been taught to do: She puts the customer on hold while she struggles through the task. Minutes go by and the customer becomes impatient, finally hanging up before getting the help that he needs. Caught on audiotape, the customer was muttering about the terrible customer service. What's the problem here? Is it outdated technology? A poorly designed information structure? Misunderstood business requirements? Or an inadequate understanding of the rep's tasks?