Mobile provider Fido introduced a new service this week called FidoAnswers that gives customers the option of either talking to a live customer service representative right away, or using the now-familiar automated self-serve menu.
A survey conducted by Léger Marketing on Fido’s behalf found that 89% of customers prefer talking to a representative when calling their wireless provider.
Customers told researchers that self-serve automated systems can sometimes cause delays due to long waiting times, complex navigation menus and potential call transfers.
“Customers have told us repeatedly that call-in centres are not a very pleasant experience at the best of times,” said Steven Sarfin, senior director marketing, Fido.
“We have, for the last year, consistently done research of different target audiences… They have consistently said that a service such as FidoAnswers would be a great improvement on the value that the brand provides to them, and that they would feel more inclined to a brand that takes such care of them,” he said.
Fido made technical updates to call centre computer programs and added new employees to get the new service running. Sarfin said the customer service representatives are “qualified to pretty much resolve any issue,” and as a result, expects hold times will be reduced significantly.
Fido is supporting the service with a national French and English-language campaign from its creative agency BOS that includes television, online, print and out-of-home ads. OMD handled the media buy. In keeping with Fido ads of the past, customer service reps are shown next to dogs that bare certain physical similarities.
In addition to English and French, the FidoAnswer service is also available in Cantonese and Mandarin. Fido has not yet introduced advertising targeting these markets, but hopes to do so in the near future, said Sarfin.
Fido is owned by Rogers, which also owns Marketing magazine.
