Interview about webcare at Nuon: "The right to be angry is not unreasonable"

Have you ever complained online about energy supplier Nuon? There is a good chance that you had contact with Joeri, webcare employee at Nuon. "The customer is central," says Joeri, "The right to be angry is not unreasonable." 

“In 2007 I started at Nuon as a telephone agent for customer questions and later I was hired at the collection department of Nuon. In 2013 I applied for Webcare and I still work there with extreme pleasure. ”

Joeri, why are you doing this work? 
“I have a lot of affinity with social media. I believe in the power of this medium. The main thing is that I enjoy my work and like to do something that I really like. To do Webcare you need guts, humor and the ability to empathize with a client. Sometimes there is a hidden apple in a tweet or Facebook message The appealing aspect of the message is therefore important to recognize. It also helps that I have substantive knowledge about products and systems. I can help the customer 100 percent. "

How do you deal with people who display unreasonable behavior?
“The customer is always right, even if he is not right. The customer is central and I believe that the right to be angry is something that is not unreasonable. An emotion is human. With the right tone of voice you can achieve a lot. Dare to admit that you as Nuon are wrong or a joke in the right way can already do wonders. Racism or certain abusive words with diseases is a cross-border behavior for me. I also indicate that and then it is ready. "

"You achieve a lot already with the right tone of voice"

How would you make a complaint to a company yourself?
“I always use Twitter myself. Fast and effective. Report something publicly and you will be helped immediately. Those are my own experiences at other companies. "

How far do your options extend internally to resolve complaints?
“I have a lot of freedom within the company. Because I have extensive expertise and knowledge, I can solve almost everything myself. Internally, communication is clear within different departments. I can and may make many decisions myself. I always check: Does the customer suffer from it? Can I solve it? What kind of influence does that have on my company?

Internally, we mainly receive Tone or Voice training. We also work with an Engagement console. We receive training for that with updates. ”

Which numbers are you billed to?
“I am monitored on a weekly basis. In addition to handling tweets and Facebook messages at speed, I am also assessed for quality. ”

Do you think people have become more demanding?
"Yes I think so. Nowadays everything and everyone is on social media. As a brand you are vulnerable. People make use of it. You can see that people quickly opt for social media and complaint sites if they can't work it out with the regular channels. Where a complaint or dispute previously stopped, this will now continue for longer. "

What are the points of attention for good webcare?
"The customer is king. Know who you're talking to. So who are his followers? How many followers does he post or tweet? This way you will quickly receive valuable information that you can use to do good webcare.

"A joke is not always possible"

What can you do better with webcare in the Netherlands?
“I often find it somewhat safe. Avoid the standard answers. "Annoying to read" or "sorry for the inconvenience"Stands out after 10 times. The challenge is always to pack the same message differently. Customers quickly get through it. Also try not to be funny at all costs. A joke is not always possible. "

What differences do you see per social media?
“G + is not monitored, for example. The focus is mainly on Facebook and Twitter. We also have a forum and we maintain various complaint sites: Klacht.nl, complaintkompas.nl, Energieleveranciers.nl. ”

"Social media has no closing time"

How do you see the future of webcare?
“Some companies are also accessible via whatsapp. I think that will become a trend that we will eventually participate in. If it is the expectation of the customer then you have to meet that. I think that as a company you have to become increasingly flexible. Also think of opening times on Sundays. Even though regular customer service is closed. Social media has no closing time, namely. "