Microsoft/Kaiser Permanente Customer Service Comparison

I just got off the phone with Xbox Customer Support. Despite what I was told by Alec, I did not receive a call tonight. Actually, I've received three calls from them since I spoke with them on Friday. One call I got while I was at dinner with my folks on Sunday evening. Needless to say, I didn't answer. I called them back later, and was told I had to wait for another call back. I got the second call while I was at work on Monday afternoon. I couldn't answer that one, either. I got another call Tuesday morning, again, while I was at work.

So rather than wait for them to call me back tonight (like they said they would, but didn't), I called them. The rep I spoke with was nice enough, but she still couldn't help me. Apparently, Xbox Customer Support has a special escalated queue for these types of issues (i.e. a simple refund) that doesn't accept incoming calls, they only make outbound calls. Nina advised me tonight that the queue closes at 7 pm. That's just great, since that's when I get off work. I asked if they could call before I went to work, and she said that's possible. So I should get a call between 9 and 11:30 tomorrow morning. Of course, since I start work at 10:30, they've gotta call sometime between 9 and 10 or I won't be able to answer for the fourth time. Oi.

What I wanted to do with this post, besides the update, is list a comparison between Xbox Customer Support (XCS) and Kaiser Member Services (KMS). Let's see who wins.

Round 1: Ease of IVR
How easy is it to use and navigate the automated phone tree system?

• XCS has a voice activated IVR that can help with a variety of issues, and if not, connects you with a CSR.

• KMS has a touch-tone activated IVR that can help with a variety of issues, and if not, connects you with a CSR.

Winner: XCS, just barely. Voice activation for teh win.

Round 2: Hold Time for CSR
How quickly is the caller connected with a CSR after getting through the IVR?

• XCS has an average hold time of 2.5 minutes (for my three calls over the past 5 days, anyway).

• KMS has an average hold time of under 30 seconds.

Winner: KMS. We face heavy fines if 80% of our calls aren't answered in 30 seconds or less, so you can damn well bet we answer 80% of our calls in under 30 seconds.

Round 3: Average Idle Time
What's the average hold time per call?

• XCS puts the caller on hold for everything. I don't know if the CSRs I've talked to are all new, or if they have no authority whatsoever, but they can't do anything without placing me on hold (and presumably speaking with a supervisor). I would estimate my average idle time per call with XCS was around 15 minutes.

• KMS puts the caller on hold when they can't find or don't know the answer, and calls the Health Plan Service Specialist team. As an HPSS, my average call time is about a minute. Extrapolating that into idle time means the average for KMS is most likely no more than 90 seconds.

Winner: KMS. When I was a CSR, my average idle time was about 20 seconds, and that wasn't spectacular.

Round 4: Average Talk Time
What's the average amount of time each call takes from start to finish?

• XCS doesn't do anything fast. What with placing callers on hold, and going back and forth from customer to supervisor to accomplish what should be a simple task can easily take 20 minutes or more. My average talk time per call with XCS was around 35 minutes.

• KMS requires an average talk time of under 6 minutes for seasoned reps (i.e. over 6 months experience). Call center wide, average talk time is probably around 5.5 minutes.

Winner: KMS. When I was a CSR, my average talk time was around 5 minutes, and that wasn't anywhere near the best in the call center.

Round 5: First Call Resolution
Are issues resolved during the first contact between customer and CSR?

• XCS doesn't solve anything on the first call. The first time my Xbox died took multiple calls. The second time my Xbox died took multiple calls. My refund has taken 3 calls so far, and it's still not resolved.

• KMS has a first call resolution policy, meaning the CSR attempts to resolve every single issue during the first call the member makes to the call center. Call center wide, first call resolution is about 85%.

Winner: KMS. For the 15% of the time when issues can't be resolved on the first call, our CSRs call the member back, multiple times and at different times of day if necessary, to resolve the issue while trying to prevent the member from having to call back into the call center. It was rare for a case of mine to be open for more than a few days. My refund case with XCS will have been open for 6 days as of tomorrow, and I've made two more calls since my initial contact.

Champion: Kaiser Member Services. Am I biased? Maybe, but I don't think so. What should be simple issues with Xbox Customer Support haven't been, and I worked as a CSR long enough to know that simple issues don't take this amount of time and work. If they do, something is seriously wrong.

God, Microsoft sucks so hard.