Probably in one way or another, we’ve all been affected by the growing numbers of layoffs and overall concern over job security, even for those in seemingly ‘secure’ positions. This week I took a look at Jobfox, (www.jobfox.com) who describes itself as the Internet’s “fastest growing job site in America.” Their angle is somewhat different from other job sites – they connect working professionals with corporate recruiters using what they call a “mutual suitability system” to match up prospective employees and employers. With a big surge of new prospects, (daily hits on the Jobfox website reportedly surpass one million) and ten sales and support offices across the U.S., keeping up with the number of customer service requests became a big challenge. It was clear they’d outgrown their manual ticket-tracking approach, and needed a self service application that would let job seekers find answers to their questions themselves, fast. Jobfox’s customer service manager turned to on-demand software and was able to implement the customer service software inside a month. Job seekers (many are online after hours and on weekends) need their questions answered quickly. A customer support portal is good for job seekers who need a 24/7 knowledgebase, and good for Jobfox who can now speed their response time to requests that do require more help. (I found more than 60 knowledgebase articles, including one that explained what the little bulls eye means next to a job listing.) It’s a win-win: fewer customer service tickets, and the rising number of job seekers using Jobfox find what they need easier and faster.
Good customer support software can really enhance the value of services like Jobfox. Writer and management consultant Peter Drucker said, “Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It’s what you client or customer gets out of it.” (Coincidentally, he’s credited with coining the term ‘knowledge worker.’)
Tell us what your customers are getting out of support. Are your clients getting the “knowledge” they need and how so? What’s working for you?
NOTE: Minor content updates based on feedback
Is this a blog or a Marketing site?
Not a good first start into blogging from my opinion!
Agreed. Self promotion under the guise of blog eliminates any interest I might have had. Sorry.
Maybe not the best idea for the first topic but I think the intent is to show that Jobfox has a different approach to meeting the needs of their customers by changing the way business is done. As most employment websites allow you to post a resume or a company to post an opening they are acting as an impromptu HR resource for both parties. With the current unemployment rate I think the choice of featuring Jobfox was a good one but the article should highlight them more in a way that shows it’s about how they handle customers not hurry and go check out Jobfox. All in all the jury is still out on the benefit of this blog as a whole for me; hopefully the next post will have more focus on Customer Service.
Thanks for the feedback, we appreciate your comments. Please be assured that the Parature Blog is meant to be a source for providing better customer service by sharing ideas and best practices. It is in no way meant to be a marketing site and we apologize for any confusion that our first blog post may have caused. Parature is quite new to social media and we are learning as we go. Steve is correct that we were trying to show a different approach to meeting customer needs, albeit not in the true, unbiased spirit of a blog. We have taken your comments seriously and we are committed to bringing valuable impartial content to our blog. We will post a new topic next week and hope that you will return.
I am quite agree with your opinion.
JOBFOX is a fraudulent job board. They prey on the unemployed. My name is Henry. I live in Los Angeles, CA. I asked jobfox to cancel my membership within 1/2 hour of receiving their “Welcome” message. They did not acknowledge the cancelation. They proceeded to charge my credit card 4 days later. I tried again repeatedly. They acknowledge my request to cancel but they still drag their feet about the refund. I still don’t have a refund after 2 months of trying. No phone number to call. No real person to talk to. Their website is a scam. WARNING: STAY AWAY FROM JOBFOX. Spread this warning around so that others don’t fall victim to their practices.