Company: The Reynolds and Reynolds Company
Company Description: Reynolds and Reynolds is the leading provider of integrated solutions that help automotive retailers manage change and improve their profitability. The company's solutions include retail and enterprise management systems, Web and Customer Relationship Management solutions, learning and consulting services, documents, data management and networking.
Nomination Category: Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Customer Service Organization

Nomination Title: “Customer First” – The Reynolds and Reynolds Company

Tell the story about what this nominated functional organization achieved in 2003 (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

The Reynolds and Reynolds Company is the leading provider of information
technology, software products and professional services for every aspect of
automotive retailing. With more than 90 percent of the nation’s auto retailers using
its solutions, Reynolds has aggressively embraced customer service as the pillar
of the relationship with its own customers.
 
Award-Winning Customer Support

At the heart of customer service at Reynolds are two dedicated Technical
Assistance Centers (TACs), one in Ohio and the other in California. These centers
receive two million calls annually, supporting 9,800 in-house servers, 520,000
peripherals, and 212,000 software applications. More than 450 front- and back-line
service professionals resolve incoming customer calls quickly and effectively.
In 2003, Reynolds, for the second time, earned the prestigious Team Excellence
Award from the Help Desk Institute, the world’s largest membership association
for the service and support industry.
In customer satisfaction surveys, the TACs rated high in all categories:

• 97 percent overall satisfaction with the professionalism and knowledge
of TAC staff
• 98 percent overall customer satisfaction with daily transactions 
• 84 percent first-call problem resolution (compared industry average 80
percent)

Consultative Approach
Reynolds breaks down the traditional silos between Sales and Customer Service
with the Reynolds Account Management Sales Process. Tied closely to customer
service, this consultative approach enables sales representatives to quickly
identify and handle any issues or concerns.
Example: A customer in Canada expressed dissatisfaction with their return on
investment for a particular Reynolds solution.  Using the Reynolds Account
Management Sales Process, the sales team scheduled an account review at the
customer’s dealership. The face-to-face meeting resulted in an “action list,” and
the Reynolds’ teams began addressing the issues one-by-one. The common
denominator in this case was a lack of training for the customer, which
undermined the value received from the Reynolds solutions. The Reynolds team
invited the customer to visit the Customer Center in Dayton, Ohio, to see
Reynolds solutions in action. The experience at the Customer Center went
exceptionally well. The customer’s concerns were resolved, and they later moved
to a new set of Reynolds solutions.

Clear Measurement and Accountability

Reynolds formally measures customer satisfaction through its Voice of the
Customer (VOC) program. VOC regularly surveys both new and existing
customers via telephone to measure satisfaction and to uncover issues. Any
negative responses or issues that are recorded are immediately sent to an
appropriate “issue owner” within the company. The issue owner is responsible for
taking action to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. The VOC team then
follows up with the customer to determine if the situation has been resolved
satisfactorily. If not, the issue is escalated to the next level of management until
handled to the customer’s satisfaction.

Quarterly VOC reports are provided to Reynolds senior management and
functional area managers company-wide.

Customer Service Focus

Reynolds’ Voice of the Customer program and other programs, combined with an
award-winning customer support staff, reflects the company’s “customer first”
approach to resolving issues of concern, building stronger customer relationships
and enhancing customer satisfaction.
 

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: List each link on a separate line, begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.website.com]:

Reynolds and Reynolds Awarded Second Gold Medal for Customer Support
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84204&p=IROl-SingleRelease&t=Regular&id=400037&&

Reynolds and Reynolds Creates Loyalty Solutions Group
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84204&p=IROl-SingleRelease&t=Regular&id=468167&&

Reynolds and Reynolds Presented with 2003 Service Quality Award from AFSMI
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84204&p=IROl-SingleRelease&t=Regular&id=467352&&

Reynolds and Reynolds Presented With Life Time Achievement Award For
Outstanding Service From SSPA
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84204&p=IROl-SingleRelease&t=Regular&id=459395&&

Much-Anticipated Reynolds Generations Series(R) Suite Broadly Available
Following Successful Pilot Phase
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84204&p=IROl-SingleRelease&t=Regular&id=445631&&

Reynolds and Reynolds Canada Technical Assistance Centre Re-Certified,
Continues to Deliver World-Class Customer Support
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=84204&p=IROl-SingleRelease&t=Regular&id=392221&&

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the leader(s) of this nominated functional organization:

Lloyd G. “Buzz” Waterhouse, CEO, chairman, and president of Reynolds and
Reynolds, has been instrumental in refocusing the company as an information
technology solutions company aimed at driving the transformation of automotive
retailing.

Waterhouse has staunchly supported and driven a customer-focused organization
that is committed to providing top customer service and support.  To push his
service commitment to the next level, Waterhouse brought in former Comdata
executive, Michael Berry. 

Michael Berry was named senior vice president of Reynolds Services Group in
November 2003. His goal is to make Reynolds’ industry recognized services team
even better.  His leadership to date has made vital
customer-beneficial alignments to drive greater results for Reynolds and
customers alike.

Berry joined Reynolds from Comdata, a fast-growing division of Ceridian. He was
instrumental in driving significant revenue growth and operational improvements.