As written in earlier blog posts (January 29, 2018 and July 13, 2018) several Boston area law librarians, from both firm and academic law libraries, began a collaborative project to improve customer service and billing with Thomson Reuters. Due to internal restructuring within TR, progress on the initiatives were delayed, but I am happy to report that the project is still alive. In April we reconvened as a group and listened to the many steps TR has taken to improve service. These steps have been taken in consultation with the original group and through vendor-survey feedback from hundreds of TR customers.
Many thanks go to our vendor partners at TR for their commitment to develop these improvements and the librarians who have contributed to this project.
Follow-up Session
April 3, 2019
AGENDA (attendees listed below)
- Review actions and status from identified pain points
- Customer feedback and input on various topics
- Open Discussion
Summary Notes from Follow-up Discussion:
- Status of actions being taken based upon the November 2017 meeting and subsequent follow-up session input was shared – see below:
- Refund Check Documentation
Additional refund information was provided on checks beginning in March 2018. The before and after view of the refund check was shown with the new views including adding customer’s original check number, invoice reference numbers, and reason for refund. Feedback: Positive and liked the additional information
- Improved Customer Returns
Feedback from customers was that they do not receive credit for returns unless they contact Thomson Reuters representative and/or that their return is not processed timely. Improved customer return process was launched in February 2019. It is a simplified process that will drive more automated return processing (e.g. issuance of credit) and to reduce the likelihood of errors. It also provides us the capability to proactively communicate with customers the acceptance or rejection of a return via email. Email notifications are sent to the Billing contact noted on the customer’s account. Feedback: Wanted to understand how the Billing contact could be updated. Informed that this could be managed through MyAccount / MyTR as part of the User Management feature.
- Revised Credit Memo Documentation
Feedback from customers was that they did not understand what their credit was for and that they would like to see the credit memo documentation if they are issued a credit. Thomson Reuters shared new credit memo documents with before and after views that was launched late 2018. The new view shows invoice numbers, title and reason for credit. Feedback: Positive and customers are excited to see the new format.
- Alignment of Invoice Product Descriptions:
Feedback from the November session was to tie the invoice product descriptions to the book title page. Random surveyed customers provided us with an approved list of words that will be abbreviated consistently and words that will need to be abbreviated to adhere to our 120-character limit. We are dedicated and committed to improving the product descriptions for our customers. Feedback: Customers are seeing a difference and appreciate the work going into this initiative. This is important.
- Collections
Feedback from customers indicated that Collections is calling for payment when they’ve already noted an issue with the invoice. They also feel Thomson Reuters is too aggressive when asking for payment.
We have made significant improvements with the communication and notification of our dunning letters. We have also provided our Collection staff with additional and ongoing training in order to provide an improved quality engagement with our customers. Finally, we are in the early stages of designing an engagement model that will utilize relationships already in existence, such as with Customer Service representatives, as well as provide a single-point of contact. Feedback: Appreciate that we are taking these steps and that we hear them. Also noted that they are already seeing a difference.
- My Account Training
In the November session, there was a desire to understand how customers could get training on My Account and what was included in the tool. Thomson Reuters presented to this group that MyAccount provided a random, disjointed experience including different login experiences, performance issues, limited training content, and required customers to contact us to manager their own users. Now, we are migrating to a more predictable experience via the MyTR platform. The MyTR design concepts include focus on four areas: Consistency, Intentional Focus, Usability, and Alleviating Pain. Thomson Reuter’s goal is to provide a seamless experience. Feedback: Excited. Curious when transition from MyAccount to MyTR will happen for this group. Interested in seeing and understanding more of the MyTR functionality – maybe at AALL conference? We are looking into this as an option.
Invitees:
Ellen Walsh Mintz Levin
Robert DeFabrizo Goulston& Storrs
Andrea Rasmussen Ropes & Gray
Bryan Petit Suffolk Law
Karen Green New England Law
Rachel Bates Northeastern
Linda Boucher Boston University
Caroline Walters Harvard University
Elke Piontek Harvard University
Maria Tina Woods Harvard University
TR Representatives:
Rachel Torgerson – Customer Success Strategist
Paul Bland – Global Head of Customer to Cash
Timothy Hoffner – Vice President Customer to Cash Operations
Kendel Kirk – Senior Director, Billing to Pay Process – Customer to Cash
Armando Fagundes – Head of Credit Management – Customer to Cash
LaTasha Sims – Omni-Channel Customer Support Director – Customer to Cash
Kim Hurley – Information Management Advisor
Tommy Williams – Sales and Client Management Lead – East
Lea Harpster – Legal Customer Support Lead
Michael Elert – Customer Support Quality & Process Manager
Jeff Fournier – Team Manager, Customer Service
Michele Best – Director, Law School Sales & Account Management
Regina Wiggins – Regional Field Manager
Ben Verrall – Product Specialist
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