Tyco Reduces Complaint Resolution Time with i-Sight Complaint Software

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Tyco Valves & Controls LP

From the world’s largest dams to household items we use every day, Tyco Valves & Controls, a unit of Tyco International, helps manage the flow of liquids and other substances. As the largest manufacturer of valve control products, the company produces for more than 90 different brand names in energy, chemical, pharmaceutical, water, gas, marine and other industries.

With a customer-focused growth strategy, Tyco Valves & Controls has more than 100 worldwide sales, service and distribution centers to meet the demands of its global customer base. While Tyco ensures the highest level of service available, the company continuously strives for best practices in order to increase manufacturing quality and minimize the number of customer issues. Initiatives such as Six Sigma and 8 Disciplines (8Ds) in Problem Solving keep the company focused on refining and measuring processes that directly impact customers.

The Challenge

Previously, Tyco Valves & Controls managed customer service issues with a Lotus Notes database. Teams inputted information into the system, but they could not effectively extract the metrics needed to identify root causes and take corrective action.

“We couldn’t see causes for returns or credits, so we couldn’t Pareto things out, or know what to improve upon or target,” said Michael Teele, quality assurance manager. “We needed software to create the statistical graphs necessary to drive improvements in customer performance.”

The “Pareto principle,” also known as the 80-20 rule, states that, for many events, roughly 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes.

The Solution

Tyco researched multiple customer service solutions on the market, but found most inflexible for the company’s requirements. With 100 different locations, Tyco needed to tailor the software to accommodate the various ways different sites operate and the products they handle.

The i-Sight Complaint Software from Customer Expressions offered the right combination of functionality and flexibility. With the web-based software, Tyco could customize workflow rules, fields, reports and other functions to optimize its processes and productivity.

“Most software was not open to customization,” Teele said. “i-Sight measured up better than all the rest because it accomplishes all we need and is customizable.”

Before engaging with Customer Expressions consultants for implementation, Tyco flow-charted its entire process in order to mirror the software to its workflow and to the 8D problem-solving process. In accordance with 8D, Tyco defines the problem, implements containment actions, identifies and verifies root causes, and implements permanent corrective actions to prevent recurrence.

Tyco initially rolled i-Sight out at its Stafford, Texas facility, training 60 users on the software. Through customized business rules, i-Sight automates certain notifications and steps as users log customer complaints and issues. Cases are automatically assigned to teams or individuals based on type, and those involved are likewise notified when they must address anything.

Based on the value of a product return, i-Sight routes an issue through specific levels of approval. Once approved by a manager, that issue returns back to the originator with a return goods authorization, or determination regarding credits or warranty repairs. Throughout the process, any user can view the status of a case in real time in the web-based software.

The Quality Assurance team closes all cases and runs reports. In i-Sight, QA can look at trend reports showing types of returns and causes, giving them actionable, real-time data for decision-making and budgeting. In turn, they take the necessary corrective action to eliminate those problems in the future.

“With i-Sight, we can extract charts and graphs and get them in front of other groups,” Teele said. “This guarantees we are aware of every problem and that we are being proactive about reducing complaints.”

Results

Tyco has set specific goals regarding improvements in key areas:

• Reduce the number of returns
• Decrease customer complaints
• Reduce costs associated with refunds, credits and repairs
• Shorten the time from complaint to resolution

Next, Tyco will roll out i-Sight to more locations in the Americas. As the company takes the software to more sites, i-Sight offers the flexibility to customize the fields and intake forms for each location depending on the types of products they handle.

"“With i-Sight, we can extract charts and graphs and get them in front of other groups. This guarantees we are aware of every problem and that we are being proactive about reducing complaints."
- Michael Teele, Quality Assurance Manager

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