Standard Operating Procedure (SOP): Customer Service

For: Citadel Innovations
Tagline: Secure choices, made clear.
Effective Date: [DATE]

Purpose

To establish a structured, efficient, and customer-centric approach to managing customer service operations at Citadel Innovations, ensuring timely resolution of inquiries, complaints, and feedback while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. This SOP is tailored to the cybersecurity reviews niche, where trust, accuracy, and responsiveness are critical to customer retention and brand reputation.

Scope

This SOP applies to all customer service operations at Citadel Innovations, including support provided via email, phone, and live chat. It covers ticket classification, response time SLAs, escalation procedures, knowledge base maintenance, customer satisfaction measurement, complaint resolution, and proactive outreach.

Definitions

• CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score): A metric that measures customer satisfaction with a specific interaction.
• NPS (Net Promoter Score): A metric that measures customer loyalty and likelihood to recommend Citadel Innovations.
• Ticket: A record of a customer inquiry, issue, or request logged in the customer service system.
• Priority Levels: Classification of tickets based on urgency and impact.
• Knowledge Base (KB): A repository of articles, FAQs, and guides to assist customers and agents.

Responsibilities

Procedures

1. Support Channel Setup

1.1 Email Support

• Email Address: [EMAIL]
• Tool: Use a ticketing system such as Zendesk or Freshdesk to manage email inquiries.
• Process:
  1. All emails received at [EMAIL] are automatically converted into tickets.
  2. Tickets are categorized and assigned to agents based on the ticket classification matrix (see Section 2).
  3. Agents respond within the SLA defined for the ticket's priority level.

1.2 Phone Support

• Phone Number: [PHONE]
• Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–6:00 PM [TIMEZONE].
• Tool: Use a VoIP system such as RingCentral or Aircall to log calls and integrate with the ticketing system.
• Process:
  1. Calls are answered within 3 rings.
  2. Agents log the details of the call into the ticketing system.
  3. Follow-up actions are documented, and tickets are updated accordingly.

1.3 Live Chat Support

• Tool: Use a live chat platform such as Intercom or LiveChat.
• Process:
  1. Live chat is available on [WEBSITE_URL] during business hours.
  2. Agents respond to chat inquiries within 2 minutes.
  3. Chats are converted into tickets for follow-up if unresolved during the session.

2. Ticket Classification and Priority Matrix

3. Escalation Tiers and Procedures

3.1 Escalation Tiers

3.2 Escalation Process

1. Agent Escalation: If unable to resolve a ticket, the agent escalates it to the next tier with detailed notes.
2. Manager Review: The manager reviews escalated tickets and assigns them to the appropriate team.
3. Resolution: The assigned team resolves the issue and updates the ticket.

4. Knowledge Base Maintenance

4.1 Content Creation

• Identify recurring customer inquiries and issues.
• Draft clear, concise articles with step-by-step instructions.
• Include screenshots or videos for complex topics.

4.2 Review and Update

• Review KB articles quarterly for accuracy and relevance.
• Update articles immediately when processes or services change.

4.3 Accessibility

• Ensure the KB is easily accessible on [WEBSITE_URL].
• Use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve discoverability.

5. CSAT and NPS Measurement

5.1 CSAT Surveys

• Send a CSAT survey after ticket resolution.
• Use a 5-point scale (1 = Very Dissatisfied, 5 = Very Satisfied).
• Target CSAT Score: 90% or higher.

5.2 NPS Surveys

• Send NPS surveys quarterly to active users.
• Use a 0–10 scale to measure likelihood of recommending Citadel Innovations.
• Target NPS Score: 50 or higher.

6. Complaint Resolution Framework

1. Acknowledge: Respond to complaints within 1 hour (Critical) or 4 hours (High).
2. Investigate: Gather all relevant details and review the issue.
3. Resolve: Provide a resolution or workaround within the SLA.
4. Follow-Up: Confirm with the customer that the issue is resolved to their satisfaction.
5. Document: Log the complaint and resolution in the ticketing system for future reference.

7. Proactive Outreach Triggers

• Negative Feedback: Reach out to customers who provide a CSAT score of 3 or lower within 1 business day.
• Service Disruptions: Notify affected customers immediately via email and live chat.
• Feature Updates: Inform customers of new features or updates to the review platform via email newsletters.

Metrics and KPIs

Review Schedule

• Frequency: Quarterly
• Responsible Party: Customer Service Manager
• Scope of Review:
• SLA compliance
• CSAT and NPS trends
• Knowledge base updates
• Escalation trends

Exception Handling

• Unreachable Customers: If a customer cannot be reached after 3 attempts, close the ticket with a note.
• Out-of-Scope Requests: Politely inform the customer and provide alternative resources if possible.

Escalation Path

If unresolved issues persist beyond Tier 3, escalate to the [COMPANY_NAME] executive team for final resolution.

This SOP is designed to ensure that Citadel Innovations delivers exceptional customer service, builds trust with its audience, and maintains its reputation as a reliable cybersecurity reviews hub.