Quantitative Research

The Vivint Experience

Sean McGowan

Survey Results

Included in this section is a compilation of our findings, an analysis of the data collected, and what this
means for Vivint. We have also made suggestions for your organization based on research that will
improve the quality of service provided and strengthen the overall relationship with your customers.
Graphs and charts offer visual support of the data at hand and are complimented by detailed
explanations of each item. To make these findings clear and simple, the results are separated into two
areas: Contact Methods and The Vivint Experience.

Contact Methods

General
One of the first and most important questions in the survey asked which method/s the customer used
when trying to solve their problem/issue with Vivint. The results revealed that approximately 8 in 10
acted by calling the company. As seen in Figure 1.1, phone is the preferred method of choice for Vivint
customers.

What method did you use when trying to solve your problem/issue with Vivint? (Select all that apply)

Figure 1.1

Naturally, the most desired form of communication is person-to-person, and people are most likely to
first pick up a phone so they can speak to a real person. The results above can also suggest that
customers sought aid via another communication channel, such as email or the company website, and
did not receive adequate assistance. After feeling the alternative methods were ineffective, they
proceeded to call a Customer Service Representative (CSR). This calls for improvements and adjustments
in the other methods used to serve the customer.

Suggestions: This section makes clear the average Vivint customer will contact the company by phone
and offers ways to use this channel to make the others more effective. When the customer calls Vivint, a
voice-automated service should first remind them to seek immediate help via another communication
channel. For example, it should invite them to search Vivints website for their issue or to use the
companys chat service, which the survey showed is effective but underutilized. The CSR should also ask

the customer if he/she used another method before making the phone call and how that method failed
at providing optimum assistance. Results should be collected and used to make improvements by adding
or correcting current instructions or modifying the email/chat system.

Website
The company website received some critical reviews from survey participants. They were asked simply if
the site was helpful in solving the customers question/issue. More than 60% of respondents felt it was
unhelpful. Figure 1.2 depicts these findings.

Was the website helpful in solving your question/issue?

Figure 1.2

Those who answered this question were asked to explain why they felt the website was unhelpful. Here
are some of the explanations given by survey participants:
Too hard to navigate
Did not offer desired service/feature as an option
Too technical
Did not like using your website

Greater than half of total customers that seek aid on the website are not able to resolve their concerns
there. This could be simply because their problem is not mentioned on the website. However, we can
assume that customers have many of the same needs and seek similar help online. This suggests that
finding the right place or locating the right information may be the issue. Does the user have to click too
many times before finding the help he/she is seeking? Are the headings or labels difficult to decipher to
the point that the customer gives up quickly and picks up a phone instead? These are important things
to consider and look into resolving.

Suggestions: Although a majority of customers feel their problem was not helped via the website, small
enhancements could change their overall experience into a positive one and help future users of the
site. Rather than send an email, there could be a simpler, less personal way to leave feedback or suggest
a new problem as an option that currently isnt there. Customers may feel it too much of a hassle when
the email path opens up another window and causes more work than they desired. You may also
consider listing the Chat Support option under the Need More Help? section at the bottom of the
support page. That way customers are aware of another alternative they can choose. These
modifications will help customers feel their feedback or proposals are valued and that Vivint sincerely
desires to serve them and provide easy and effective assistance.

Email
Customers that sought help via email had mixed responses to the quality of service they received. As
shown in Figure 1.3, a majority of users felt they did not receive a response in a reasonable amount of
time. A good amount of them also felt the response they got seemed scripted, generic, or impersonal.
This comes off extremely negative to the customer. The responses were generally found to be
ineffective and unhelpful, which suggests that either the response was not tailored to the customers
specific issue and was a generic response, or that the CSR did not properly deal with the customer and
serve them completely. Results of another survey question showed that 26% of those that used the
email method had to speak with two or more representatives, and that 37% of the problems handled via
email were not resolved.

To what extent do you agree with the following statements about your email experience?

Figure 1.3

Suggestions: Establish a required response time in the email database. If a CSR has not responded to an
email within a specified amount of time, have an automated response sent to the customer to alert
them that their case will be responded to soon. In the email, remind them of the options to chat online
or look for their problem on the Vivint website. Also, take measures to make sure the responses are far
from generic to avoid losing the trust and respect of the customer. Finally, CSRs should be trained to not
only respond quickly, but with information that will actually help the one seeking assistance. While
timeliness is critical, the aid customers seek is more important and should not be overlooked. A little bit
of extra time is ok if the response provided will be more effective at resolving the concern.

Chat
A mere 6% of those surveyed used the companys web chat service. The overall quality of service given
by those over chat support far exceeded that of any other help channel. Figure 1.4 shows how the
average experience over chat proved to be positive to the customer almost every time.

Please rate your most recent interaction on the following criteria. My Vivint chat representative was

Question

Disagree

Professional
Knowledgeable
about the
product/issue
Efficient in
solving the
problem
Responsive
Respectful
Timely
Personable

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree
2

3
4
5
6
7

Agree

Total
Responses

Mean

11

14

2.71

11

14

2.64

12

14

2.71

2
1
1
1

0
0
1
3

12
13
12
10

14
14
14
14

2.71
2.86
2.79
2.64

Figure 1.4

These results were more than just not negative regarding the experience over chat. They were
overwhelmingly positive. Across the board, the CSR proved to have favorable marks in every category
almost every time. Most importantly, responses showed that 73% of problems were solved by the first
representative spoken to via chat support. There was rarely a second or third representative involved in
the process. The problem was resolved in nearly every instance by someone that increased the
customers confidence in Vivint, on the first attempt. Something is clearly being done right by those in
charge of the chat support group.

Suggestions: As statistically the most effective and under-utilized method of getting assistance for Vivint
customers, more should be done to get people to use this feature. As this channel proved to be a
positive experience for those that used it, it would give many others a positive perception of the
company and help Vivint avoid unwanted negative experiences with customer service, as a majority of
them have been, according to results gathered. Chat support should be highlighted on the company
website. No matter where the user goes, it should be visible on screen. They must be drawn to select
the option, and its existence must be extremely obvious to each customer seeking assistance. It should
be a clear, natural choice.

Phone
Due to the fact that nearly 8 in every 10 Vivint customers will speak with someone over the phone about
a problem/issue, this channel requires the most attention. Figure 1.5 shows customer experiences with
representatives over the phone.

Please rate your most recent interaction on the following criteria. My Vivint phone representative was

Question

Professional
Knowledgeable
about the
product/issue
Efficient in
solving the
problem
Responsive
Respectful
Timely
Personable

3
4
5
6
7

Agree

Total
Responses

Mean

8.59%

Neither
Agree nor
Disagree
11.66%

79.75%

326

2.71

17.18%

14.72%

68.10%

326

2.51

25.08%

15.90%

59.02%

327

2.34

14.11%
7.67%
16.10%
10.43%

15.34%
10.12%
12.69%
16.87%

70.55%
82.21%
71.21%
72.70%

326
326
323
326

2.56
2.75
2.55
2.62

Disagree

Figure 1.5

As you can see, most customers gave favorable responses to those with whom they spoke. While there
is still lots of room for improvement, the important element here lies within the heart of the table. Only
59% of customers that interacted with Vivint CSRs by phone felt that the representative was efficient in
solving the problem. That is even less impressive of the already low percentage of representatives that
appear knowledgeable about the product/issue. This shows that the level of politeness or
professionalism of the CSR does not make up for the fact that they sometimes do not resolve customer
concerns. Other findings revealed that approximately 22% of all customers that call speak with two or
more representatives, and that in the end, about 1 in every 5 problems/issues is not resolved over the
phone. While the CSR has good qualities which are noted by the customer, the average customer is not
receiving sufficient help. When the phone continues to be the top method used for assistance by
approximately 80% of customers seeking help, this lack of problem resolution is the leading factor in
disappointed customers.

Suggestions: Short of making sure representatives receive proper and sufficient training, greater efforts
should be made to improve other methods of customer service, so that not so many customers have to
call in. This occupies the representatives and forces them to focus on simply finishing each call. In turn
they lose sight of the meaning of each call not ending it as quickly as possible, but making sure the
reason for the call was met, and ultimately that the problem was solved. Make customers more aware
of the chat support option by posting it everywhere on the site and in other materials given to the
customer. Come up with a way to track which CSR dealt with a specific customers issue, and offer
incentives to the top-performing representatives that resolve a concern on the first try.

The Vivint Experience

Important Correlations
Correlation tests evaluate the relationship between two or more of the set responses given. The two
shown here compare customers experiences with a specific element of Vivint customer service to their
overall satisfaction level with the service provided.

Website Overall Response

This first correlation test shows the comparison between the customers experience with the website
and how that impacts their opinion of the companys customer service. This has a big influence on the
customers overall satisfaction with Vivint as a whole. As seen in Figure 2.1, the P-value (Pearson
Correlation) is negative. A value less than .05 suggests a strong relationship between two sets of data,
and this test produced negative values. This means the correlation between the two is direct and
persuasive. The numbers highlighted below strongly indicate that the more difficult it is for a customer
to receive a response to their issue on Vivints website, the more negative their experience and view of
the organization. As stated in the aforementioned section on the website, steps must be taken to secure
an effective website and ensure the customer a positive experience when they seek help online.

Website Overall Response
How easy was it to find a

Please choose the

response to your

response that relates best

question/issue on the website?

to your experience with

Vivint customer service:

How easy was it to find a

Pearson Correlation

response to your question/issue

Sig. (2-tailed)

on the website?

-.472

**

.000
80

Please choose the response that Pearson Correlation

-.472

77
**

relates best to your experience

Sig. (2-tailed)

.000

with Vivint customer service:

77

Figure 2.1

354

Number of Representatives Involved Overall Reponse

Another test shows the relation between the number of representatives spoken to with the overall
satisfaction of the customer service experience. As illustrated in Figure 2.2, the P-value is once again
lower than .05, and in particular a high negative value, which indicates the strength of these results. Due
to these findings, it can be interpreted that the more representatives a customer must speak with
before resolving their problem, the more negative they will feel towards their experience with Vivint
customer service.

Efficient customer service departments around the country seek to limit the number of repeat
contacts, or the number of representatives a customer must speak with until they receive sufficient
help with their issue. This is one huge element of any organization that contributes to either the positive
or negative image of the company as a whole. Vivint must be proactive at reducing the number of
repeat contacts in its customer service department.

Number of Representatives Overall Response

Please choose the response

Pearson Correlation

that relates best to your

Sig. (2-tailed)

experience with Vivint

customer service:

Please choose the

How many

response that relates best

representatives did you

to your experience with

speak with before your

Vivint customer service:

problem was resolved?

-.650

25
**

How many representatives

Pearson Correlation

-.650

did you speak with before

Sig. (2-tailed)

.000

your problem was resolved?

25

Figure 2.2

.000
354

**

27

Field Service Professional

A further look at the question on field service professions reveals an insightful element of the Vivint
experience. On the surface, responses shown in Figure 2.3 to the question make it seem like there is
only slight room for improvement. But only initially. Approximately 6 out of 10 customers felt that the
service professional came within a reasonable amount of time after the request. Thats not too bad, but
it could be better. About 7 out of 10 customers felt the service professional had their best interest in
mind. These numbers arent quite red flags, but the response to the third question certainly is.

Please choose the response that relates best to your experience with Vivint customer service:

Question
The field service professional
came within a reasonable
amount of time after I called
Vivint
The field service professional
seemed to have my best
interest in mind
The field service professional
helped build my confidence
in Vivint

Disagree

Neither Agree
nor Disagree

Agree

Total
Responses

Mean

17.65%

23.53%

58.82%

17

2.41

17.65%

11.76%

70.59%

17

2.53

29.41%

35.29%

35.29%

17

2.06

Figure 2.3

Roughly 65% of those that dealt with a field service professional felt that their confidence in Vivint grew
as a result. What does this say? It means that arguably the most important interaction between the
customer and the company falls far short of where it should be, in terms of leaving a lasting positive
impression on the customer. When Vivint dispatches a field professional, this is the time to make a
difference. This is the time to show the customer what Vivint is all about and leave them feeling assured
that their investment in the company and its products was a good one, one that theyll continue for
years. Instead, they either have a negative encounter or one that isnt special as it should be.

Field service professionals must be a large force of good for the organization. They cannot merely treat
their job as a simple visit or repair. They could bring the customer a small gift, such as a water bottle, a
toy for a child, or a household appliance to improve the opinion of the company. They should be
personable with the customer and show sincere desire to help, putting the customer first at all times.
Further internal analysis of the field service process could go a long way at instilling confidence in Vivint
customers through personal interaction with the professionals themselves.

Net Promoter Score

Despite unfavorable responses to questions throughout the survey and complaints about many different
aspects of Vivint customer service, costumers are very likely to recommend the company to a friend or
colleague. The Net Promoter Score is used to measure the overall satisfaction level of customers. Figure
2.4 shows that a majority of Vivints customers are extremely pleased with the service they have
received. While most customers selected 5 or above as their likeliness to recommend Vivint to a friend,
those that appear on the left of the graph should not be ignored.

How likely are you to recommend Vivint to a friend or colleague?

Figure 2.4

As referenced in Figure 2.5, the average person is very likely to recommend the company to someone
else (7.79 out of 10). This indicates a strong, satisfactory opinion by most customers that responded.

Statistic
Value
Min Value
1
Max Value
11
Mean
7.79
Variance
14.67
Standard Deviation
3.83
Total Responses
413
Figure 2.5

Referring back to Figure 2.4 and noticing the more than 60 that selected 0 Not likely at all as an
option, it should be noted that not everything is perfect and effective. There are some who have very
negative views about Vivint that pose a threat to potential customers and current customers. Their
concerns should be addressed and their input viewed just as much as the favorable responses. By
following the suggestions given throughout this analysis section, the problems experienced by those
who dislike Vivint and its customer service are likely to go away, and the company can win back some of
the faithful customers it has lost due to poor customer service.

SUMMARY
The data presented here in Figure 2.6 show the overall responses of Vivint customer service. Almost a
third of those who participated felt the service was less helpful than expected or desired. Less than 1 in
every 5 customers felt they received more efficient help than they expected. Vivint cannot accept
mediocrity as it looks to expand its presence and business around the United States.

#
1

Please choose the response that relates best to your experience with Vivint customer service:

Answer
Response

It was less
helpful than I
expected
It was as
helpful as I
expected
It was more
helpful than I
expected
Total

115

29%

218

54%

69

17%

402

100%

Figure 2.6

Approximately 45% of all customers that responded to this survey had interactions with Vivint customer
service within the last month, which means customers have an increased chance of having a negative
experience. This can easily impact their favorable view of the company and change it to a bad one.

The 54% of customers that received service equal to their expectations reveals the potential at hand to
not only improve the service offered to the customer and make their overall experience better, but
ultimately to score thousands and thousands of loyal customers with a commitment to strengthen
customer service.

With the results discovered by the survey and the suggestions discussed and analyzed in this section
above, Vivint can go above and beyond any security or home automation company and capture the
business and respect of people around the country.