In this day and age, the big takeaway for customers is not only the product or service they have purchased, but even the overall experience that comes along with it. It is this experience that adds that X factor into any product or service offering, and never has the age-old business mantra of ‘Customer is King’ been more relevant than in 2018.
As customers, we all desire extra flexibility, personalisation, mobility and ease of doing business. In short, we want it fast, easy and at our fingertips. As a result, innovation in products and services no longer depends on what interests the innovators, rather on what the consumer wants. Newer entrants are disrupting traditional ideas of customer service, using technology to enhance the modern customer’s experience, such as, for instance, enabling users to book a hotel room or a home stay on a mobile app, something unheard of just a few years ago.
Customer feedback, whether positive or negative, is a driving force for businesses around the world. At VFS Global, customer suggestions are captured in real time, and analysed, so that services can be regularly upgraded based on feedback. Having processed over 176 million applications since inception, the enormous amounts of feedback captured have allowed VFS Global to conceive an array of new services and solutions aimed at easing the visa application process for applicants. Here are a few ways in which the applicant feedback has led to innovation and improved customer service at VFS Global:
Prime Time Services
A common concern which working professionals face is making time for their visa application appointments, which coincides with prime business hours. Taking leave from work can be quite inconvenient. This was the foundation of the ‘Prime Time’ service, which allows customers to get appointments for application submission outside of usual business hours. Using this service, applicants ensure that their visa application process does not hinder their professional routine.
Premium and Platinum Lounge Services
Applicants looking for a more personalised, private, and customised assistance, within shorter turnaround times, can use the Premium Lounge (available across India and the UAE) and Platinum Lounge (available only in the UAE). The ‘Premium Lounge’ offers personalised services within the confines of a separate lounge with dedicated staff providing end-to-end assistance. This usually comes with lots of other complimentary services which make the entire experience at the application centre comparable to any world-class hospitality service.
A more elaborate counterpart is the ‘Platinum Lounge’, currently available to UK visa applicants in Dubai, which takes the service to another level. It offers personalised end-to-end assistance with the entire visa application process, supported with uncompromised attention to service quality and customer support. It comes in an atmosphere of utmost elegancy and luxury, with an assortment of services like chauffeur service, priority visa service, personal iPads, Wi-Fi connectivity, complimentary passes, refreshments, et al.
‘Visa At Your Doorstep’ and ‘Walk-In Without Appointment’
Digital transformation of retail marketing has brought an enormous change in the way consumers now avail services. Doorstep delivery is almost the norm these days. VFS Global took note of this and introduced the Visa At Your Doorstep service, which effectively brings the Visa Application Centre to the applicant’s doorstep. The applicants can submit their visa application and enrol biometrics from a location of their choice, such as home, office, or a college campus.
For those with last-minute travel plans, VFS Global has introduced the Walk-In Without Appointment service, which allows UK visa applicants who do not have an appointment can walk into the Visa Application Centre and submit their documents.
Uniform processes and identical application centres
Change has always been welcome at VFS Global, to keep pace and adapt to ever-changing applicant needs. It is equally important that this change is uniformly implemented everywhere, at all VFS Global centres around the globe. From automated queue governance to plush, digitally-ready Visa Application Centres, it is VFS Global’s endeavour to ensure applicants feel comfortable in a familiar environment, no matter which centre they visit. Any changes in centre aesthetics are implemented the world over, be it with the ergonomically designed counters, spacious and comfortable interiors, streamlined application process or the special counters for the differently-abled.
Some of the salient features across all VFS Global centres have been:
DISCLAIMER *Some of the above mentioned services may not be offered in some countries, or for specific missions/embassies/consulates. To check if any of the above services are available in your country, or if they are offered for a specific embassy/consulate, or to book any of the above value-added services, visit the country-specific website via www.vfsglobal.com.
*Availing any of the above mentioned value-added services does not affect the processing time or decision of your visa. These remain the sole prerogative of the Embassy/Mission/Consulate. The services are charged in addition to the visa application fee.
*Locations where the Visa At Your Doorstep service is offered vary, depending on city or country where the service is offered. Please check with the VFS Global representative in your city or country for details.