Worcester, Bosch Group is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Technical Support department, showcasing the heroes and stories behind its service.

From its humble beginnings as a team of four in 1986, Worcester’s Technical Support has grown dramatically as demand for the manufacturer’s products has surged. Now comprising 42 expert advisors, the department responds to over 500,000 telephone calls and 50,000 emails a year, not to mention numerous other technical support functions such as creating technical bulletins and videos to be shared on Worcester’s website and social media channels.

In light of major developments over the last three decades, such as the introduction of mobile phones and the rise of the internet, much has changed within the department, which now boasts numerous other communication methods, such as Skype and Facetime video calling. The department now also features a hands-on boiler display area that allows its technical support advisors to work on and try and replicate precisely what the caller is having problems with on the very same product.

From helping Jose Mourinho with his floor standing boiler to resolving issues caused by radio controlled mice, the three decades since the department was formed have been anything but dull – and, with the manufacturer set to introduce a new one-way video calling service, installers can be sure there are plenty more developments and innovations still to come.

Martyn Bridges, director of marketing and technical support and one of the department’s founding members, said: “The face of the department has altered drastically since I joined 30 years ago, but our commitment to meeting the needs of installers and their customers remains the same.

“A knowledgeable and accessible Technical Support service is absolutely integral to our success as a business. We’re delighted to be celebrating such a significant milestone for the department, and we look forward to helping many more people over the decades to come.”

One-way Worcester is providing extra support

Worcester, Bosch Group’s new one-way video calling service continues to reduce the amount of time installers spend solving problems, leaving them free to focus on their customers and more lucrative work.

The manufacturer’s new service has been designed to help their team of in house experts get straight to root of any problem, by letting them see it first-hand.

By launching its Facetime and Skype video calling services in 2015, Worcester was able to connect installers face to face with an expert advisor, helping customers to share their view and get advice tailored to the specific problem faced.

This concept has now been taken one step further with its new one-way video calling service. The quick and easy process has been developed with the aim of helping to solve problems the first time around, reducing the amount of time installers spend revisiting homeowners – allowing them to carry on with their day-to-day installations.

How does it work?

  1. Once an installer has called the Technical Support number from a smartphone, one of Worcester’s advisors will take the call to establish what the problem is
  2. If they decide a video call is appropriate, the advisor will then send a text message with a support link
  3. When the installer clicks on the link, it will begin a one-way video session
  4. The advisor can then view the problem through the camera on the installer’s phone, as well as provide key annotations on the image, helping to solve the problem quickly
  5. The advisor can then save the problem and images to Worcester’s system, helping the Technical Support team to give better advice in the future and take action against any recurring issues that might present themselves.

Mr Bridges said: “Solving installer’s issues as quickly and accurately as possible has always been a priority for us at Worcester, and is one of the reasons we have an award-winning Technical Support department.

“Developments in technology have allowed us to reach installers in a number of different ways and since its launch, our Facetime and Skype facilities have proved incredibly popular. Our latest offering allows those without these smartphone functions to benefit from a video calling service where our advisors can see the problem in question through their eyes.”