CCAS to Offer 'One and Done' Keep 'Em Happy Program

BOSTON--Nov. 26, 2001-- Cross Country Automotive Services (CCAS) today introduced Total Case Management (TCM), an outsourced consumer affairs service through which CCAS case managers are 100 percent dedicated to resolving vehicle owners' concerns. Designed to meet the consumer affairs needs of automotive OEM's and allied industries, CCAS's TCM service is built upon the company's ``one-and-done'' commitment: owners need make a single phone call to CCAS, and the company's customer service professionals will work through any segments of an organization - parts and distribution, engineering to technical support - necessary to deliver a satisfactory result.

CCAS's TCM is a departure from traditional outsourced consumer affairs programs that rely on call center employees to route incoming calls. The program requires that clients forge a close alliance with CCAS in which all Cross Country case managers - highly trained, well-educated and experienced customer service professionals - are given the management authority and fiscal responsibility needed to bring incoming inquiries to a satisfactory, professional and conclusive resolution.

These tightly aligned partnerships ensure that CCAS's TCM professionals have both direct, collaborative working relationships with professionals throughout clients' companies and the decision-making authority and fiscal responsibility required to resolve issues. As a result, automotive OEMs are better able to focus on their company's core competencies that improve service delivery and increase revenue, while CCAS's case managers focus on customer service and mitigating risk, strengthening brand loyalty.

``The secret behind the success of our Total Case Management service are the professionals: these highly-trained, experienced, salaried employees are accountable for every incoming call CCAS receives, ensuring that vehicle owners receive the highest standard of service available anywhere,'' said Michael Saxton, President and CEO of CCAS. ``Our team understands that the key to a successful consumer affairs program is that case management professionals are held accountable for resolving vehicle owners' issues. In our nearly 30 years in business, we have found that our ability to resolve vehicle owners' issues promptly and to their satisfaction increases their brand loyalty, boosting customer retention.''

CCAS's TCM program begins when an owner places a call to a CCAS case manager, who is responsible for assessing a customer's query. The case manager then brings closure to the issue within a predetermined timeframe - the ``open case period'' - set by individual clients. During this period, case managers follow a consistent, uniform and well-documented approach to the process of fielding, managing and resolving customer issues, which CCAS develops jointly with each client it serves. As cases are moved toward resolution, CCAS's case managers document every step taken to resolve the issue, offering clients a detailed case history and customer profile that helps them better understand individual customers' needs. Because CCAS maintains a continuous dialogue with its clients, the company uncovers recurring issues that, once addressed, can enhance the face of future products and services. With this intimate understanding of OEMs' businesses learned by case managers, CCAS's TCM serves, by design, as a fertile training ground and ``stepping stone'' for the professionals who will lead the OEMs' future customer service initiatives.

About Cross Country Automotive Services

Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Cross Country Automotive Services (www.CrossCountry-Auto.com) is the leading provider of mobility-related customer service programs in North America, including emergency roadside assistance, telematics support, direct marketing and customer relationship management. Over 1,400 Cross Country employees serve more than 100 corporate clients and their more than 40 million customers each year. Cross Country Automotive Services is a member of The Cross Country Group, the largest privately held provider of customer service programs in the United States.