Customer Service Or Should I Say Disservice
In a recessionary market you would think that a business of any size would reinforce their customer service model. The unfortunate truth is that a multitude of retail, wholesale, and scholastic companies have never had the slightest inclination to augment a training program for all levels of personnel.
Customer service can be the life blood of a business but time and time again it seems that once a sale is consummated it's time to focus on the next prospect and not cultivate a long term relationship. A smile and eye contact cost nothing and have the ability to keep the competitor from receiving a highly targeted buyer.
How many times have you personally witnessed the most basic question throw an entire office into complete chaos? The other day I needed to get a question answered from a large company that not only doesn't offer a toll free phone number but refuses to list any on their website! After waiting to be connected for twenty-two minutes I could barely articulate my thoughts when I was transferred to another department. Once again I was forced to listen to silence for about eleven minutes before a second employee picked up the call. The most basic question was once again turned into a high level investigation and ended without the slightest bit of satisfaction. Over thirty minutes spent on the phone only to be informed that I must present everything in writing.
Much to my dismay I composed an email with the question and concern as well as contact information. After not hearing back in seventy-two hours I thought it would be imperative to give them a call. This time the shock factor would not be prevalent because the last endeavor took over thirty minutes without a positive conclusion. After nineteen minutes and forty-seven seconds I finally heard a live voice on the other end. When asking why I hadn't been contacted about the customer service issue the employee told me they would try to help. It doesn't register a positive feeling if you get the feeling the results will not be any different than the previous encounter. The customer service representative could not only find no record of my initial phone call, they lacked the resources on their computer to see if my email was forwarded to the proper department. It seemed the individual broke the speed record for informing me that anything to do with email is outside of their jurisdiction and I would have to talk with somebody in a different department. As quickly as a jaguar can destroy its prey I was once again in nowhere land. Waiting on hold for exactly twenty-three minutes a voice as friendly as a blizzard in February picked up the call. I had to reiterate every detail for the 1,267,986 time. When I had given all the documentation you would think necessary to make the research a breeze I was told that she had no record of the email and the only person that could find out what has transpired would be a manager. Ordinarily it would be a pleasure to be transferred but with the current track record of holding for infinity and the employees bringing new meaning to customer disservice I wasn't exactly eager.
Obviously the situation didn't get resolved. The call went directly to voice mail and to this day I have never received any oral or written correspondence from the company. This reaffirms the difference between a business that fails because of the economic crisis and one that is self destructive. The common thread that a consumer has to overcome with customer service is a refund. It is appalling too often the word guarantee means nothing to the unscrupulous outfits that set up shop both in the traditional brick and mortar locals and on the internet. In my case the possibility existed that I would be doing business with the company and we would both gain financially from the arrangement. Even with the potential of additional revenue the staff acted as if the entire issue was a bother. The faster they sent me to another department the quicker they could get to lunch or back to a supermarket rag sheet.
Craig Fenton is the creator of Painting My Room In A Colorful Way (the ultimate speaking and writing course with written, audio, email, and phone coaching). He is the author of the Jefferson Airplane book Take Me To A Circus Tent and the Jefferson Starship Have You Seen The Stars Tonite. Craig lectures with a one time member of the Grateful Dead and a legendary American Rock & Roll Photographer.http://www.learnpublicspeakingskills.com
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Customer Service Or Should I Say Disservice