 | John Madden
helps organizations and people become more profitable. He does this by sharing successful techniques, which have worked for him and others. John is an International speaker, trainer, and consultant who formerly managed multiple hotels and restaurants in Europe and here in the United States. He has presented lectures and seminars to all industries throughout this country and abroad-on customer service, coaching skills, problem solving, and stress reduction through humor. John is a member of the National Speakers Association and has authored several articles and audiotapes on customer service, creative problem solving, and humor. You can reach him at
316-689-6932; email:john@leapdontsleep.com; or at his web site:
www.LeapDontSleep.com |
Business
2002-07-01 15:42:00
Customer service?
Question: Why is it that customer service in nearly all sectors seems to be the worst it has ever been? What can be done about it from a consumer's position?
Answer: It is true that there has been a serious decline in customer service. A major reason for that is the time in which we live. Today, consumers are demanding that products and services be faster, better quality, and cheaper. So, in order to survive in business today, you have to be more creative in developing your product or service, more efficient in getting product to your customers on time, and more disciplined in controlling your costs.And as everyone is trying to get his or her piece of the pie, you have to be very conscious of price. And that's where customer service falls down - when you cut back too eagerly in the wrong places.An article in the Wall Street Journal recently described the latest in annoying automated phone lines, where the hunt for a live operator seems to get tougher by the day. It reports that U.S. companies are spending $7.4 billion this year to beef up their automated customer service, making it almost impossible to reach a real person.Some say, "Stop belly-aching, that's the world we live in, get used to it." There is some merit to that argument except when you realize that instead of speeding up service and providing quicker responses to customer concerns, much of high tech has been used as a way to save money on humans, hide from customers, and do away with the personal touch that is the foundation of good service.We consumers and customers crave the personal touch. We're fed up with machines that pass us on to another machine or to another announcement that tells us how important we are (some of us actually believe it!), and then they let us stew for as long as we're prepared to hold - secretly hoping, I believe, that we'll go away. What can you do in your business to stem the decline of service quality and get yourself some loyal customers?Bring back the personal touch in whatever way you can.Minimize the number of hoops your customer has to jump through to get satisfaction.Contact customers who have called you for the first time (without knowing your direct line), and ask them what kind of an experience they had.Be a customer for a few hours and test the way a customer is treated by your company, shop or service. Sit weekly with your staff and go over the complaints, particularly the recurring complaints; and solve them! What can you do as a consumer?Where possible, don't accept bad service.If the product or service is not acceptable, complain and ask for it to be put right, or ask for compensation in lieu. Only 4% of people who have a problem actually complain - which might be why service doesn't get any better.Don't accept vague statements that they'll get back to you. Ask them how long that will take. Write that down and repeat it back to them.Write a letter to the President/CEO of the company. Get the person's name, and address him or her personally. Make the letter objective with clear, detailed information. Avoid arrogance and personal criticism. Ask for action. Put this on your company's letterhead. If you're not a big shot, you might title yourself as Purchasing Selection Advisor (P.S.A.) or Chief Complaint Officer (C.C.O.). Anything with a C and an O in the title often gets attention. If you're being passed all over the place in a telephone call, hit the zero button and try your luck at getting a real person. Some systems are sneakily adjusted so that you have to hit the zero button twice. Try it.Of course you can always go to the competition. If you do, tell them why - and see how they respond so they'll get to know you up front. That works better with a small business.If you are very pleased with a business, write and compliment them - and copy your friends. This is a great motivator for them to continue to provide the best in service.
