The writer is the head of classifieds and the business directory for Spotlight Newspapers.
Thinking back (my age showing here) I remember when you called a friend and there was no such thing as call waiting. The line was busy, you hung up and waited. Then there was the pager, but there was a pay phone to be found on every corner back then, too.
Now, there are so many gadgets, I can’t even keep track and not sure if I could distinguish an iPhone from an MP3 Player.
All this technology is great, please don’t get me wrong. It is wonderful to know that I can program my DVR player from work so I don’t miss a favorite TV show, or make plans with friends through texting. The other wonderful thing is all the jobs that it creates.
The problem? Real customer service can get lost in all this technology. We do not really own the gadgets we have purchased. They own us. Thus, the people who are employed at these companies have the answers we need and so, we are at their mercy. This is not always a comforting thing. Customer service has suffered where technology has soared.
There are many options when trying to receive customer service. Here are just a few.
Using the computer. Everything now has a website connected to it, but unless you are computer savvy, it can be difficult to navigate through all the pages to get what you actually want… An answer to your problem.
Making a phone call should be one of the easiest ways to receive customer service, but notice I did not say “good customer service”. One should not feel “dumb” for calling because they cannot understand something, but it happens. This is not just in relation with the gadgets we have, but with all the services that we deal with daily or even just asking a simple question.
When dealing with a real person on the phone, you have a few options that may or may not be in your best interest. Many companies have opted to outsource, so you are not sure whom you will get on the phone and language barriers do not help. Other times, you receive a voicemail and you just have to pray you will receive a call back. Or, the classic, getting someone on the phone that does not really care about you or your problem. It’s just eight hours and a paycheck at the end of the week for them.
You can call the automated support line and deal with pushing buttons until you get carpal tunnel or disconnected. I called a company once to deal with an issue I was having. They had just introduced their IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System). Oh, the joy! I was instructed to speak my commands or use my keypad on my phone. There was no option to speak with a customer service representative at all. I spoke and pushed and was then given an email address to send my request if my questions or problems had not been solved.
I sent an email to the address, more fun here! I was not allowed to send more than one request and had to wait at least 48 hours for a response. That was it. They were done with me and I still did not have my problem solved. I understand moving along with the times and the efficiency of automation, yet, I still question the lack for full supported customer service.
Companies rely on customers. We all, at some point, are, or will be a customer. We deserve then, especially after spending the money that we have spent on gadgets and other services, to receive the best that company has to offer. I know it may not always be easy. People are people and won’t always be having a good day, but just who should suffer for that? If I just spent $200 on a Kindle and I am having a problem downloading something, the last thing I want to hear is, “Did you go to our website?”
The hard-earned money that we spend entitles us to full, proper service. I cringe when I think someone may have treated my mother badly on the phone or talked an elderly person into something “extra” they really did not need. The old saying of “The customer is always right,” may not always be true, mistakes do happen, but that does not mean that they should not receive the best service when they call, stop by or email.
We all at some point will deal with an unruly customer. We all at some point may be that unruly customer. But if I have chosen to be in the profession of customer service, then there is a certain standard that I must uphold.
Customer service representatives will not always make every customer happy, but think about the ones who do. That one voice can speak volumes. There will also be that one customer who rants and raves and uses words that are not in the dictionary. No one should have to deal with that type of abuse, so there are limits. Each situation with a customer will be unique and should be handled respectively.
My mom always says, “Don’t allow anyone to steal your joy.” I say this to all customer service representatives. A customer may upset you, make you angry or take your smile away briefly, but do not allow one angry customer to dictate your mood, tone or professionalism toward the next customer. I am no customer service guru by any means. We receive what we put out.
