First, let
me explain why I am qualified to have a theory on the Customer Service
industry. For 13 years I worked in the customer service field. I had face to
face interaction with the customer, my least favorite, and many years in a
call center. I hated and still hate customer service related jobs. However,
much to my dismay I became very good at it. On numerous occasions I would
attempt to venture out into other fields and wind up right back where I
started. As it turns out there was a reason for me being pulled back into
that area of employment that I despised. I am currently a small business
owner who is responsible for my customers satisfaction.
Each and every counteraction that I had with customers
over the years helped me create my skills for dealing with my business. I
refuse to do business with anyone who does not know how to appreciate the
very people who help pay their bills and put food on the table. I would
rather pay more for my item than to be assisted by someone who acts as if I
am putting a damper on their already bad day.
The first and only rule in business is to "Know Thy
Customer". It does not matter if you are a small service company, like
myself, or a huge corporation with millions of customers. You better take
the time to stop the automated phone calls and listen to what they have to
say. The only time I get recognized by my cell phone provider is when I may
be a few days late paying the bill. I am indebted to these idiots until 2020
and if I inquire about upgrades ,or a plan that may fit my needs better, I
am quickly advised that I do not qualify for any specials unless I am a new
customer. That does not make me very happy and I need to be happy once in a
while.
During my employment in a call center my team was
expected to take a minimum of 250 calls a day, answer each call within
seconds, and get the customer off the phone within minutes. I was told to
give excellent customer service, but don't take to long to do it. The
numbers better be within guidelines or I would not get a satisfactory
appraisal. Well, no wonder people switched to Geico.
I walked out one day. I left my resignation on my
supervisors desk due to she was no where to be found. But I know, beyond a
shadow of a doubt, that the customers that I did help received "excellent"
customer service from me.
Customers are people. They have bad days, periods,
bitching wives, and one to many kids. They make impulse purchases because we
persuade them to do so. As business owners, who depend on these customers to
increase our bottom line, we need to treat them with the respect they
deserve. Stop making them press 500 numbers to get to speak to an actual
human and then to only disconnect them when they press the wrong button.
When are companies going to realize, that when outsourcing to India speaking
clear, precise English should be a stated requirement.
Is the customer always right, no they are not. But
it is our job as business owners to investigate why our customer is unhappy
and attempt to the best of our ability to fix it. The majority of the time
they just need reassurance that they made the right decision and that you
are going to be there to help them if they need it. Stop hiding from your
customers. The next time you make the bank deposit take the time to look at
who signed the check.
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