What Has Happened to Customer Service

[hauntedtexan]

I am to the point that most of my "filters" are gone. That, plus the fact that I was in the customer service business for a few decades has made me confront employees who misrepresent the company that pays their way through life. I also refuse to deal overseas when an American company dumps their issues far away.
"The customer is always right" although they may not always be correct. Customer service reps sometimes have to, non-confrontationaly, inform a customer and decipher what caused the issue in the 1st place. Then, as a conscientious employee, see if further misunderstandings can be prevented. Instead, a quick fix is usually done by tossing a few "forgiveness bucks" our way. Or leaving us on hold to wait for the elusive and mythical supervisor to appear. That is, if we can get through the button pushing robot answering computer maze.
I am hated, mostly because I am not afraid to challenge folks with common sense. I've gone as far as recognizing that the person on the other end of the phone may enjoy a career as one of those snooty sales people at a high end boutique. I've told an unusually vacant employee that he truly impressed me because, they say you lose 4 out of your 5 senses when your head is up your butt and the fact you actually drove to work was incredible. Good job!
So, if you have done business with a company who truly cares about their customers, let it be known. It would save a lot of blood pressure and stress medication....

 

[RubyK]

Since you were in the customer service business, it is understandable that poor customer service would get on your nerves.

Many businesses don't train their employees properly or don't check up on their work. The world is just too, too busy.

I was a secretary for many years and get annoyed at misspellings and poor grammar in messages that go out to the public.

 

[tnthomas]

See what's happening in politics(2016 election) and business in general? Customer service is a relic of the past, back when "The customer is always right", and Consumer Protection was in vogue.

 

[Butterfly]

IMHO, real customer service died a slow death quite some time ago. It's very hard to find anymore. A lot of so-called customer service people nowdays act like you're interrupting their nap if you actually ask for help.

 

[Marie5656]

I used to be in customer service as well. It was always so hard to be pleasant when I was having a bad day. Now, I try to be a good customer, and hopefully get the same in return. I have become a familiar face in my local supermarket..so I take to calling associates by name, thanking them when they go out of their way to help (I use a mart cart now) and just trying to give them a reason to have a good day. Just today I went to my local grocery store to use the in-store bank, and to go to the service desk for stamps. Decided to treat myself to a couple bottles of soda. My "usual" cashier laughed and said, "Is that all today? Usually you buy so much more". We had a good chuckle. But we were both smiling when I walked away..

 

[HazyDavey]

One of the jobs I had was working in a pizza parlor. When the manager was not around I was the guy who dealt with complaints. Things like, burnt pizza, wrong pizza, lost your pizza order, that and most of everything else. I came up with this to smooth out the problem and help get the folks back to enjoying their dinner out.

I'd say something like, "I'm sorry but we burnt you pizza order. How about I buy you folks a round of beers, or soda, or how about a salad to eat while we make you another pizza?"

Seemed to turn the whole situation all around for the better. Had some good times back in my pizza days.. :untroubled:

 

[Aunt Bea]

One of the jobs I had was working in a pizza parlor. When the manager was not around I was the guy who dealt with complaints. Things like, burnt pizza, wrong pizza, lost your pizza order, that and most of everything else. I came up with this to smooth out the problem and help get the folks back to enjoying their dinner out.

I'd say something like, "I'm sorry but we burnt you pizza order. How about I buy you folks a round of beers, or soda, or how about a salad to eat while we make you another pizza?"

Seemed to turn the whole situation all around for the better. Had some good times back in my pizza days.. :untroubled:

Hazy,

Great solution!

This line in your post "When the manager was not around I was the guy who dealt with complaints." gave me a flashback to my early working life. When we got an irate call and it escalated to the point where they wanted to talk to the manager we all used to take turns being the manager. The simple of act of having a person in a position of authority take the call while the customer vented was all it took to calm them down so we could work on resolving the problem.

 

[jujube]

Many, many years ago I worked at a job with nothing but women. The supervisors were women, too. Sometimes an irate caller would say, "JUST LET ME TALK TO A MAN!" and I'd explain that I'd have to get the janitor for them in that case. That would usually get the phone slammed down in my ear.

I guess the assumption was that there HAD to be a man "in charge". Mind you, this was back in the early 1970's.

 

[Butterfly]

Hazy,

Great solution!

This line in your post "When the manager was not around I was the guy who dealt with complaints." gave me a flashback to my early working life. When we got an irate call and it escalated to the point where they wanted to talk to the manager we all used to take turns being the manager. The simple of act of having a person in a position of authority take the call while the customer vented was all it took to calm them down so we could work on resolving the problem.

HA! My co-worker and I used to sometimes do that, too!

 

[dearimee]

I find that the best over-the-phone service comes from small businesses. Even if I'm grumpy they keep calm and try to be helpful. I know when I'm not my best and sometime within the conversation I'll compliment the service person for being patient with my attitude and I always get its ok. And I have to say it's usually females being nice but small companies usually have wives, moms, etc doing phone service.