Threads of Influence
Beyond the Bottom Line: The Quest for Genuine Customer Service
Is business serving customers or are customers servicing themselves?
Over the years I’ve noticed many changes in the way businesses are providing their customers with service. I wondered, are business servicing us, or have we become a “self-service” nation.
Being raised as a baby boomer meant we respected someone who bought our goods and services. We were grateful they chose our company and not our competitors. It was universally understood our customers were responsible for our continued success, employment and pay raises which were based on our performance. We understood the “value” of a customer, especially those who consistently returned to us.
I am not sure when business started to treat their customers with indifference. I remember the first time I asked a service representative a question, to which they replied “Give me a minute.” I felt dis-respected, and my loyalty wasn’t worth much. When did “Give me a minute” replace “Can you please hold?”
I remember thinking “This must be an untrained employee.” I was so wrong, because I noticed this statement became common practice.
Cringing each time I heard these words, I kept my thoughts silent, never the less here they were:
“Yes, take a minute: in fact, why not take the rest of the day off?”
“Yes, take a minute: do not return to work until you learn the value of a customer, understand they are the reason you get paid.”
“Yes, take a minute: I understand that your needs are more important than answering my question.”
“Yes, take a minute: I really don’t understand that you were not trained to answer a simple question.”
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“Yes, take a minute: In fact, during this time, I will take a minute also to hang up and call your competitor.” “click”.
My revolting thoughts were fruitless, as occasionally when I called the competition or other retailers, they also let me know they “needed a minute”.
I finally resolved myself to this common way of doing business, and blocked it from my mind. Not too long afterwards came phrases that were more infuriating. I’m sure you’ve heard them, often becoming disguised. They sounds like this:
“I cannot”, “I’ve already told you “, “There’s nothing more I can do”, “A supervisor is not available”, “It will take a long time to get a supervisor on the line.”
This starts what I call “The Repetitive Phases.” You know the robotic, statements that let you know this “service” person cannot service your request or provide you with a resolution. You feel as though you are speaking to a parrot. Wondering why you also have become a parrot in order to get someone in charge.
I learned that sometimes starting with the phase “You mean you are refusing to ……”, gets them to take action.
On average, I’ve found after approximately a thirty minute conversation with this person, or additionally being transferred to a second or third customer service representative, relief comes when the supervisor takes your call and “surprise!” they resolve your issue.
Let us not forget the other advances in “Customer Service” such as
Phone recordings recommending that you choose a “specific number” for your needs. Following are more recordings asking you to input your date of birth, a part of your account number, your zip code or any other item the company needs to “verify” you, of course, this is all for your safety. When you get a live person, they will re-verify you stating the information did not come through on their computer.
Some systems are better, allowing you to speak your answers, it seems easier, until the response is “ I could not understand your answer, press 1 if you need more time, press 2 to return to touch tone , press 3 to go back to the beginning.” Just when you are about to give up, you feel lucky, you must of pushed a wrong number, you got a live person, only to experience “Give me a minute.”
I often wonder who invented the implementation of the “self-serve” checkout lines? I did not adapt to this easily, however I admired how brilliant this practice is! I can hear upper management in the board meeting now “We can replace employee labor with consumer labor, and watch our bottom line grow.” My board meeting with myself went something like this “In addition to my other responsibilities, now have I been appointed as a Cashier?”
It’s become official now. With the majority of companies operating with the new “Customer Service” best practices, I no longer expect excellent customer service of days past.
I still can’t help wondering how, with all the advancements to make our lives easier, we all perform “Customer Service” duties without pay or benefits, but at least we are working from home.
I guess I should be grateful that my income has not been replaced by a machine, not yet at least!
