Upholding high customer service standards a must

Editor: It is with great dissatisfaction and distaste that I choose to write about the standard of our customer service in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Despite the high cost of living in St Vincent, which can be a reflection of frustrated efforts, we should not forget why each day we rise from our bed early, kiss our family goodbye and commence the day to begin work. YES! Work. But do we enjoy our jobs or are we really at work as a result of monetary gain only? We all have to remember that at some point within our lives we are all customers. Even working for an organization/enterprise you are also an internal customer with the same needs of the external customer: TREAT ME RIGHT! It is not a question; it is a statement and we cannot afford to drop our guard, loosen our ties, acclimatise, while reinforcing our point within our actions that “this is just another day”.

Profits are the fundamental reasons for a business existence, but by neglecting such valuable stakeholders as the customers, are we really likely to make large profits? I can only imagine that maybe some of our entrepreneurs are just operating at break even levels, thanks to our customer service in this country.

How have we regressed to such a state that everyone thinks it is the norm for workers to be chewing gum while attending to a customer? No! But hold up! Upon entering a restaurant in Kingstown for the first time, I saw an array of various types of cakes. I simply asked the cashier about a particular type of cake, as I was unaware of the type. Her response was ‘can’t you see it’s a chocolate cake?’ On entering a certain governmental institution in Kingstown, a worker attempted to multitask by snatching from my hands the paper that I presented to her, while shouting to another cashier that she wanted some five dollars bills, while she punched away at her cell phone. Now, should I tolerate such behaviour? This is sufficient for anyone to become upset and disgruntled.

In addition, why does the public sector operate so shabbily? After waiting in line for hours at a particular governmental organization, long lines extending sometimes out the door, with only one cashier and the disturbing presence of a supervisor who might walk by with an evil look on her face that says “there is nothing that you can do about it.” This is totally annoying and devastating to me as a customer. Well, someone needs to address this! It is wrong, it is unfair and it does not reflect well on the entity, the juniors or the supervisors.

We are not rearing swines in establishments, as with this kind of mentality it certainly needs to be eradicated. We are employing individuals during the recruitment process with the understanding that ‘I am taking care of you by way of a salary and in the same light you, should look out for me.’ This means being courteous, pleasant, respectful, knowledgeable, loyal through consistent demonstration by way of assisting our customers and creating a ‘wow’ moment that they would not hesitate to return.

In this highly competitive market, where most businesses’ competitive edge is seen in the management of the customer service portfolio, it is critical that businesses strive to retain customers while attempting to obtain new ones. I can name a few that I value and on entering these places one certainly lingers, as there is an appeal to the senses to purchase even more. Kudos to PAYLESS, COURTS, CHOICE MEATS, SAGICOR, BANK OF ST VINCENT, SVG GENERAL SERVICES. OT TYRES, RICS PIZZA, FRAN PAUL’s SELECTION; your service is excellent and satisfying, as found within your mission statements.

Employers need to be vigilant in this area of customer service and sometimes I do agree, you, the employers, are unaware of these occurrences at times, owing to communication barriers. I, would, however, recommend that employers expend some valuable time training staff in this critical area. Employers should also constantly communicate consistently the core value of upholding the customer service standards to their workers and the benefits which can be derived from the enhancement and proper management of this database.

For us, the aggrieved customers, all is not lost though, as this is a battle that can be won with collaboration, understanding the standards, implementing the standards, monitoring the standards, measuring the standards and when causalities like those spoken about above occur, the best alternative might be TERMINATION.

Esrin