Sometimes I wonder if some customer service representatives and the companies they work for understand the frustrations of the client. The term “customer serviceâ seems not to carry much meaning at times, but everyone says they have customer service “people.â What does that mean? Having them does not mean that the customer is being served well or even being served at all in some cases.{{more}}
Recently, I had the pleasure of working with a gentleman who exemplified the customer service spirit. Granted, I was an impatient, demanding customer, as my computer had just crashed with all my information, but this representative had all the techniques to empathize with me and then help resolve the issue. Within that same day, I also encountered another gentleman who was obviously clueless about what customer service really means. He violated every customer service rule and more. Both interactions occurred via telephone and it was amazing how different they were.
As a reminder to all those who work in customer service, whether by phone or face to face, here are just some of the things that customers despise:
1. Customer not being greeted
2. Arguing with the customer
3. Representative who seems aggravated by customers with questions
4. Being left on hold for long periods
5. Not returning phone calls
6. Customers being assailed by eating or chewing gum while being helped
7. Long lines that move at a snailâs pace
8. Customer profiling (the picking and choosing of whom to serve)
9. Representatives who answer a business phone as if itâs their personal line
10. No sense of urgency to expedite tasks
11. Sloppy appearance
12. Being ignored by customer service rep
*Rep chatting to other colleagues
*Talking on their personal cell phone
13. Responding to email over a month after it was sent
The list can be quite exhausting. The bottom line is this: Customers are the life blood of every business operation. To remain viable, business owners need to ensure that every customerâs needs and wants are being met.
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