COMMENTS
Elaine and I are frequent flyers on Delta. In February, we arrived at the check in gate in Punta Cana to fly home. I put the bags on the scale to make sure that they weren't over weight. We had three bags. 42 lbs, 40 lbs and 55 lbs (overweight). I reached for the bags to move some stuff from the overweight bag to the underweight bags. The clerk said, "no problem. no problem." and sent the two legal bags along. Then he turned to me and whispered, "You know that this bag is overweight and I have to charge you $75, but if you help me, I'll help you." He wanted me to bribe him! I took 5 lbs of stuff out of the bag and put it in our carry-on. He was no longer nice. When we went to Florida in March, we flew Southwest (first non-Delta flight in years). Elaine loved Southwest and I didn't feel like a "mark" (and our bags flew free).
Hey, Delta! Use the link behind my name if you agree that crooks should be fired!
I think poor customer service is becoming a way of life. As for horror stories, well try getting anything technical done when your call is transfered out of the country. You won't get rude person they are always nice,they just don't have simple answers. But it doesn't matter who answers or where they are located, the people are not trained on anything other than answering the phone and being able to look at their list of extension numbers and pass you on.
I have found via some real good people such as one person at AT&T who gave me a direct way to get to a live person who as of now has been qualified and responsive to my questions. Comcast, another good example. I found that if I talk to people right here in Maryland,I get great servioce and answers, so I got someone to give me the direct number to my local Comcast folks.
Over the years, I just have lost patients with being on hold, talking to people who have no clue and in most cases I do not blame the CSR'S, it's the lack of training etc. they are given by the company. The companies have to be held accountable and be responsible for customer growth, poor service is not the way.
As for Airlines, I fly Southwest a lot. Great service from all sides over the years, so far so good.
As you said Dave, poor customer service loses customers and with that one can go to the competition however they make suck also.
So back to my beginning statement, this on a whole may be a 21st century way of life and may answer some questions regarding the economy, the "out for myself" mentality of various companies. There was an old adage "Buyer Beware", now maybe we have to add "hope you don't have a problem"
I agree, Customer service can make or break a long term customer relationship. Marketing and Sales can say what they like, but the real satisfaction/ dissatisfaction is made where the "rubber meets the road" so to speak.
I have been involved in many different facets of customer service since getting my first job out of high school XX years ago (number withheld). Some companies train you, some give your scripts and just some teach you what button to push to answer the phone. Some help you to learn about and (hopefully) buy into the companies goals and what the company needs from it's employees to be successful (ie. keep your job). SouthWest Airlines was good at that, they were great to work for!
I think (this is my opinion) that customer service is largely undervalued, and those types of employees largely treated as a number. But I believe that having good customer service, which leads to satisfaction in customers and retention of those customers - is essential to a company.
How many times have you heard a friend get off the phone (especially in the past few years) and heard them say something like "the next time I call for help and hear an accent I'm hanging up" or "I will N E V E R buy something made by YY again"....
My wife has had some troubles with some of her computer hard/software lately since she bought a new computer running Windows 7. She has spent hours and hours on the phone trying to get things running properly. I've heard her say things like "I'm stuck with x product now, but I'll NEVER buy another Z brand item again" -- all based on their service, and how she they dealt with her: a customer with a legitimate need for some help, even if it was outside the box a little.
Having a good, well trained customer service department where the employees have "bought in" is ESSENTIAL to a companies growth or maybe even to their survival!
I believe that a customer service group acts (either officially or un-officially) as another Sales force; another Marketing department. Good customer service retains customers and hopefully turns customers into evangelists. Bad customer service (Dave listed many of the rampant BAD practices) === Sales Force for your COMPETITORS !
The lunatics are indeed running the asylum. Just bought a new laptop and switched to Lenovo from HP after 6 years - why? Four service failures in 10 months and a defiant blank look i.e.not our fault' stance. Only when I asked specifically for the name of the MD did bells ring mind you that was only short lived. This is what followed - "What do you want to speak to him for". It is not those front line people who are fault but the lazy fat cats called senior management who sit on their behinds and pronounce from on high. Let's hope Lenovo can raise the bar.
Problems happen when you deal with low end retailers..
Big Dave, you could of taken care of problem for a mere 50 but it seems you choose to waste a hour of your time... NICE GOING DAVE!