I had one really bad day this week. It was caused by a series of incompetencies. And it could have been so different….
We’ve been having a bit of a, we’ll call it a discussion, with our mobile phone company over a certain unresolved issue. A few days ago I decided to take the bull by the horns and call them one more time to try and resolve it. Six phone calls later and the last person I was dealing with accidentally cut me off. I gave up for the day and spent the evening feeling really cross. I was mostly cross because the time I had used to make the calls would have been much better spent with my children. I was also cross because nobody at the company seemed to care. At all.
Now I understand that working for customer services in a mobile phone company isn’t most peoples’ idea of a dream job (though I’m being subjective here of course because it isn’t mine and I do understand that it may be a dream for some people), but let’s just stop and explore that for a minute. Lots of jobs people do aren’t their dream job. So what do you do if that’s you? Do you make your and everyone else’s life a misery? Are you as unhelpful as you could be? Just to punish people. To make them feel as badly as you do. What happens? You get yelled at. You create the spark of bad feeling that stays with you and everyone you come into contact with and spreads like a virus to the people they each come into contact with.
Or do you do your best? Try to help. Make an effort. End the day feeling like you’ve made a difference and even fixed someone’s problem. Left them feeling happy, passing that happiness on to people they come into contact with.
Whoever made the mistake on our account, all it would have taken to make us feel better would have been one helpful person. One person who instead of just telling us the same thing again and again actually found a way to fix it. Why doesn’t that happen? Can companies really not see the value in empowering their staff to make their customers happy?
I am still an unhappy customer. You know that person who cut me off? They work for my mobile phone provider. They have my mobile phone number. They could have called me back. They couldn’t be bothered. How much easier would life be if you just knew that whenever you rang a company to fix a problem, mobile provider, bank, shop, (take a deep breath) local authority, someone helpful, informed and empowered would answer the phone and at least try to help? Anyway, must go, I have unfinished business….
Most call centers don’t allow outgoing calls. And many companies outsource customer service, so the person you talked to doesn’t have a vested interest in what happens.
Call back and insist on talking to a supervisor. Be very polite and firm but insist on it. Let them know that you’ve made multiple calls and the issue is not being resolved. When you get the supervisor, give her your number and tell her you want to be called back if the call drops. Supervisors can usually do that. If the supervisor doesn’t resolve it, ask to speak to the next person up.
http://twitter.com/florenceontour Julian Davies
I understand the feelings and pent up rage completely. However, we have just had the opposite experience. Having bought theatre tickets for us and our grand daughter to see The Wizard of Oz at the Palladium as a Christmas Present we discovered 3 days before the proposed trip that the tickets delivered were for December 8 (already passed) not January 8.
Two helpful and understanding phone calls later our unused tickets were posted back and an email confirmation arrived as promised (in fact it was promised after 1 pm on the day that the tickets were received – but it was through by 11.50) to say that we had comparable seats on the January 8.
No fuss 100% customer care of the kind that we have always attempted to offer in all our business activities, two relieved grandparents and a very very happy granddaughter..
Perhaps the difference is in the sector – the arts industry is perhaps more human or attracts workers – even in customer care – who enjoy dealing with other people. Who knows, there must be research into this area?
Anyway, after all that The Wizard of Oz was spectacular – set, costumes and actors all magnificent – And perhaps the pursuit of a simple solution to a problem (like yours with the phone company) is in truth a journey of self discovery – lets hope so anyway (oh Toto…….)
Anonymous
Hi Teri. Thanks for your help. I guess what I’m wishing for is a world in which I don’t have to jump through all those hoops to get the help I want. I just want to ring and speak to someone who can fix the problem. Simple! Or not…I imagine in reality I’ll be doing exactly what you describe!
Anonymous
We’re off to see the Wizard…..do you think he could help!?
Maybe it helps that arts organisations aren’t huge corporations. Though @mistergough would probably say that even in huge corporations it’s possible to have great customer service. Wizard of Oz sounds fab. We are, as it happens, planning a journey of self discovery. We’re selling up and disappearing in a camper van
Caring
I had one really bad day this week. It was caused by a series of incompetencies. And it could have been so different….
We’ve been having a bit of a, we’ll call it a discussion, with our mobile phone company over a certain unresolved issue. A few days ago I decided to take the bull by the horns and call them one more time to try and resolve it. Six phone calls later and the last person I was dealing with accidentally cut me off. I gave up for the day and spent the evening feeling really cross. I was mostly cross because the time I had used to make the calls would have been much better spent with my children. I was also cross because nobody at the company seemed to care. At all.
Now I understand that working for customer services in a mobile phone company isn’t most peoples’ idea of a dream job (though I’m being subjective here of course because it isn’t mine and I do understand that it may be a dream for some people), but let’s just stop and explore that for a minute. Lots of jobs people do aren’t their dream job. So what do you do if that’s you? Do you make your and everyone else’s life a misery? Are you as unhelpful as you could be? Just to punish people. To make them feel as badly as you do. What happens? You get yelled at. You create the spark of bad feeling that stays with you and everyone you come into contact with and spreads like a virus to the people they each come into contact with.
Or do you do your best? Try to help. Make an effort. End the day feeling like you’ve made a difference and even fixed someone’s problem. Left them feeling happy, passing that happiness on to people they come into contact with.
Whoever made the mistake on our account, all it would have taken to make us feel better would have been one helpful person. One person who instead of just telling us the same thing again and again actually found a way to fix it. Why doesn’t that happen? Can companies really not see the value in empowering their staff to make their customers happy?
I am still an unhappy customer. You know that person who cut me off? They work for my mobile phone provider. They have my mobile phone number. They could have called me back. They couldn’t be bothered. How much easier would life be if you just knew that whenever you rang a company to fix a problem, mobile provider, bank, shop, (take a deep breath) local authority, someone helpful, informed and empowered would answer the phone and at least try to help? Anyway, must go, I have unfinished business….