The Missing Ingredient: Customer Service
Written by: Monika Mundell
Posted on April 20, 2008
Filed Under Starting your Online Business
What happened to good old customer service in our world? I mean really, is it possible that while we spend our hard earned money these days we can’t expect something in return. Some dignity. Some friendliness. Some service.
I really wonder what has become of our 21st century, because just about everywhere I go these days, customer service isn’t existent anymore.
Last week I was skyped by one of my clients who runs a blog. He skyped me to thank me for taking part in his blog’s conversations and interacting with his readers. Naturally you can imagine that I was very much pleased he did this, since commenting is part of my professional blogging services.
While some bloggers take the work, write the post and then disappear without looking back, I always try to give something else. To me, that is simply part of the deal and without doing this I’d feel like doing only half the job.
After all, life is about doing our best in every situation we are in and no matter whether we like it or not, it is also about integrity and passion. At least for some anyway.
To be honest though I can’t in the life of me understand what happened to good old customer service when I’m out shopping. More often than not, the people serving me are more interested to yak (gossip) with each other, instead of concentrating on the person who spends the money in the shop so they get paid.
Ah, hold that thought!…
That is exactly the problem. See, people get paid on their regular jobs regardless of whether they do a good job or not and that is where all evil starts. Why put in the extra effort when we can just be as lazy as possible and still collect our money at the end of the week/month.
I get it.
Actually not, I really don’t. Sometimes I wonder whether I was born on a different planet, as this customer service that was so heavily drilled into us when I grew up in the 60s, 70s and 80s is basically non existent these days.
Does this bother me? You bet it does, since last time I checked, I worked hard for my money and therefore I do expect some form of service in return when I go shopping. Could it be that I simply expect too much? You tell me.
Or is the world these days made up of a bunch of lazy, non caring people who simply don’t give a (insert your favourite expletive here) when they serve you?
I find that hard to believe and wonder what could be the cause of this evil problem. Is it perhaps my generation of moms and dads, the 40 somethings, who simply failed to teach the young working population of 20 somethings today about respect, care and customer service. The moms and dads who serve in managerial positions at department stores, shops and restaurants who simply can’t be bothered schooling the next generation of workforce service personnel in the correct way.
Or could it be that wherever we look these days, there is a serious lack of staff because the company decided to pocket more profits and run their business with half the workforce than only 5 years ago?
I know, questions, questions and more questions.
Let me give you an example.
Yesterday I went shopping at a department store here in town. This particular chain of stores is quite established throughout Australia and I really like them for their assortment of products and their prices.
I was after a jump drive that I had seen last week in their mail out brochure. I searched the isle of electronic accessories for quite some time without seeing a single jump drive. Trouble is, normally these things were displayed right there where I was searching which by the way is another pet peeve of mine (the constant re-arrangement of wares at most shops to make us waste even more time and obviously spend more money while shopping)
After unsuccessfully searching for 5 minutes I gave up and approached a young sales man behind the “local” counter. I politely asked him where the jump drives where located and you know what his answer was.
“I have no idea.”
* I have no frikking idea, but I work here and have to expect that at some stage I would be asked questions about the wares we sell. But since I get paid at the end of week why should I bother walking around the shelves, taking a visual inspection of the things we sell to familiarize myself with our stock. But no, I rather spend my spare minutes at the shop yakking with my fellow workers about the latest TV show or Jeff’s latest squeeze as this is way more interesting than trying to deliver customer service.*
Go figure.
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Tags:customer service, lack of customer service, servicing customers, serving customers
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8 Responses to “The Missing Ingredient: Customer Service”
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I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Stacey Derbinshire
The Missing Ingredient: Customer Service…
Monika dropped in today and surprised me with a post . Customer service is indeed teh oxymoron of this century. I know what kind of week she has had and this article is spot on. How do you resond to your customers needs? Monika toned up this post a a b…
One of the big pushes in the management literature is to get customers to do the work. In short one of the pushes in the company world is to do away with customer service!
Great post! I can relate. Example: I go to the video store with my kids occasionally and we usually rent 6 to 10 movies/games at a time (believe me we don’t go very often). Anyway, it absolutely boggles my mind because each time the clerk asks me, “Do you need a bag for your videos ma’am?”
And each time I find myself dumbfounded at the question. I politely say “Yes” but what I’m thinking is, “Do I need a bag? Do I need a bag? No. I would prefer to have the videos sliding all over my car. Just place them in a bag and say “Thank you” to me…I actually need to be consulted as to whether I need a bag or not? Just do it because it’s the right thing to do!”
Moral of the story…Good customer service is priceless nowadays!
What a great article. I will tell you, it amazes me how the levels of customer service have declined over the last twenty or thirty years. I may be giving away my age, but really, I remember when the customer was always right, even when they were wrong.
I learned the art of customer service from a gentleman whom was masterful in the art. He taught me some valuable lessons that I have applied in every job I have ever had. And, I think the best lesson he ever taught me, was to “kill ‘em with kindness.” When you emanate kindness and sincerity to your customers first, look them in the eye and greet them with a kind smile, you can curtail a potential problem almost immediately. I enjoy going out of my way to be kind to people. It not only makes them happy, it also enables me to experience far less aggravation in my work.
If you want to be successful nowadays, make customer service your first priority and teach others how to do it. Kill ‘em with kindness every time. You will end up with a loyal, devoted customer base that will support you even when times get rough!
Again, great article Monica!
@ Evan: It seems that way and it is interesting to hear this from another person. Kind of validates my experiences and i guess most other shoppers too.
Thanks for giving us this insight.
@ Theresa: your example just proves how some employees avoid using their brain when at work. I don’t understand this myself, but it seems to be a growing trend.
Maybe it’s cool and all, but I really don’t see the benefits of doing this.
Here in Puerto Rico no matter what you say let be in a private business or a government agency the first thing that comes out of their mouth is NO! I miss Clear Water so much where everybody was looking to provide the best service out there.
@ Linda: your comment must have snuck in right before I answered the other ones. Sorry about that.
Like you I have been drilled while doing my apprenticeship to offer top customer service. Yes, in the old days the customer was always right, (even though I didn’t always agree with that either). But we did our thing and that was the best we could do at all times.
I still operate like this today and will not lower my own standards for common ones found all over the world these days either.
Your kindness approach certainly sounds like a great idea and one that works. To be honest, I can’t always be kind to obnoxious customers who are simply out there to annoy you (bullies). I have no qualms at telling them where the door is if need be.
@ Vic: That must be hard alright. Although I’m not sure what you mean with Clear Water. Was that a company?