A little respect is all I expect. Sometimes I don’t even get that.
In all the jobs I’ve ever had, one thing that’s always been hammered into us is that you treat customers with respect and courtesy. In my current job, customer service/relations is a mandatory course that everyone takes and it’s upgraded just about every year.
Before I continue, I don’t believe that the customer is always right, because, let’s face it, there are a lot of individuals that are out for whatever they can get. They believe they can act in any manner they wish and are always protected by a company’s customer service oath/pledge, or whatever you want to call it. The slightest pushback from an employee could result in disciplinary action. All it takes is an email most of the time.
Larger companies tend to accommodate these people due to their firmly entrenched customer service policies. Scream loud enough, and you’ll usually get what you want. I believe it’s a flawed system due to people taking advantage.
SOME COMPANIES DON’T CARE
That’s one end of the spectrum. On the other end, you have companies that really don’t care about going above and beyond. They don’t bend when people complain and that kind of weeds out the chronic complainers. This system works fine when the company is doing its job. As long as you are being treated with respect, you are getting what you paid for, and you walk away feeling as though you got your money’s worth, everything is great.
But this isn’t always the case. What if you have a legitimate complaint and the company you’re dealing with refuses to return your phone calls or emails. What if they leave you in the dark, wondering if you’ll ever get what you paid for? That’s the other end of the spectrum, and I’m seeing it more and more these days.
Last year, I had to have my roof replaced. It was going to cost $6000.00. Now, you would think that a company would be tripping over themselves to get jobs like that. Nope, the one company that came highly recommended treated me like they didn’t have time to take my business. I only persisted because they had an excellent reputation, but looking back now, I should have gone elsewhere. It took them forever to schedule me, no updates, no answer to my emails and voice messages. It was very frustrating. Sure, they did a great job, but I should have hired someone who would have at least appreciated the work opportunity and treated me with a little respect.
I’m a fairly easy going guy and I have a high tolerance level to nonsense because I truly believe that you have to give people the benefit of the doubt before you go off half-cocked. But you also have to stand up for yourself if you know that you’re being reasonable with you requests and they are treating you like a second class citizen.
In a more recent example, I become executor to an estate after the sudden death of someone close to me . Now, I knew it wouldn’t be a piece of cake, but, nothing prepared me for the level of incompetence, laziness, and rudeness exhibited by employees of the bank, accountanting firm, and others while I weaved my way through the legal hurdles, bank policies, and government red tape.
In all fairness, the government, courts and such were easy to deal with. As long as you have your papers in order and you do things by the book, it’s all taken care of in an efficient and timely manner.
The bank was probably the worst. In the beginning, all my requests for bank drafts, reimbursement, transfers, etc. were being taken care of within a day or two. However, once I needed information about investments, interest paid, official forms for tax purposes, it was like pulling teeth. Emails went unanswered for weeks. I could never reach the person on the phone, and my messages were not being returned. This was information the lawyer needed for the government, so it’s not like I was asking for anything I didn’t need. Eventually, the emails got a little more heated and I had to threaten to go to their head office customer care and lodge a complaint. Miracles of miracles, the next day, I received a response, and the information was sent to me in a day.
The same thing happened with the accountant. Slow response to emails, intentionally vague in providing the information I requested. A very lackadaisical attitude once they got my down payment and they knew I had no choice but to continue with them. I felt a sense that I was bothering them or that they had bigger clients to service.
I would not advise anyone to become an estate executor. It just isn’t worth the hassle.
Anyway, my point is that I notice more and more businesses caring less and less about their customers. I’m not hard to please, but please provide me with a basic level of service for my money. If I treated my clients like that, I’d be fired; no if ands or buts.
We pay your wages. If not for us choosing to do business with your company, you would be unemployed. Don’t act like you’re forced to be at a job; if you don’t like it, maybe it’s time you left so they can hire someone who cares and appreciates the opportunity.
Sept 12/19
Customer service, rants
