Are You Being Served By Customer Service

A wonderful lady professor taught several of the business courses I attended while studying management in college. During each semester, she would always ask, “Who are our customers?  We have our inside customers and our outside customers, do we not?”  She was labeling managers and co-workers as inside customers and the obvious patrons, vendors, colleagues, and such as outside customers.  Not a new concept, but it was her way of impressing upon her students that, in business, every person with which you come into contact should be treated with the same respect and consideration.  That was ?? years ago.  But, it was a valuable lesson that still resonates within me today.

During my career as an administrative assistant, there were many times when a telephone call or the visit of a colleague was untimely or a huge interruption.  Patience is a virtue they say but also an important part of my job.  In my position, I was the first voice or face experienced prior to that of the person I supported.  Attitude was the key, as I smiled and graciously worked through the interruption.   All that could be resolved was handled pleasantly, and I could return to my work.

How many times have you called a customer service department with an issue and you had to tell your story more than one time in order to get to the person authorized to take action on your behalf?  The transfer to yet another customer service representative or department was not only frustrating, but time consuming.  And, a third transfer was just annoying.

Technology has improved the process of measuring how service is provided to customers.  Telephone calls are timed and recorded for training purposes.  Companies with large call centers provide employees with a script.  Supposedly, a script ensures that proper pleasantries are exchanged, an apology is offered and the “right” questions are asked, e.g. “have I provided you with excellent customer service today?”  Most people do not have the time to answer “no” to that question.  It would require more time to explain why.

Complaints are opportunities.  It is the good customer who asks for help.  Unfortunately, studies show that an unpleasant experience with a company’s service will often cause the customer to leave the business relationship.  Forgiveness is not common, the customer just moves on.

A positive mindset is what exceptional customer service is all about. Being helpful and willing to take possession of the challenge is a substantial relief to a customer. Taking the time to listen and collect all of the facts is imperative to resolving the issue(s).  Otherwise, one could jump to the wrong conclusion.  After all, the customer has a story.  In most cases, telling their story helps the customer to feel better. They do not wish to hear excuses–they just want their problem corrected. It is important that the customer be reassured that the representative/company truly cares; and, secondly, that action on their behalf will follow as quickly as possible.

It is such a good feeling when I walk into my bank and my bank officer still calls me by name. And it’s nice when a teller, other than the one completing my transaction, asks me if I have been helped.  Or, the cashier at the market works my name into the “thank you” as my member discount card is returned.  One can only hope that as service providers are we coming full circle.  Back to just good old fashioned customer service–a concept that my college professor worked hard to instill in me and continues to serve me well in my business as a virtual assistant today.