Hi everyone,

Like most everyone, I have had good and bad customer experiences. Unfortunately, more bad than good; however, I have found a few ways to make customer service better.

Do you have any suggestions that would make everyday customer service better?

If you do, would you post them here?

Thank you so much...

Toni

This suggestion will probably seem boring and mundane to some but it kind of says it all:

Treat People The Way You Want To Be Treated

Ask the clerk how their day is going. You might be surprised at what you find out.
I agree with Chatty. I've also learned another one this year.
Treat people how they want to be treated.
Maggie

My idea for improving customer service is to stop the ridiculously insincere apologies. It's obvious that the customer service training includes a whole segment on telling the customer how sorry they that you are having trouble without actually taking responsibility for it even if they are obviously at fault. It's just a stall. I hate it. They waste my time and theirs with that silly apologies.
If they can I just want them to fix the problem. If they can't I want to move on. And if they won't I will move on to their supervisor.
Another pet peeve is when they say they are forwarding you to the supervisor and leave you on hold forever. Grrrrrr. Causes me to write poison pen letters.
My message to customer service folks would be "Just give me some honest answers and I'll cope. Otherwise get out of my way."
However, there are actually some very wonderful people in those difficult jobs.
smile

[ June 02, 2004, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

Hi Friends,

I am a customer service rep for my local utility company. I have spent 8 years in that job. Because I am a people person, I love the job most of the time.

From my perspective, I treat people how I wish to be treated, don't cop an attitude with me or your already off on the wrong foot. Realize that it is my company that makes the policies and not me. Please don't cuss at me, I do not have to listen too that, and will hang up in a New York minute to those that continue to use that kind of language. Men, don't ask to speak to a man that will understand, women, don't put your husband or boyfriend on the phone to try to intimidate me. I will standfast to my company's policies, no matter if a man is put on the phone. I can't be intimidated, in fact it makes me more determined to hold out.

Be pleasant with me, understand if my computer is running slow, or the repairs on your elec is taking longer then expected. Understand if I can't give you a specific time for power restoration, or not tell you how long your power is going to be out, You're my first call!

Every now and then, it is nice to hear that we are doing a nice job, and we explained something to someone that they were able to understand. I will bend over backwards to do anything I can do for you, if you treat me like a human being and not just a servant to do your bidding.

I love my work, meet many wonderful people, and fortunately, have very few incidents when people cuss at me or call me bad names, or give me a hard time. Thank God, the good calls out weigh the bad ones, and I am thankful that I can do something to help someone else.

OH, by the way, if we say that we cannot give out information due to the Privacy Act, please believe us, it could mean our job if we give out information to the wrong person.

Thanks for listening,

Sherri

Chatty, Maggie, Smile and Sherri,

Thank you all for your great and insightful answers! All of your replies are great!

Basically you're all saying, "Treat people the way you want to be treated." The Golden Rule, as Charlene explained, can open up many doors to good customer service.

Maggie's suggestion that we ask the clerk how he or she is doing, is a good one.

Smile, wanting just 'some honest answers,' I think each of us can relate to that one...

Sherri, with long-time customer service also says that The Golden Rule helps in all areas.

Great comments! Thank you all....

Toni

Hi Toni: One of the best things that comes to mind is "The Golden Rule": Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". In a not-so-perfect world, we need to show caring and compassion, and understanding. Treating others as we would like to be treated in similar situations isnt always easy, but it's worth it!

Songbird,

Caring and compassion, beautiful words we all need to say and hear...

Great words and thoughts. Thank you.

Toni

Sherri, thanks for your perspective. It's good to hear what the other side has to say. Often when wrapped up in finding answers we're so concerned aobut what we want that we forget the person onthe other side of the phone is also a person with feelings.

tell um you know Gweedo....

what? what?

Jaw Jaw,

I'm a little slow on modern jargon, can you give me more info? Sounds strange, but interesting?

Toni,
Gweedo is Bubba and Earl's cousin and they "take people out for ya."

Something tells me you haven't met me...I'm the resident Queen and general all around clown...I take nothing seriously...life's too short. Please forgive. I'm a humor writer and it's in my blood.

JJ

Toni:
The "What would Jesus do?" would also help in any situation. I've tried it and it does work!

Blessings!

JawJaw,

Thank you for your reply. Very interesting and cute! Love it, absolutely love it!

I can see why you're Resident Queen. Right on target!

Songbird,

Love your reply. "What would Jesus Do?" is a great way to handle almost every situation.

Beautifully put and true...

Thank you.

Toni:
"That's what friends are for..", right?
God Bless!

Well....keep in mind that sometimes Jesus would take a whip and beat the -is beejesus a correct thing to say here?- out of people. Remember that little incident in the temple? The Man was *seriously* offended!

When people live in an urban area I've noticed it's *much, much* easier to be rude than when folks live in a rural area. When there aren't that many folks, everyone knows everyone else and word gets around pretty quickly who's a nice person and who isn't.

On Crime Scene Investigation the other night they said that 7 out of 10, or was it 3 out of 10?, people carry guns in their cars. One of the actresses said, "are you serious??? That makes me think twice about flipping somebody off."

It's sad when the only reason we have to be nice is because we're afraid we might get our sorry arses shot.

Whatever happened to being nice because it's the right thing to do?

Like Mom always said, "because being nice matters!"

And, Mom was right.

Sandra,

What wonderful words and good points you made...
Indeed, what ever happened to 'being nice' because it was the right thing to do?

I think a lot of people aren't nice because they're afraid they'll be seen as weak.

And, you are so on target about Jesus 'letting someone have it!' He was no wimp and He let it be known when He was ticked off! He set the standard in all areas, particularly when injustice was done..

Wonderful points and you made my day, no, you made my week!

God Bless,

I totally agree with you Toni and Thistle. An additional thought that comes to mind is that Jesus threw over the tables. I don't think he physically attacked anyone. Might be a good lesson for all of us to take our anger out on inanimate object rather than other human beings.

It is so sad that we seem to have lost the value of being nice just for the joy of it. However, maybe we all need accountability too. A friend says that started when men stopped carrying guns in thier belts. He when all men had guns, everyone was a lot nicer to everyone because if they mistreated another man, he might shoot them and if they mistreated an older person or a child or a woman, they also ran the risk of being shot. I think kids learned about guns and to respect them early back then.

We are probably too far gone to benefit from that kind of thing today. It would probably lead to chaos and anarchy.
Just thoughts. I wish there were more nice people in the world. And I wish I was nicer too. Even on bad days.
smile

Smile,

Wonderful points about being nice 'just for the joy of it.' There doesn't seem to be much joy anymore--in all areas of life.

It seems that so many are becoming 'robotic' in all aspects of life...'machine-like.' Perhaps our lifestyles have sped up so much, so fast, with tension everywhere, that some are forgeting what it's like to be 'human.'

Don't know, just taking a guess...