Over the last several weeks I tried in vain to reach customer service in an attempt to change my phone package. Over 2 weeks I placed 8 calls and spent 6 1/2 hours speaking to representatives that couldn’t understand me and I couldn’t understand them. Finally I manage to get to the last “verifier” who would only take a moment of my time to verify what we’d changed. A lady on the other end picks up, and yes you guessed it, said “Thank you for calling today, how may I help you?” Only it didn’t sound like that, I had just heard it enough times to become bilingual. Really? They misplaced my call again!!!
My next barrel of fun came when we received notice from the water company that we were the lucky recipients of an extra $120 bill that was lovingly transferred to our personal account. There was no bill explanation and congratulations, we’ve been sent to a collection agency. We could figure that it had to come from one of our tenants, but that was all. I called several times in vain over 3 weeks leaving unanswered voice mails, only to come home and find out that they had cut OUR water service off at home. Please note that our bill was paid and this account should have never had anything to do with ours.
Lastly, I have a refreshing experience in an unexpected situation. A very dear uncle passed away in another state, so I called the local florist there to send a planter to my aunt. As soon as I said my uncle’s name, he states that he knew Uncle Ron and used to live down the street from him on Main Street. When I tried to give him my credit card number, he said, “Oh, just drop a check in the mail to me when you can.”
See, in the first 2 examples, there was no human element. It just doesn’t work. In one case, there were language barriers and poor training. I was Line 3 and it was time for lunch. Sending me out to the outer limits of the galaxy was of no concern to them. In the second case, there wasn’t a Mr. Smith discussing the situation with Ms. Treadway or a Mr. Jones deciding that everything that could be done was exhausted and sadly he’d have to shut the water off. It was a computer that was programmed to terminate service at 4 pm on Wednesday (to which we also found out that the computer had shut us off one day early).
In the third story, there was a human connection. He knew my family, which made him know me indirectly and feel confident enough to allow me to mail in my payment too. My guess it that it must work pretty well or he wouldn’t still be in business. He operates in a small town where he can create connections and it worked fabulously. Even in large company situations, there are much better ways to take care of business and not frustrate and insult your most loyal customers. With all the technology available, why not use it to gather information sheets from each family. Know the kids names, what they do for a living, and note how long they’ve been with you and how they normally pay their account. Recognize that something seems out of character and send it to a department that tries to solve the issue before the customer relationship is wounded or they walk. Oh yeah, and don’t put people who can’t speak the language well on the customer service lines. It would be like me going over to Italy and trying to take EMS calls. Not many would live that day!
Oh, and my favorite part of my new florist friend story…..I told him I’d mail it out on my way out of town to the funeral, so which he said, “Just give it to Larry at the funeral home, he’ll get it to me in the next few days.” Now that’s the human element at its best!
cmtreadway 