How's Your Customer Service? - Tips on Providing Excellent Service to the Not-so Excellent Customer

Nothing in the world upsets me more than the lack of customer service most private companies provide, ESPECIALLY, if the company monopolizes the product or service in high demand! Usually, the customer service representatives are apt to be less courteous or knowledgeable in the product or service than other companies who have competitors.

I was a manager at my previous employment and my primary duty was customer service regardless of the fact that we were the largest advertising publishers in the industry. I, as a manager, was REQUIRED to provide the highest level of service, better productivity with a minimal budget, so I know what it takes to provide proper customer service so that the customer leaves dissatisfied or resents our company.

The success rate in making every customer happy may not be 100%, because, let's be honest, there are the rare few that has a mind-set to be miserable, but the ratio can be pretty high. My technique is to make the customer feel as if they were talking to someone they know pretty well. I use humor and this sometimes calms the customer to a level where we are able to communicate effectively and come to a compromise where the company doesn't lose revenue and the customer is satisfied. Always make sure you speak to the customer to get a general feel of what mood they're in, then put on the mask to what fits their mood. It took me 11 years and a thousand types of customers to learn the art of persuasion. Nevertheless, more effective customer service virtues are:

• KNOW: Knowing the product or service empowers you to advise or help your customers understand the product or service, after all, knowledge is power.
• LISTEN: To further assist your customer's issue, you must LISTEN TO THEIR PROBLEM, before you can make sound decisions (this means focusing on every word, not the droning sound of their voice), then you'd be able to;
• EMPATHIZE: with their situation to calm them down so that you can resolve their issue.

One of the worst service examples happened to me during my moving process. I'm at MPULSE, a private telephone company recently purchased from a Government Agency, and the new wave in technology on the island, I lived on before moving to the mainland, with their GPS, Internet and cellular service in addition to the ONLY Company on island to provide telephone communication. Moving required the disconnection of utility services, settling outstanding bills, etc. Three weeks before my departure, I visited the main office to disconnect the telephone service, do an address change and pay for any outstanding charges. Since my sister, who now resides in Texas, initially opened the service wasn't able to do the changes I took the liberty of requesting it.

The visit took less than 15 minutes with a young, bony representative who seemed more concerned with the handsome hunks gaping at her from behind me. I craned my neck to try to meet her eyes as I asked her a few more questions when she resigned to a slouch and an exasperated look. She meekly answered my questions, pointed to the signature line and gave me a copy of the termination order after I signed it. Unfortunately, due to technical circumstances, we are forced to move our departure date a week after target date, SO I went in to their kiosk in another location to cancel the termination order. Note my second visit to this company is to cancel the cancellation.

ME: Hi, I'm here to extend the termination order of my telephone service to the 15th instead of the first like I originally requested 3 weeks earlier.

Representative: Okay, May I have your ID please and your telephone number. (The representative started typing in her computer. After verifying the phone number and ID, it was revealed that I am NOT an authorized customer under that number)... I'm sorry ma'am, since you are not an authorized representative; we are unable to process your request.

ME:(with raised eyebrows and obvious frustration): Is the termination order set for the first?

Representative: Yes ma'am, the service order for termination is set for the 1st. (Pulling out my copy of the original order with MY signature)

ME: Then this initial order is invalid, because my signature is unauthorized.

Representative: Yes ma'am. (Chirping like this with a blank stare but did nothing else in her computer, which tells me that, the termination is still effective and she didn't stop the termination. She gave me a wide smile as if this was supposed to appease me, but only intensified my aggravation)

ME: Aren't you going to do anything about it?

Representative: I'm terribly sorry ma'am. I'm not allowed to.

After a moment of silence, I stared at her in disbelief and did a mental 10-second count to compose myself, I continued in the kindest voice I could muster in a situation like this.

ME: Help me understand. If I am unauthorized to make any changes on this account, then why will it be disconnected on the first?

Representative: Because ma'am, you signed the termination request. (A pause.) Somebody, PLEASE, stop me right now... please stop me! I'm just staring at her hoping she'd catch the meaning behind the tone of my voice.

ME: Ma'am. (Sighing heavily) If I am not authorized to make changes on the account, then this order is invalid because this is my signature, right? This means, the service should NOT be disconnected until my sister requests for it, not me, right? Otherwise, my sister can sue this company for unauthorized termination of services.

Oh, the light of reason suddenly shines upon her face, as her eyes opened as wide as her jaw.

Representative: That's right. Hold on a moment.

She makes a call, mumbles gibberish, nods a few times, and then hangs up. Then she sits there, without looking at me, and starts typing on her computer as if I wasn't there. The minutes drag on without any confirmation from her. Uh, hello? Customer here, waiting for response. Ok, that's it! I've been as patient as possible under significant stress and with an all-day fest of driving around changing addresses and clearing utility accounts.

ME: Excuse me. I have been patient up until this point when you decided that your email was more important than taking care of this problem and I still have things to do, so, because this is YOUR internal problem to take care of, I'm going to leave now with the assurance that this company will do the right thing and cancel the termination. In addition, if you don't understand what I've just said, let me make it clear. The telephone service should still be on until my sister sends you a notice to terminate it. Understood?

Representative: Uh, yes, s-sure. Of course, ma'am. I'm sorry, I thought...

ME: And what is your name? I would like references if there are any problems with our communication. After she gives me her name, I hoisted my purse onto my shoulder and walk away quickly. That wasn't even HALF of what I wanted to say, but I had to leave before I popped a vein in my temple.

Following simple key steps in providing excellent customer service gives room to a more harmonious business transaction in any industry and you set the mold for a stable customer base to increase productivity and retention.