Customer service is the pits, you say. You are not alone. It seems like bad customer service experiences are happening everywhere.
One of the biggest gripes from consumers today is the poor service they receive at the hand of service providers. Unfortunately, some companies ignore the principles of good service and the result is some of the worst customer service possible.
You need not be victimized by bad customer service nor do you have to move heaven and earth to get what you want.
We’ve all seen the effects of bad customer service. I think that all of us can think of examples of bad customer service. Even though it happens, bad customer service shouldn’t be accepted as the norm.
You are the customer, and as the customer you have power to get the attention of your service provider and get the great, quality service experience you deserve, not bad customer service.
Let’s take a look at four options you can take to get the results that you want and deserve!
When customer service goes wrong. Why bad customer service happens.
Chances are if you have a complaint or a problem with a product, you will have to contact that company’s Customer Service department. When calling, if you find a cooperative and caring individual, consider yourself fortunate. If you do not succeed in finding a cooperative and caring individual or the information that you receive from them is unacceptable, simply hang up and call back. More than likely you will get a person with a different attitude and a better answer.
This works particularly well with large companies who have a large customer service staff on hand. Unfortunately, because of their sheer size, the training and skills levels vary greatly, so bad customer service is often the result. Do not let their internal problems set you back.
Received bad customer service? Put your service complaint in writing
Yes, companies still read letters, more so email messages if it is directed to the right person. You bad customer service experience CAN be heard by the right people. Usually, the contact information is right on the box of the product or with the supporting paperwork [such as a users guide]. Search the Internet if you need more information; join Hoovers.com if you want to get the president’s contact information! Examples of bad customer service sent to management can help them fix the problem so it doesn’t happen again.
Want your customer service complaint heard? Tell a friend, no wait: tell 10 friends!
If you are not getting satisfaction and you have decided that you are no longer going to use the company’s product or services, tell ten friends. There is a maxim in customer service that management dreads: happy customers tell 3 of their friends, upset customers tell 10 of their friends when a bad customer service experience happens.
Matt, known as The Article Writer, covers topics as diverse as aviation, business, consumer issues, entertainment, health, insurance, news, retail, sales, and Christian issues. Matt gives an fantastic tip to those who may not feel like they have the large online following that would make a difference in getting their customer service complaints heard. He says:
So, you don’t have 10 friends? Get online and write product reviews for several of the comparison shopping sites. Be honest, open, and informative. Bad customer service should never t be ok. Count on many more than 10 people reading your review!
-Matt Keegan, TheArticleWriter.com
Drop the company with bad customer service
Sooner or later you may have to make the ultimate choice: to take your business elsewhere. In that case, let the company know that you will be leaving them [either by phone call, letter, or email] and switch to one of their competitors. Make sure you outline in your letter your complaint, the lack of satisfactory response on their end, and name the company whom you have chosen to provide the service that the other company failed to provide.
You may get a call begging you to come back, not likely, but if you do only return to them if the company “makes good” on their past mistakes. Sweetening the deal with a special offer to you is even better!
Do not accept poor customer service as the norm today, even though in many cases it is. Effect change on the corporate level by methodically and politely following the steps outlined above. They may not “get it” right away but they will when shares of their stocks begin to decline and shareholders take notice. Here’s some interesting news on seekingalpha about ShiftPixy where you can get full access to everything you need to make the investing decisions. By being proactive when you’ve had a bad customer service experience, you can get the attention of the service provider and still get the great customer service you deserve.
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