Over the last 6 years I have been intimately involved in customer service in various capacities, various roles, various countries………..various so many things. I want to think that I know a lot about customer service, perhaps not as much as what I don’t know, but nevertheless quite a bit to make a decent living out of it. All that said I have been a customer longer in my life and will most likely be a customer even after my association with customer service as a professional ceases.
So as I look around myself and contemplate the service I am given at the local Macy’s, the Chinese take away down the road, on an American airline in business class, in a 5 star hotel some where in America’s or a customer service agent who is more focused on following her script rather than helping me, the “Customer”…..one thing becomes more and more apparent. American businesses in America mostly don’t give a rats ass about me the “Customer” anymore. Perhaps I am stating the obvious, but what I am truly keen on trying to understand is what happened? When did the key ingredient of any businesses success anywhere in the world, the customer become an annoying necessity? When did American businesses come up with a new equation for profitability with out the customer in it? When did this happen? and did I the customer incite this change?
What happened to “Customer” Service in America?
More and more the lady behind the counter at the airline counter, the gen Y dude at Best Buy, the “Customer Service” manager at BJ’s, the forever in a hurry waiter/owner at a Chinese eatery, at the mall, at the outlet, at the grocery…………………..it goes on and on, they don’t seem to care any more if I the customer am happy with their service. I have more money now than I did 10yrs ago and yet they don’t care. I treat service people better than I did ever and yet they don’t acknowledge. It appears more and more that there is a sense of entitlement amongst the service providers and thought that they are doing me a favor, when in reality they are doing their job and getting paid for it. Yes they may feel they are not getting paid enough, but hey who does anyways….(if you do, let me know where you work and I think we can change that!).
To me the simple explanation to this fast deteriorating situation that I hope more folks pay attention to; is two fold.
1. No pride – The service providers do not have pride in their work anymore. They lack commitment which is reflection of the increasing poor leadership more American business have. If you don’t believe me….look at the quality of corporate leadership…..tax evaders, money swindlers, fraudsters and hence the American economy in its current dilapidated state.
2. Customer’s have given up – More and more customers are letting it slide. Case in point the recent incident where a group of Muslim travelers were kicked out of Airtran. The gall of Airtran, but even more the customers who allowed that to happen.
So while I can rant on and on, the question is what does this all translate in to?
Slipping in to social anarchy where customer service providers will hold us at ransom, take our money and not provide service. Ok, little too dramatic, but you get the message. This behavior will dilute our social fabric, encourage poor attitudes, manufacture/develop subpar products and before you know America is at the bottom and not the top.
The solution? Well here are 3
So as I look around myself and contemplate the service I am given at the local Macy’s, the Chinese take away down the road, on an American airline in business class, in a 5 star hotel some where in America’s or a customer service agent who is more focused on following her script rather than helping me, the “Customer”…..one thing becomes more and more apparent. American businesses in America mostly don’t give a rats ass about me the “Customer” anymore. Perhaps I am stating the obvious, but what I am truly keen on trying to understand is what happened? When did the key ingredient of any businesses success anywhere in the world, the customer become an annoying necessity? When did American businesses come up with a new equation for profitability with out the customer in it? When did this happen? and did I the customer incite this change?
What happened to “Customer” Service in America?
More and more the lady behind the counter at the airline counter, the gen Y dude at Best Buy, the “Customer Service” manager at BJ’s, the forever in a hurry waiter/owner at a Chinese eatery, at the mall, at the outlet, at the grocery…………………..it goes on and on, they don’t seem to care any more if I the customer am happy with their service. I have more money now than I did 10yrs ago and yet they don’t care. I treat service people better than I did ever and yet they don’t acknowledge. It appears more and more that there is a sense of entitlement amongst the service providers and thought that they are doing me a favor, when in reality they are doing their job and getting paid for it. Yes they may feel they are not getting paid enough, but hey who does anyways….(if you do, let me know where you work and I think we can change that!).
To me the simple explanation to this fast deteriorating situation that I hope more folks pay attention to; is two fold.
1. No pride – The service providers do not have pride in their work anymore. They lack commitment which is reflection of the increasing poor leadership more American business have. If you don’t believe me….look at the quality of corporate leadership…..tax evaders, money swindlers, fraudsters and hence the American economy in its current dilapidated state.
2. Customer’s have given up – More and more customers are letting it slide. Case in point the recent incident where a group of Muslim travelers were kicked out of Airtran. The gall of Airtran, but even more the customers who allowed that to happen.
So while I can rant on and on, the question is what does this all translate in to?
Slipping in to social anarchy where customer service providers will hold us at ransom, take our money and not provide service. Ok, little too dramatic, but you get the message. This behavior will dilute our social fabric, encourage poor attitudes, manufacture/develop subpar products and before you know America is at the bottom and not the top.
The solution? Well here are 3
1. You are the solution….where ever you work, you have customers. Ask yourself if you are treating and servicing that customer like you would yourself? If not what would you do to make the change? Evangelize that across your sphere of influence & you are more influential than you think you are, when you try to push a positive agenda.
2. Thank and acknowledge good service providers. Everybody likes a pat on the back, do that if you are pleased. Again careful that you are only doing it when you are pleased….i.e. stop tipping those idiots who drip water or wine on your dress.
3. If you are not happy…..please make it known. Don’t vent in the privacy of your car. It only increases your blood pressure and reduces your life expectancy. Let the service provider know that you are not happy. We all have our ways, follow it. Don’t let them get away, it will only get worse.
Will this change anything? I believe if enough people do it, it will stop the deterioration and start encouraging good positive behavior. This is the season of change…..& I don’t want to miss on the opportunity…..nor should you.
2. Thank and acknowledge good service providers. Everybody likes a pat on the back, do that if you are pleased. Again careful that you are only doing it when you are pleased….i.e. stop tipping those idiots who drip water or wine on your dress.
3. If you are not happy…..please make it known. Don’t vent in the privacy of your car. It only increases your blood pressure and reduces your life expectancy. Let the service provider know that you are not happy. We all have our ways, follow it. Don’t let them get away, it will only get worse.
Will this change anything? I believe if enough people do it, it will stop the deterioration and start encouraging good positive behavior. This is the season of change…..& I don’t want to miss on the opportunity…..nor should you.
2 comments:
hey rex ! good to see you have a blog ! i didn't know you could write... :)
regarding the article itself, I think corporate america has become so greedy, that they dont care about the bottom workers, and so the workers don't care about the welfare of the company, the loyalty is lost, and this breeds, a don't care attitude.
Rohan, good blog and this is applicable anywhere in the world, not just America.
And I have been following the 3 items that you have mentioned since quite some time ... item 2 ensure that you get better service the next time around and combined with item 3 esp corrective action at places you frequent regularly, the response to incompetence/issues is swift.
At larger corporates with faceless customer services centers, the less said the better !!
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