A story from Gary Choronzy during this week’s pitch meeting involved his frustration with cell phone and cable companies – and this evolved into a conversation about how tough it can be to get good customer service from any company.
The recurring theme was how difficult it’s become to speak directly with a decision maker, particularly where large companies are involved. Harlan Brothers sees it through the eyes of the mathematician: “these companies … have calculated what the tradeoff is”.
SO… what is your secret for receiving good customer advice?
Jim Kohn says
You always catch more bees with honey. Well, almost always. Becoming the path of least resistance for a service provider generally results in a better service experience. For example, if I’m in a busy restaurant and the server is really going nuts, I’ll say “don’t worry about it, we’re in no rush.” Being pleasant and positive in a pressurized atmosphere makes it easier for the server to spend time at my table than at a table that is making him miserable.
On the phone, or with a big company is a title more tricky. Always start off by expressing the assumption that the person you’re speaking to is competent and eager to help. When they (all too often) prove that this is not the case, move on up the chain of command to someone who is. Customer service is usually an issue of culture. You usually won’t find someone really falling down on customer service in an organization with a culture of great service, and the opposite is true as well. Be vocal; express your compliments and appreciation when service is good, and don’t be shy about letting people know when they’ve failed to meet your expectations.
And as always, “vote with your feet”.
webguygary says
Good advice, Jim.
What would you do in a scenario where the company in question (in my case, the cable company), has no competition for the services they provide?
Walter Plant says
I listened to the podcast, and I’m in a similar situation with my cable provider.
My solution is to reduce my services, and divert my spending to services such as Netflix, Hulu, and the like. I’m waiting for the day when I can BOAST that I have officially “cut the cord”.
webguygary says
Agreed!
“Cutting the Cord” is exactly what I’d love to do, but based on the content I consume, I can’t quite pull that trigger yet either.