Is Good Customer Service Becoming Extinct?
- Thursday, January 29, 2009
Whatever happened to good customer service? Isn’t the customer supposed to be right –at least most of the time? Shouldn’t savvy business owners and their employees try to please their customers instead of frustrate them, especially in these tumultuous economic times?
Even though the answer to these basic questions seems like common sense, recently I have discovered that is not the case. In many instances, I have received terrible service, discourteous service or a total lack of service. Sound familiar?
Good customer service is about ingratiating yourself with your patrons, hoping that they will spread the “good word” about your business. This is not achieved easily, but it very important.
Employers should teach their employees several phrases that they should never use including (but not limited to): “I can’t do that”; I won’t do that”; “I never have done that”; “I don’t know how to do that”.
While seemingly harmless phrases, they can cause much irritation and frustration to customers on the receiving end. Imagine calling a store where you have done a lot of business and being told by a clerk that he or she “can’t” and “won’t” help you with a problem. This type o response does little for confidence-building in the store. It also serves as a turn-off to the customer who may turn elsewhere for their next purchase, hoping to find better service and assistance.
Business owners should teach their employees to: smile, respect customers, wait on customers promptly, assist customers with their concerns/problems or find someone who can help, thank customers for their patronage, and never let customers leave without getting some sort of resolution to their concern/problem.
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