Communication is Key

Customer communication can solve many problems

Readers of this blog know that one of my customer service pet peeves is communication. Many headaches can be avoided by keeping customers informed. Even if it’s bad news, getting “in front” of the problem will result in better customer interaction and build trust in your business.

Communication with a company in which I’d completed business caused both irritation and satisfaction. Thompson Creek Window Company had installed windows. Touch-up work was necessary after the job was completed. Although scheduled for a month later the process was smooth and painless. There had been quoted a two-hour arrival window in a confirmation email. On the appointed day, the scheduled timeframe passed. I called to check. The two-hour window surprised the customer service rep as their policy is usually four, but at this point, that wasn’t the issue. When was the tech arriving? The representative made a call and I was told that the tech had been delayed due to a problem at another site. I would be the last call of the day and the tech would call a half-hour before arriving.

The end of the [business] day came and no call-no repair tech. Well, sometimes they arrive after hours to finish the scheduled jobs. That didn’t happen. Day wasted. The first thing the next morning I’m on the phone to work it out.

The customer service representative was empathetic and apologetic. Good start. She said she would “investigate” and get back to me. I put investigate in quotes because I found that an interesting choice of words. Regardless, it made me (the customer) feel that she took the matter seriously and would actually get answers.  (Read I’m in your way, to see how simple words can change a customer’s experience)

It took a couple hours but the customer service rep did get back to me. And she had really investigated what had happened.  She explained the company’s internal communication process and policies. She then explained where the failure occurred. In my case, the repair tech had been delayed beyond the appointment time and emailed the service coordinator. However, that email was after hours and the coordinator was out of the office the next day. 

She offered the explanation not as an excuse but as factual reporting. I thanked her for the explanation and for being so thorough. She said that she tries to respond to customers the way she would like to be treated. While I understood their process, I explained that a call directly to the customer at the time of the missed appointment would have helped; it would have been more welcome than no communication. The customer service rep sincerely took my suggestion. She then scheduled my repair for the first available date, which was within three business days.

Not offering excuses and providing a thorough answer definitely deescalated my situation. I’m sure some customers would have been more irate and would not have accepted the answer, but hey, the appointment had already come and gone, what could the representative have done at that point. Except for provide-Customer Service.

Another positive experience that started out as an inconvenience occurred at a Chick-Fil-A. I had placed an order using the mobile app for pickup. The order went through and the payment processed.  When I arrived at the restaurant, it was closed for remodeling. Now what. Luckily, I’m in an area that pretty much has two of everything in a short drive. I hop over to the next nearest restaurant ready to tell my story. Once inside I ask for the manager. A sentence into my dilemma and she asks to see my mobile order to confirm. Without further explanation from me, she processed my order. I complimented the manager for being on top of the issue and her reply was, “Thanks, but we’re really not on ‘top of it’ if the app is still accepting orders”. She immediately got on the phone and I could overhear her speaking to someone about the problem. 

Both of these examples exemplify how communication is essential to customer service. My experiences started out poorly due to a lack of communication but both ended positively. In both instances, the problem was identified, what was suppose to happen explained, and the problem fixed with little effort on the part of the customer. 

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Communication key to customer service

Keep your customers informed

Customer service is where businesses lose and maintain customers. It is also something that can be fixed.  The more information you give people and the faster you deal with issues, the more customers you’ll retain.

NewVoiceMedia’s 2018 “Serial Switcher’s” report found that businesses loss $75 billion a year due to poor customer service. Naturally, that varies by the size of the business and, of course, the state of their customer service. Small business owners rarely can afford to lose business, especially due to treating customers poorly.

Don’t be defensive

When presented with a problem human nature makes us want to defend our position. Sometimes that is accomplished in a passive manner by making excuses. Sometimes more confrontational. Instead, we should be empathetic and ask ourselves what can be done to make it better.

Lack of communication

A big issue with poor customer service is poor communication. Either before the problem arises or after it has been brought to the attention of the business. Most issues can be avoided by communicating with customers. Like in public relations, getting out in front of problems will save you headaches later. If a problem is identified from within that will lead to dissatisfied customers, let them know. The more information they have the less likely they may complain, they may even be sympathetic to your problem.

Lack of communication allows the customer to mire in the situation and build ill will towards the company even before the problem is addressed. This is why the poor customer service reps have to start with customers who are already ramped up to a 7 on the first interaction. That’s if the customer personally makes contact. Most complaints today are expressed online either through bad reviews or social media posts. Once that happens the complaint reaches a much larger public audience and is there to stay. Some businesses address these complaints by deleting bad comments or reviews. Not only does this mask the problem it also will affect their search engine rankings, which may cause poor search results.

An example comes from personal experience. We were having problems with the delivery of our newspaper. (Yes, I still read daily news printed on paper) After a week and a few automated reports of no paper being delivered the problem seemed to be corrected. The next week a representative from the paper called to ensure everything was back to normal. Seems they had a carrier quit unexpectedly which caused the delivery issues. While I appreciated the call to make sure service had been restored, wouldn’t it have been better to call when the problem occurred? Let the customers know that they are experiencing manpower issues, explain corrective measures, and that service would be restored shortly. I know I would have been more sympathetic and appreciative.

Sometimes a simple communication of thanks sends a surge of goodwill to customers. One time I received a thank you note after an online purchase. The card was handwritten with the simple message, ‘Thanks for keeping the lights on”. I’d never had any in-person interaction with this company, but receiving a handwritten thank you went a long way in my assessment of the company and definitely enticed me for future business

Communicating with customers at the earliest point of a problem is one of the best ways to avoid complaints. If you’re having an issue that will affect service or the customer experience let the customer know before it is recognized or goes public. This starts on the frontlines. Employees have to know what they are allowed to handle in their purview and what is the company position.

Lee Cockerell, former Executive Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World Resort, explains in his podcast, Customer service is not a department but is an attitude. Employees at every level should be empowered to serve the customer.  

Please refer to the blog archive for more posts on customer service.

I’m in your way (Customer Service)

Nothing seemed to go with the topic...So why not a chicken.

A simple choice of words can make a big difference in customer service.  Not how the customer is spoken to, but the choice of words used by the employee and how the customer hears those words. Here are a few examples.

Over the last couple of months, I had the opportunity to place orders with a box hardware store to be picked up at the store. The first experience I was in the area and although before the scheduled pick up date thought I’d stop in and see if the item was ready. Being a pop in I didn’t have the order number but figured the order could be found through a search of the name, phone number, etc. I approached the in-store pickup desk and was greeted by the employee-friendly enough. I explained I wanted to check if an order had come in. The employee asked for the order number. When I said I didn’t have it I was told that the order could not be found without the order number. Not receiving a “Your order is ready for pick up” email, I decided it wasn’t worth the effort at this time. I returned at the proper time, with the order number, and received the product. I related this because of the second in-store pickup experience.

This time I waited until the order was ready for pick up notification. I arrived at the store, order number in hand, was greeted at the pickup desk and explained I had an order for pick up. The employee responded, “Let me see what I can find”. Which implied that my order could be searched in a variety of fashions. I explained my earlier experience and complimented the employee. Just a simple choice of words within a greeting provided options to customers.  How something is communicated can make a huge difference in a customer’s experience. 

Noticing more ants than I wished to notice roaming about I called the pest company with whom we have a service contract. Meaning they are supposed to respond pretty quickly to pest issues. I’m met with the standard directory tree of press ones, twos, and threes. Finally reaching my destination I am greeted with, “All customer service representatives are busy at the moment, your call is important to us, please listen to some catchy music while you wait”.  As I begin to get the rhythm of whatever 90’s classic has been turned instrumental, a pleasant voice interrupts my musical interlude. She explains that all the operators are busy and maybe for some time. I may leave a call back number and they will return my call within 24 to 48 hours. 48 hours!! I have ants now! I wanted to say but didn’t. 

Just as I begin to work up a response, she adds, “OR you could call back in a few minutes, there should be someone available”. Now I’m sure the “leave a message” bit was what was supposed to be told to the customer. But this operator, in one sentence and unbeknownst to her, defused my ire. Taking the effort and time to spend two more seconds on the phone made for a content customer. She didn’t have to give me the added tip but she went out of her way to do so.  I made sure to point this out and compliment her for her customer service skills.

I hung up. Waited a few minutes. Called back and got right through, making my appointment for the next day.

On a recent trip to a Disney resort, we had an encounter with an employee that really hit the nail for what Disney customer service is all about. The employee, or cast member as they’re called, was cleaning around a trashcan near stairs. It was difficult to get to the stairs without intruding on the workspace. We excused ourselves and apologized for being in the way. The cast member quickly said that it was not a problem and it was he that was in our way. 

A little comment that could quickly be forgotten. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that that attitude is what makes visiting a Disney resort so great, The cast members are there to make sure you have the greatest experience possible. Everyone is quick with a smile, hello, and what can they do for you.

Building on the “I’m in your way” comment, I was recently in a small mom and pop type store. One of the employees was moving some merchandise with a hand truck and had to pass by. I apologized for being in the way and stepped aside. He said, “Don’t apologize. You’re the one with the money”.

Whether it is a friendly smile or an upbeat verbal greeting, how employees interact with customers is a significant reflection on your business. Cordial greetings could help put an irate customer at ease. Empathy with the customer’s needs and reassurance can diffuse bad experiences. Lee Cockerell, former Executive Vice President of Operations for the Walt Disney World Resort, says the customer isn’t always right, but they are the customer.

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Check's in the mail

Checking utility payments it was noticed that a certain utility had not received the last payment. The payment had been paid by check and mailed. Partly being old school, partly because online payments incur a “convenience “ fee, and partly because the only way to set up a recurring payment is to allow the utility access directly to your checking account (Not happening),

When I called to check (sorry had to) the problem, of course, I could hear the cliché of you know what being in the mail. Just as I’m sure the customer service rep could as well. But mine really was. Never missed a payment. Never had an issue, until now. All I could be told was that they didn’t receive the payment. Which is what I expected after checking the online account. What I wanted to know?  What was the problem on their end? I was told that there couldn’t be an inquiry unless the payment had been received and not applied to the account. There was no interest in recording a complaint, passing on a note to management, nothing.

I abandoned this tact and focused on the issue at hand, how to correct the missing payment. Once taken care of I thought of how this should have been handled and here we are.

If a decade's old customer called your business complaining of a lost payment, wouldn’t you want to know if there were a problem or potential problem in your accounting? Maybe not theft or misappropriation but just a systemic breakdown that could be easily fixed.

A simple record check would reveal that there has never been an issue with this client in the past. Now while there are a multitude of reasons why someone could miss a payment, someone with a sterling payment record should be given the benefit of the doubt. Depending on the size of the business it would not take long to review the procedures for handling invoices and payments.

After a thorough review, the customer should be re-contacted and informed of the findings. If no issues were found at least the assurance that the matter was taken seriously would be conveyed. The customer could then go about settling the payment.

The basis of the utilities’ investigation consisted of the customer service rep asking me what address I mailed the payment. Which was not a bad question, I guess, except that the answer was the address that is printed on the provided envelope. I was then told to check with the post office. That suggestion wasn’t even met with a reply.

I am sure lots of people try to put one over on utility companies. Rich or poor, whether you can pay or not, everyone needs power and water. Utilities have the option of turning off services for non-payment. Other businesses have usually already provided a product or service and would have to sue for remittance.  If there is a problem with the payment system the problem should not have to be solved by the customer. Even if customers have a history of non-payment complaints of accounting issues should be considered valid and investigated. Why wait until there is an embezzling problem to discover it? 

Regular reviews of systems and procedures should be conducted. Even for small businesses. Most small business operation offices are staffed with only a few people. Some employees wear more than one hat; most are trusted and well known. But therein lies the problem, sometimes. I’ve seen employees clean out smaller companies because they know the systems and where the weaknesses lie. No reviews or inspections are completed until it’s too late.

By the way, the utility apparently found the first payment and cashed it over a month after being mailed. Now I have a credit. WooHoo!

Whose problem?

One of my pet peeves is poor customer service. Not in the sense that the customer is always right, I demand satisfaction. But from a business operation standpoint of how a business handles customer service. 

When you have a problem and make contact with a company representative you don’t want to be punted down the line. The quicker resolution can be made the better for the customer and the company.

I use to believe that the person on the front lines, those dealing with the public either in person or over the phone are the face of the company. They should be able to resolve issues or know the limitations of systems. They should be trained in the issues facing the business. They are put out there by the company they should be empowered to acknowledge the problems, explain what the problems are, and be able to offer some resolution or compensation to the customer to immediately bring a conclusion. Still feel this way to a certain extent but a recent experience softened me to that point of view.

Calling a physician’s office patients are greeted with an automated system that offers several specific choices. There is no talk to a representative option. Pushing zero only causes the system to repeat itself. So, the caller is stuck with choosing one of the options. Having a non-emergency question, I chose that option. Being after closing hours I was greeted by a voicemail box instructing me how to leave a message and that someone will return my call. A message was left. Over 24 hours later no call. I call back and end up in the same voice mail. I decide to defeat the system by choosing an option that is not related to my topic but should land me with a real person. It does. Rightfully so, my issue is not their purview so I am transferred. Eventually, someone picks up.

They apologize for saying they didn’t get my original message. Wanting to make my point about their system, I explain that a message was left and after a little back and forth, I finally realize that I am speaking to a nurse that is trying to help me with my question. She has no idea how the phone system works or who even manages the system. We both apologize. Me for my gruff behavior, her for the system that she didn’t care for either.

This person is on the “front lines” in the sense that she answered the phone. But she had nothing to do with the phone system. This was an office manager’s issue. Sometimes employees are victims of the system. They have no control over it. They are put on the front lines without managerial support.

I’ve learned that empathizing with the front line employee about the issue seems to have a better effect. Engage them in a friendly manner, identify the issue and what a problem it must be for them. I usually find that they are just as frustrated with the situation as the customers. Bringing the issue to light in this manner tends to make the employee more inclined to pass on the customer’s comments to management.

While you may have issues with a sale, billing, or how you were treated you have to realize that the customer service representative is trying to help. Some may be better than others but they are trying to resolve your issue. Sometimes it is hard getting to the right person or a person for that matter. Know with whom you are speaking. Only relate the issue at hand and deal with that. You’ll probably have a much better experience than trying to force the rep to fix the system. 

Refer to the blog archive for other posts about Customer Service.

Omelet station observations

Observations of human nature while at the omelet station. 

While having breakfast at a hotel restaurant I was seated at a table facing the omelet station. The station was set up along long tables/s/ that were configured with a curve. Allowing the chef to access both ends with few steps and little reach. There were no signs but it was obvious, to me at least, which end of the table the finished omelets were being dispensed. The starting point had a varied selection of ingredients and the eggs. The middle section had four portable burners. The end had a stack of plates. The chef would greet each guest at the ingredient end and ask how to prepare the omelet. The chef would fill the pan with the guest’s selection and place the pan on the next available burner to coincide with where the guest was in line. The guest, it was assumed, was to follow the pan throughout the process and pick up the finished omelet at the other end.

Throughout my meal I observed the majority of people respond to the process as described above. A very few waited at the end of the line to place their order but were politely pointed in the correct direction by other guests. My observations were not about how efficient the omelet station worked but how people act and react towards others and stimuli in general.

For the most part, everyone was polite to the chef. A few seemed to have problems with the system or were just, simply, rude. The whole process of receiving your omelet took far less than five minutes. Probably a much shorter time than would take someone to create the same meal at home. Yet, people cannot wait that long. They’d place their order and walk off. Some would go to another food station, make some choices and return. Some would wander off and return with nothing else. The problem is that they would reinsert themselves in a line that had passed them by, causing some consternation from those waiting. Additionally, their leaving the area would mess up the chef’s rhythm. He would complete an order and have no one to hand it to. I’m sure he was not supposed to or would rather not have plated an omelet and leave it to set on the table.

For some reason, a choice of cheese was made at the end of the process as the omelet finished. This caused the chef to have questions about the order. If no one were there he would have to make a decision to add or not add cheese. I saw this happen on one occasion causing the guest to complain and the chef to trash the omelet and start over.

One gentleman was on his phone during the ordering phase and then walked away. As his omelet progressed through the line he returned to the area of the station but did not approach, still on his phone. The chef waited for the man to approach, which he did not. Guessing that the chef did not want to call out across the room, he motioned to get the man’s attention and while that did work the man did not approach or pause his call to address the chef. Couldn’t tell if the final decision was cheese or no cheese.  

Some people tend to have an air of superiority when it comes to the service industry. Whether they were raised in privilege or act that way when they are out, they treat food service workers as their personal servants. Few please and thank yous were provided. Personally, I try to be polite to people handling my food. You should expect to be provided with appropriate service, but ticking off the wait staff before you receive your food may not be wise. These situations seem to bring out the rudimentary manners we were all taught or neglected for basic human interaction.

The main observation was the lack of patience society has developed. Granted this was breakfast at what could be described as a business hotel. People aren’t their best in the mornings to start with, let alone while on business travel. There were no sociological breakthroughs. Just curious as I watched people interact with the chef and each other. Some over complicating a simple process. Some just go with the flow. For the most part, it was a congenial process that sent people off with a made to order hot omelet.

Customer service in the millennial age

Several recent experiences with different companies chat service have proven to be helpful and satisfying interactions. It seems that the customer service experience through chats and emails has been getting better. Either training has improved or companies are finally responding to customer needs. Another possible solution for this phenomenon is that the work force is getting younger.

According to a U.S Census Bureau report from June 2015, millennials represent more than one quarter of the nation’s population at 83.1 million. In comparison, the next largest population are Baby Boomers at 75.4 million. With their defined birth years between 1982 and 2000, they are well into the workforce and setting policy and trends. The economic landscape is adjusting. Millennials have grown up always digitally connected through cell phones, computers, games, and tablets. They tend to have less money to spend and will use their digital resources to scour for deals. The biggest generation in U.S. history is changing our economic landscape and how companies do business.

Companies have had email and chat alternatives for customer service contact for some time. It is reasonable to say that as millennials enter the work force they will bring their values and habits with them. One of those is reluctance to speaking on the telephone. They’d much rather stay within the digital world. They, themselves, use resources such as chat and email to communicate with business. In turn they provide the same service they would like to receive, putting more effort into something in which they believe a valuable resource.

Just a theory.

See our blog archive for other posts relating to millennials:

#IQUIT February 2014

Not like all the others September 2016

Lasting impression

To be successful in business is the obvious goal of entrepreneurs. If your business grows to the point of value that someone else wants to buy it is a compliment to the success of the business. To build a business that is such a recognized brand that a buyer wants to keep the owner’s name is a testament to the original owner’s accomplishments.

Giving your name to a business can be tricky and not advised by some strategists. Owners should separate the business from their personal lives and if the business were ever to be sold, the name would most assuredly be changed. A rare occasion it is that a small business can garner such respect of both a business sector and the community that the owner’s name is synonymous with quality. So much so that it may actually hurt business to change the name.

Brand

The way to build that brand is by providing decades of honest work and maintaining the highest level of customer service at all times. The repeat customer is one of the best compliments a business can receive. If the customers are happy they’ll bring in their friends.

Stability and giving back to the community also helps build the business. The sports analogy, “What you do off the field counts too”, can be applied here. When the business is active in the community and becomes a stable part of that community, the business will be recognized as a partner that has the community’s best interest at heart.

Walt Eger’s Service Center is such a business. Walt began learning mechanics from his father at the age of ten. He became a full time mechanic in 1965 and has been in the business ever since. Early on, Walt worked at several repair shops learning his trade.  Eventually he developed a loyal following of customers because of his exceptional skill and customers sensed his honesty and integrity. He opened is first shop with two bays in 1986 and one employee, Walt himself. He moved to his current location on Grimm Road in Severn, MD in 1998 and has been serving the area for thirty years. During the years of building his business, Walt examined his mistakes and took note of successes. He not only received his hard knocks business degree but also learned how to treat customers.

If you’re happy with the service tell a friend if not tell me

Walt has lived by this credo throughout his business career. If something’s wrong he makes it right. Dedication to customer service has served him well. Which has been one of the many reasons his customer base continues to grow. Coupled with an uncanny ability to hire the best people for right job. Walt Eger has grown his two bay auto repair shop in to a thirteen bay service center. The business itself and his practices have become a model for others.

Walt Eger’s Service Center is not just synonymous with quality auto repair. This business is also on the donation rolls of many local charities. The owner and the business both being involved in multiple civic and community organizations. He is happy to give back and be a community member, not just a 9 to 5 business.

Mention his name in the sprawling suburban communities and people know the business or the man.

He’ll tell you he’s made mistakes along the way, his strong faith carrying him through. But those mistakes are not evident now.

Good luck, Walt.

See our blog archive for other posts relating to Customer service:

Customer service October 2012

Now that's customer service! January 2013

Walt Eger's Service Center

Customer service

Just recently I went into a small store. The floor space was setup in a rectangle with a long glass counter on one side. The business’s main products were displayed in the glass counter. I could see one employee moving about the floor and four behind the counter.  One was working with another customer. The rest were talking to each other. I stood at the counter not really looking at the products but politely waiting to be helped. Across from me, two employees were talking and eventually moved their conversation farther down the counter. After several minutes of not being addressed I considered leaving but decided to time how long it would take to be approached. From the moment I started timing, until I was addressed, was four minutes. Which doesn’t sound long, but it is when you are waiting to be helped. This is not the first time I’ve experienced this sort of customer indifference. It is more shocking when you are in a smaller store when the employees outnumber the customers.

How about a bigger store where the employees have desks or stations in plain view of the customers? These stores give the appearance of their attention to customer service but the employees may not get it. You know the kind, the customer service counters with no walls and lots of brightly color shirted employees walking around looking like they are busy. As the wait continues, you start to notice that there is one employee servicing the line, one making copies, two speaking to each other, one on the telephone, and another coming in and out of several doors like they are in some sort of maze. The whole time you’re standing there wondering if you are in fact invisible. Nothing looks worse to customers and adds to their displeasure than seeing unmanned stations with what appears to be plenty of help ignoring the situation. If the employees are in view of the customer they need to be attentive to the customers.