tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post7028215790887453507..comments2023-10-30T08:58:17.723+00:00Comments on Simplicity: Why don’t you LISTEN to your customer?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-72939338271553363472011-04-15T19:02:09.463+01:002011-04-15T19:02:09.463+01:00Marilyn-
Thank you for your kind comment.
Ken Ra...Marilyn-<br /><br />Thank you for your kind comment.<br /><br />Ken RawleyUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15383696104882763999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-87376211520959223382011-02-27T19:45:07.053+00:002011-02-27T19:45:07.053+00:00Dave - As a customer I love it when a front liner ...Dave - As a customer I love it when a front liner solves my problem without having to refer the matter to a supervisor. I'm sure front liners are capable of solving most customer problems and the main reason they can’t is not because customer expectations are too high but because front liners power is too little.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-43840637067385703002011-02-27T15:45:24.317+00:002011-02-27T15:45:24.317+00:00Trevor,
As a Trainer of customer service folks I ...Trevor,<br /><br />As a Trainer of customer service folks I tell every student I will hunt them down every time I hear them say "I apologize for the inconvenience"...the emptiest words in service...or any phrase that's using the words "my system" as in "my system is running slow today"...like what, your digestive system? Heating and air? <br /><br />I work for a large wireless telephone company and I frequently take escalated calls to help reps out when they can't find their manager, which is why I am frequently helping with escalations. We train our reps to be advocates for our customers and they have a 250.00 credit limit each call. If the customer isn't happy with their resolution, they are to engage a manager and have them work with the customer. All I want to know before I take over a call is the issue,and what the rep offered. As you point out however Trevor, the problem is most often with the frontline manager and front line work processes where the performance expectation is 100% quality and customer satisfaction but the performance metrics measure quantity...handle time, hold time, repeat calls etc. I'll take a rep with high AHT and low repeats any time, any day. <br /><br />Don't recall the title but I was reading a Jim Collins book where he said "The true definition of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change. The true definition of mediocrity is inconsistency" To me, that nails it as the biggest challenge in the service industry. A new paradigm is also needed for customers...decades of "customer focus" has created (my industry) a culture where free and unlimited would not meet there expectation since a it didn't come with a free iPhone or Blackberry. If it costs me money to keep you as a customer, should I do it?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08189906590323376067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-9318815004365512282011-02-25T22:08:42.628+00:002011-02-25T22:08:42.628+00:00Brilliant Lois!!! - Thanks for the link. Charm sch...Brilliant Lois!!! - Thanks for the link. Charm schools for front liners Eh? - What about charm schools for leaders who treat their front liners like lumps of meat. <br /><br />Its leadership where it all goes wrong - not at the front line - we all know that. <br /><br />On the other hand the best leaders just 'get' this customer stuff intuitively.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-15767588429724689512011-02-25T21:16:03.203+00:002011-02-25T21:16:03.203+00:00Hi Trevor-
I forgot to sign my anonymous rant at ...Hi Trevor-<br /><br />I forgot to sign my anonymous rant at the top.<br /><br />And yes- if you mean radical as right to the roots, I agree it would be world-changing, for the owners as well as employees, to give the front-line person authority to, say, put jalepeno peppers on the hot dog or give a long-term policy holder a better rate.<br /><br />Here's another thought on customer service-<br /><br />http://www.bnet.com/blog/travel-detective/delta-to-workers-you-need-charm-school/464?tag=drawer;more-from-section<br /><br />Just what's so bad about making customers happy anyway?<br /><br />Lois GoryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-77543879259943489252011-02-25T15:51:19.074+00:002011-02-25T15:51:19.074+00:00Marilyn - yesterday I spoke to (an allegedly) ‘sen...Marilyn - yesterday I spoke to (an allegedly) ‘senior’ person who’s job is to deal with what they call ‘escalated’ <br /><br />I said to him quite openly and up front I will now be telling lots of people how bad their customer service is... <br /><br />I reminded him of how many people I had told in the past how good the service had been – I’ve been with this company for many years!!<br /><br />Believe me Marilyn there was not even the slightest glimpse of empathy or simply UNDERSTANDING the point I was trying to make<br /><br />He verbally ‘shrugged his shoulders’ and didn't make any comment. <br /><br />I even said to him “So you are quite happy to lose loyal customers of many years standing who just leave you in an angry disillusioned and frustrated state?”<br /><br />Again no emotional response ….. Just that ‘Its policy” kind of attitude<br /><br />Oh well … their loss as far as I’m concerned …Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-53167990027935282792011-02-25T14:47:36.476+00:002011-02-25T14:47:36.476+00:00Hi Trevor,
And how many folk will you now tell ab...Hi Trevor,<br /><br />And how many folk will you now tell about this poor service? Companies don't seem to care about that, do they?<br /><br />Congratulations on a wonderful Ken Rawley style story--he is my marketing hero who wrote a column in a local business newspaper about his customer experiences, good and not so good.Marilyn Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04043225892512813654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-52465995973302355022011-02-25T10:52:28.048+00:002011-02-25T10:52:28.048+00:00I think you are 100% correct JK
In my experience,...I think you are 100% correct JK<br /><br />In my experience, I am sad to say, far too many managers don't like the word 'love'- they see it as some kind of soft, fluffy, flowery language - they are WRONG!<br /><br />As far as I am concerend the word LOVE is at the heart of this debate. <br /><br />We MUST 'love' our customer - no question as far as I'm concerned.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-25569872394878073052011-02-25T10:36:06.615+00:002011-02-25T10:36:06.615+00:00Hi Trevor,
If only one knows the Art of Loving th...Hi Trevor,<br /><br />If only one knows the Art of Loving the Customer, that person need not learn the Art of Selling to the Customer.............this out of my personal experience and I was successful and still maintaining the statusquo.Learn to LOVE. SELL & SERVICE...............your customer(s)<br /><br />JK<br /><br />JKJ.KANNANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290750197578710041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-62789011182292155522011-02-25T07:42:40.444+00:002011-02-25T07:42:40.444+00:00Wonderful story Trevor and a great film - we went ...Wonderful story Trevor and a great film - we went to the Odeon last night to watch it ironically enough!<br /><br />Your story reminds us of pathetic 'jobsworth' attitude. What's happened to judgement, flexibility and emotion? <br /><br />We now have wonderful,creative, intelligent, imaginative and sensible front line people wqhio have been turned into 'robots' because of STUPID bosses who have not actually seen a customer for a few decades - thats my conclusion anywayTrevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-75919056294808421542011-02-24T20:14:41.209+00:002011-02-24T20:14:41.209+00:00Hi Trev. The other Trev here. Showcase cinemas mad...Hi Trev. The other Trev here. Showcase cinemas made my blood boil last week. As a massive movie fan, I go to the flicks probably once a week. I always have a hot dog and a coke, but i like jalepeno peppers on my hot dog. The have been charging me 50p extra for a portion. A right rip off i know but I have been putting up with it. Lasr week however, a young girl refuses to sell me the portion of peppers.'Oh no, she said, you can only have those with nachos' I said I have been coming for years and you can sell them to me, ' I will go and ask my manager' she said. 2 minutes later she comes back and refuses to sell me the peppers. By this time there is a massive queue behind me. i have already taken a couple of bites from my hot dog and a few slurps of m coke.I am ashamed to say, i lost my temper and pushed the hot dog and coke across the counter and said I didnt want them if they werent going to sell the peppers. I Then stormed off and watched the film hungry and thirsty and in a fowl mood throughout. i now go to Odeon in town. Anyway, the film was 'the kings speech' and it was dead good. Speak soon mate.Trevor Binchhttp://www.merrickbinch.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-41289576326813124242011-02-24T19:15:32.838+00:002011-02-24T19:15:32.838+00:00Thanks JK - I simply do not understand why some pe...Thanks JK - I simply do not understand why some people at the top of organisations just don't 'get' the fact you must love your customer!Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-10849884942223017082011-02-24T17:20:49.908+00:002011-02-24T17:20:49.908+00:00Hi Trevor,
I do agree with the views of Asacker, ...Hi Trevor,<br /><br />I do agree with the views of Asacker, and yourm predicament,it was rather unfortunate and sad to note that the customer care interaction was aweful, substandard doesn't speak of good at all about the service provider.These sorts of guys shoud be educated of the fact.........that they can't spell S(U)CCESS with out "U" C(u)stomer and those are the olden days the customer is called KING now its.............."Customer is God" and its because of the grace of the customer many of us are able to enjoy 3 square meal a day and other facilities and privileges for us and our family in our day to day life, and I don't how these guys dare to neglect the customer and at times even behave and conduct in adverse and dirty manner................and its due to nothing but lack of proprt indoctrination and training by the managers to the front liners dealing with customers. I have nothing but to say to console all the affected ones.................."WHAT CAN NOT BE CURED MUST BE ENDURED"........Is there any better solution.....I welcome it.<br /><br />J.KJ.KANNANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18290750197578710041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-6411334163810399292011-02-24T16:35:00.009+00:002011-02-24T16:35:00.009+00:00Anonymous - now come on I don’t want these radical...Anonymous - now come on I don’t want these radical ideas on my Blog!! …..Giving power to front liners indeed!! - Whatever next? ... I suppose you will be suggesting we allow people on the front line to actually make decisions …Wars have start with less anarchical suggestions!!!Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-6466920662223711312011-02-24T15:50:10.913+00:002011-02-24T15:50:10.913+00:00For Heaven's sake Tom!
Don't you know wh...For Heaven's sake Tom! <br /><br />Don't you know what would happen?<br /> <br />Each frontline client concierge would start making independent decisions to better serve customers outside policy, they'd talk to each other and exchange ideas, things wouldn't be standardised, managers would turn into support staff instead of bosses, customers would rave about being treated as individuals and encourage all their friends to use the company and they'd rave to their friends and the company would have to hire and train more staff to keep up with the new business and...<br /><br />Oh wait- what are we here for anyway? <br /><br />To give the shareholders a great ROI by outrageously satisfying customers, yes?<br /><br />OK, maybe this would work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-9544131187732125822011-02-24T01:35:08.586+00:002011-02-24T01:35:08.586+00:00Agree with you Tom. Small is definitely beautiful....Agree with you Tom. Small is definitely beautiful. It’s not that front line people in large organisations are bad people; it’s just that the senior managers in large organisations forget they are supposed to be offering a SERVICE to the customer not presenting a PROBLEM to the customer. <br /><br />As always your wisdom is based on Simplicity my friend. Take care and keep it simpleTrevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-52209894536871083762011-02-23T23:42:23.934+00:002011-02-23T23:42:23.934+00:00How sad, and unfortunately all to common. There...How sad, and unfortunately all to common. There's really only one way out of this madness, and that's to bust these big businesses into hundreds of very small businesses. Give the woman who talked with you 100 clients and hold her, and her supervisor, responsible for those clients' happiness, profitability, and growth through word-of-mouth and referral business. We've disconnected people from the essence of business, which is the creation and nurturing of satisfied customers. It's time to reconnect them!Tom Asackerhttp://www.acleareye.comnoreply@blogger.com