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Re: Customer service by phone
Greg, Let's take a look at the issue, and understand that 'you'' and 'we' are global and not personal. If you read my post, you will see that I mentioned trying the website and all of the options, FAQ, forms, email, etc 'if available' to resolve an issue, before getting on the telephone. I am not adverse to waiting a reasonable amount of time, as those websites ask, for a reply. But, when you get past that point, and you do call, then we end up with what you euphemistically call a ''voice response system'' I have one of those too, they are called ears. It does not get any easier by having telephone 'triage', referring us to places like the website, we had to go to, to find the phone number, because we could not find the answer in the first place. If you actually read the post, nowhere did any mention of crappy service reps, (in my experience), at various times are also unintelligble on the phone,(think Indian call centers) take place. It is a tough job. I did take a jab at my fellow web designers, because they are not doing the job. But their responsibility ends with the companies committment to providing customer service online. Which brings us right back to the 'voice response system'. Which is my point, someone with lungs who works at the dumb products company, can probably route the call to the person most able to help the customer and shorten the total time on the phone, saving the company money which may give you a bump in salary because of how well oiled a machine your department has become, or if you are actually trying to be that good, the gilmet eyed accounting department is gonna RIF you. In either of these cases I win, which is the point. I want to be a winner, I want to think that I received value from your product for my money. If there is a question, and I do end up on the phone, the value diminishes in a direct proportion to how much time it takes to get an answer. If I receive value, I will tell my friends which will in turn sell more of your product to pay your salary. Do you see how we are all joined at the hip, despite the fact we have never met, will probably never meet, but do share a desire to feel good about the choices we make, knowing that there is someone who we can turn to if there is a problem? Because the majority of products are sold in large stores who have salespeople who are not trained in the use of the products they sell and whose livelihood is determined by moving product and not explaining it. Although most stores do have a no hassle return policy, I don't want to return the product, I just want it to work. Being a 'senior customer service rep' makes this real chilling as what are the freshman reps doing? Why are there levels? Is customer service such an monumentally diffcult career that levels are required to handle the large call volume? This brings up a couple of issues, the first which comes to mind is that what ever solutions are made, this information does not go upstairs to have the website updated to reduce the call volume. I can see where a certain amount of self preservation is a concern as if we can solve the problem from the website, your job becomes a target for the next budget axe. I don't want to call you. I don't want to get pissed listening to a recording telling me that the website will answer all of my questions, when I am on the phone because clearly it doesn't. I don't want to have to be moved to a new level of customer support because the first level cannot do the job, with it's own wait time. I am likely to be profane although I am working on it, because, and this is the most important part of this whole thing, ----------------------------------------------------------------- I am calling you because your company already made the sale, but it's value is diminishing rapidly with every moment I spend waiting for you. -----------------------------------------------------------------
The idea that I will sue you or that I require compensation for my inconvience is the most laughable part of your defense, as I will not sue you or ask you to write me a check, but I can do far more damage by not giving your company any more of my money, which if you are selling millions of these things may not seem like a big deal, but since I am on the internet I can tell a potential audience of millions why I do not like your product and why I don't think it is a good choice for them. Can you hear me now? alan herrell - the head lemur There are responses to this message:
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