TeaFan's guide to getting good customer service

[TeaFan]

I've worked in a lot of public-facing roles, in the public and commercial sectors, and thought I'd give some tips on getting good service. I see a lot of people who go about it all wrong and end up getting poor service as a result.

 

1. Don't be rude.

 

The person you are talking to is just that - a person. People don't like it if you are rude to them, and just because they are not allowed to have a go back at you doesn't mean they won't be offended if you are rude or obnoxious. Several things happen when a customer is rude: the employee becomes defensive and this immediately sets up a them vs. you scenario when you need that person on your side; the employee gets stressed and consequently doesn't think straight, hence you get a worse service; they will avoid contact with you and prioritise helping other people before you, again you get a worse service.

 

2. Introduce yourself properly.

 

For some reason some people launch straight into a rant about what's gone wrong, e.g. "I ordered this product, right, and it's crap, there's a bit broken on it and etc, etc, etc". If you're on the phone, give your name first, it helps give you an identity and means that the employee sees you as more of a person and less of a generic ranter. Explain what happened, starting from the beginning, so it's easy to follow what's gone wrong.

 

3. Listen to what you are being told.

 

There is a type of person who never lets the employee finish a sentence, they always jump in to disagree or try to make their point before the other person has finished. They will never get good service, I guarantee it. Remember, behind every product or service there is always a system. If you want a result you need to understand that system, and the way you get to understand it is by listening to the company/organisation's representative explaining it to you. They deal with it every day and they know what they are talking about, so it pays to hear them out.

 

4. Don't try to get the employee to admit their organisation or company is crap.

 

Any employee who does this is asking to be sacked - lots of calls are recorded and if it's in person there is probably a supervisor in earshot. To get good service you need the company/organisation's representative to be on your side and go into bat for you. If you are slating their organisation they will tend to be more defensive and not on your side, so you lose.

 

5. If you are stressed, don't get aggressive.

 

This can particularly apply in the public sector, where the customer (yes, they call them customers these days) are often in fairly dire need and in stressful situations. If this is the case, tell the employee that you are stressed - it really helps you if they can see the impact of your situation on you. They see lots of people in similar situations and can become a bit desensitised to peoples' difficult situations. Don't take your stress out on them because they will back off and you will get worse service. They will have lots of other people to help out and you need to give them a good reason to prioritise your situation. Shouting at them will just mean they prioritise other people over you. Also, in the case of public services, don't complain that if you were a drug addict/asylum seeker/lesbian that you'd get preferential treatment - it isn't true, they've heard it all before and they will just mentally label you an idiot and you've already blown it.

 

 

Feel free to add your own..

[Darth Vader]

As soon as they introduce themselves, make a note of their name, not only because it's a point of reference if you need to refer to the call/conversation later but because if you keep referring to them by name during the conversation, it shows you see them as a person, not just a face, or a voice of an organisation, and it helps you have empathy for the other person, and they will appreciate this very much.

[Strix]

Have your paperwork to hand - it saves one heck of a lot of time and stress to both parties. If you're trying to sort a messy problem out, take names/dates/times so previous conversations can be referred to/checked on the system

 

Look at the situation from the other side of the desk before you start, and bear it in mind as you present your problem - it should get you where you want to be faster

 

I had a problem with a fitted kitchen. The fitter sent the doors back to the distributor, who sent them to the manufacturer, who declared the fault wasn't a manufacturing fault, and we hit a stalemate (and I refused to pay in full). I blagged a phone number for the distributor, firmly but politely bent their ear about it, and was given the manufacturer's number to go bother him instead (it's not available anywhere online)

 

The upshot is, with a manufacturing background myself, I was able to agree that it wasn't a manufacturing problem (it's a packaging and storage issue), and suggest solutions which are actually viable from THEIR point of view. My discontinued doors will be sanded back and re-sealed at the manufacturer's facility. Why the fitter and/or distributor couldn't arrange this I don't know

[epiphany]

Sound advice. I would add that it makes sense to refer to the company name as opposed to "you did this / you did that". The representative didn't do anything. If you make it clear that it is the company you are annoyed with, not the representative, they may be more inclined to take your side.

 

I do not agree that the person on the other end of the phone is responsible for the incompetence of the company as a whole, the policies of which may be decided by a bunch of morons in a boardroom.

[Douglas J]

These is a very good and helpful post, TeaFan. Maybe the mods should make it stick as it would address many of the threads on here in one go.

[MrSmith]

If the above sound advice fails contact the Chief Executive, but be very polite when explaining briefly why you are contacting them.

 

CEO E-mail addresses for UK companies

[Skirmisher]

Make all your correspondence by Email.

Whoever it is you telephone will have records of where, when and what has been said but you yourself will have none, of it is all done by email you will have a record of everything and this stops the other person/company denying anything later on. Also, of it does end up getting messy, it gives you a record of events for your solicitor.

[GrapeApe]

As soon as they introduce themselves, make a note of their name, not only because it's a point of reference if you need to refer to the call/conversation later but because if you keep referring to them by name during the conversation, it shows you see them as a person, not just a face, or a voice of an organisation, and it helps you have empathy for the other person, and they will appreciate this very much.

 

I'll second this. I always jot their name down.

[L00b]

Make all your correspondence by Email.

Whoever it is you telephone will have records of where, when and what has been said but you yourself will have none, of it is all done by email you will have a record of everything and this stops the other person/company denying anything later on. Also, of it does end up getting messy, it gives you a record of events for your solicitor.

So here's one from the legal practice point-of-view: whatever you send by email, send it again (or also) as hardcopy by recorded delivery.

 

Keep a copy of the letter (or printed email), staple the RM receipt/stub to it.

 

Once the letter has been delivered, go to the RM website and print out the signature page confirming the delivery date and time, and staple that to the letter + RM stub as well.

 

All that is evidence of delivery, which the 'other side' will not be able to challenge.

 

Emails are not, unless you also have (usually automated) receipt and read acknowledgement messages (but you have to configure your mail client to ask for them, and the other side's mail client must accept/send them).