There are so many customer service horror stories; all those endless hours left hanging on the phone on hold, the constant fear of being passed from person to person before anything happens, and the dreaded manager who simply will not take a call or come to see you! We’ve all experienced it, and it is no surprise that these are the instances that people talk about and, therefore, the ones that are remembered.
It’s only natural of course; receive poor treatment in whatever field and you may be inclined to write a letter of complaint; get the service you expect and deserve, and it goes largely unheralded. This is why we hear more about poor service than that which is acceptable or above and beyond the expected. There are, however, many examples of excellent customer service, and I can give you quite a few of my own!
Why Good Service Pays
It’s no secret why good customer service is appreciated; it is, after all, want we expect from a service provider, shop or manufacturer. Indeed, it is often said in business that keeping existing customers happy can be harder than getting new clients on board. This is due to complacency, and also to the fact that – very often – new customers are entitled to special offers and treatment that existing clients do not get.
One of the most complained-about services is that of mobile and broadband provision. As these are services that great numbers of people rely on day to day, we expect them to be reliable and to meet our needs. I had been with my broadband provider for a number of years before I hit my first downtime, and the service I was given when I rang them was not what I expected!
First, I got through to a real, live person in a matter of seconds; next, they explained the problem was being rectified; then, they asked me to hold for a moment while they checked my account, and the guy on the phone came back and told me that they had recently introduced a new package that would better cater for my needs, offer me more, and cost less! Would I like to be switched over to it there and then, for no cost? Of course I would! That is the sort of service that kept me with them – and continues to do so.
Meeting Expectations
Of course, the service I’ve just described is exactly what we should expect; after all, we are paying for it! With such companies serving many thousands – sometimes millions – of customers, however, it is no surprise that sometimes things do not go as planned. Another common complaint is not being able to find a telephone number for getting in touch; this is becoming more commonplace in the digital age, where businesses increasingly expect everyone to be in touch online.
We can recommend a service at www.contactcustomerservicesnumber.co.uk which offers a massive variety of contact numbers on request. There is a small fee to pay, but it is certainly worth it as it gives you a direct number to call to reach the people you need. The service covers all businesses in various fields including banking and finance, retail, insurance, utilities, travel, communication and many more, so you are likely to find the corresponding number for the company you need to contact.
Getting it Right
You have every right to complain when service is not up to standard, but wouldn’t it be nice of us to send a note of thanks, say, when someone goes above and beyond the call of duty? The customer service man I spoke to for my broadband didn’t need to offer me a new, better, cheaper package, after all, and that was not what I was calling about; but he did, and I was very thankful for it, and told him so. Just as we like to be told we’re doing a good job at work, so others appreciate it, too.
There are so many examples of ‘jobsworths’ putting the oar in and performing what can only be described as poor and unnecessarily unhelpful customer service, but the truth is surely that there are more positive experiences than negative ones? We have all got a story to tell of that one person who did something we really appreciated, so let’s hear it for the good guys, and tell more tales of great customer service in a world where it seems we only like to complain!