Customer Service: Stop Sabotaging Your Customer Relationships

If you've called for customer service recently you're familiar with this recorded message "This call may be recorded or monitored for quality purposes." I immediately think to myself, "Oh great, here comes the game of 20 questions."

Now don't get me wrong. I spent many, many years training Customer Service Reps. (CSR's). I'm all for making sure customers receive the best possible service. What I'm not for is the pre-scripted list of questions CSR's are required to ask, regardless of whether they are applicable to the situation at hand. I've seen some checklists with as many as 25 pre-scripted "call quality" standards that CSR's are required to use. If they don't, and someone happens to monitor the call, they get marked down. Ludicrous I say!

Let me give you a few highlights from a recent call I made to my well-known auto club:

CSR: What is the year, make and model of your vehicle?

Me: 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali

CSR: There is no 2000, GMC, Yukon, Denali (obviously it couldn't be found in her list of computer options so she needed to tell me I was wrong)

Me: Yes there is, I drive it every day

CSR: What's wrong with your vehicle?

Me: I don't know. It won't start.

CSR: Does it need to be towed or jumped?

Me: I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with it.

CSR: Well do you think it needs to be towed or jumped?

Me: I have no clue.

CSR: Where is your vehicle?

Me: In my garage.

CSR: Can you push it out of the garage into the driveway or the street?

Me: No. It's a full size SUV. I can't push it anywhere.

CSR: Is there another way you can get it out of the garage?

Me: No. It won't start.

Eventually, after I'd jumped through enough hoops, the call finally ended.

Chances are it wasn't the CSR's idea to get her laughs for the day by asking me stupid questions. Instead, her own company sabotaged her ability to quickly and efficiently take care of her customer, by requiring she use a scripted questioning process.

What Could Have Gone Better? For starters, rather than telling me that the make and model of my vehicle didn't exist, she could have said that she was having trouble finding it in her database, and then asked for verification. Next, instead of asking me twice about whether the truck needed to be "jumped or towed", she might have asked if I had any ideas about what could be wrong with it.

And finally, considering that she already knew the vehicle wouldn't start, asking a woman to push a truck out of a garage seems a little unreasonable.

What Needs To Change? First, re-think your call quality standards. You may have too many standards; they may be too focused on internally created "shoulds", with very little focus on what matters most to your customers. Involve your CSR's and customers in the process.

Secondly, empower and train your CSR's to think, act and personalize service to best accommodate the given situation. One size does not fit all, or even most! Teach your CSR's how to recognize different communication styles, and then how to adapt their personal style so they can best relate to the customer as an individual. In other words, teach CSR's how to treat customers how THEY want to be treated.

And thirdly, continually ask for feedback from CSR's as well as customers. Make time to find out what's working and what's not working. Pay attention to what they have to say. Make ongoing improvements that benefit everyone. Repeat the cycle.

Companies spend thousands, if not millions of dollars each year to acquire new customers, yet sometimes they forget about how to best take care of the customers they already have.

Everyday your customers and your CSR's make decisions about whether to stay with your company or go to your competitor. Loyalty is built on good, solid relationships. Your company relies on the loyalty of your CSR's to service your customers. And great customer service can set you apart from your competition. Take action now! Stop sabotaging those relationships with unnecessary standards that don't really matter to your customers. Your customers and your CSR's will love you for it.

About The Author

As the owner of Essential Connections, Lora Adrianse is a catalyst for clients who aspire to create dynamic business relationships with their colleagues and customers. She authors a free monthly newsletter, "Relating@Work". Go to her website to subscribe now! www.connectionscoach.com

coach@connectionscoach.com

---

At the Carwash; The Customer really is always Right

You have no doubt heard the saying that the customer... Read More

How To Build Stellar Client Relationships

Your opportunity to build a stellar client relationship starts with... Read More

Say It With Humor

When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More

Customer Service A Chickens Way

Anyone who knows me knows my favorite fast food restaurant... Read More

How to Keep Customers

Who was it that said - "The customer is always... Read More

Establishing Yourself as an Expert in the Eyes of Your Customers

The most important aspect of a successful business is developing... Read More

Get Customers to Stop Calling You--12 Easy Ways to Save Money with Online Customer Support

Despite rumors to the contrary, the Web is not dead.... Read More

Setting Up a Customer of the Week Program for a Mobile Car Wash

In a mobile detail or mobile car wash business you... Read More

Handling Customer Complaints

Even the best business will receive an occasional customer complaint.... Read More

Oil Change Customer from Hell or Hoax; You Decide

Evacuation, "E-Vac" Oil System for Oil ChangingHow do most mobile... Read More

Poor Customer Service - Are Your Customers Driving Away Other Customers

Every customer you have is a word-of-mouth advertiser for you.... Read More

You Bever Know Who Youre Serving

You Never Know Who You're Serving when customers turn irate.I... Read More

Hit The Jackpot With Customer Complaints

Our most powerful instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but... Read More

Customer Service and The Human Experience

Historically, customer service was delivered over the phone or in... Read More

Make Sure You Get The Customer Perspective

Businesses that fail, often forget to seek out the customer... Read More

A New Way To Handle Complaints, Or Is It?

What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More

In the Villa of the Sick Cat -- A Lesson in Customer Care

If you're a pet owner, you know the stress of... Read More

Moments That Matter

Many years ago, I was a first year apprentice assigned... Read More

Whatever Happened To Customer Service?

Do you remember the last time you went into a... Read More

Client Appreciation - It Means Everything!

Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever?... Read More

Accountability

The Call Center world is an intense pressure-driven environment continually... Read More

Cheap To Keep

You've heard it all before when it comes to stats... Read More

How to Deliver Exceptional Customer Service

Having been in business a number of years, I'm amazed... Read More

3 Special Benefits Every Customer Wants

Every customer looks for 3 special benefits when they do... Read More

Automating Your Help Desk Workflow

Do you know you can open, answer, close and report... Read More

Customers - What They Really Want - 6 Secrets of Customer Service

What customers really want can be divided into two areas.Firstly... Read More

Have You Hugged a Customer Today?

It all started a couple of weeks ago when a... Read More

The Marvelous World of Metaphors

Recognize metaphors from every angle and round up more insight... Read More

Customer Service Is More Than Just Being Nice To People

Many organizations tackle to the issue of customer service by... Read More

Handling Difficult Customers - 8 Strategies

In any business our customers are one of our most... Read More

Renewing Customer Loyalty

Every business loses customers, but not many do much about... Read More

CRM = Customers (dont) Really Matter

CRM was supposed to bring companies closer to their clients.... Read More

A White Paper: Profiting with Kindness

In 2002, there wasn't much interest for Kindness in business,... Read More