The lost art of customer service
I was on a website today, trying to get help with an issue I was having with an order through the chat feature. The more I chatted with the ‘person’ on the other end, the more I realized this was not a real person. When the issue I was having did not propagate in the chat box, I finally gave up and called their customer support line. I again quickly realized I was not going to be speaking with a real person, but being directed to push numbers in order to finally leave a message. And then wait hours for a response.
It does not escape me that there is a labor shortage. Or that AI is helping businesses to cut costs and trim some of the mundane tasks for businesses. However, where does customer satisfaction and customer frustration diverge and become a liability for your company? That balancing act has been something we’ve struggled with over the years and although we have moved the line a little.. I am still holding strong to a few non-negotiables.
Every phone call and email is answered by the end of the day and honestly, usually within 20 minutes by any of the staff. We have a 24/7 emergency line where a human picks up the phone. Although our phone system is automated to leave a message, customers may also bypass that option and connect directly with any staff. And each staff have a direct phone numbers for customers.
There is nothing more frustrating than needing to make a quick call and getting the runaround from a recording or a program set up to take the place of a human. Although the uses for these types of services are endless and in many cases appropriate, I feel for the service we provide it is not. When you are dealing with humans needing services, and communication is your product – communicating in real time with your customer – person to person is warranted. And a non-negotiable.
Empire Interpreting 
So true. And the fake clicking of the computer keys. And the fake cheerful computer-generated voice. And the immortal phrase “Your call is very important to us”. Everything is done so that you waste as much time as possible and get as frustrated and angry as possible too. And when they eventually call you back (that is if they do) they can also place you on a lengthy wait!