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Best / Worst Customer Service

 
Author Ian
Admin 
#1 | Posted: 15 Oct 2005 08:35 
Have you been on the receiving end of great...or terrible customer service recently? Please share your experience..

Author yeusmarn
Member 
#2 | Posted: 26 Oct 2005 05:32 
I am from Singapore and currently working in Customer Relations.

When asked to describe a particularly good service here in Singapore, its hard to think of one. Don't get me wrong, service is generally fine (not fantastic,though) but yes, service staff greets you, smiles at you, and thank you at the end of every transaction. But problem is, I don't see any particular organisation trying to be different than the rest. Ironically, this makes the whole customer experience bland, even when service is still good.

Perhaps, rather than approaching Customer service excellence by simply benchmarking against others in the industry, one should try to identify how they can provide service that is unique and personalised. This will lead to an experience that is memorable to the customer.

As an example, I have been buying my groceries from a local shop near my residence. Despite its humble setup, I feel great buying items there. The owner would spare a few moments to say "hello, how's life" and even made a few recommendations to me, after noticing my purchasing pattern. Contrast that to the Big Supermarket where my family purchase items from once a month. While we are clearly repeat customers, we nonetheless feel like strangers each time we go there. Yes, there are cheaper offers available, checkout is fairly efficient and the range of products are better. But whats lacking is the personal touch, despite the Greet, Smile and Thanks that accompanies each transaction. Ironic right?

Just my 2 cents worth on the subject, thanks for reading.

Author Ian
Admin 
#3 | Posted: 27 Oct 2005 05:04 
Excellent post!

I agree, customer service can sometimes become bland even when it's good. Ironic isn't it!

"Have a nice day" is a good example of how customer service has become robotic in many ways. Customer service efficiency has come on leaps and bounds in the advent of new technology...but what hasn't caught up is our ability to provide that unique, personalized experience that we all crave - and expect.

One step forward in achieving this would be for organizations to encourage front line employees to "be themselves". (Presuming they have hired the right people in the first place) No need for scripts...natural, everyday interaction appropriate for the situation would do fine...just like your local grocery shop.

Thanks again for a great post!

Ian Miller
Managing Editor, CSM
http://www.customerservicemanager.com

Author yeusmarn
Member 
#4 | Posted: 28 Oct 2005 23:28 
Thanks a lot :)

This is a great website by the way, lots of informative articles on the subject. I will definitely look forward to more visits here..

Cheers!

Author tirthankardey
Member 
#5 | Posted: 14 Nov 2005 03:57 
Hi,

This is what I like to share with you:

About a fortnight back I had visited a small resort in Jharkhand, India - named GALUDI RESORT. What I have found everytime each and every staff of the Resort Laughs and will ask for any sort of assistance we would like to have from them?

My friend, Amit and I was playing with a Ball in the Swimming Pool and suddenly the Ball fell into another Pool which was full of Shrubs and Bushes with Mud-Water. We both were thinking how could we get into that Hazards and get the Ball. Somehow, a Resort Attendant had noticed that and just didn't asked anything and get into that Hell and get us the Ball.

Though the Resort was not so much Good in Condition still I hope People likes to visit there. Hope it will recover soon with such Personal Care for each Boarders.

THANKS A LOT TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE

Thanks
Tirthankar Dey

Author Kimia
Member 
#6 | Posted: 8 Feb 2006 05:01 
Hi all,
I'll like to first thank Ian and team for the very good initiative and for the job they are doing by providing this site to cutomer service executives like me. I work and live in Cameroon and we have 'our own' style here and working in a World Class company in which modern techniques and World class service must respond to the growing demands is not an easy task. This has been especially due to the fact that service has hardly been an issue to qualify in our country. A company like the one I work in has honestly come to make people start seeing the difference between good and bad service. However, I'll just like to say that service in pharmacies here is above the average mark but you need to get only into the 3 to 5 star hotels and restaurants to see good service. Please do not be embarrassed if you get to Cameroon and receive bad service at the airports. It is part of the tradition here. The police and civil service need help!!! I'll be back here or on other topics to contribute more. Service is one of the drawbacks of this very beautiful country.

Author Ian
Admin 
#7 | Posted: 8 Feb 2006 16:14 
Kimia,

Thank you for your excellent insight into customer service in Cameroon!

Welcome to CSM!

Ian

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