What does your customer experience? And how do you really know? Have you ever tried to personally experience your business the way that a customer might? For the life of me, I don’t think many have and I don’t understand why. In bigger companies I suppose they have layers upon layers of management, and they try to understand with surveys and feedback and automated prompts. The problem is that those rarely get at the core issue.
Recently, I upgraded a phone at one of the stores of my wireless provider. I made a mistake on the order (with some help from a store associate) and was told the only solution was to cancel the order (I just needed to know my six to sixteen digit PIN). Fifteen minutes later I was home, PIN in hand, called them and was told I could not cancel the order. There was no way to cancel online either. After talking with three or four people I was told that I should just refuse UPS delivery. Wait a minute! The efficient solution is to have UPS bring a phone to my door which I refuse and then they take it back? To make matters worse, I then got an automated text asking if I was satisfied. When they realized I was not, they asked if they could call me. Three days later and nothing. After 25 years with this provider, I’m not switching, but I’m unimpressed.
A few days before a spring break ski vacation I spent twenty minutes trying to fix a problem with a season pass. Again, this was my fault. I was told by the front line employee at the international call center and the supervisor that nothing could be done. Finally, with both sides being frustrated and neither of us giving an inch, they offered to transfer me to “Colorado Support”. Wait a minute! Now we’re getting somewhere. I was on the phone with them for barely a minute before the problem was solved. But why have a call center staffed with employees who are incapable of understanding the issue nor empowered to fix it? The experience on the mountain was mixed. Some great people on the mountain but management has chipped away at the experience for years (I’ve been there nearly every year since 2013). And again, another survey with far more questions than I was willing to answer. I sent an email. Got a polite response but know it will not make its way to anyone that matters. Then they asked me to record a video message. Sorry, that’s too much work. Mr. CEO, go to the mountain anonymously and see what you are delivering to your customers. Call your call center and see if you can resolve a problem without telling them you are the CEO.
On the other hand, there are still some out there who do a great job. The St. Louis Blues comes to mind. On multiple occasions I have been out of town and unable to access my account online when I had to make a selection for seats or packages (I have a mini season ticket plan). Without fail I can call my representative, get a call back within a few hours and resolve the issue in one call. The last time he called me while I was driving, walked me through the fine print and said he’d take care of the rest. Win or lose, the experience at the rink is always first rate as well.
Wolverine Airsoft sent me custom made videos on how to remove and then reinstall a part my son had inadvertently broken on a brand new gun. Wow! That was great customer service.
I don’t pretend to be a customer service expert, but I do know that the level of service can raise or lower revenues and profits. My advice is to experience what your customers do. And if you feel like it’s not up to snuff, reach out to Shep Hyken. He is THE customer experience expert.
If your business could benefit from fractional CFO services, I would welcome the chance to speak with you. Please give me a call at (314) 863-6637 or send an email to [email protected]
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Ken Homza
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