I think customer service is getting worse not better. One of the BIGGEST issues is that customer service people do not LISTEN and are too busy sending form or scripted responses in line with the policies given to them by management. You have all experienced it, I am sure. The worst offenders are the big guys who should know better.

You usually have to repeat yourself over and over and they are so focused on sending the response they have been trained to, that they miss the issue entirely resulting in further upsetting customers and losing sales.
I don’t usually name names but today I am in the hope that these companies sit up and take note. (I guarantee right now that none will both to respond or take it onboard though)

In the past few of weeks I have experienced this via email or online chat with Telstra (no surprise there right), Kogan, Pawshake, SmileDirect, LinkedIn, Optus, United Airlines, Amazon, Viator and Luxury Escapes..
Every issue should have been simple to fix and should’ve taken no time at all on their side to turn a customer with an issue into an advocate. It is not that hard.

So I think that companies need to be use the ASS solution o actually provide customer service which they all say they do but the reality is a different formula.

ACKNOWLEDGE – firstly acknowledge my issue or problem in a real and believable way. Don’t just say you understand. Put yourself in my shoes and agree with me that would be a really frustrating situation. Make me feel like you are on my side and that I believe you genuinely want to help me.

SOLUTION – provide a solution. Seems straight forward but most customers are again so focused on their scripts and processes they don’t provide the solution that customer needs to be happy. This is where listening is vital. Yes, LISTEN WITH YOUR EARS – you have 2 of them for a reason. This is where management needs to empower staff to genuinely provide customer service not the pretense of doing so, which most call centres and customer service teams do.

SMILE – Do what you need to make me smile. That is the outcome I want as a customer. You can turn my frown into a smile if you follow these steps and start to treat me like a person not a number. Don’t insult me further by sending me form responses. Take a note from Buffer whos team always respond in a real way and are clearly not following a damn script. They get it.

So, if you work in customer service or are a manager at one of these companies try providing an ASS solution and keeping your customers rather than sending them directly to your competitor to spend their hard-earned cash.
We are just people, wanting another person to help us in a real and genuine way.
It ain’t rocket science!!