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Customer Service -
Can you hear me now?
Just when you thought
customer service couldn’t get worse, it closed. No kidding.
Two weeks ago I
described two recent – and unfortunately – ongoing customer "dis-service"
experiences. I received
dozens of comments – everywhere from “we must shop in the same
places” to “my story beats your story.”
Well, I’ve got
another one
that is so sad that it’s funny. On
Sunday I went to the mall to purchase a new mobile phone. I won’t go into the details why but let me just say this:
" Can
you hear me now?”
Before switching phone
carriers, I decided to stop by the mall store of my existing carrier.
Two truly “outstanding” events happened.
First, the service
stunk. Really. The salesperson, a young man in his 20’s, must have been
wearing Eau de L’ammonia! Not
only was his body odor enough to awaken the unconscious but he kept
wiping his runny nose with his sleeve. Sitting behind him was his manager – eating pizza at the
counter.
Figuring I’d at least
give it a shot, I shared my story of dropped calls and crackling
reception. First, the
salesperson tried to upgrade my plan. I have no clue what more free evening and weekend minutes would
do but I give the kid credit for trying.
Next, he recommended that I upgrade my phone although the store
actually sold me the one I was holding just five months ago. By this time, the manager who I naively thought might actually
intervene and offer some assistance, got up from behind the counter,
went into his office and closed the door. I guess the air was getting a bit ripe for him, too!
And then the curtain
went up on Act III. With
one more sweeping wipe of the nose, this young man announced to me that
he would really like to help me but “customer service is closed until
Monday.” Customer
Service. Closed. - No one could
hear me now!
I’ve had the good
fortune to enjoy outstanding customer service. I’ve also had the
misfortune to experience deplorable service. And now I can say that my mobile phone carrier is the first to
offer no customer service.
Sadly the stupidity
of no customer service is exceeded only by the failure of salespeople
who solicit your business, then fail to follow-up.
While at The Lancaster
Chamber Business Expo, I stopped at a booth serviced by one of the
mobile phone service providers. The
booth was busy so I just gave my card to one of the account executives.
I asked him to stop by our booth when things slowed down.
He never came. I
re-visited his booth a few hours later and he apologized.
He promised to call me no later than the following Monday. Four weeks later – not a single message.
What am I missing here?
I seek out a salesperson. I
tell him explicitly I am interested in purchasing his product. I tell him I want to buy what he has to sell. He never calls me back. This
is unbelievable. in an industry that is so competitive that they have to
give away phones and thousands of minutes of service.
I
contact his manager - who doesn't call me back. I call
again. He finally tells me everyone is really busy with the
holidays but he'll remind his account executive to call me. I'm
still waiting for the call, but they lost the sale.
This is just
another instance of wanting to spend my money and no one was interested
in taking it. What gives? Does management really
care what is going on?
Triangle Refrigeration Grows
Leaders
Central Penn Business Journal
November 29, 2002
Tending the Troops -
Cleo
Weaver faces a tough decision this year: maintain the status quo at his
business, Triangle Refrigeration Co. - or go for growth.
Click here to read
why "Triangle employees are "excited about the changes" and
morale is up.
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