Comments on: Made a difference to that one… why customer service is not a numbers game http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/ a blog about information Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:20:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: purple motes » COB-10: customer service standards and processes http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/comment-page-1/#comment-125453 purple motes » COB-10: customer service standards and processes Sun, 29 Apr 2007 19:45:11 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/#comment-125453 [...] service metric that should have the greatest weight in a customer service performance index is the human touch. Steve Portigal offers an insightful policy initiative that would promote customer service and [...] [...] service metric that should have the greatest weight in a customer service performance index is the human touch. Steve Portigal offers an insightful policy initiative that would promote customer service and [...]

]]> By: Ajh http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/comment-page-1/#comment-124464 Ajh Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:16:54 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/#comment-124464 Following your customer service blog recently, I have a great example that demonstrates a few interesting observations 1/ when it comes down to it, even the biggest companies are reliant on individuals who do not really appreciate the difference they can make (good or bad) 2/ People in certain disciplines miss the real concept of customer experience/service, seeing it as a battle to defer blame or close the call. 3/ the customer service role is viewed as the lower end of Company hierarchy more of a necessity as a pose to an area of possible strategic value (I thought this Company was different) I have been a loyal customer to one of the biggest retail e.grocers in the UK. In the past I worked with this Company (representing a large global network Company ;-)) and thought the secret of their success was that ALL employees were indoctrinated with the "Everything for the good of the customer” mantra. Customer service ran through the veins of the company, or so I thought. Talking to the Technical service rep who informed me that it was a Microsoft problem that their website spuriously emptied one hours worth of shopping basket. Accepting I would have to re enter the weekly shop, I assumed a gesture of free delivery would be forthcoming, “No, as its not our fault, but we will send an email on how to configure the browser” And so one individual person has damaged the reputation of a £multibillion business whom I have been spending with and recommending for years, and driven me begrudgingly to look for alternatives. And here’s the really interesting bit. When questioned why there is no warning of this known problem on the website, before I spend an hour shopping, "We prefer to send an email out to people when they complain". I wonder how many times this person has done this because some of those £multibillions are my annual spend of £1,000s and my guess is there are many similar experiences – Has this individual racked up a £million lost yet? Following your customer service blog recently, I have a great example that demonstrates a few interesting observations
1/ when it comes down to it, even the biggest companies are reliant on individuals who do not really appreciate the difference they can make (good or bad)
2/ People in certain disciplines miss the real concept of customer experience/service, seeing it as a battle to defer blame or close the call.
3/ the customer service role is viewed as the lower end of Company hierarchy more of a necessity as a pose to an area of possible strategic value (I thought this Company was different)
I have been a loyal customer to one of the biggest retail e.grocers in the UK. In the past I worked with this Company (representing a large global network Company ;-)) and thought the secret of their success was that ALL employees were indoctrinated with the “Everything for the good of the customer” mantra. Customer service ran through the veins of the company, or so I thought.
Talking to the Technical service rep who informed me that it was a Microsoft problem that their website spuriously emptied one hours worth of shopping basket. Accepting I would have to re enter the weekly shop, I assumed a gesture of free delivery would be forthcoming, “No, as its not our fault, but we will send an email on how to configure the browser”
And so one individual person has damaged the reputation of a £multibillion business whom I have been spending with and recommending for years, and driven me begrudgingly to look for alternatives.
And here’s the really interesting bit. When questioned why there is no warning of this known problem on the website, before I spend an hour shopping, “We prefer to send an email out to people when they complain”.
I wonder how many times this person has done this because some of those £multibillions are my annual spend of £1,000s and my guess is there are many similar experiences – Has this individual racked up a £million lost yet?

]]> By: Francesco Buquicchio http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/comment-page-1/#comment-124408 Francesco Buquicchio Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:18:48 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/#comment-124408 Couldn't agree more. I used to do Products at BTGS Italy, now I'm in CSNO and the things I'm trying to do in my new job is to avoid the "statistics trap". "The stats look good" my team member say. "What about the clients?" I reply. Trying to bring the marketing/commercial closeness to customers into the operations' world Couldn’t agree more. I used to do Products at BTGS Italy, now I’m in CSNO and the things I’m trying to do in my new job is to avoid the “statistics trap”. “The stats look good” my team member say. “What about the clients?” I reply. Trying to bring the marketing/commercial closeness to customers into the operations’ world

]]> By: YGG http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/comment-page-1/#comment-124387 YGG Thu, 26 Apr 2007 09:37:22 +0000 http://confusedofcalcutta.com/2007/04/25/made-a-difference-to-that-one-why-customer-service-is-not-a-numbers-game/#comment-124387 Do you know this post http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/customerservice.html (Joel Spolsky's blog) ? One of ht bes things I ever read on the topic. Do you know this post http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/customerservice.html (Joel Spolsky’s blog) ? One of ht bes things I ever read on the topic.

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