Comments on: The Customer Service Oxymoron http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/ Leading Site for Business Women Around the World Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:43:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: When Customer Service Really Begins: A Story on Trust and Hidden Fees | Women Grow Business http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-7560 When Customer Service Really Begins: A Story on Trust and Hidden Fees | Women Grow Business Tue, 26 Apr 2011 13:29:44 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-7560 [...] Chrysty Beverley Fortner at Women On Business and her how-to for generating customer loyalty through committed service. [...] [...] Chrysty Beverley Fortner at Women On Business and her how-to for generating customer loyalty through committed service. [...]

]]> By: Jody Pellerin http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1857 Jody Pellerin Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:54:08 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1857 Some of these big companies think it is OK to treat the customers who don't bring them much revenue as a waste of time. They are only interested in the big customers who spend a lot of money with them (ie other corporate customers). I even read an article encouraging this sort of thing. I wonder what would happen if the head of one of those "big" customers was the one needing support for a personal item or service and were treated the way you were. Can you see that person perhaps deciding to cut off the corporate account? What goes around comes around. Just never fast enough to make you feel avenged. Some of these big companies think it is OK to treat the customers who don’t bring them much revenue as a waste of time. They are only interested in the big customers who spend a lot of money with them (ie other corporate customers). I even read an article encouraging this sort of thing.

I wonder what would happen if the head of one of those “big” customers was the one needing support for a personal item or service and were treated the way you were. Can you see that person perhaps deciding to cut off the corporate account?

What goes around comes around. Just never fast enough to make you feel avenged.

]]> By: Bill http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1808 Bill Tue, 28 Jul 2009 23:08:01 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1808 I really felt your frustrations with Verizon. You were more eloquent than you think. I have felt the same scornful degradation with Verizon, Sprint, Embarq, and Adobe. Why they spend so much money on advertising to manipulate people into using their services only to treat their customers like dishonorable clowns is beyond me. Maybe the fact that these groups all require lengthy contracts explains things. They lock customers in and then treat them as unwanted step-children to be ignored. I bet you ARE a GREAT customer. The fact that Verizen not only ignored you but scorned you, because it was "not in her notes," exposes their disdain. Will they change? No! They can buy politicians to pass laws that create monopolies to protect themselves. Sprint, Embarq, and Adobe were NOT my choices for vendors. I was forced into using all of them, and they knew it. Verizon follows the same model. Their “Customer Service” groups were nicknamed “Customer Disservice” and “Customer Disconnect.” But, I too have found ways to avoid these groups. Stick with your list on Non-negotiables, it will help you MAKE loyal customers. Eventually the Verizon’s of the world will learn. GM, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Chrysler, Bear Sterns, AIG, and many other Customer Disservice based companies failed for the same reason Verizon will fail as well. I really felt your frustrations with Verizon. You were more eloquent than you think. I have felt the same scornful degradation with Verizon, Sprint, Embarq, and Adobe. Why they spend so much money on advertising to manipulate people into using their services only to treat their customers like dishonorable clowns is beyond me. Maybe the fact that these groups all require lengthy contracts explains things. They lock customers in and then treat them as unwanted step-children to be ignored. I bet you ARE a GREAT customer. The fact that Verizen not only ignored you but scorned you, because it was “not in her notes,” exposes their disdain.

Will they change? No! They can buy politicians to pass laws that create monopolies to protect themselves. Sprint, Embarq, and Adobe were NOT my choices for vendors. I was forced into using all of them, and they knew it. Verizon follows the same model. Their “Customer Service” groups were nicknamed “Customer Disservice” and “Customer Disconnect.” But, I too have found ways to avoid these groups.

Stick with your list on Non-negotiables, it will help you MAKE loyal customers. Eventually the Verizon’s of the world will learn. GM, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, Chrysler, Bear Sterns, AIG, and many other Customer Disservice based companies failed for the same reason Verizon will fail as well.

]]> By: Chrysty Fortner http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1792 Chrysty Fortner Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:53:39 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1792 Thanks for the thoughts...it's good to strike a chord and hear such great feedback to the ever-declining customer service epidemic. C. Thanks for the thoughts…it’s good to strike a chord and hear such great feedback to the ever-declining customer service epidemic. C.

]]> By: Cheryl http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1788 Cheryl Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:51:11 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1788 Oh man! Can I EVER sympathize. Nowadays I'm surprised when I receive common human decency from a customer sales rep, nevermind any actual SERVICE. Sad to say but I bet Verizon DOES hear you now. Compnies are only interested in their customers once they take to the web to complain or when they're about to cancel their services. grrrr!! Oh man!

Can I EVER sympathize. Nowadays I’m surprised when I receive common human decency from a customer sales rep, nevermind any actual SERVICE.

Sad to say but I bet Verizon DOES hear you now. Compnies are only interested in their customers once they take to the web to complain or when they’re about to cancel their services.

grrrr!!

]]> By: Customer Service - It’s Important http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1787 Customer Service - It’s Important Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:17:03 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1787 [...] found a very informative article on this topic, The Customer Service Oxymoron, by Chrysty Beverley Fortner at Women on Business.  You might find this thought provoking as you [...] [...] found a very informative article on this topic, The Customer Service Oxymoron, by Chrysty Beverley Fortner at Women on Business.  You might find this thought provoking as you [...]

]]> By: Cindy Morris http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1786 Cindy Morris Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:48:13 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1786 This really cracked me up, Chrysty, and unfortunately hit close to home. When I decided to leave TMobile (terrible roaming reception)I went to Verizon and walked right out. The people who worked there felt like robots to me. Blank stares. False smiles. Walking in circles, clipboard in hands. No thanks. Over the last FIVE months I have been trying to straighten something out with Chase Paymentech, the credit card processing arm of Chase bank. What a nightmare. I think I logged over 50 hours on the phone with them, each time talking to another "agent" (agent of confusion) and getting nowhere but more and more frustrated. Even my banker at the real-live bank couldn't get through to them! Finally resolved. Took years off my life. I had another "customer service" person at another company (whose name I have blissfully forgotten)actually tell me they had no "suggestion box" and there was no way to give feedback! This is a problem that stems all the way from upper management. Customer service needs to be taught, especially to younger employees who are more accustomed to being just a number and not a REAL person with valid needs and expectations. Keep educating! That's what those of us notice can do! Cindy Morris, msw Priestess Entrepreneur http://www.SuccessPriestess.blogspot.com This really cracked me up, Chrysty, and unfortunately hit close to home.

When I decided to leave TMobile (terrible roaming reception)I went to Verizon and walked right out. The people who worked there felt like robots to me. Blank stares. False smiles. Walking in circles, clipboard in hands. No thanks.

Over the last FIVE months I have been trying to straighten something out with Chase Paymentech, the credit card processing arm of Chase bank.

What a nightmare. I think I logged over 50 hours on the phone with them, each time talking to another “agent” (agent of confusion) and getting nowhere but more and more frustrated. Even my banker at the real-live bank couldn’t get through to them! Finally resolved. Took years off my life.

I had another “customer service” person at another company (whose name I have blissfully forgotten)actually tell me they had no “suggestion box” and there was no way to give feedback!

This is a problem that stems all the way from upper management.
Customer service needs to be taught, especially to younger employees who are more accustomed to being just a number and not a REAL person with valid needs and expectations.

Keep educating!
That’s what those of us notice can do!

Cindy Morris, msw
Priestess Entrepreneur
http://www.SuccessPriestess.blogspot.com

]]> By: Mary Emma Allen http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1785 Mary Emma Allen Mon, 27 Jul 2009 13:38:44 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1785 Great article on customer service. And Carol's comments also are a great reminder of the importance of good customer service in this age of social media. I'm going to refer this article to my Home Biz Notes readers. Great article on customer service. And Carol’s comments also are a great reminder of the importance of good customer service in this age of social media. I’m going to refer this article to my Home Biz Notes readers.

]]> By: Carol http://www.womenonbusiness.com/the-customer-service-oxymoron/#comment-1783 Carol Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:21:12 +0000 http://www.womenonbusiness.com/?p=1790#comment-1783 This is a great reminder. I think we can all see from the "United Breaks Guitars" video that a company who delivers poor customer service does so at their own peril in the age of social media. The "customer" may know how to create viral videos, or they may just be a blogger! This is a great reminder. I think we can all see from the “United Breaks Guitars” video that a company who delivers poor customer service does so at their own peril in the age of social media. The “customer” may know how to create viral videos, or they may just be a blogger!

]]>