Let's face it, dealing with customer service, especially with larger companies can be a daunting, even downright painful experience. While there are still a handful of companies left that actually take pride in their commitment to customer satisfaction, sadly many more simply use their Agents as a line of defense to run interference between you -the customer- and the decision makers within the corporation.
Effective communication is key when it comes to dealing with customer service, and that means doing your homework before you pick up the phone and start screaming at the poor soul on the other end. Now we have all had the pleasure of dealing with the outsourced call center. No matter what, it's important to keep your cool. No matter how angry you may be, there's a very good chance that the person who's fielding your call didn't cause your problem. There is a good chance however, that they can route you to the person who can help. Here are a few easy to follow guidelines to help you navigate through the labyrinth of customer service.
Let's begin with what not to do:
Now the list could potentially go on and on here, but I am only going to highlight the top three no-no's for the purposes of this article.
1. Profanity No matter how badly you want to eviscerate the Person on the other end, using profanity is a great way to ensure that you will only get the runaround or disconnected. Keep in mind that Companies often record incoming calls, so there will not only be a record of your little tirade, but you can bet the "next available agent" will have access to any notes from your prior calls with just a keystroke. Curse one out, and chances are you'll be talking to their lunch buddy when you call back.
2. Threats. This never works. We live in an overly litigious society, and people have become desensitized to the invocation of "You're going to hear from my Lawyer" It's totally cliche and just sounds stupid. If you want to pay Five or Six Hundred bucks an hour to have a Professional Litigator have a few incorrect charges removed from your cell phone bill....well you are an idiot. Even though it should be common sense, I will mention here that is also equally stupid to make any threats of bodily harm etc...
3. Demand to speak to the President. It's okay to ask to speak to a Supervisor if you're not satisfied with the way the Representative is handling your issue. Rest assured however, that asking to speak to the company president or CEO right out of the gate will often get you a flat out refusal. Keep in mind if you are dealing with a outsourced call center, it's highly likely that the person you're speaking with won't even know the name of the CEO, let alone have any means of contacting him or her.
What you should do:
1. Be prepared. Get all of our paperwork, receipts, serial numbers, previous case numbers etc...together prior to your call. The more organized you are, the more likely you'll be to streamline the process and not waste time sifting through drawers looking for that damn information.
2. Have a notebook handy. This is a very important and often overlooked step. As soon as the Representative greets you, write down his/her name! I cannot stress this enough. You can be disconnected, mistreated, whatever...being able to identify the person whom you spoke to is crucial. Some companies do not require their customer service reps to give their last name. Don't sweat it. Just be certain to get the person's first name and direct extension if possible. It's always better to call back and be able to say that you were dealing with Jane in accounting, instead of "I was talking to a Woman with a deep voice."
3. Be courteous. Yes, of course you want to kill them, but kill them with kindness. Remember your manners here, no matter how impatient you may be. You want to be a cooperative as possible with the Representative, remember they deal with dozens of irate people on any given day, standing out for being exceptionally civil might just get you a favor.
4. Research. Like I mentioned earlier, doing your homework is probably the single most important thing you can do when it comes to escalated customer service issues. The best way to avoid the song and dance from someone with no authority is to circumvent them altogether, and plead your case to the decision makers. There's a wealth of free information out there about companies and the Executives at the helm. You can find email addresses, executive customer service numbers, and contact information for who can best handle escalated issues within any given organization.
5. Outsource. It can be difficult to find the time to deal with customer service. If you're not confident in your communication skills, enlist the help of a friend or relative who may be more comfortable handling such situations. Note, that you may need to give the Representative permission to speak to someone acting on your behalf. Some companies, e.g. banks, etc.. will not do this for security purposes.
Successful companies realize that good customer service drives sales and in turn, profits. Don't give up and make sure your voice is heard. If you're calm and prepared, it will be easy to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.
If you have experienced a serious issue with customer service, consider reaching out to The Department of Consumer Affairs, the Better Business Bureau is best reserved for smaller disputes. In addition, there are professionals out there who can help. Most issues can be turned around with just a few common sense measures and a positive attitude. Good luck, and feel free to share your story!
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