An unbelievable–well not really–phone system set up at my specialty pharmacy. I use them because they do such huge volume that their prices are deeply discounted. I am beginning to think I would rather pay the higher prices at a conventional store. Otherwise, I will surely begin needing an additional prescription for the high blood pressure they caused while trying to reach them. The kicker is how they set it up. The first thing you hear is “Press 1 for…..
Does an organization with specific job descriptions take a risk of creating a “not my job” atmosphere? It could. Successful organizations can have descriptions and not foster territorial employees if they also have one very important component. It must be coupled with a customer centric vision that charges each and every employee accountable to contribute to the effort. Granted, there may be technical elements of a few positions that only particular employees have expertise in. There are far less of…..
WHY? is a customer service satire, poking fun at many industries for a lack of pleasant and efficient customer service. It was only fair to offer one chapter devoted to obnoxious customer behavior. I call them the BCCs. Badly Behaved Consumers. At best, you have been waiting your turn when you have had the pleasure of witnessing an exchange of this impolite behavior. Or worse yet, you might be one of those joining in on the party. So it is…..
Thank you Connelly School of the Holy Child! I had a great time speaking with the Junior class as part of their Entrepreneurship Program. My topic? What else? Customer Service. It would be easy to put the service aspect on a back burner with the myriad of additional important matters demanded of a new business owner. My goal was to help them see the benefits of having a customer focused approach front and center at all times. We talked about…..
In this case, the expression ‘worth the wait’ does not apply. I am looking for a new primary care doctor. I am making my decision of which practice to sign up with by how long I was on the phone during the initial call to inquire if they were taking new patients and what insurance plans they accepted. The number of redirected prompts, the hold times, and the receptionist’s receptiveness are all weighing into my decision. I might be missing…..
I don’t understand how people who are hired for jobs that require interacting with customers, either in person or by phone, can retain their jobs while giving the impression that they really do not enjoy dealing with the public. Eighty percent of businesses have direct contact with the consumers they serve, so obviously it is a scenario that employees will encounter far more frequently than not. I guess we would have to take a closer look at a company’s interview,…..
My take on a famous movie line sums up my feelings about continuing to patronize an Italian restaurant chain after attempting to place a phone order for pick up. The phone call lasted as long as it takes me to make chicken parmesan because of the number of times I was put on hold while the order taker checked with others at the establishment. I must confess I was asking for a few modifications to the regular menu. The restaurant…..
I think boards of many companies need to take a harder look at what their checklist includes for deeming qualified candidates for the position of CEO to the organization that they serve. I talk about this in WHY?. Intuitively, I think leadership skills are instinctive and difficult to teach. You either are a leader, or it is not in your DNA. You either have the skills to inspire your employees to be motivated or you don’t. Evidently, Gallup studies confirm…..
The reporting on the airline situation seems to be reduced to a low simmer, but I continue to mull how this happened. My theory is that there is a huge disconnect with whatever their mission statement outlines (which is impossible to find on their website or through other means) and what happened since the ink dried. I have to assume that there is at least a mention of serving customers within the document that is supposed to guide the ship……
Did you know that tomorrow is National Get to Know Your Customer Day? In fact the National Day Calendar peeps determined that this was so important that it is recognized quarterly – the third Thursday of January, April, July and October according to their notation. I quote, “This is a day to reach out to your patrons and get to know them better.” Wait a minute. Can any business really survive with only being mindful of its customers on four…..
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