I sometimes wonder exactly when it was that my expectations of customer service became so jaded. Maybe it was my first experience at the DMV? Or maybe the first time I “pressed 1 for support” and was met with the call tree from hell. Whenever it happened, it started me analyzing the approaches to customer service and the patterns implemented in the real world. I realized pretty early on the there are basically two camps when it comes to providing any form of customer services – the camp that cares about every customer (like us), and the camp that only cares about numbers. While we at CMHWorks believe that providing exceptional Customer Service is a key to our success, we recognize that intentionally NOT doing so is often an approach where cost is the either the primary or only consideration.
The “Take a Number” Approach
One obvious pattern is the reality that the more “captive” we are to a service, the worse the customer service experience is. The DMV is a perfect example where everyone is a captive user relegated to taking a number and waiting. We have no choice but to abide by the DMV policies, procedures, fees, and attitudes if we want the “privilege” of registering and operating a motor vehicle in our state. There is no competition for the service, and therefore little to no accountability for the level of service we experience.
I should point out that this “take a number” approach is not always bad. In some retail cases such as a Bakery, this is a perfectly acceptable approach because the transactions are simple and the policies or rules of engagement are clear. Conversely, the DMV processes and often unknown or ambiguous, resulting in waiting on multiple lines, and often coming back another day. There are no other options. Surprise! No one at the DMV cares a jot about your customer service experience.
George Constanza Was On the Something
For you Seinfeld fans, one of my favorite episodes is one when George went to the doctor but his appointment was cancelled when he got there. George pointed out that if he cancelled his appointment, he would have been charged a fee. So, George would be sending an invoice to the doctor’s office for the cancellation because his time was just as valuable as the doctor’s time.
Note here that the value of the customer’s time is the issue. For a transaction to be perceived as fair, it should be reciprocal. If the doctor’s office can bill you for a missed appointment, you should be able to bill them for the same – reciprocal. Sounds crazy right? This is because we are conditioned to accept poor customer service. Given that time is our most valuable commodity, you should protect your time and ensure you are spending an appropriate amount of time in exchange for the value of the product and service you are receiving.
Call it! Heads or Tails?
Regardless of which camp your company falls on the subject, an appropriate customer service experience is the “price of admission”. How you separate yourself from the pack depends on your understanding what your customers expect, and exceeding those expectations. Next month, we will discuss how AI is affecting customer service today and how we can best leverage it regardless of our customer service strategy.
