What fun it is to be a business coach to women entrepreneurs and have so much to share about customer service from the big boys: Verizon, Comcast/Infinity, and washer/dryer repairman, and that's just this week! So, keep reading to learn 3 lessons every entrepreneur must know about customer service to be successful in business.
Every small business person knows the importance of customer service...YES, YOU DO KNOW THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT...RIGHT? I know that this sounds so scary as if you, the entrepreneur, will give away the store, so to speak, to the customer whose needs seem somewhat pitiful,....BUT, the customer's needs are what keep you in business! Get it? If the customer had no needs you wouldn't be in business. So, let's move on to the lessons learned this week from the big boys!
Big Boy #1 Verizon: I called to let them know my voicemail wasn't working and hadn't been working for at least a week. The first thing they asked me was did I have another answering machine? Really, now why would I have an answering machine if I was paying Verizon for voicemail? It didn't register with my representative. Then, I asked her, "could it be that because I had recently had some problems with my cable boxes and remote controls and had had some really uncomfortable talks with the customer service representative, that I could possibly have been sabotaged? She would not confirm or deny. Okay, I get it! I am tied into all the products and if one customer service rep is not happy with me, I better beware...that is all I can come up with for my problem. Voicemail was fixed after a 30 minute call to a new customer service rep and a one hour wait. I will be very careful before I offend another customer service rep at this big boy!
Big Boy #2 Comcast/Infinity: My friend lost all phone service for the second time in the past two months. A call to customer service was responded with, "perhaps you have done something to cut off your service? If we have to send someone over and it is your fault we will charge you. Can you be home between 9 and 5 on Friday?" Are you kidding? What did she do? Climb up to the pole outside of her house and cut the cable? Why would a customer service rep threatened a monthly paying customer? I have NO idea! Of course, the problem is with the company and they should fix the problem ASAP and get back providing the service that is being paid for.
So, women entrepreneurs of any size business, PLEASE, stand up and apologize for any problem with your service or product. Right or wrong, all any customer wants is to get what they are paying for without a hassle.
Back to the second story, when my best friend lost her phone service as a Comcast/Infinity customer. She has had many problems and been told many times that they have had to cut service to her, without a reason why! Many calls to their customer service department requires going over the same stories of lack of phone etc. etc. Finally, they call her back early Friday to say they have found the problem on their line and all is set. She has already taken the day off from work and now no one is coming. The switch was flipped and all is working with her phone service and cable.
Third and final story is with the washer/dryer repairman, Frigidaire recommended as the set is only 5 years old. The dryer element has clearly burnt out and the repairman is scheduled for a Friday afternoon visit. He arrives and complains about the new appliances and how they are "built into the kitchen". When I tell him he is making me nervous he suggests I leave and let him work. I do and I listen to his banging and messing around. 30 minutes or so later he is done and ready to be paid. I pay him, but suggest that we try the dryer ..it seems to work. Two days later I try to do a wash and now the washing machine doesn't work. I call and leave a message. Long story short, the customer service rep tells me that obviously the broken washing machine is a coincidence. "Really, I say, I know the guy broke it!" OK, enough about this. A new repair guy came and saw that the first repair guy had pushed the wrong button and put the washing machine on a delay....YEAH.. the machine is fixed and I was told it was my fault, but it wasn't. Although vindicated I was so frustrated and angry I will never use this company again.
Three lessons learned this week about customer service. #1 the customer is always right. #2 the customer is always right. #3 the customer is always right. Why? Because if you don't have a customer you don't have a business. You don't get anything by being right. In each of these cases, the businesses involved need me, or my friend, to remain as customers. If being right means you lose customers it won't take long for you to go out of business. Please understand, being right is not about being successful in business. Customer service is about understanding the needs of your customer and making sure you deliver. Calling them a lier is not going to guarantee their loyalty to you!
We all remember Lily Tomlin as the customer service representative, or phone representative, Ernestine. Her lack of ability to empathize with the customer was hilarious, but in today's business world that customer service leads to disaster.
Learn to love your customer and appreciate everything she asks of you as without her you don't have a business. Good luck, as good customer service is hard to deliver, but critical to success.
