If a customer has a complaint about a product or service, when they run into the so-called customer service representative (CSR), they forget about the original complaint and take it to a personal level. Ever wondered why?
Because we haven’t empowered our CSRs so that they can help our customers. We keep them small with policies, procedures and job definitions.
What do you think bugs your customers most? Here’s what I think:
1. They don’t get to talk to someone—only a machine and the choices available are not what they are looking for.
2. They can’t find a human to talk to about their problem.
3. They have to wait longer than 5 minutes to talk to or come face-to-face with a CSR.
4. CSR don’t think they are a part of the company. If a customer has a problem with a service or product, the CSR says it’s the company’s problem and they aren’t the company.
5. The CSR can talk but cannot make things happen. They only give lip service.
6. The CSR says one thing and another thing gets done or nothing gets done.
7. CSR is too slow.
8. The CSR uses policy and procedures to abuse the customer.
9. The CSR lives inside their box and cannot fix anything outside the box.
10. The CSR wants the customer to handle their own problems and make the customer wrong for not doing that.
11. The CSR lies to the customer.
12. The CSR does not come close to serving the customer.
Do you have these situations in your customer service department?
Linda Talley
Speaker and Business Coach
