The concept of customer service has been on my mind quite a bit lately. Some customer service that I’ve experienced has been great, but most has been sadly lacking. The more I think about it, the more I realize that customer service in not a priority for many companies in this day and age.
One of the eight Canadian rules (linked below) is to hire enough staff or an answering service so that every phone call is answered by a human. When was the last time you actually got through to a human when you phoned your bank or your internet provider or your cable TV company? How does it make you feel when you keep answering questions designed to get you to the right department, but the program never asks the question you are waiting for?
I’ve written here about how customer service in banks disappeared when a bunch of MBA’s started implementing their college-acquired theories about efficiency. The focus switched from how can we keep our customers happy to how can we get more money to the bottom line. The two quickest answers to that question are automation and increased employee productivity. Both have negative impacts on customer service.
A report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on November 3, 2011, had two interesting statistics. Employee productivity increased 3.1% during the quarter ending September 30. At the same time the cost of labor fell 2.4%. Increases in wages increase the cost of labor, while increases in productivity decrease the cost of labor.
It is no wonder that when we do get someone on the phone, they are surly. They haven’t had enough time away from their job, and they are being paid less.
And business wonders why the 99% are protesting in cities of all sizes all over the U.S. They can’t get a break when they are at work, if they have work. They can’t get a break when they try to spend money. Every time they turn around some business is making it harder for them to manage their finances: a new fee here, a new fee there, here a fee, there a fee, everywhere a fee-fee. The 99% just plain can’t get a break, because all the breaks are flowing to the top 1%.
Homework:
8 Canadian Rules for Customer Service
10 Rules for Customer Service
Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Getting More Out of Employees
Trends in Productivity
One of the eight Canadian rules (linked below) is to hire enough staff or an answering service so that every phone call is answered by a human. When was the last time you actually got through to a human when you phoned your bank or your internet provider or your cable TV company? How does it make you feel when you keep answering questions designed to get you to the right department, but the program never asks the question you are waiting for?
I’ve written here about how customer service in banks disappeared when a bunch of MBA’s started implementing their college-acquired theories about efficiency. The focus switched from how can we keep our customers happy to how can we get more money to the bottom line. The two quickest answers to that question are automation and increased employee productivity. Both have negative impacts on customer service.
A report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on November 3, 2011, had two interesting statistics. Employee productivity increased 3.1% during the quarter ending September 30. At the same time the cost of labor fell 2.4%. Increases in wages increase the cost of labor, while increases in productivity decrease the cost of labor.
It is no wonder that when we do get someone on the phone, they are surly. They haven’t had enough time away from their job, and they are being paid less.
And business wonders why the 99% are protesting in cities of all sizes all over the U.S. They can’t get a break when they are at work, if they have work. They can’t get a break when they try to spend money. Every time they turn around some business is making it harder for them to manage their finances: a new fee here, a new fee there, here a fee, there a fee, everywhere a fee-fee. The 99% just plain can’t get a break, because all the breaks are flowing to the top 1%.
Homework:
8 Canadian Rules for Customer Service
10 Rules for Customer Service
Everything You Never Wanted to Know About Getting More Out of Employees
Trends in Productivity
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