Simple fact: Customer service is the single most important factor to any business… and most only get fair ratings. A simple KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is how we treat the customer before, during and after the sale. This is often referred to as the “Feel Good Factor.” Basically the goal is to not only help the customer have a good experience, but also to offer them an experience that exceeds their expectations.

After 30 minutes of being on hold to cancel a utility one night, I thought to myself, “Self, there has to be a better way?” Sitting on the phone waiting for what seems like an endless amount of time is most frustrating. Once someone does answer, they do their best to read from what I call “scripted intelligence.” When you hit a fork in the road with the agent’s script, you must either go to a higher level (manager) or get frustrated enough to hang up, call back and hope you get someone different with a little more knowledge than the previous customer service agent. I would venture to say that most sit in cubicle-land just waiting for their shifts to end. Most times, they hate their jobs. So I thought, if I had my own custom made service department, this is what I’d do.

Take into consideration that these are ONLY suggestions and these don’t always work either. . .

• REAL human beings to talk to. No more of that automated press 18 to get to an “agent.”  Makes me feel like I’m in trouble with the IRS.
• No scripts, just answers.  You know, the kind that you actually will be helped by!
• No more outsourcing to India, Pakistan, or any other country. Make real jobs for real Americans here. (Big shout out to those who already do this!!)
• Actually show that you care! Talk like you are meeting a friend.
• If your problem is a special case, make it escalate immediately! Don’t make us wait until your script is done 15 minutes later to transfer us to someone else. (This is my biggest pet peeve!)
• Know what you are talking about!!!  Why can’t this be mandatory “training” for cubicle land?
• Finally, please have only one number to call. I don’t want to contact five departments to solve my billing issue. Also, have some decent hours that the working stiffs can call while not at work themselves.

Many in our industry have mastered these principles and I believe they are obtainable. I would hope that we are all customer focused because that is the one thing that sets good companies apart from the poor ones. Ask Microsoft; they’re my favorite folks to call… you know exactly what I mean.

Tom Richardson
www.linkedin.com/in/tomrichardsonsaltlake/
tomtoughie@gmail.com