| Customer Service and the Cattle Prod Method | | | | Present it in a way that answers the Customers |
| This is the most frustrating of all Customer | | | | concern and protects the Company. |
| Service experiences for most of us. It is a | | | | Let's see if we can change the responses slightly, |
| combination of poorly trained personnel and | | | | and change the outcome. |
| terrible responses that cause us to believe that | | | | Let's take it from the top. |
| the only way we can get Customer Service from | | | | Me: "Excuse me; I was looking for a little help with |
| the organization we are dealing with is to use a | | | | a problem I am having with your organization |
| cattle prod. (Poke, zziittt.) | | | | regarding ______." |
| Take a look at this example. | | | | Them: "I might be able to help you. What is your |
| Me: "Excuse me; I was looking for a little help with | | | | problem?" now becomes "Let's see where the |
| a problem I am having with your organization | | | | problem is. Can you tell me what you would like |
| regarding ______." | | | | to do?" Notice the subtle difference in the |
| Them: "I might be able to help you. What is your | | | | language. "Let's see" is a great way to include |
| problem?" | | | | your Customer in not only defining the problem |
| Me: "I need help with the payment plan. I would | | | | but also in helping to craft a solution. Asking "Can |
| like to know if there are alternative programs | | | | you tell me about the issue/problem/complaint so |
| available." | | | | that I might understand it better?" or "Can you |
| Them: "No, these are the only plans." | | | | tell me what you would like to do?" or even |
| Me: "What if these plans do not fit my | | | | something like "What is/are the nature |
| circumstances?" (I feel obligated to take out my | | | | circumstances we are talking about?" would be |
| cattle prod and show it to him. He pays no | | | | better than "What is the problem?" or "What is |
| attention to it at all, and I give him a slight poke, | | | | your problem?" |
| zziitt) | | | | "What is the problem" is direct and to the point. In |
| Them: "Sorry. These are the only options." (He | | | | some cases or some businesses this is acceptable. |
| must not have felt my poke) | | | | If this is you, wonderful! |
| Me: "Is there someone else we could ask about | | | | However, I have to tell you that in many |
| alternatives?" (A bigger poke) | | | | seminars I have people talk to me about |
| Them: "It's against company policy." (He definitely | | | | situations that have happened to them. And even |
| is not feeling anything at all) | | | | though it might be a "hard business" like farm |
| Me: "I would really like to do business with your | | | | tractor repair or heavy truck maintenance, people |
| company. I am only asking for help in regards to | | | | are people. We all like to be treated with a little |
| this particular set of circumstances. Is there | | | | respect and a point of view that includes US in |
| anything that YOU could do about this at all?" | | | | the decision and the process. |
| (POKE, slight smell of burning flesh is in the air) | | | | So, before you start emailing me with "we don't |
| Them: "No. As I said before, it's against company | | | | need no stinkin' feelings" consider that you are a |
| policy. I am not authorized to change it." (He | | | | provider and the person in front of you has |
| thinks he is cattle prod resistant) | | | | feelings, like it or not. Not acknowledging them or |
| Me: "Is there someone else we can speak to?" (A | | | | considering them is foolish and disrespectful. |
| lonnggerrr even bigger POKE! There is a discharge | | | | Do you have a Customer Tree outside that you |
| of sparks) | | | | can just walk right out and pick another one if |
| Them: "I'm afraid not." (Now I know he definitely | | | | you don't like this one? I don't think so. |
| thinks he is poke resistant) | | | | Don't fight the reality, learn to work with it. |
| Me: "Then can you call your manager and ask him | | | | How about this one? |
| or her under what, if any circumstances there are | | | | "Them: "It's company policy" now becomes |
| that the company MIGHT change this policy?" | | | | "There are procedures in place that may limit how |
| (Now I am swinging my cattle prod around and | | | | much we can do about this. Let's look at some |
| poking it all over the place. Sparks are flying; I zap | | | | alternatives to this and see if one of these might |
| his nameplate on the counter. I feel like a Jedi | | | | work." Again, the Customer Service rep is stating |
| knight or something) | | | | the facts and offering an alternative without |
| Them: "I'll call and ask, but I don't think he/she will | | | | guaranteeing any results or a specific outcome. |
| change their mind." (NOW HE'S POKING ME! POKE, | | | | What the rep is doing is working with the |
| ZZIITT, OUCH) | | | | restrictions in place while attempting to craft a |
| Ever have a conversation like that? This scenario | | | | solution. |
| is a synopsis of a real event that happened. I | | | | Just saying the words "It's company policy" is like |
| have taken out all of the fluff and stuff. This | | | | putting a wall between you and that Customer |
| incident started me thinking about the responses | | | | without any doors. It may serve you well as a |
| people use improperly in Customer Service. | | | | wall if that's what you want. |
| Let's take a look at where this encounter went | | | | If you want to have Customer Service people |
| awry. | | | | remember, you want to build bridges, not walls. |
| It happened at the point where he said "Sorry. | | | | (Works with employees too!) |
| These are the only options." | | | | Changing just two responses will change the |
| It actually was set up by his two previous | | | | outcome and guarantee that any Customer will |
| responses, "...What is your problem?" and "No, | | | | return and use the service again and again. If you |
| these are the only plans." Here is where most | | | | are not happy with your Customer Service |
| amateur Customer Service personnel make | | | | results/outcomes you need to change the |
| mistakes. | | | | responses, not the Customer. |
| It might be that your company has only this plan, | | | | Maybe people will stop using a cattle prod on you. |
| or there is only the one possible answer. Great. | | | | (zziitt, zziitt) Now won't that be nice. |