| Here it is - The Top Ten Signs of Poor Customer | | | | Customers have to ask for action to take place. |
| Service! | | | | It's called cattle prod Customer Service. They |
| Drum roll please. | | | | have to prod the personnel to get any action. |
| Number 10 | | | | And even then, may not get anything at all. In |
| An Us vs Them Mindset. This person thinks that | | | | fact, they could possibly start a stampede! |
| Customers are out to get him or her. They feel | | | | Anytime your Customers are pushing your staff |
| the Customer decided to wake up that day and | | | | to get something done, something is wrong. And |
| "mess with me for no reason." This also includes | | | | it's not the Customer! |
| the "Poor me" and the "I hate my _____" | | | | Number 4 |
| (insert job, life, spouse, etc) person who feels | | | | Frequent interruptions. Telephones, other |
| that everyone is out to get them. | | | | employees, customer after customer, too many |
| Number 9 | | | | duties, not enough time, oh there are so many |
| Poorly trained staff. Yep. It seems to be | | | | causes of interruptions. It is a symptom of our |
| everywhere. And I hear the same things all the | | | | times. Just because computers and email and |
| time. "I don't have time to train" or "I train them | | | | texting work fast, with no complaints, we expect |
| and they quit" or "I want to try them out for | | | | our Customer Service to be the same way. Folks, |
| awhile before I train them. " These are poor | | | | it just ain't so. No matter how many computers |
| excuses. Heck, I've even used the "try for awhile" | | | | you have that hum, telephones that ring and |
| one myself. You know what? There is no excuse | | | | texting that flashes, if you don't have the human |
| for poorly trained staff. If you are the person | | | | element in place, it's not going to work. |
| responsible, you need to take a look at your | | | | People need the human touch. It's that little warm |
| paycheck. It represents payment for services | | | | feeling that comes from interacting with someone |
| rendered as a Professional! Not an amateur. | | | | face to face. |
| Number 8 | | | | What I am really trying to say is this. |
| Stiff, forced or awkward answers. When they | | | | HAVE ENOUGH STAFF! Not just enough, I mean |
| speak it sounds like a teenager trying to explain | | | | enough. |
| why they came home late. (" Uhhh, you won't | | | | Enough means no extra waiting, no wandering |
| believe it man.") This is a lack of confidence in the | | | | Customers, no standing in extra long lines, no |
| product, poor training (see above), lack of skill or | | | | "can't answer that question because I don't have |
| lack of aptitude. You can fix the confidence by | | | | time" and many other examples of being |
| learning the product, fix the skills with practice | | | | understaffed or "just enough" staff. Then have |
| (role play, scripting) and conduct ongoing training. | | | | the processes and systems in place to back up |
| You cannot fix the aptitude. There are some | | | | your staff. And train them. |
| people who do not have the inner social, | | | | Number 3 |
| educational or people skills needed to work in the | | | | In tense situations we raise our voices, flail our |
| field of Customer Service. | | | | arms sometimes and generally have an effect on |
| Number 7 | | | | an entire area. Not moving the parties involved to |
| Uncommitted to the field of Customer Service or | | | | another area is a sign of poor Customer Service. |
| to the Customer. Very obvious especially when | | | | People know when something is not quite right. |
| you ask them how long have they been there | | | | We sense it. It spreads from person to person |
| and they say something like "3 years" and yet | | | | without the need for speaking. It is obvious when |
| the skill set they have belongs to a "day one | | | | we see it. In many cases, we feel there is a need |
| never been in Customer Service" employee. That | | | | to "stand your ground" with the Customer. Does |
| tells you something about them. I mean, you | | | | that include doing it at the front counter, reception |
| gotta figure they have about as much interest in | | | | area, parking lot, etc...? Why not move the |
| becoming professional Customer Service people | | | | Customer and you to an area that has some |
| as a fish learning to fly. If they have not asked | | | | semblance of privacy and you can then air out |
| about training, company plans and their role in the | | | | your differences? It would definitely improve your |
| big picture, they are telling you one of two things. | | | | image and other Customers perceptions. |
| 1. The place you work is sending a signal that | | | | Number 2 |
| everyone who works here will never progress | | | | Unhappy people. That's right, unhappy people in |
| beyond where they are now, so why bother. | | | | your Customer Service department. They are |
| 2. They don't care to invest in themselves to | | | | there. And for whatever reason they are |
| become better at what they do. | | | | unhappy. Spouse, family situations, medical, you |
| And not committing themselves to the Customer | | | | name it. And it bleeds over into their performance |
| by working to resolve situations is a big signal as | | | | and to your Customer. If you are unhappy, do |
| well. These people throw their hands up at the | | | | something about it. Talk to someone, get help! |
| first sign of trouble and say things like "I can't deal | | | | We already know you are unhappy! Let's work |
| with this person" or "Why is everybody rude?" | | | | this out together so that we can conduct our |
| Some reasons for this behavior could be they feel | | | | business as Professionals! If you are unhappy |
| as if they don't have the support or tools | | | | because you are in Customer Service, then get |
| necessary, or they don't see the results that they | | | | out of it. Find a career you can be happy in. We'll |
| expected from previous situations. | | | | manage without you. (In some cases, way better |
| Number 6 | | | | without you) |
| Personnel are not Customer focused. They are | | | | Number 1 |
| instead focused on preservation. They want to | | | | Poor Attitude. What can I say? It's an internal |
| preserve their status, position, seniority, etc. They | | | | thing. You can't fix it from the outside. People |
| very rarely extend themselves or reach out to | | | | have to see it for themselves, change it for |
| Customers. | | | | themselves. You wish you could push their |
| It is a naturally occurring growth. Unfortunately, | | | | attitude adjustment button; it just doesn't work |
| it's a cancerous growth. And you may need to | | | | that way. |
| remove it. Help them see that by continuing to | | | | If you are the person with the poor attitude, then |
| perform in this manner they are actually limiting | | | | do something about it. The rest of us are tired of |
| themselves and not preserving anything. In fact, | | | | it. |
| when there are rough waters, these are the first | | | | There they are! The Top Ten! If any of these fit |
| people you jettison as "dead weight." | | | | you, your department or your life, Get After It! |
| Number 5 | | | | |