I Called Customer Service Today and ...

 Ok, I’ll admit it. I bought one of those things they sell on TV and online that promises to make a visible difference in 30 days.

The videos from famous people who supposedly have knowledge about the product and who have agreed to allow the company to post a testimonial clinched it for me. Surely, THAT guy wouldn't allow his name to be associated with a scam. 

Yeah, sure; that’s why it’s called a scam.

So, I called the customer service line today to cancel my subscription and any future orders, figuring I could have this over and done with in just a couple of minutes. Now I am sorry to say that I've been wrong twice about this company. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, well…you know.

When the customer service representative answered the phone, she did so with a nice, pleasant tone of voice, and she initially tried to help figure out why I wasn't satisfied with their “awesome product” (yes, her exact words). 

Was I using the product incorrectly, do I require additional instructions, could I please read the instructions back to her so I could confirm a second time that I’m not an idiot?

Once she realized that I really wanted to discontinue any association with her company, her welcoming tone and pleasantness went the way of the Dodo Bird in a matter of seconds.

After I finished the longer than expected, and quite irritating conversation with the company’s second-tier customer service department manager, I thought about how we as business leaders and managers handle rejection of our own products, services, and attempts to build and nurture prospect relationships.

Better yet, how does our front-line staff deal with these types of situations every day?

Common sense and an impressive amount of research indicate that a happy customer is a repeat customer. Moreover, a happy repeat customer is a loyal customer who is willing to act as an evangelist for you by sharing their happiness with your product or services with others. 

The question is: how do you keep your customers happy?

There are many different ideas and models for focusing on the Voice of the Consumer, Customer Relations Management, and so on.

Our goal at Dawn Gannon Consulting is to simply provide a quality product designed specifically for each client, offered at the lowest-possible price, and followed up with a genuine dedication to quality customer service designed to ensure each one recognizes the value we place on their satisfaction.

I'm sure that sounds very similar to yours. However, customer satisfaction isn't just about making the situation right when what is delivered is not what the customer expected.

It is also about building a strong, positive relationship with the customer by communicating occasionally through various channels, and providing them with ample opportunities to provide feedback. Active listening and communication is how you identify opportunities to innovate, and meet the future needs of your customers before they even know they have them.

However, this blog is about great customer service, and while I could provide several ideas about how to build a great customer relationship, I’d love to hear your suggestions.

Please take a moment to share what has worked for you, what hasn’t, and why.

Thanks for sharing!

Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. As a Lean/Six Sigma Green Belt, Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management, consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts, and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.