LifeLabs on Customer Service Life Support

Posted on May 31, 2011 Written by Leave a Comment

We all get to a point in our lives where health moves up the list of priorities. I remember getting what I thought was a full physical when I was in my early 30s, only to be told by the doctor that certain uncomfortable procedures weren’t done until I was 40 (like how non-specific I’m being?). Well, despite my efforts to the contrary, that seems to be the age I’m approaching and that means fun things like blood tests and organizations like LifeLabs Medical Laboratory Services.

THE ORDER:

nurse with needle 200x300 LifeLabs on Customer Service Life Support

This was as fun as it got

After a brief visit to a local doctor, I was directed to LifeLabs, a biomedical facility in British Columbia. I’m sure there are places much like this across North America – a doctor’s office-looking facility that takes your blood, checks your vitals and sends the results off to your physician. I stopped in to the office at 11:30am expecting a long line but found that I was the only one there. The receptionist/nurse/one-woman-show took my information and immediately directed me to the “blood room” (that’s not really the room’s name, but that’s what they focus on in there). It didn’t take long before I was directed to an EMG test room. I don’t know what it is anymore than I did before I went in the room but the seven wires attached to various parts of my body were a nice surprise. A few moments later, a shirt put back on and I’m out the door – LifeLabs done.

THE SERVICE:
I guess what would be important is how you define “service.” Was I in and out in a timely manner? Yes. Did I feel the job was done adequately and professionally? Yes. Was there any human connection or feeling that I wasn’t cattle being pushed through a factory? Um, no. From the moment I walked in, the nurse didn’t make any eye contact with me whatsoever, nor did she make me feel comfortable in what is a pretty uncomfortable environment. I was dealing with sharp things (needles) and leaving a part of me I’d grown quite fond of (my blood). She even looked at the clock the moment I arrived….I do so love to feel wanted. Once directed to the 1st room and rushed through a bloodletting, she muttered something at me and left the room. I think she wanted me to follow her but I couldn’t tell if she was talking to me, at me or at the wall. My only hint was when she returned to give me the “Well?” look.  My response at the awkward experience was humour (I can be charming dammit) which did crack her stern facade but didn’t inspire her to comment or even connect with me.  Tough crowd.

THE CONCLUSION:
spork21 LifeLabs on Customer Service Life Supportspork21 LifeLabs on Customer Service Life SupportBooty Call - If I don’t have anything else better going on, I’ll stop by. I left with a little less blood in my system and lot more desire for a relationship that mattered. I’d give you a lower rating but I have a feeling I’m going to need you in my life again. Might as well leave the door open.

Service Rating System:

Friend Zone - I just don’t like you in “that way.”
Booty Call - If I don’t have anything else better going on, I’ll stop by
2nd Date – I’ll give you a second chance.
Going steady – This could be the beginning of something major.

LifeLabs on Customer Service Life Support
Filed Under: My Reviews Tagged: , , , , , ,

Tales of Customer Service: Highs and Lows of a Week

Posted on May 18, 2011 Written by 1 Comment

We encounter customer service every day in many different ways. From the gas station to the coffee shop, from the cable company call centre to the car dealership, the time we spend with businesses is usually more than we spend with our families. I decided to take a look at one week. One week of service – good or bad. One week where I paid a little more attention to how I was being treated while I made my way from store front to store front. Below are four highlights:

week days signpost 300x200 Tales of Customer Service: Highs and Lows of a Week

Which ever way you go, you're dealing with customer service

Starbucks – My girlfriend was in need of a caffeine fix so we popped into one of what seems like 17 local Starbucks. Upon entering the store, I noticed three staff members behind the counter all working on a cleaning project…and they kept right at it. One looked up at us then looked back down at her task. Another turned, glanced at us and walked to the back. That’s right TWO EMPLOYEES looked at us and said nothing. No “hi”, no “be with you in a moment”, no “what can we get you.” Finally, like breaking through a fog, one of them realized no one had said hello and finally took our order. It wasn’t a long pause from beginning to order, but it was too long.

The Bay (Part 1) – I needed dress shoe laces. At the counter, I noticed a 30 inch lace that was the perfect style but too short and a 36 inch lace at a perfect size but wrong style. I asked the clerk if they had any more in the back. No dice. I told him that unfortunately, the 36 inch laces weren’t going to fit the look of my shoe. His response: “I guess your only choice is to make it work.” My response: “Or, I could choose not to buy them at all.” Which I did.

The Bay (Part 2) – Buying dress shirts is easy – know my neck size, know the style I like. Done and done. In about 5 minutes I’d made my choices and took them to the cashier. He looked at my selection, looked at me and got out his tape measure. In about 5 minutes he informed me my arms were longer than the shirt sleeves I’d picked. Rather than simply ring it in with no questions asked, he solved a potential problem and acquired a return customer. Hard to measure that.

BMO – Welcome to BMO. Have a great day. Common phrases that I don’t think we can hear enough. Sure the idea of a “greeter” is kind of cheesy but the value is there. I’m not just a face, I’m a customer. I’m not sure if this is done at every branch but I now prefer this one because of the warm greeting from the customer service desk. Does it take a lot of effort? Would I still go there to pay my student loan? (well yeah, I kind of have to) Bottom line it’s a small added value with far reaching repercussions – customers will tell other customers. Or write blog.

Were these the only stores I interacted with last week? No. There are tons of other stories to share of customer service hits and misses. We spend a lot of time buying products and services, wouldn’t it be nice if it was more enjoyable?

Tales of Customer Service: Highs and Lows of a Week
Filed Under: My Reviews Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , ,

High Test Or Unleaded: Why Moka House Isn’t Challenging Starbucks For Coffee Supremacy Anytime Soon

Posted on May 9, 2011 Written by 10 Comments

The man likes his coffee, but he likes customer service just as much. Dave Caughran shares his caffeine experience with us in the latest Upsell guest post.

Why is it that I find myself writing about the failings of the small‘ish’ local business and promoting the extra mile that a giant multinational business goes?

Here’s why: I drink coffee. But, my coffee drinking has no strict loyalties. I don’t consciously seek out a Starbucks, nor do I cross the street to go to the local barista. Guess you could say I’m a free agent when it comes to coffee, with one caveat, your coffee better taste good.

So it wasn’t unusual the other night for me to avoid turning left into the mall for a Starbucks or Tim Hortons. Instead, I chose to stay on ‘this’ side of the street to go to Moka House Coffee for an evening coffee on the way to my destination.

coffee cup from coffee beans 150x150 High Test Or Unleaded: Why Moka House Isn’t Challenging Starbucks For Coffee Supremacy Anytime Soon

Could this have “bean” the right approach?

As I waited at the counter for my turn, I ogled the baked goods, talked myself out of the gooey one and into the healthy one and back into the gooey one. I was in a good mood. Until I ordered. My friend and I both ordered a “large decaf”…It was nearly 8pm and neither of us wanted to be watching late night reruns of The Simpsons waiting for the caffeine high to wear off. The barista, and it’s not her fault, announced “We don’t brew decaf. Would you like an Americano instead?” I’m still in a good mood because I’ve heard this before. It’s The Upsell at BIG ol’ Starbucks in the evening where they don’t want to waste product and demand isn’t high for decaf strangely enough.

The counter person then announced what seemed like an inordinate amount of money for 2 large decafs and our 2 baked indiscretions. SHATTER!!! That was the sound of my good natured naïveté and my good mood falling to the ground in pieces. Innocent me asks “Why is it so much for 2 coffees and 2 goodies? Shouldn’t it be less?!!?” Only to be informed “Well no, a large brewed coffee is $2.25, but you’re having a large Americano, that’s $3.80 each.”

“BUT YOU DON’T BREW LARGE DECAF!!!” was the yell that went through my mind. Which instead came out “Oh! Really?? Then switch mine to a large brewed dark roast.” (I’ll spend some time tonight with Bart & Homer I guess) as my friend handed me a little more money for his and the barista probably cursed in her head at having to change the order in the till. Lucky for her she hadn’t started the Americanos yet.

As I walked to the coffee condiment counter… As I added to my cream and sweetener… As my friend and I walked to the car… As I drove to our destination… I fumed and ranted and raved… Because my expectation had been set by my experience at, where else but, Starbucks, go figure. What I didn’t mention above is that Starbucks makes you an Americano instead of brewed decaf FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE!!

Does it take a little more time to make an Americano? Probably. Does it cost a little more for the beans and the time on the giant espresso machine? Probably, but in the long run it probably even saves them money. But does it make a lasting positive impression, fostering goodwill and putting them higher on my coffee list because Starbucks went the extra mile and did ‘a little thing’ for me? DEFINITELY! So Moka House had their chance to impress me as a customer, to do a little more to keep my business. Did they succeed? NOPE, a big miserable fail!

Long before social media, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube et al, there used to be an adage in the restaurant business: “One happy customer is one happy customer. One unhappy customer tells 10 friends NOT to go to your restaurant.” In this day and age where a broken guitar turns into a viral song on YouTube and a broken wheelchair harnesses the power of Twitter, both guilting large airlines into doing the right thing, business should be asking itself: “Can I really afford to alienate a customer?”

So Moka House can keep their $3.80 decaf Americano. Next time, I’m going “across the street.”

Do you think Moka House was in the right? Should they not charge for the products they sell or would it be better to cater to customers though they’ll be losing money? The comments are over to you…

High Test Or Unleaded: Why Moka House Isn’t Challenging Starbucks For Coffee Supremacy Anytime Soon
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