Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears Conundrum

Posted on September 14, 2011 Written by 8 Comments

It’s been a while since I’ve done a review. Not that there weren’t experiences I didn’t think were worth sharing…I just wasn’t inspired. Considered me inspired. I’ve had a guest post on The Upsell before but never have I reviewed Sears myself. I recently bought a condo and, since the first thing you do when buying a condo is fill it full of stuff, I was in the market to spend.

drama and comedy 300x240 Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears Conundrum

Do You Love Me or Hate Me, Sears?

THE ORDER:
My girlfriend and I decided to check out Sears Home. Not a place I’d ever been to but the products they sell have often been recommended and, what they hell, they had a sale on. We ended up buying not only a washer / dryer set but also a mattress. They even threw in some pillows. I told you we needed stuff. For big ticket items though, it isn’t just an in-store experience, you also have to get what you bought delivered. I’m actually waiting on the delivery as we speak…but we’ll get to that.

THE SERVICE:
To really get an understanding for this customer service experience, I need to break it into two reviews.

In-House: From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, we were treated well. From the mattress section where the sales person would pop in and out of our decision making to answer questions and offer advice without hovering to the appliances area where we were engaged on a personal level with one employee and offered constructive advice from another who knew we weren’t going to buy anything. We left having happily bought everything on our list. We even talked about the next time we could come back.

Out-House: We were first informed that the washer/dryer would be delivered with the mattress. Then I was told that unfortunately I wouldn’t be getting the mattress on that particular day…but they couldn’t tell me when it was coming. No idea. How is that possible? Is no one accountable for anything? How do you run a delivery business without knowing when your product is sent to and from places? Are there magical pixies creating my mattress and delivering it by teleportation? At this moment, I not only have no idea when it’s coming but also no idea when they’re going to follow up with me.

I’m a social media guy so where do I go to complain? Twitter. @SearsCA saw my remark, apologized and asked to privately get my email so they could get back to me. Sounds great right? That was 3 days ago. Still nothing. Nice.

Finally, I wait for my washer/dryer to arrive between 5-9pm. I, of my own fault, missed the phone call at 5:55pm that told me they had arrived…by 10 minutes. So I called to ask if they could stop by my place later in the evening as they still were delivering for the next 3 hours. Did the customer service agent say, “sorry, our delivery scheduled is packed tonight and can’t make it” or “unfortunately our deliveries are taking us pretty far and we won’t be able to come by your way again tonight”? Nope. Their answer: “We don’t do that.” What? You don’t put your customer first? Or you don’t want to engage me in conversation and an explanation.

“We don’t do that.” Maybe that’s what I’ll say if someone asks if I shop at Sears.

THE CONCLUSIONS:

In-House:
spork21 Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears Conundrumspork21 Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears Conundrumspork21 Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears Conundrumspork21 Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears ConundrumGoing steady – This could be the beginning of something major. For their in-store service, I had amazing conversation, received the right amount of attention, all with a friendly personality. I would love to meet up again…unless…

Out-House:
spork21 Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears ConundrumFriend Zone - I just don’t like you in “that way.” …you bring this “friend.” Inappropriate, complete lack of people skills or respect. I have a friend who desperately will hang out anyone. I won’t even give him your number.


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.

Customer Service Jekyll & Hyde: The Sears Conundrum
Filed Under: My Reviews Tagged: , , , , , ,

Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It: Great Customer Service is Doing What You Promise

Posted on August 6, 2011 Written by 1 Comment

If any one of my friends made a promise to me, and broke it…they probably wouldn’t be my friend for much longer. Whether it be a verbal or written (usually email) contract, there’s something understood in a promise made. It will happen. And if it doesn’t? It’s a betrayal, pure and simple. It might be a big one or a little one but there is that breaking of trust, no matter how slight.

Promise 223x300 Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It: Great Customer Service is Doing What You Promise

You are what you promise

So what happens when a company doesn’t deliver what they promise? Yep, the exact same thing. Some businesses look at the bottom line or how much foot traffic makes its way through their doors but what it’s really about is relationships. That thing that fuels our connection with friends and family is also what fuels our loyalty to certain companies. So when a promise is not delivered…there’s disappointment, frustration, anger, distrust. Maybe on a different scale but not so different than if your best friend had done the same.

So as a business, what are you promising your customers? The answer: your mission statement. That, hopefully short, paragraph that sums up what you will deliver everyday. It’s a promise to your customers, it’s a promise to your staff and it’s a promise to yourself.  Starbucks Mission Statement: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.  Followed up by some principles on how they achieve this.

I love the fact that it’s right there on their website for all to see. It’s like saying, “this is what we promise and we’re going to stand by it. Call us on it if we don’t meet your expectations.” (FYI – I don’t work for or am in any way associated with Starbucks)

The secret to providing great customer service is fulfilling your promise. And the trick to that is not making it a secret. Put it on your website, in your store, on a t-shirt…build those relationships and that trust and your customers will thank you for it. With their wallets.

Your Mission, If You Choose to Accept It: Great Customer Service is Doing What You Promise
Filed Under: My Tips 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: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pet Peeve: Too Many Staff Can Be Too Much of a Good Thing

Posted on March 23, 2011 Written by 8 Comments

You know that old joke, “how many (insert relevant person here) does it take to screw in a light bulb?” I often ask myself that question when I’m in a business…though I don’t tend to laugh at the punch line so much.

Here’s my joke: “How many staff members does it take to figure something out/help a customer/complete a task?”

staff 300x200 Pet Peeve: Too Many Staff Can Be Too Much of a Good Thing

Thanks, but who's helping the other customers?

I’ve often found that when an employee can’t complete the task at hand, they ask another employee to help. And another employee has to come over to see what they’re doing. Now three staff members are doing the work of one while customers watch…and watch…and don’t get served.

A few months ago I was at the Bay where two cashiers were helping a customer with her purchase. One to ring in the purchase, one to bag the purchase and both to chat with the customer. This is all fine if the person they were serving was the only one in eyesight. Not the case. I was standing…waiting…watching with my girlfriend.

A “Sorry, can I help you?” No.

A “Hi, we’ll be with you in a moment?” Nope.

A “Sorry, I’m training but I’ll be right there”? Nada.

You know what sucks? Being treated like you don’t exist.

But what also sucks, is wasting resources rather than helping customers. Managers are there to manage – staff, customers, the store…so let them. When customer service is already under fire for generally being bad, don’t make it worse by having enough staff but not using them to properly engage with your customers.

 

Pet Peeve: Too Many Staff Can Be Too Much of a Good Thing
Filed Under: My Pet Peeves Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Don’t Tell Me My Problem.

Posted on March 14, 2011 Written by 1 Comment

Well, it’s tax time again. Fun? Absolutely…but of course only if you’re getting money back. Which, thankfully, I am. Unfortunately there’s a roadblock as I haven’t yet gotten everything I need to do them. Let the phone calls begin – BC Student Loan Service Bureau (BCSL) and the National Student Loans Service Centre (NSL).

blahblahoperator 150x150 A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem.

The bad connection might not just be because of the phone

 

THE ORDER:
Paying your student loan is an automatic thing -  Pay monthly, tell when I’m done. I’d had very little contact with both service centres beyond the odd address change. I called and thankfully only needed my social insurance number to get through (phew). I spoke with both and each explained that the address I had had come back “invalid” but they would resend my tax information. Fingers crossed that this was the case.


THE SERVICE:
When I spoke to the BCSL service desk, I knew that the tax receipt hadn’t made it to me. It was the reason I had called. Did that stop her from repeating back to me, “Your address is invalid” twice? Nope. Did she have the right address? Yes she did. So why tell me what I already know?

When I call customer service, I’m looking for a problem to be solved. I’m not looking for my problem to be told back to me. I’m looking for you to fix it. (that’s a lot of “looking”). Now I can understand if she was trying to confirm what the problem was but we had already established she had my correct address. Instead, the operator felt parroting back my problem to me was a suitable end to the conversation. I’m not blaming them for the mail not getting to me, but I do blame them for their response when I tried to find a resolution.

In comparison, I spoke to the National Student Loans Service Centre with the same problem (correct address but information wasn’t reaching me). He was great. He understood that there was obviously a problem getting me my information and that it might happen again so he problem solved. Yes, I said it. PROBLEM SOLVED. He gave me the amount I could claim and said that if my accountant/tax person wasn’t sure, they could call the service centre for confirmation. Oh, and he also was going to have the tax receipt resent just in case. Listen, solution, satisfaction.

STUDENT LOAND SERVICES Conclusion:

spork21 A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem. BCSL: Friend Zone - I just don’t like you in “that way.” Let’s just say I’m glad I don’t have a reason to contact you again. This relationship was as acquaintances at best so I’m perfectly fine with it drifting to strangers. Sorry, communication is a little too important for me to try to establish a strong relationship.

spork21 A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem. spork21 A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem. spork21 A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem. spork21 A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem. NSL: Going steady – This could be the beginning of something major. We talked. We laughed. We had fun. Together we overcame obstacles. I’m looking forward to talking again. Would you like to meet my friends?

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.

 

A Tale of Two Student Loan Services: Solve My Problem, Dont Tell Me My Problem.
Filed Under: My Reviews Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf

Posted on March 4, 2011 Written by 2 Comments
It’s been far too long since I put a business to the The Upsell Q&A. Matt Diederichs, manager of the guest services team at Highland Pacific Golf Course said he was up for a few queries. Who am I to disappoint him? Here’s the latest Quality Check:

5411194079 5a2372c614 m QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf

Service Does Not Have to Be Ugly

1) What is your definition of bad customer service?

My idea of poor customer service is simple: When it’s clear that the customer service staff doesn’t care that I’m choosing to bring my business to their establishment, that’s bad service. That doesn’t mean that the staffer is intentionally rude, or ignores me (although those definitely fit the description). It could be as small as a tone of voice, a lack of eye contact, or being slow to acknowledge that I exist. Good customer service is often as simple as attitude and attentiveness. Oh, and I want to be thanked for my business.

2) From a retail perspective, what’s one of your customer service pet peeves?

Retail is becoming a tougher and tougher place to provide great customer service. I believe that I’m indicative of today’s consumer, in that I’m already fairly educated when I walk into a store. I’ve done research on the internet, I’ve asked my social circle for recommendations, and I’m going in with information. The annoying part? When I know more about the product that I’m looking to buy than the sales associate does. In that case, the staff should simply acknowledge that they don’t know and find the information for me, rather than attempt to talk in a circle to disguise their ignorance.

3) Can you provide an example of great customer service your company provided?

I’d like to think that we provide uncommon service at Highland Pacific every day. But one instance that really stands out was when a patron left a wallet at the course last summer. One of our staffers mapped the driver’s license address and drove the wallet back to its rightful owner. They’ll remember that for a long time I think.

Thanks to Matt for providing his insight into customer service. It was a slice. (Hey, I was good. I had every opportunity to be golf punny but I took the high road.) Please let me know if your business is ever interested in participating in an Upsell Q&A. Love to hear from you.

QUALITY CHECK: Service from the Back Nine from Highland Pacific Golf
Filed Under: Quality Check - Q&As for Business Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,
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