I bought a sofa set a few months back, chose the color of my choice, but was told that it wouldn’t be able to deliver to me on time for the Lunar New Year. So, the retailer suggested that I take the showroom set first, and 1 month later, they will deliver the new set with the color I have chosen. That’s great service! So I thought …
This is Peter Ng. Welcome to my customer excellence series ‘Awakening the Service within You’ – I Win; You Lose.
It has been 2 months and there was no follow-up action from the retailer. So, I decided to give them a call, and was told that the sales person who took my order is on one week vacation, and since they do not know the details, I was asked to call him back the following week. Ok, I am a good customer (trying to be one), obediently, I called them back one week later, and was told again, that the sales person has extended his leave and the same demand was made onto the customer to call him back next week. So, the week has arrived, this (trying to be a good customer) called anxiously to try to get the problem resolved, and guess what I was told again? You are right, call back next week, he is not back yet!
This time I demanded to speak with the manager, but was told that she was on leave too.
Guess what happens next? The sales person who sold me the sofa set happens to send me a short message via the mobile to inform me that he is selling a certain brand of car, and if I am looking for a car, please call him (he is prospecting for customers).
I got fuming mad and called the Company and told them that the sales person has left their Company and asked why all those lies and delaying actions – the guy who took the phone started giggling and told me that I better speak to the manager after she comes back from her leave.
Customers can forgive a mistake but NEVER A POOR ATTITUDE either from the staff or worst, the Organization!
What surprise me is that there are so much talks and campaigns regarding good services, but most companies just can’t get it! What’s wrong? With so much talk about service, why aren’t customers being treated the way they should be treated?
One reason is that too many companies and employees view customer service as an occurrence, something that happens once and then is over. But excellent service really focuses not on a one-time event but on building a sustained, positive relationship. Companies and employees should take every encounter with a customer as an experience – which could be either positive or negative.
Organizations and people with a positive attitude toward service know that just doing their job is not enough. They know that each contact is an opportunity that may never come again. That opportunity can be used to build, or re-build, a successful relationship. Or to destroy it!
In today’s competitive environment, customer service is no longer a luxury. It is critical for survival, and the key ingredient for success of the organization. Every employee and every management staff has got to think and feel like a customer.
The Company may have gotten my money and got rid of the showroom set (they thought they win and I lose), but in actual fact, we all loses. The Company loses because I won’t return to them for business, and as we know a bad experience will be told to at least 25 other people, and these ‘other’ people will tell at least 4 more, work on the arithmetic, and you will see the detrimental effects of poor service. I lost because it consumes my time, energy, effort, and emotions.
Get everyone in your Organization to change to “If You Win; I Win” attitude, rather than “I Win; You Lose”. Create a culture that making customers win all the time, we (the organization) wins all the time as well, with repeated business, referrals, harmony with the customers, a great working environment, and higher staff retention, because good reputation of the Organization, gives the employees a great sense of pride. You Win; I Win! 
