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The Customer is always Right ?
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Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have.
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? |
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By *iewMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Angus & Findhorn |
no that's why most contact centres tape calls, to protect the customers and the advisor as both can do wrong...
the customer ultimately pays the wage and need the utmost respect.
but I have removed customers from our business as they were abusive to our people, this was following investigation and they were asked to take their business elsewhere. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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No a message to Richard Branson almost certainly wouldn't reach him. But look for a director who's remit appears to cover the area your grievance is, get an email address for any employer, remember that all companies will use the same format for email addresses and you now can contact a director direct by email. Surprisingly effective. |
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By *annGentMan
over a year ago
With a cracking _iew |
Sometimes you need to go to the top, and an easy way I have of getting the contact details I need is to say that the person I'm talking to isn't paid enough to deal with grievance I have !
Quickly get's you speaking to someone higher up  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Sometimes you need to go to the top, and an easy way I have of getting the contact details I need is to say that the person I'm talking to isn't paid enough to deal with grievance I have !
Quickly get's you speaking to someone higher up "
Really? I've worked in call centres, staff are trained not to pass calls through to managers. The minute you get abusive you are almost certainly doing yourselves no favours.
Mosat effective way to complain is always politely, much harder to deal with. Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner... |
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the customer is always right, except when they are wrong,
Someone who is dealing with this type of complaint should do so in a polite manner and explain why the customer is wrong
As for going to the top, that can work, but the person at the top probably will not be aware of it
I had a major issue with a multinational mobile phone company, who i had a contract with, managed to allocate my number to someone else
calls to customer services got me nowhere, as my name was no longer assosciated with the account, they would not talk to me, despite myself at all times being polite,
I managed to get hold of the direct phone number for the CEO's office and called it, spoke to a very nice lady (his PA) who resolved the issue within 30 minutes, and gave me 3 months without having to pay the contract as compensation
So yes going to the top can and does work, its just not the person at the top who actually deals with it |
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"Sometimes you need to go to the top, and an easy way I have of getting the contact details I need is to say that the person I'm talking to isn't paid enough to deal with grievance I have !
Quickly get's you speaking to someone higher up
Really? I've worked in call centres, staff are trained not to pass calls through to managers. The minute you get abusive you are almost certainly doing yourselves no favours.
Mosat effective way to complain is always politely, much harder to deal with. Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner..."
Is there more to customer service than a call centre? There used to be, perhaps that's the problem these days. |
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"Sometimes you need to go to the top, and an easy way I have of getting the contact details I need is to say that the person I'm talking to isn't paid enough to deal with grievance I have !
Quickly get's you speaking to someone higher up
Really? I've worked in call centres, staff are trained not to pass calls through to managers. The minute you get abusive you are almost certainly doing yourselves no favours.
Mosat effective way to complain is always politely, much harder to deal with. Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner..."
The one and only call centre i worked in, had specially trained staff who had certain powers, they were not managers and is anyone asked to be put through to a manager, then they were put through to one of those persons (i was one)
When i worked in customer service roles, i always look at i as if i was the customer how would i want to be treated, and used to treat the customers that way
a lot of companies should learns that attitude and train staff that way
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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" Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner..."
It shouldn't be a cat-and-mouse game of who gets the upper hand. If a customer (ie, the person who's laid out hard cash for goods or services) has a complaint then it should be handled with the utmost tact, diplomacy and respect, not with a round of 'lets try out this tactic and see if I can get rid of the twat'. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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" Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner...
It shouldn't be a cat-and-mouse game of who gets the upper hand. If a customer (ie, the person who's laid out hard cash for goods or services) has a complaint then it should be handled with the utmost tact, diplomacy and respect, not with a round of 'lets try out this tactic and see if I can get rid of the twat'."
To clarify that is a question I ask as a customer when the scenario of being treated with tact diplomacy and respect is not happening. Would never have said tht to a customer when I worked in those environments.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have. FILE 13 spring to mind
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? "
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have.
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? "
FILE 13 SPRINGS TO MIND |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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" Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner...
It shouldn't be a cat-and-mouse game of who gets the upper hand. If a customer (ie, the person who's laid out hard cash for goods or services) has a complaint then it should be handled with the utmost tact, diplomacy and respect, not with a round of 'lets try out this tactic and see if I can get rid of the twat'."
you been into my Business then lol |
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"
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. "
It's highly unlikely Dicky will get to see it... but that's the point, he pays people so he doesn't need to. His PA will see it and pass it on to someone else, someone who does have more authority than the call centre people, and this person will be told to "deal with it" .... they won't want Dicky asking "why didn't you deal with this?" |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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" Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner...
It shouldn't be a cat-and-mouse game of who gets the upper hand. If a customer (ie, the person who's laid out hard cash for goods or services) has a complaint then it should be handled with the utmost tact, diplomacy and respect, not with a round of 'lets try out this tactic and see if I can get rid of the twat'.
To clarify that is a question I ask as a customer when the scenario of being treated with tact diplomacy and respect is not happening. Would never have said tht to a customer when I worked in those environments.
"
Misread you. Sorry. Oops.  |
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We run a small company selling garden related stuff. We've been going now for twelve years and the last few have been damn tough. What we've noticed is everyone for the past two or three years is demanding more money off even when there are already substantial discounts. We've also noticed an increase in customer "complaints" and generally for the smallest of things, an hour late in delivery, a screw missing, silly things .... all demanding "compensation" It now appears the norm for people to complain because they know they can, and invariably they'll get away with it, Happy that they've got their £10 - £100 "compensation" as there life has been ruined by a late delivery!
In the past few years we've had to lay off staff, all due to reduced profits and the compensation culture, we often joke when people order to cancel it and give them £20. We strive our very hardest to give the very best service and do to the best of our ability, someone this week complained that there was some knots in there shed and it spoilt it's looks!! It's goddam wood ... another £20 compensation grrrrr
In our opinion, this is what is killing the UK and small / medium businesses who do actually care, the fact that we all know if we shout enough we'll get money off, try it, anything you can think off will result in £20 back ....We've lost over the past few years 6 people simply to pay for it and keep ourselves going with less staff and the same amount of sales.
We import a lot of products from Holland, we complain to them if there's a screw missing from a planter as we've had to give "compensation", they think we are ridiculous, in the eyes of Europe, in our industry, we are a joke and a race of whinging moaning people who want everything for nothing and a missing screw is worth £20 compensation ...... and breathe ........ rant over but still growling .....
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"No a message to Richard Branson almost certainly wouldn't reach him. But look for a director who's remit appears to cover the area your grievance is, get an email address for any employer, remember that all companies will use the same format for email addresses and you now can contact a director direct by email. Surprisingly effective."
However said director will have a pa in large organisations, so they may never read it. Generally their emails will be diverted to stop spamming. Only selected emails will get through. |
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"Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have.
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? "
Do you realy think Richard Branson knows the ins and outs of the day to day running of all of his businesses?? Its like watching Luton Airport and seing Stelios get accosted by customers because they think he can pull strings for them and he cant
i agree with the post that people these days seem to want more for nothing these days. Also, people can be so nasty and vile on the phones - what gives them the right to speak to people like that??
i worked for a payday loan company and the things people said to me as a manager on the campaign were disgusting. They CHOSE to use that service, they had the T's & C's yet i was the bad person because i wouldnt give them their money back?! one woman said she hoped i died of cancer  |
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By *waymanMan
over a year ago
newcastle |
"no that's why most contact centres tape calls, to protect the customers and the advisor as both can do wrong...
the customer ultimately pays the wage and need the utmost respect.
but I have removed customers from our business as they were abusive to our people, this was following investigation and they were asked to take their business elsewhere."
There are lots of reasons for taping calls, but the one you've given is too general.
Sometimes regulators require calls to be taped - if you're selling regulated financial products for instance. Often clients of outsourced call centres will insist on full recording for quality control purposes.
In my experience though lots of centres that play the 'your call may be recorded' message only tape a minority of calls to enable coaching... |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"There are lots of reasons for taping calls, but the one you've given is too general.
Sometimes regulators require calls to be taped - if you're selling regulated financial products for instance. Often clients of outsourced call centres will insist on full recording for quality control purposes.
In my experience though lots of centres that play the 'your call may be recorded' message only tape a minority of calls to enable coaching..."
For those companies where you know it will be recorded, I always politely ask them to confirm that it will be and advise them that as is my legal right I may ask for a transcripy of it if I'm not satisfied with the outcome. Another good way to get quality service. |
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By *ugby 123Couple
over a year ago
Forum Mod O o O oo |
"We run a small company selling garden related stuff. We've been going now for twelve years and the last few have been damn tough. What we've noticed is everyone for the past two or three years is demanding more money off even when there are already substantial discounts. We've also noticed an increase in customer "complaints" and generally for the smallest of things, an hour late in delivery, a screw missing, silly things .... all demanding "compensation" It now appears the norm for people to complain because they know they can, and invariably they'll get away with it, Happy that they've got their £10 - £100 "compensation" as there life has been ruined by a late delivery!
In the past few years we've had to lay off staff, all due to reduced profits and the compensation culture, we often joke when people order to cancel it and give them £20. We strive our very hardest to give the very best service and do to the best of our ability, someone this week complained that there was some knots in there shed and it spoilt it's looks!! It's goddam wood ... another £20 compensation grrrrr
In our opinion, this is what is killing the UK and small / medium businesses who do actually care, the fact that we all know if we shout enough we'll get money off, try it, anything you can think off will result in £20 back ....We've lost over the past few years 6 people simply to pay for it and keep ourselves going with less staff and the same amount of sales.
We import a lot of products from Holland, we complain to them if there's a screw missing from a planter as we've had to give "compensation", they think we are ridiculous, in the eyes of Europe, in our industry, we are a joke and a race of whinging moaning people who want everything for nothing and a missing screw is worth £20 compensation ...... and breathe ........ rant over but still growling .....
"
This says it all for me, it is becoming compensation culture.
A couple of years ago I had reason to ring my bank to complain about something, after I had explained what it was the woman said " so what are we talking about here, is it compensation you want? " So they must be getting the same thing as you.
I think they were so susprised when I said I wasn't amused at their tone and said I want nothing from you, I was just letting you know where you failed, now you have your feedback I will get off the phone.
An hour later the biggest bunch of flowers you have ever seen got delivered with a note saying sorry...so technically they paid out anyway  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have.
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? "
My old lady (when she was fucked around by Customer Services at Virgin Telly) wrote a letter to Richard Branson's PA which was answered personaly by Branson and in which he appologised she felt she had been poorly treated, they got a bundle of freebeies and discounts of flights to the US.
It's quite easy to find out who is the MD or CEO of a company and write them an email. More often than not they do reply..... |
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"We run a small company selling garden related stuff. We've been going now for twelve years and the last few have been damn tough. What we've noticed is everyone for the past two or three years is demanding more money off even when there are already substantial discounts. We've also noticed an increase in customer "complaints" and generally for the smallest of things, an hour late in delivery, a screw missing, silly things .... all demanding "compensation" It now appears the norm for people to complain because they know they can, and invariably they'll get away with it, Happy that they've got their £10 - £100 "compensation" as there life has been ruined by a late delivery!
In the past few years we've had to lay off staff, all due to reduced profits and the compensation culture, we often joke when people order to cancel it and give them £20. We strive our very hardest to give the very best service and do to the best of our ability, someone this week complained that there was some knots in there shed and it spoilt it's looks!! It's goddam wood ... another £20 compensation grrrrr
In our opinion, this is what is killing the UK and small / medium businesses who do actually care, the fact that we all know if we shout enough we'll get money off, try it, anything you can think off will result in £20 back ....We've lost over the past few years 6 people simply to pay for it and keep ourselves going with less staff and the same amount of sales.
We import a lot of products from Holland, we complain to them if there's a screw missing from a planter as we've had to give "compensation", they think we are ridiculous, in the eyes of Europe, in our industry, we are a joke and a race of whinging moaning people who want everything for nothing and a missing screw is worth £20 compensation ...... and breathe ........ rant over but still growling .....
"
Same kind of business as i was doing in the call centre i mentioned above, garden related equipment, (not saying hwo i worked for, but you should have heard of them being in that kind of business) we rarely gave cash as compensation, but would offer to send a complimentery product that was compatable with the main purchase, this could range from a couple of packets of seeds, or a hose spray attachment, or compost accelarator etc, most of our customers seemed to be happy with taht |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
Forum Mod |
Reading this thread reminded me of a complaint about the food on Virgin airlines that most certainly reached Richard Branson
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4344890/Virgin-the-worlds-best-passenger-complaint-letter.html
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By *iewMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Angus & Findhorn |
And voice analytics etc aid the coaching process, if there is a coaching culture.
The taped call can also be part if the renumeration package for the colleague if marked.
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By *iewMan
over a year ago
Forum Mod Angus & Findhorn |
I did benchmarking at Virgin.. They class themselves as
'entertainment at 20,000 feet'...
The example they use is 'if anyone ever asks what is the island down there' when in mid flight.
They say 'don't know, we have never got this far'.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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" Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner...
It shouldn't be a cat-and-mouse game of who gets the upper hand. If a customer (ie, the person who's laid out hard cash for goods or services) has a complaint then it should be handled with the utmost tact, diplomacy and respect, not with a round of 'lets try out this tactic and see if I can get rid of the twat'."
Agree, seen a lot of, "i demand" types who are late for check in at airport and they are bounced to the next flight, yet seen calm apologetic understanding polite people make the flight they thought they were bound to miss. |
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"Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have.
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? "
always goes to the pa, we always try to find the direct email online you would be surprised at how many details you could find x |
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"Well that statement used to be the byword by which customer services strove to satisfy customer complaints, but not any longer given my experience.
We are often fobbed off, misled, or it seems like obstacles are placed in our way to deter us from pursuing an issue we may have.
Last week on 'Rip off Britain', the advise given was if you encounter the same then 'go to the top'.
So ok, if for example. you knew who was at the top, lets use Richard Branson, would a letter of complaint addressed to him ever actually reach him or would he read it. Or are we all just kidding ourseleves.
What do you think and what has been your experiences ?? "
ok true story time.
My parents booked a holiday with virgin to St.Maartin. For mums 50th, so big deal. The hotel,suposedly 5 star was next to the airport and the pool and grounds were unuseable for the noise and smell of jet fuel.
Complaints at the time were ignored as was their email. However whilst there playing golf my dad became mates with another holiday maker , he asked dad for copies of the video mum had made of planes landing, to prove how bad it was, and said he would get his pa onto it.
mum and dad gave him a copy but thought no more of it, though he took them on his yacht making mums birthday!
Turned out he was a chief executive of a companty with bransons personal number. Parents got a letter of apology, refund and £2000 of virgin vouchers. Most importantly perhaps the hotel was dropped from virgins brouchures.
Proof its not what u know but who u know
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By *annGentMan
over a year ago
With a cracking _iew |
"Sometimes you need to go to the top, and an easy way I have of getting the contact details I need is to say that the person I'm talking to isn't paid enough to deal with grievance I have !
Quickly get's you speaking to someone higher up
Really? I've worked in call centres, staff are trained not to pass calls through to managers. The minute you get abusive you are almost certainly doing yourselves no favours.
Mosat effective way to complain is always politely, much harder to deal with. Though my fave tactic when I'm not getting a response I want is the question "if you were in my position now - how would you rate the level of customer service you are currently receiving?" - great one for backing people in to a corner...
The one and only call centre i worked in, had specially trained staff who had certain powers, they were not managers and is anyone asked to be put through to a manager, then they were put through to one of those persons (i was one)
When i worked in customer service roles, i always look at i as if i was the customer how would i want to be treated, and used to treat the customers that way
a lot of companies should learns that attitude and train staff that way
"
I think call centres have taken away some of 'can I speak with your manager ?'
I know that being abusive in anyway will get me nowhere, and isn't any part of my personality.
I therefore do all I can to be polite, factual, and to the point, whatever my grievance.
Could never understand why people think they can get somewhere by shouting and being abusive!
Probably be the first to complain if it happened to them ! |
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