First class customer service lacking in TT

No matter how great a company thinks its product is or how vastly skilled, knowledgeable and talented its staff is, one of the things that customers are most likely to remember is their direct interaction with the company.

Excellent customer service is seriously lacking at most places we spend our money in TT.

Too many customer service representatives lack good manners.

It seems as if they have non-work-related issues that are affecting their ability to provide the customer with a pleasurable service experience.

On too many occasions we have to, unfairly, experience rude and discourteous behaviour which has become the norm in TT. We have to wait extremely long on the phone before someone answers and deals with our issues and also wait unbearably long in lines.

Many customer service representatives also lack knowledge of the product or policy, the ability to follow through, and are unskilled in resolving a complaint.

Too many businesses have unresponsive and outdated technology or haven’t properly equipped the public on how to use it.

On too many occasions we are unable to get a hold of a real person to solve our problems and there are too many unfulfilled promises, lies and other deceptions.

Excellent customer service creates loyal customers for life; customers who are willing to refer a particular business to friends, family and colleagues.

Providing excellent customer service on a regular basis starts with a genuine desire to delight customers but businesses also have to think beyond selling their products or services. They need to consider the cumulative experience their customers have when they visit a store or website, what they think and feel, and what businesses can do to make it better.

A company with excellent customer service is more likely to get repeat business. Consequently, the company will benefit with greater sales and profits.

Contrarily, companies with poor customer service may lose customers which will have a negative impact on business. It costs a lot more money for a company to acquire a customer than to retain them due to advertising costs and the expense of sales calls.

Therefore, the efforts that go into maintaining quality customer service can really be of great benefit over time. People who have a positive experience with a company will likely tell others about their experience. Therefore, quality customer service can be a source of promotion for organisations.

Contrary to this, a person who has a bad customer service experience will likely tell between 15-30 people about how poorly and unfairly they were treated.

Clearly, for anyone who is serious about “making it big,” so to speak, it’s imperative to realise the importance of providing first class customer service.

It’s not just about the customer always being right. It’s about treating customers like family. And that doesn’t happen by talking down to them or looking for any possible way to get more money from them. It happens by truly going out of the way for them and adding enormous amounts of value to the equation.

SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas