Unpleasant Experience

Customer service is one of the ‘givens’ companies have to deliver well… especially when folks come to them with problems. Disney uses the word ‘recovery.’ I prefer, ‘We pay you money, so fix it.’ A problem is the reason I called the phone company this morning, needing to find out how to change the fact we couldn’t access voice mail.

The first person transferred me to a second who – unable to assist me because ‘that’s handled by another department’ – transferred me to a third. After a computer-generated voice prompted me to enter our primary phone number for the third time, a woman came on and said, “May I have your phone number, please?” (Really? You guys handle a bagillion calls every day and you have to ask my number after I entered it three times!)

Our conversation went something like this:

“Sir, I understand you’re having a problem with your phone lines.”

“No, we can’t access voicemail. I’m calling you from our phone line.”

“Did you know we have a troubleshooting guide online?”

“Yes, I do. In fact, could you let someone know I tried that five times before calling, and each time after entering our phone number it kicked me back to the home page.”

“Yes, all you have to do is enter your phone number…”

“You’re not hearing me, ma’am. I tried that and it didn’t work.”

“Let me explain the steps, so next time…”

“Ma’am… could you please stop speaking and listen. I need you to tell me…”

(Loudly) “Sir, I’m only trying to help you.”

“Monica, I have yet to raise my voice and you seem to be getting frustrated. After 15 minutes, would it make more sense that I should be the one who’s frustrated?”

(Still loud) “Do you want my help or not?”

“May I please speak to your supervisor?”

“Absolutely.”

From that point, a wonderful – and quite apologetic – woman named Julie came on and her first words were: “Did anyone tell you there is a problem in the Houston area and we’re working to fix it as fast as we can?”

I laughed, she apologized further, and within five minutes taught me how to listen to voice mail online. Then she told me about an App that allows us access from our iPhones. I thanked her twice, and – knowing the call was being recorded – said, “When you work to train Monica, please let her hear how you listened and promptly solved my issue. You did great.”

In your business, no matter how big or small, make sure everyone who comes in contact with customers understands the right way to speak with them… especially anyone whose title contains the words ‘customer service.’ If they fail, it reflects on you.

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Ships Passing

Earlier this week I stepped on an empty express elevator in a downtown high-rise occupied by a single large company, and behind me came an employee pushing a mail cart. Even though this is a tall building – and I’m only there about five days each month – our paths have crossed several times. He said hello and offered a smile.

After pushing the button to take us down to the ground floor, I asked, “How long have you worked here?” He answered, “A long time.” I said, “How long?” He looked up at the lighted numbers counting down from 46, paused, turned back to me, grinned, and said, “This week is 30 years.”

The elevator stopped, the door opened and he exited while offering a nod, focused on delivering letters and packages to their recipients. I headed to the parking garage, thinking, “There’s someone who seems at peace.” Then it occurred to me that I didn’t ask the gentleman’s name and know nothing else about him. I didn’t even think to wish him a happy anniversary.

Chalk this up as a missed opportunity… another lesson learned. Next time we ride the elevator together, I’ll be sure to ask him to share a story. I’m guessing his perspective would be quite enlightening about my client.

So, here’s the question for you: Who’s the person in your building who might brighten your day with a story? Perhaps it’s time for a visit.

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Future Shock

My wife and I recently had a discussion about what the younger generation will do in, say 2030, when they look back and realize all the moments of their lives are forever captured by YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and whatever arises as the next can’t-keep-away-from-it-must-update technologies du jour. (We also spoke about their ultimate realization of ‘Why did I ever get these tattoos?’ – but that’s another story.)

I’ve decided, however, we’re being unfair to the youth of today – what with adults already setting such embarrassing examples. Take Rick Sanchez who was fired by CNN on October 1st for inappropriate comments about his bosses at CNN and Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart. Sanchez violated the first rule my mother taught me in high school: “In everything you do, act like there is a camera on your shoulder for all the world to see it.” (Keep in mind that was 35 years ago.) How a professional journalist could allow himself to speak such controversial things is mindboggling. Those few sentences Sanchez said on satellite radio will follow him forever.

An episode of ABC’s Modern Family addressed this topic just two weeks ago when Claire Dunphy confessed to her daughter that she wasn’t as pure and wholesome a teenager as she tried to make her children think. Regardless of whether you’re in high school, college or already in the working world, keep in mind what you say and do is subject to someone else discovering it. There are no secrets anymore. Think about that before you post something that might not reflect positively on you down the road.

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Depths of Exploration

Gloria Stuart passed away recently. She was 100… born on the Fourth of July in the year our nation celebrated the 134th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. She was a beautiful actress during the early years of ‘talkies,’ and a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. Then Gloria quit making films to raise a family. Fifty years later she reappeared, playing the aging role of Kate Winslet’s character Rose in Titanic, and became the oldest person to be nominated for an Academy Award.

“When I graduated from Santa Monica High in 1927, I was voted the girl most likely to succeed,” she said. “I didn’t realize it would take so long.”

Stuart touched movie watchers when Rose tossed the ‘Star of the Sea’ sapphire into the ocean at the end of the film. It was a symbolic gesture that served as an exclamation point and soft landing following the intense drama surrounding the depiction of the sinking of the unsinkable ship.

She also should serve as motivation for everyone who wakes up in the morning tired and weary from daunting challenges. After all, if Gloria Stuart – who appeared in films with Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton and a seven-year-old Shirley Temple… all before 1936 – can deliver a wonderful performance as she approached 90, shouldn’t all of us be able to make it through the next day with a little more energy in our step?

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