The "Mystery" of Lousy Customer Service

By Guest Blogger, Mary Schmidt, Marketing Troubleshooter

There really isn't any deep, dark mystery why customer service - in our "service" economy - is generally so bad. You just have to look at the lay-off headlines...and then there's the terrible attitude of the  employers.  If they take an adversarial approach to customers...you can well imagine how they treat the people who are at their mercy for paychecks.

Here are the "signs" (literally) that portend bad service:

ABSOLUTELY NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES! These signs  are invariably in places with messy shelves, dirty floors...and thoroughly bored employees.  (Note:  I've even seen these in so-called upscale stores.) 

SHOPLIFTERS WILL BE PROSECUTED!  This sets a negative vibe from the get-go. We all know shoplifting is a crime - especially the shoplifters. That's why they're so sneaky. Duh.   

"We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone." Pick your poison here. The reader is wondering: A. what century you live in; B. Are you a racist, misogynist or just plain don't like people?

And, I recently saw this sign by the back entrance of a local restaurant.

WARNING! EMPLOYEES DO NOT PARK IN BACK PARKING LOT OR YOU WILL BE TOWED WITHOUT WARNING! The ONLY people authorized to park in the lot are: (a list of - I guess - the owners and managers follows)

Wow. This place must be a real joy to work at - wonder what they're doing back in the kitchen to vent? Eck and Yech. (This was one of my favorite places...and I've not been back since I saw this sign as I was walking out to that back parking lot.)

Oddly enough - some of the best service I've ever received has been in the Salvation Army thrift store.  The managers and employees seem happy to be there and it's a pleasure to talk to them. (And I find great deals on martini glasses!) 

Happy Friday! The next time you're faced with bad service, try to look at it from the service person's  perspective.  Would you want to work at the restaurant, shop, phone service center?

   

Comments

[NewsAnchorMom]

There's also the customer service problem of being rude to customers. I run into that a lot, which is amazing considering how many people are out of work right now.
I actually had a good experience last week. I had my carpets cleaned. I left with the kids and told the guy about some really, really bad spots in the dining room. My neighbor said he was at the house for hours scrubbing. The spots are gone. This was the cheapest carpet cleaning place I found and they did the best job. I was shocked!

[Lena West]

Gosh, Mary. This is so true.

We have to look at the signs - literally and figuratively - that we're sending to our customers/clients.

Which is why in my family's restaurant, I made sure that the signs say: "We LOVE to serve fully clothed people!"

Not, the usual, "No shirt, no shoes, no service!" crap.

Thanks for pointing out the bigger messages of these small signs.

[Ardith Lowell]

Hi Mary and happy Friday to you.

That lack of customer service consideration you describe so aptly can be experienced from surprising sources. I love Trader Joe’s. My friends love it. I wanted to send some TJ gift cards to a few of my friends in California for their birthdays. Well guess what? You can’t order them online and according to the “customer relations” person at HQ I spoke with by phone, you can’t place phone orders either. You can only purchase them in-store, she tells me. “But we don’t have Trader Joe’s in Idaho, “ I tell her. “That’s why I’m contacting you.” Too bad for you was basically the response. So to add insult to the injury Trader Joe’s heaps upon us Idahoans by denying us their stores, we can’t even purchase gift cards. So much for good will and paving the way for their eventual arrival here.

Regards,

Ardith