Trafcom News

What happens in Vegas is customer service

Say what you will about Las Vegas: it’s glitzy, the cacophony of architecture is over the top, and it’s Sin City – with the gambling, boozing and girls girls girls. But one thing that Las Vegas can claim for sure is a superior level of customer service – from the cabbie who greets you at the airport like a long-lost cousin, to the clerk at the Gap who won’t give up until he finds the sweater in your size in the back room, to the waiter at Wolfgang Puck who swoops by to refill your glass and seems to genuinely care that you’re happy with your steak.

Over the past week, I haven’t met one person in the service industry who wasn’t smiling, or who didn’t seem interested in the welfare of guests.

Maybe it’s all this sunshine that puts people in a positive mood?

Customer service rule 1: Do not hang up on customers

How I wish I had recorded this call today.

First, some background. All week I've been receiving calls on my office line from an 888 number. I usually don’t pick up. When I do, it’s a hang-up. After it happened today, for the 12th time this week (I know how many times because my phone displays this), I called the number back. Here’s what happened. (I am not revealing the company name since I didn’t record the call and can’t guarantee that my memory is 100% accurate.)

Company XYZ: Hi, this is [unintelligible name], XYZ Telephone.

Donna: Hello, this is a customer of yours. All week, your company has been calling me and hanging up. I wonder why.

Company XYZ: This is an outbound call centre.

Donna: So you are making outbound calls to customers.

Company XYZ: Yes.

Donna; Well, you are hanging up on customers. You are a phone company. I would think that you know how to make phone calls.

Company XYZ: We use auto-dialers. Some times there is a delay.

Donna: I am familiar with auto-dialers. Believe me, this is not a delay. This is a hang-up. It’s very annoying. So tell me, why were you calling me anyway?

Company XYZ: We call our customers to see if they’re happy with our service.

Donna: OK. I’m NOT happy with your service because you keep calling and hanging up on me!

Company XYZ: We use an auto-dialer…

Donna: Yes, I know about the auto-dialer. I can’t imagine that this is a good way to build customer relations, by phoning people and hanging up on them. I can’t be the only customer who actually called back to see who’s annoying me.

Company XYZ: Would you like us to take you off the list so we don’t call you any more?

Donna: YES. Thank you!

So there you have it. A phone company calling customers and hanging up on them. That’s what I call top-notch service: technology first, people second. And cost-cutting above all.

Not what you expect the store clerk to say

At lunchtime today I stopped by the Home Depot to buy some mousetraps for a friend. Really! They’re not for me. (I already own a half dozen of them to capture the critters that invade my crawl space each autumn. Let’s just say that retrieving them is not my favourite job.)

As she passed the traps over the scanner, the store clerk said, “evil.”

I  just looked at her.

Then she shared her opinion again: “These traps are evil.”

OK, I couldn’t stop myself. I said, “If you’d prefer, we can trap the mice humanely and then deliver them to your house.”

“Don’t you think it would be better to buy the poison?” she asked.

“Um, no, I actually think these are more humane,” I answered as I pocketed my change and left the store, wondering what kind of training this clerk had received. Can you imagine her working at Whole Foods? “Oh my, are you buying chicken? Yes, these are organically raised, handfed and cost $47 a pound, but how COULD you?”

When I was a teen working in retail, I don’t recall expressing any opinions to the customers. What do you think?

A bank’s ads vs. its actual treatment of customers

My friend Shel Holtz’s son, Ben, who is serving in the U.S. armed forces,  has been treated awfully by his bank, Washington Mutual, an institution that touts its friendliness in TV ads. Please read Shel’s post and all the comments for the full story.

An employee of the bank has just commented with an apology. (Do you think they’re tracking blogs?) Stay tuned.

What does your voicemail say about you?

Sometimes – this week for example – I spend oodles of time on the phone. In the course of arranging and conducting interviews for clients, I do lots of dialing. And as a communicator, I can’t help but analyze some of the things I hear after I punch in those 11-digit numbers.

For starters, I am amazed at the number of business people who answer the phone by saying just “Hello.” Right off the bat, I don’t know if I’ve called the right party, so I have to ask, “Is this Joe Jones?” Suggestion: Answer the phone with your name, even just the first name: “Hello, this is Chris speaking.” That would be nice.

What if you’re not there? What does your answering machine or automated voicemail system say? Believe it or not, this is what I heard when I phoned a consultant the other day: “You have reached the number that you have dialed. Please leave a message.”

Ha ha. Very funny. So, did I reach the right number? Are you operating a real business or is this your personal line and you’re using it to run your consulting gig on the side? In this case, I left a message for the person and followed up with an email to say, “I THINK I left you a message!” (Of course his email sig doesn’t list his number; another of my pet peeves.)

And then there are the mumblers. They leave YOU a voicemail message that’s so muffled that you can’t decipher their name. You actually phone them back, and you STILL don’t know who they are because they’ve also mumbled on their voice recording.

What about the secret vacationers? You dial their number and leave a message, expecting a call back in a day or two. Of course you don’t know that they’re on a three-week South Seas cruise, because their outbound message was mum on the subject. (I know some people don’t like to say they’re away because of security and privacy concerns. On my home phone I never reveal that I’m out of town, but I do so on my business line as a courtesy to clients, prospects and colleagues. If I’m going to be checking my messages from a remote location, I’ll often just say that I’m in meetings or away from the phone for the day. At least they’ll know why I’m not returning the call quickly.)

So, here are my suggestions:

1. Always include your name in your outbound voicemail message.
2. Speak clearly; don’t mumble.
3. If you’re not able to return calls within 24 hours, say so.
4. Use humour if you wish, but remember to follow suggestions 1-3.

Learn about Webinars from a leader in the field

I’m a fan of Webinars. For more than two years, I’ve been using them to share knowledge with clients and prospects all over the world. Just yesterday I conducted my Podcasting 101 for Communicators and Marketers; it was great fun for me and (so they tell me) the attendees.

Perhaps you’ve thought about using Webinars to increase your business success, but you’ve found it difficult figure out the myriad products and options out there. Well, I’m delighted to share this news with you: my partner Dave Williams, a seminar marketing specialist with more than three decades of experience, has just launched a series of podcasts called Webinar Wisdom.

In these nicely produced audio files, which are supported with visuals, Dave talks about how Webinars can attract new customers, generate sales and build successful relationships as part of an integrated sales and marketing program.

Check out the podcasts and his free Webinars too. Tell him Donna sent you!

I’m not a guy

Am I the only person bothered by wait staff who ask if “you guys” want any more coffee? This happens all the time, whether I’m with one person or six, regardless of gender. Yesterday in a restaurant with my partner, I heard it again. Delivering my latte, the waitress asked: “Are you guys waiting for anything else?”

Hmmm. Why didn’t she say:
“Are you waiting for anything else?”
“Are you two waiting for anything else?”
“Are you folks waiting for anything else?” (All right, she was too young to say folks!)
“Can I get you anything else?”

I’m beginning to think that the only restaurants where you aren’t called a guy are those that charge $35 for an entrée.

Believe me, I'm grateful to enjoy a meal that I don't have to cook (or clean up after), but please don't call me a guy!

Correct me if I’m wrong

My, how the humble “letter to the editor” has changed. Not too long ago, you thoughtfully wrote or typed a letter, dropped it in the post and waited for it to appear. Maybe. Now that they can communicate instantly with newspaper editors, readers are sharing their thoughts quickly. And often. Check out this item from the San Francisco Chronicle, and see how one reader’s eccentric comment has spawned not just other comments, but videos too. Fascinating stuff.

Hat tip to Canuckflack Colin McKay.

Lay it on me, Mr. Salesman

It’s been a while since I’ve plunked down cash for a big-ticket item, so I’d almost forgotten how some salespeople treat customers in this situation. Buying my last car was a real joy, I tell you, right down to the salesman forging my signature so as to divert my old lease deposit to his pocket. (Yes, I got my money back, and received what seemed like a heartfelt apology from the owner of the dealership.)

This week, I’m shopping for a furnace and air conditioner to replace the unreliable clunkers I now own. Last night, the first in a parade of sales guys arrived (oops, I mean “home comfort consultants”). My favourite part of our meeting: when he extolled the benefits of the shiny new programmable thermostat that would replace the old-school dial model I have now. “Don’t worry, you’ll be able to program it yourself.” Gosh golly, what a relief! I’ve been awake nights worrying about whether I could figure out how to work that darned newfangled thing all by myself. He forgot to add the honorific “little lady.”

The kicker was the final line delivered as he teetered at the door peeling off his paper booties: “Oh, I should mention that this special price is only good this week. You have to decide by Thursday.”

Condescension: 1
Pressure tactic: 1

Let’s see how tonight’s salesperson fares. Oops, I mean “home comfort consultant.”

Bank-speak

Have you ever noticed that many banks preface everything with "to serve you better"? For example: "To serve you better, we're getting rid of one of these handy bank machines!"

I just called my bank, and the voicemail system said, "To serve you better, please press..."

Huh? Who's serving what?

OK, this is going too far. Bankers, please stop.