Why you may want to set aside technology in customer service and push it forward for your metal signs
The other night my husband was having a problem with one of his many high tech "toys". We called the customer support center where we sat on hold for 47 minutes! While we waited I was surfing on my computer. I came across a neat site that was all about the old fashioned tin metal signs. I pointed it out to my husband and commented that the we sell today are a big improvement. My husband replied that it was a shame that customer service hadn't seen a similar improvement. He was a little cranky from waiting for someone to answer his call, but it did get me to thinking.
If technology has made metal signs better, why can't we use it to make customer service better?
In the past were made from tin. It was pressed and painted to look like the customer wanted. Unfortunately the signs didn't always hold up the way that they should. People began trying new techniques, and today aluminum is the choice for metal signs. They look great and stand up to the test of time.
Customer service on the other hand seems to be in a slow fall. It used to be that customer service was always important. Friendly staff were in the store or available by phone. They listened to what you asked and answered your questions. They made you feel like a real person. These days, however, technology seems to have taken away from the customer service experience in many businesses.
Nearly everyone has had the conversation about trying to reach a "real person" when they are trying to contact a company. They ran through step after step of button pushing to try to speak to someone just to be told that there was no one to take their call. On a computer you send an email (since you know no human will be answering the phone) and you get an automated response telling you someone will answer your question within 24 hours. Somehow that email with the answer never arrives. You walk into a store and try to ask a question, but the person only knows how to quote prices or say a prepared speech. They don't actually know about the products.
Take one step forward with metal signs and two steps back with customer service
Your metal signs are only a part of an entire marketing program that you have put together to help your business grow. If marketing is about standing out in the crowd and attracting attention, why not do it with customer service? Small gestures made a big difference in how your clients and potential clients view your business. Why not randomly send a follow up email to make sure that they are happy with your company. Don't try to sell anything, just make sure they are happy. Or occasionally call a customer and thank them for their business. Again this is not a sales call, it is superb customer service.
We take these steps and more to promote customer service in our company. We may be forward thinking in our signs, but we like being just a bit old fashioned in our customer service.
Unfortunately that was not the case for my husband. When a person finally came on the phone he said that he was handling customer service for more than one company at the same time. I think that was about the time my husband gave up. He thanked the person on the phone and hung up. Now he wants to go shopping again but has assured me that he will never buy a product from that particular company again.
A little food for thought, isn't it?
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