Lack of Customer Service in the USA

[MikePA]

George,

You're right. When multiple procedures are performed during the same visit it can complicate things. Why?

Procedures 1, 2 and 3 when performed separately might cost $150. When performed at the same time they could be grouped into a DRG (Diagnosis-Related Group) and only pay $120.

Doctors who know how to play the system (not saying you or anyone in your practice does this.) will try and get more money by billing the procedures separately. This can result in a review. DRGs have been around since the early 80s and have been used to reduce health care costs. The patient receives the same care, but the company paying the premiums sees lowers costs and the doctor sees lower reimbursement.

Before anyone replies, "What's the big deal about $30?" Multiply by 10s of 1000s of doctors. Yes, this started with Medicare. Yes, doctors and hospitals look for ways to maximize reimbursement and insurers look for ways to minimize it.

I agree the system has problems, but socializing it does not work, it makes things worse. Plenty of countries around the world testify to this.

 

[gemini5362]

George,

You're right. When multiple procedures are performed during the same visit it can complicate things. Why?

Procedures 1, 2 and 3 when performed separately might cost $150. When performed at the same time they could be grouped into a DRG (Diagnosis-Related Group) and only pay $120.

Doctors who know how to play the system (not saying you or anyone in your practice does this.) will try and get more money by billing the procedures separately. This can result in a review. DRGs have been around since the early 80s and have been used to reduce health care costs. The patient receives the same care, but the company paying the premiums sees lowers costs and the doctor sees lower reimbursement.

Before anyone replies, "What's the big deal about $30?" Multiply by 10s of 1000s of doctors. Yes, this started with Medicare. Yes, doctors and hospitals look for ways to maximize reimbursement and insurers look for ways to minimize it.

I agree the system has problems, but socializing it does not work, it makes things worse. Plenty of countries around the world testify to this.

Actually Mike I have seen this done. I had to have a fatty tumor removed from my forehead. When I got the surgeons bill it showed 600.00 for surgery then it showed another 600.00 for surgery again. I called the doctors office and they told me that the initial incision and removing the tumor was one surgery and that closing the incision was another surgery. I called my insurance carrier about it and they said that was the way things were done.

 

[Bedlam]

Gemini,
Just wanted to add my sears story. I am reluctant to buy form sears, myself but my daughter ordered a cook stove and a refrigerator.
They gave her an estimated date of arrival at the local store.(30 miles away).
Anyways two days before this date they call and say the order is in and she says the stove and the refrigerator??. they reply "yes both" ready for pickup.
She tells then we would be there at 4 30 Pm the next days with the truck.
We arrive , and they bring out the the refrigerator, and the person say the stove didn't arrive.
The young guy was about to go up the ramp with the frig and I said hold it. we might not be getting anything.LOL
the sales person said it would be in two days. i explained that we had specifically asked if both were in . and they said yes.She sort of shrugged her shoulder and said well you have the frig for now.
I told her to get the manager, and a manager arrived, and I explained and said it would be one thing if they had checked, but I have time gas etc.
At this point I guess daughter took after me said what the heck.I cant keep cooking of the BBQ> LOL
So I started to take note of the manager name tag and said we shall see.
He backed down some and said lets go see what we have in stock. so she picked out a stove that was 120 dollars more,And I thanked him for understanding and making it 'right'
So off to the dock, they wheel the new stove out and it has a hard time reading the tag with the scanner.
we wait about another 20 minutes while they figure out just how to dot he paper work.But we get both in the truck and the manager comes out back out and says I'm sorry for the wait for it to Scan I said its OK.and then he hands us a coupon good for 10 percent off the next purchase.
SO BE SURE IF YOU DO TAKE DELIVERY TO PUSH THEM FOR AT LEAST THIS .
Unfortunately they and wal mart etc make you ''work'' for the compensation to make it right but that lea way is there.
Good luck and let us know how it goes.Overall seems like a simple request. they should have either said NP or NO CAN DO.

 

[gemini5362]

Thank you for your interest. I finally got my stove friday. I do want to point out that it was the local sears store manager that made it happen. He had them change the shipment date to his store so that it would not be a rural delivery and could get there earlier. Then he had two of his employees bring it out in their pickup. The national center would have not been able to deliver it to meet my schedule and I would have cancelled the order.

I did have a problem before I ordered a treadmill and payed to have it assembled. I got a phone call saying it was in ready for pickup. I went to pick it up and they told me that it was there but had not been assembled yet. I got hold of the manager and told him that I had brought a truck and trailer just to pick it up. I made him pay me for my fuel I had used in coming to the store.

Now that i have my stove I have to run a new gasline because we are moving the tank. That was a good excuse to rent a mini excavator today. Those are a lot of fun to play with. I have it tomorrow to play also

 

[toy]

Thank you for your interest. I finally got my stove friday. I do want to point out that it was the local sears store manager that made it happen. He had them change the shipment date to his store so that it would not be a rural delivery and could get there earlier. Then he had two of his employees bring it out in their pickup. The national center would have not been able to deliver it to meet my schedule and I would have cancelled the order.

I did have a problem before I ordered a treadmill and payed to have it assembled. I got a phone call saying it was in ready for pickup. I went to pick it up and they told me that it was there but had not been assembled yet. I got hold of the manager and told him that I had brought a truck and trailer just to pick it up. I made him pay me for my fuel I had used in coming to the store.

Now that i have my stove I have to run a new gasline because we are moving the tank. That was a good excuse to rent a mini excavator today. Those are a lot of fun to play with. I have it tomorrow to play also

I am glad that you got the stove delivered sorry about the turn that I took the conversation in. I am a union person and I don't appologize for that. We are now a serviced based economy and sometimes the service is lousy. I know that unions have fought for work place safety, fought against outsourcing work to other countries, fought for a fair wage for its members I encourage you to look at all the good that has been acomplished by unions for the betterment of man. In the early 1980's there was a shift in our country and unions became a dirty word but since this antiunion sentiment has rose and in control look at what has happened to our country. Go to lowes store and find a lincoln mig welder find where it is made[not the part that has that it is an American company]but where it is made. look at the label in the clothes you have on or in your closet look at the majority of the tools they haveand where they are made. We are a serviced based economy now just like was envisioned by their leader. A country that don't make any thing is a dying country. I know that there is some things still being made in the USA but our country is headed for trouble to label me as a socialist or that the Unions are socialism is plain wrong. The Boston Tea party was a union of men seeking a better deal was that socialism? Our country has been built by men strong men seeking a better deal, is our country a socialist country? When I said that the man died because he couldn't get his insurance company to ok a lung transplant got the ok the day he died I didn't say that I know a man that knowed a man that would be alledged what I said is I know a man[knowed him for over fourty years] went to church with him, he died waiting for ok for a lung transplant. One made the comment as though I lied about that, I'll assure you that I didn't lie. If the union got a raise or some other benefit from the struggle on the picket line and then the trucker that crossed the picket line got a raise do you think that man refused that raise because he didn't stand up for himself to get it and instead said send it to the union they struggled and got it ,none of them that I know did instead they stuck it in their pocket, but they were men without honor. Since these anti union people have been in control and the collective voice of the working men and women has been left out of the equation how do you think the country is going? There has been a concerted effort to drive down wages in America by high ranking officials, not just for the unskilled worker but also for the high skilled and highly educated workers in American and those in the high skilled industries with entry level skills in that area of expertese and it has been going on since the early 80's. I know that sounds paranoid but to prove what I am saying is true if you can find a copy of newsweek september 24, 007 on page 31 right hand side of the page beside the picture read that and think about it. If you are a college graduate majored in a highly sought out field with a huge student loan over you or maybe it is a son or daughter or nephew or neice that fits into this description and the leaders that is supposed to be representing you have this kind of goal in mind, if you hear your representative stand up and say that if you lose your job because of a trade deal that i have signed i'll give you an extra6 weeks or 6 months of unemployment that happened in the 80's. Another straight from the mouth of the leader[no spin] I know if i sign this trade deal people will loose their job but i'm going to sign it any way, if that is the kind of representation our leaders is giving me or my neighbours then I am not being represented. I have seen some say we no longer need unions they have outlived their usfulness I say if we ever needed them before we need them now. You think unions don't have power when the opec union countries says we are going to cut oil production what happens to your gas bill? Iam just asking you to think about what I have said study what is going on what is the trends of our nation today. When the poorest of us is allowed to have a hope when they can even dare to have a dream when they can look at a problem and say what if without being discounted then America is a better place.

 

[gemini5362]

wow toy.

I kind of got the impression your post was directed at me. I am assuming it was just a general post since I am probably one of the most active union people on this thread. I agree with your post 100 per cent. I do however see the other peoples attitudes. I have stated on here several times before that I am an arbitratration advocate for our union. I have seen management do things that were just flat wrong. When I first started in my job I was a victom of managements wrongdoing. I however see the other side of the coin. I have represented people that have been out for work so many times that they have run out of their 12 weeks of FMLA entitlement by may. I am not talking about someone with a serious illness that was out for 12 weeks recuperating or someone with a surgical problem. I am talking about someone that was out a week here back to work for a day or two and then another week. Or someone that has migraine headaches every other week before or after their scheduled day off. One of my favorites was the person whose doctor gave them FMLA paperwork that said they had to be off up to 15 days per moth. I am not knocking FMLA it is a very valuable law and helps a lot of people but there are people that abuse it. When someone for whatever reason does not show up for work the people that are there have to do their job. If they are out sick that is one thing put abusers are something else. There are also people who do things that I would fire them if I was in charge. I had a girl one night tell me to tell the supervisor that she was going home sick because they had the new beany babies in her favorite store and she had to go over there before they ran out. A little while later the supervisor asked me where she was that he could not find her and someone told him that she had been talking to me. I had told her I would not lie for her so I told the supervisor that she told me to tell him she was sick. He looked at me and laughed and asked me if that was all she said. I told him no but that was all I was going to say. We also have some contractual language about contracting out our work. Most of the time management does that incorrectly and we deserve to be paid for it. There are times where people file grievances to get paid for work management has contracted out. They did not want to do the work in the first place but because management forgot to ask them if they did they wanted paid for it. I dont agree with those type of grievances to me they are just being greedy. So even though I am a union official I can see both sides of the fence. Luckily I have noticed that when you get grievances out of the hands of local managementM and sometimes local union officials and it gets to a district level where you have two advocates talking then the sytems manages to work a lot better. I have canceled arbitrations because we were just wrong. Management has paid settlements because they were wrong. One of the most important things unions do is they have the ability to get major workplace decisions out of the hands of the two parties that have to face each other every day.

 

[Bedlam]

Usually when a doctor gives out that form I'm sure they don't just do it.
I heard one thing that was so ridiculous once a guy told me he watched as people get out of their cars in handicapped spaces and they didn't look 'sick' He just didn't understand that someone can have other disabilities and have to use the spot.
Heart ailments, knee troubles, etc etc.Disability comes in many different forms these days. And it is left up to the individual to decide if they want to use the space.Some do abuse it and I think most don't.
Id like to comment on the beanie baby day off. I fully understand that the company would rather she lie and say she was going home sick because she was sick.Some people either justified that either by not lie or to lie.
My union has it so that if I were to be 'sick' for any reason I need only write illness. Sort of the don't ask don't tell. But maybe they just realized that people will do it regardless.I believe once my boss questioned the slip and I declined further comment.Its not as if the care really.just asserting their authority.

 

[toy]

wow toy.

I kind of got the impression your post was directed at me. I am assuming it was just a general post since I am probably one of the most active union people on this thread. I agree with your post 100 per cent. I do however see the other peoples attitudes. I have stated on here several times before that I am an arbitratration advocate for our union. I have seen management do things that were just flat wrong. When I first started in my job I was a victom of managements wrongdoing. I however see the other side of the coin. I have represented people that have been out for work so many times that they have run out of their 12 weeks of FMLA entitlement by may. I am not talking about someone with a serious illness that was out for 12 weeks recuperating or someone with a surgical problem. I am talking about someone that was out a week here back to work for a day or two and then another week. Or someone that has migraine headaches every other week before or after their scheduled day off. One of my favorites was the person whose doctor gave them FMLA paperwork that said they had to be off up to 15 days per moth. I am not knocking FMLA it is a very valuable law and helps a lot of people but there are people that abuse it. When someone for whatever reason does not show up for work the people that are there have to do their job. If they are out sick that is one thing put abusers are something else. There are also people who do things that I would fire them if I was in charge. I had a girl one night tell me to tell the supervisor that she was going home sick because they had the new beany babies in her favorite store and she had to go over there before they ran out. A little while later the supervisor asked me where she was that he could not find her and someone told him that she had been talking to me. I had told her I would not lie for her so I told the supervisor that she told me to tell him she was sick. He looked at me and laughed and asked me if that was all she said. I told him no but that was all I was going to say. We also have some contractual language about contracting out our work. Most of the time management does that incorrectly and we deserve to be paid for it. There are times where people file grievances to get paid for work management has contracted out. They did not want to do the work in the first place but because management forgot to ask them if they did they wanted paid for it. I dont agree with those type of grievances to me they are just being greedy. So even though I am a union official I can see both sides of the fence. Luckily I have noticed that when you get grievances out of the hands of local managementM and sometimes local union officials and it gets to a district level where you have two advocates talking then the sytems manages to work a lot better. I have canceled arbitrations because we were just wrong. Management has paid settlements because they were wrong. One of the most important things unions do is they have the ability to get major workplace decisions out of the hands of the two parties that have to face each other every day.

No my post wasn't directed at you sorry that it sounded that way. I have heard people blame unions for all of the ill of today and if you say anything about what is actually going on they will call you a socialist make insinuations that you are lying and discount your words. I too see both sides of the issue and I don't want to stand for someone that is wrong, but there is something wrong going on today and its not the unions that are doing it. If people could realize that 500,000 thousand union members plus their families standing up against an issue will trump 500,000 $ of a lobyist that is in favor of it. Glad to hear that there is another union person on here.

 

[buyerjohn]

We reap what we sow...we all complain about customer service yet we contribute to the lack of it.

There are very few people who return phone calls, respond to emails, always show up to appointments and say thank you....and that's the customers.

How tiring to do you think it is for businesses and their employees to deal with rude and/or inconsiderate people day in and day out?

Next time you hit delete on an email asking for feedback on information you requested (and was sent to you promptly) or don't return a company's phone call to say you decided on a different product, then you only contribute to the demise.

We are all part of the problem.

 

[N80]

I don't agree with that. This thread was about customer service, not about rude customers. There is a big difference. I'm not saying that there aren't rude, nasty, mean, stupid, short tempered customers. There are, and plenty of them and I know because I'm in a 'service' industry. But they aren't the problem or even part of it.

Customer service is what you do in spite of difficult customers not what you do only for the easy ones. The world would surely be a happier place if we were all nice and could just get along.......but that's not going to happen.

Disney is probably the best example in customer service. They even offer courses to teach other organizations how to do customer service and a key part of that training is dealing with difficult customers which in many cases is all of them.

Don't get me wrong, when I encounter someone who is impossible to deal with, I'll let them go as a customer and I'll tell them. But I don't consider that bad customer service. Its any organizations right not to accept business if they don't want it or it isn't worth it to them.

And for the record, I'm not claiming to be perfect when it comes to customer service, nor is my office, we have good days and bad....but I do know that we try real hard and we retain 'customers' and we are attracting new ones at a much higher rate than demographics here have predicted.

 

[buyerjohn]

I don't agree with that. This thread was about customer service, not about rude customers. There is a big difference. I'm not saying that there aren't rude, nasty, mean, stupid, short tempered customers. There are, and plenty of them and I know because I'm in a 'service' industry. But they aren't the problem or even part of it.

In general, I agree that there is a distinction and I wasn't clear in making my point...

You said: "But they (rude customers) aren't the problem or even part of it."

This is where I disagree. It's not a one-sided equation, it's circular. And while your customer service policies are admirable, they are not the rule in this country. Many companies and their employees don't put forth the effort because they only get trampled as a result. Is this smart from a business perspective? Nope, but its a contributing factor to why businesses (especially small ones) don't support customers the way they used to. You can't separate the action and reaction.

For example, if you have a customer who rakes you or one of your employees over the coals, how will that affect your dealings with the next customer? or your desire to go above and beyond? While you may be able to keep your reaction in check, I bet your're employees are less likely to. In fact, nobody other than a robot can handle the next customer with zero impact.

Now multiply that a hundred fold. Customer service and the ability to deliver it doesn't happen in a vacuum...we're talking about real people here.

I also try to provide great support but get tired of the rude and inconsiderate people, so it affects my responses to ALL...it's hard for it not to. And so the cycle continues...that was my point.

 

[N80]

I also try to provide great support but get tired of the rude and inconsiderate people, so it affects my responses to ALL...it's hard for it not to. And so the cycle continues...that was my point.

I think the key is not letting the bad customer affect how you treat the average customer. I'm not saying its easy and I'm not saying I can always do it. But it is still the goal. And if you want and value the customer, which is what this is all about, then you do it. I often see 30 customers a day, my office often sees 300 or more. By 5 pm, after dealing with difficult customers, it is hard to smile for that last one. But that's what I'm supposed to do, and if I don't then it is my fault, not the last nice customer or the jerk I saw before the last nice customer. And if we say it is, we're just making excuses for our own poor customer support. Been there, done that. Like you say, none of us is perfect. And while we can blame the jerk for putting us in a bad mood, the one person who is absolutely not to blame, is that next nice, or just average customer. And they are the one that we are paid to keep happy. And if we can't, they take they're money somewhere else.

And even worse, they tell their friends.

And I don't mean to sound preachy. I've lost customers from bad support from both me and my office. Some I regret, some I don't. I'm just saying that most of us are big boys and girls and we know how we are supposed to act even if we don't always do it. And just because its hard doesn't mean its okay or anyone elses fault.

 

[buyerjohn]

George - you have a great awareness of service and run your business the way its supposed to be run....

However, the topic was about the lack of customer service...and I'm saying a major contributing factor to the lack of customer service is the very people (and their negative behaviors) who complain about it (ie most of us)! For every action there is a reaction. We are not robots who remain unaffected by bad days, rude customers, etc.

And, up until recently, the free money in this country meant that most businesses could care less if you took your money somewhere else because there was always somebody else in line eager to accept your (not you specifically) lousy service and mediocre product. For the past 10 years I've said that you can do better than 95% of the businesses out there by simply returning phone calls, doing what you say you're going to do, and having an average product/service. And if you do more than that...they sky is the limit.

The best thing that could happen towards improving customer service is a recession...it'll adjust attitudes in a hurry...as buyers dry up and people get hungry, their attitudes will change - I think!

 

[Bedlam]

I agree with N80.
Surely one 'bad' customer is going to sit with the employee, even if they try to shrug it off. believe me. I hear if from the better half at night. LOL
But I can only try ,when I'm at a store etc, to make the employee feel at ease.
When they say can I help you, I find I want to slow it down with a Hello, how are you doing? question to them.My belief is that they will be distracted from the harsh customer they just dealt with, and be of more assistance to me.And maybe make them feel better overall.
Th stress levels of employees s high because we make it that way in a sense. We want it now.
Just the other day I went to the town to register a vehicle, I got there promptly at 7 pm opening time
I was asked what I was needing to I said register a car.
Well, she said I'm sorry the state computer is down till 730.We agreed to wait. with a NP.several more people came in and left to do another day
well this one woman and hubby came in and she was clearly mad. She paced back and forth about 15 minutes finally, when the computer was 'up' she burst in jumping ahead of my wife and myself.
My wife says geeze she has more important things to do than us..But I know this small office and the people better a second later the woman came back out yelling your next come on get on there. your next.
Geeze the nerve.Apparently the clerk told them we were before them . in short words.Then the woman and hubby came in as we left, they were bickering back and forth.LOL
Oh yea, and the clerk suggested new plates as opposed to transfer. hmm 2 dollars savings. not much but her seeing this and telling me .Priceless.
Also found i had a 3.59 dollar credit with he state form years ago.LOL

 

[Podunkadunk]

Doc (N80),
You're a wise man. I've read all your posts on this thread...we share beliefs. My question to you:

Why do Dr.'s offices schedule an appt. for me, be adamant that I show up 15-30 minutes early, yet I sit there for 2 hours before getting into the room where they check my blood pressure, then make me sit for another 15-20 minutes before seeing the Doc? My time is valuable too and I want to minimize my exposure to MRSA, Cdiff, the crud and other things I can't pronounce.

I despise overbooking! I'm not naive. I know that overbooking is due to cancellations and people not showing up for their appt. However, it seems that on the day I'm there, EVERYONE shows up for their appt. Probably answered my own question...but the rant feels great

Thanks,
Podunk

 

[N80]

George - you have a great awareness of service and run your business the way its supposed to be run....

We still have a ways to go. And that awareness comes from doing it really poorly (for a number of years) and hearing about it in the community, from friends and even family. A large part of improving things was 1) getting better people and 2) getting enough of them. Both can be hard to do and remain a challenge.

I also had to improve my own skills. I think some of that comes from getting older and hopefully learning from mistakes.

 

[N80]

Why do Dr.'s offices schedule an appt. for me, be adamant that I show up 15-30 minutes early, yet I sit there for 2 hours before getting into the room where they check my blood pressure, then make me sit for another 15-20 minutes before seeing the Doc? My time is valuable too and I want to minimize my exposure to MRSA, Cdiff, the crud and other things I can't pronounce.

I do not claim to be wise or even great at customer service, but on this point I will take some credit. I do not overbook or double book. But before I toot my own horn let me tell you why many if not most doctors do it.

It is a combination of money and genuine concern for patients. The money part is easy to understand. The more patients you see, the more money you make. Period. And the way the industry is configured, margins are narrow. Narrow margins drive volume. But, many times a doctor will have a full schedule but people still want to see that doctor that day. Many of my partners feel that getting them in that day is good customer service, and it is. It makes that patient happy. So that doctor makes someone happy and increases their income. So they do it a lot. And especially if that doctor is slow, well, it puts them behind and people have to wait. And it amazes me that so many people just take it for granted that they will have to wait two hours for a 10 minute appointment and it doesn't seem to bother them.

I'm like you. My time is valuable. I don't want to wait that long. And to a certain extent I think it is arrogant for doctors to assume that their time is more valuable than yours.

Now, I'm very different from most doctors in this respect. I am driven (my partners thing I'm a little nutty about it) to see my patients on time. If I tell someone to come in at a certain time, I feel obligated to do my best to see them then. And, to be honest, it suits my personality too, so I like it that way. My patients rarely wait more than 20-30 minutes and then it is usually due to an emergency or some type of patient complication. And when that happens, I apologize to the patient and they usually understand. There isn't much I can do about that sort of thing. With this system I'm happy because I like running on time and my patients are happy because I don't tie them up for hours.

But as you can see, there is a trade off. To stay on time, I can't really double book. That makes me less accessible. So let's say you have a sinus infection and want to see me this afternoon. I have no appointments left so I say no, I can see you tomorrow morning. You might not like that and might even consider it bad customer service. And, I make less money. And despite averaging more than 28 patients a day, I'm the lowest earner in the office. (But don't misunderstand, its still a good income and I am not complaining, its how I want it.)

So what happens is that patients who like me and value being seen on time gravitate toward me even though they know I might not drop everything to see them on the spot. Patients who like another doctor and value being seen at any time (and often having to wait long periods) gravitate toward other doctors. And this works out pretty well.

So, its a tradeoff. Neither way is totally right or totally wrong, but at least we offer both ways. We also rotate as walk in doctor. So one of us is always there with a totally open schedule for anyone who wants or needs urgent care that day. You might not get to see your doctor, but you'll get seen that day. Now, that is a first come first serve sort of thing and if lots of people are showing up for urgent care, well, they may have to wait. We explain that right up front and I really don't apologize for that.

Every office is different and there are many other factors such as how fast/efficient a doctor is or how many regular appointments they schedule per hour. Some patients really like a doctor who will spend a ton of time with them even for small problems. That sort of doctor will always run behind. Other patients want a doctor who gets stuff done and gets them out the door. It is often a balancing act between the two extremes in order to make everyone happy. And some doctors are just slow.

 

[Podunkadunk]

Again, a lot of wisdom in your post. Thanks. I wish you were near me! Of course, I only go once, maybe twice a year. Once is for my annual, the other is usually for some other malady (non-cold related, I share your beliefs on colds, sniffles, etc. also).

Thanks for posting, I am forwarding a copy of your post to my primary care physician

Podunk

 

[buyerjohn]

I know that overbooking is due to cancellations and people not showing up for their appt

precisely...so inconsiderate people do indeed have an effect on a business' ability to deliver great customer service...as I said, for every action, there's a reaction...you can't simply say that there is no relationship between offering great customer service and the often rude and inconsiderate people you cater to who largely have come to accept long wait times and poor service...it's a vicious cycle - not a one way street.

N80 and Podunk...what you need to realize is that you both are the EXCEPTION in this country...most people aren't like you and don't have the awareness you do...

 

[gemini5362]

I don't agree with that. This thread was about customer service, not about rude customers. There is a big difference. I'm not saying that there aren't rude, nasty, mean, stupid, short tempered customers. There are, and plenty of them and I know because I'm in a 'service' industry. But they aren't the problem or even part of it.

Customer service is what you do in spite of difficult customers not what you do only for the easy ones. The world would surely be a happier place if we were all nice and could just get along.......but that's not going to happen.

Disney is probably the best example in customer service. They even offer courses to teach other organizations how to do customer service and a key part of that training is dealing with difficult customers which in many cases is all of them.

Don't get me wrong, when I encounter someone who is impossible to deal with, I'll let them go as a customer and I'll tell them. But I don't consider that bad customer service. Its any organizations right not to accept business if they don't want it or it isn't worth it to them.

And for the record, I'm not claiming to be perfect when it comes to customer service, nor is my office, we have good days and bad....but I do know that we try real hard and we retain 'customers' and we are attracting new ones at a much higher rate than demographics here have predicted.

Years ago when I was in the Navy I was waiting for my ship to get back and was temporarily assigned to the visitors pass office. I would give non military people visitors passes to go on base to visit relatives, boyfriends, etc. Most of the people were nice and realized there were a few non negotiable rules and complied graciously. I got them their passes and had them on their way quickly. I remember one guy who was the exception. It was sprinkling and he had parked his car right next to the office in the roadway in front of the gate. Normal parking was on the other side of the road in a parking lot. He came in and I told him that he had to move his car because he was blocking the access to the gate. He got belligerant but finally moved his car. When he came back into the office I told him I needed to see his drivers license, registration and proof of insurance. On the wall behind me in HUGE letters were the requirements for getting on the naval base those were items 1,2,3 out of ten. He got very angry and said he had to back out to his car to get them. It was not raining hard just sprinkling and I told him that was mandatory I was not to give out a pass without them. He went and got them then came back into the office very belligerant and cussing at me. At this point customer service or not a person should not have to take being cussed at for doing their job. HE informed me that he was just coming to see his daughter who was in Officer Candidate School. I copied the information on to the forms and then handed him the phone and told him he had to call his daughter to make sure she would take responsibility for him being on base Item #4 he went ballistic and told me he did not have to put up with that kind of nonsens and i was just messing around with him ( adjectives have been changed due to this being a family post) He was going to call my commanding officer and have my job for this. I told him the I worked for the shore patrol CDO (command duty officer) and that he was next door he was welcome to go talk to him if he liked. The shore patrol CDO was a 25 year verteran Boatswain Mate Senior Chief (those of you that were in the navy can probably guess how that meeting went) The next thing I knew someone from shore patrol had brought him back into my office and said the chief would vouch for him so he did not have to call his daughter. The shore patrol told him that I did not have to give him a pass it was strictly my call and that if he persisted in his behavior his daughter would be the one that would bear the blunt of any action taken about it. Then the shore patrol asked me if I would issue him a pass as a favor to the chief. The guy was totally changed he was very polite and asked what all he needed to give me to get his pass.

The points I am trying to make from this novel length post is
1. No matter how much customer service you give there is always going to be someone who gets angry because you are making them follow the rules.

2. Sometimes when you are the guy at the bottom of the chain in customer service you need to just smile be careful what you say and let the customer talk to someone higher up the ladder.