Here in Guyana the standard and quality of customer service leaves much to be desired in many sections of both the private and public sectors and if this irritant is not addressed with the zeal required then it will certainly worsen.
At commercial banks, offices, hospitals, etc. almost on a daily basis one could witness long lines, people waiting without being attended to or cases of customers being abused by arrogant and uncaring staff.
The less educated and illiterate, senior citizens and those with disabilities suffer the most as they may have more difficulties in “knowing the ropes” especially if directions and instructions pertaining to transactions are not clearly spelt out.
Undoubtedly, there are some organisations, businesses and public offices which provide excellent services and therefore could be described as models of customer service.
However, the service given to customers by certain entities could be described as shabby, lousy and in extreme cases atrocious. There are so many instances of people going to offices to carry out the simplest of transactions, where, they are given the “royal run around” and they have to wait for an unusually long period of time to get them done. This is not only frustrating and energy sapping but it may entail a lot of travelling costs if persons live long distances away from these offices. In addition, a lot of invaluable time is lost due to long periods of waiting time. And in today’s world where competition is the driving force in economics, commerce and industry and therefore efficient use of one’s time is of paramount importance.
Another aspect of poor customer service is the uncouth, arrogant, disrespectful and uncaring attitude of personnel when attend to clients. This is perhaps one of the more disturbing developments as regards this issue.
Every customer expects a courteous, efficient and professional service. If you have to deal with members of the public, then you must be aware of the importance of customer care and its impact on your own work and the work of the wider organisation. Providing a quality service is more than simply providing the goods or service required. It is making the service receiver feel that they have been well looked after.
Derek Stockley in his article on the phrase “the customer is always right” points out:
“If there was a misunderstanding, it should have been resolved gracefully with an apology or some other action.”
“The customer should not be made to feel wrong under any circumstances. Language at all times should be pleasant and courteous.”
“Even if the customer is wrong, there are methods that can be used that bring them round gently.”
“If, as a customer, you have a particular belief or feelings about something, the customer service person dealing with you has to acknowledge and deal with those feelings as well as the situation.”
“Courtesy is essential to good customer service.”
Unfortunately, the concept of “the customer is always right” has not been widely embraced and accepted by our local service sector, as it is sadly lacking in many entities. The issue of courtesy and respect perhaps is a subset of the larger problem in our society where courtesy and respect have taken a sharp decline.
This anonymous customer who gives his/her experience of good and poor customer service sums it up well:
Good Service-“I recently walked into a florist. Two staff members were busy behind the counter making floral arrangements. As I approached, both turned to serve me. In fact, in their eagerness, they almost had a tussle over who would serve me first.”
“This willingness to serve was very pleasing.”
“We can all tell stories of waiting at a counter while staff members continue their private conversations, seemingly ignoring our presence and importance.”
“I chose the flowers I wanted. They were quickly and nicely wrapped. I walked out the door a happy customer.”
Poor service- “Two doors down is another service business. A few months ago, I had a conversation with the owner, as they had an interesting sign in the window. It was hand written. It pleaded with customers to stop abusing the staff, as they could not take it any more.”
“Apparently, as new owners in an unfamiliar industry a number of problems had arisen, including the resignation of key staff.”
“Consequently, customer service levels had suffered. Some services were not being provided, often on a regular basis. The same customers had to keep complaining. Many were obviously becoming frustrated and upset.”
“Providing good customer service seems easy but, providing customer service is not always as easy as it looks.”
“The florist shop staff members made it look easy. They paid attention when customers walked in the door. They knew what they were doing. They did it well.”
You need to know what good service is. You need to know what customers want. You need to tailor your business to suit. Courteous, attentive, well trained staff members make a big difference. Staff needs to be respected, supported and appreciated. They should not fear an approaching customer. They should be well trained in the art of customer service.
Good systems, combined with well trained staff, ensure that errors are reduced or eliminated. If there are no errors, there are no complaints. Customers are satisfied. Work is more rewarding for staff members when there is a high level of good customer service.
The solution to the problem of poor customer service lies on two factors-proper training of staff on their responsibilities and the manner in which they have to execute those responsibilities with the concept of “the customer is always right” indelibly written in their heads, and secondly the laws on consumer protection need to be revised and refined to meet the needs of today’s society, as well as the establishment of consumer protection agencies with real “teeth.”