Business Etiquette - Is it always the customers fault?

[bvu2011]

I think sometimes its the business, but those higher up in the hierarchy have more say, whether right or wrong.

Just wanted to hear others thoughts!

Donna

 

[catapultaudio]

I always thought 'the customer is always right' ... ? as long as your not referring to on-line casino bonuses, of course

 

[Balthazar]

Sometimes it's the business (or the employees), sometimes it's the customer.

From personal experience, I'd say that the customer is wrong about 80% of the time.

 

[bvu2011]

I always thought 'the customer is always right' ... ? as long as your not referring to on-line casino bonuses, of course

No, not referring to bonuses, but those who represent the business in using morals, values, and ethics in the decision making process. With that said, the business should be able to separate their decisions on an individual basis not as a whole.

For example, a business rep may receive 30 complaints from unworthy customers and one from a customer who is worthy. It would then be up to the same rep to be able to separate their personal experience in allowing the worthy customer the benefit of the doubt instead of basing their decision on past experiences of unworthy others.

Hope that makes sense lol

 

[albrco123]

"The Customer may not always be right but they are always the customer"

I do think some businesses often lose sight of this.


Al

 

[bvu2011]

"The Customer may not always be right but they are always the customer"

I do think some businesses often lose sight of this.


Al

True, without customers there would be no business.

 

[bvu2011]

Sometimes it's the business (or the employees), sometimes it's the customer.

From personal experience, I'd say that the customer is wrong about 80% of the time.

That is an extreme observation, but in relation to the online gambling scene you may be close!! I have only experienced online gambling for two years now. I have observed it to be a very intense business that has many underlying constructs with regards to both the customers and the business. At the same time, I have also seen gambling identified as a source of entertainment, but found the majority of customers are out for the same as the business - a profit.

 

[swampwitch]

I believe the only chance we have to become a more civilized society is if every person were required to work in customer service, retail sales, or as restaurant waitstaff for a minimum of 6 months. Only then will we all realize that both customers and customer service have their collective heads up their collective asses at any given time...and that we all just need to be better people.

 

[dionysus]

My old man taught me, the customer is NOT always right - sometimes they just aren't worth the aggravation.
I agree. Some people just refuse to be pleased or satisfied, and will live and die miserable. Respect is a 2-way street, and bending over backwards to help someone who won't ever appreciate it, takes time away from valued/valuable customers.

 

[bvu2011]

I believe the only chance we have to become a more civilized society is if every person were required to work in customer service, retail sales, or as restaurant waitstaff for a minimum of 6 months. Only then will we all realize that both customers and customer service have their collected heads up their collective asses at any give time...and that we all just need to be better people.

I agree and one of the very reasons for this discussion. I have experience being an entrepreneur, customer service rep, and inevitably a customer.

Thanks for your rendition about where peoples heads are , sometimes I believe they are in the clouds acting holier than thou

 

[bvu2011]

My old man taught me, the customer is NOT always right - sometimes they just aren't worth the aggravation.
I agree. Some people just refuse to be pleased or satisfied, and will live and die miserable. Respect is a 2-way street, and bending over backwards to help someone who won't ever appreciate it, takes time away from valued/valuable customers.

chirp chirp lol

 

[weesie]

Wow, I have had years in the retail business. I can tell you there are all kinds of customers and sales people!

One instance comes to mind: I managed an automotive paint and supply store for several years. This woman comes in and says,

"My man painted my car silver metallic and he needs some "clear coat" in a spray can." I automatically had to stop in my tracks, "Excuse me?"

He "spray" painted my car silver metallic, he need "clear coat in a spray can" to put on it."

I said, "Is your car here, in the lot?"

I went out to look at it. Sure enough, he "spray painted her car", but he used silver metallic paint in a spray can. It looked really bad.

I wouldn't sell her the "clear coat". Maybe I should have. I did give her some names of great body shops in town though.

Maybe I should have sold it to her. It would not have helped her car........ I don't think anything OTHER than a real body shop could have fixed that mess.

 

[Balthazar]

That is an extreme observation, but in relation to the online gambling scene you may be close!! I have only experienced online gambling for two years now. I have observed it to be a very intense business that has many underlying constructs with regards to both the customers and the business. At the same time, I have also seen gambling identified as a source of entertainment, but found the majority of customers are out for the same as the business - a profit.

I wasn't even referring to online casinos though. I've worked with the public long enough to tell you that whenever a problem occurs, the customer is wrong most of the time. For the majority of them it's unintentional (didn't pay attention, etc) but bad customers do exist and I never believed that they should be treated as kings just because they are customers.

Some of them believe that because they have money to buy your product or service, they can get away with everything. That shit never worked with me.

Example of bad customer behaviour:

Customer clearly asks for X
Customer gets X
Customer comes back and says that he asked for Y
Customer is being told that he asked for X
Customer gets mad and wants Y for free

If customer doesn't admit that he was wrong, he's not getting shit. Now if he admits that he made a mistake, he will most likely get Y.

I used to work for a (very successful) business owner that would personally give the address and phone number of the competition and send bad customers over there. Money isn't everything.

 

[chayton]

When I was young I worked in a convenience store and one day a woman and her hubby came in, she already had this sour look on her face and was giving me the evil eye and she asked for a specific brand of cigarettes. We didn't have them so I said, "Hang on I'll go check in the back." I looked in the back and came back and said, "Sorry it looks like we don't have..." and she went completely ballistic. She started screaming and swearing and calling me names and kept saying I was 'staring at her arms' I stood there like a deer in headlights thinking WTF? and her old man was trying to hold her back from climbing over the counter to rip my face off. She was knocking stuff all over the floor and absolutely spitting with rage. He finally dragged her out the door and she screamed all the way across the parking lot. It was truly bizarre. After that, all my other bitchy customers seemed not so bad.

ok one more, when I was working at the same place there was this one customer who was slightly mentally handicapped. One day he walked up to the counter and reached across and grabbed my boobs and stood there grinning at me. I didn't say anything, just stepped back, he put his hands down and left. By that time I was so jaded it didn't seem like that big of a deal.

Anyhow it's all relative. If you're talking to customer support and you're already in a bad mood, then any little thing can set you off. Awhile back I uninstalled a casino and they wrote me to ask why, I wrote back that I was just taking a break, not to worry. Then they wrote back something like, 'Dear Denise" (my name is Cindy) and I was thinking if I was upset or pissed off or didn't feel like a valued customer and I got that mail it would have been enough to really get my panties in a bunch. As it was, I just laughed about it - but I told the rep just to make sure that support is more careful about stuff like that.

 

[bvu2011]

I wasn't even referring to online casinos though. I've worked with the public long enough to tell you that whenever a problem occurs, the customer is wrong most of the time. For the majority of them it's unintentional (didn't pay attention, etc) but bad customers do exist and I never believed that they should be treated as kings just because they are customers.

Some of them believe that because they have money to buy your product or service, they can get away with everything. That shit never worked with me.

Okay, well both online and land businesses are relevant to the public. And I agree with you that there are some customers who think they can get away with everything because of their money and use of ones product, but it works the other way too. Some businesses believe because they have money and provide the product - they have the power to get over on the customer; hence, "they can get away with everything", especially when it is representative over a certain population etc. Neither of the two works for me lol

 

[bvu2011]

I believe the only chance we have to become a more civilized society is if every person were required to work in customer service, retail sales, or as restaurant waitstaff for a minimum of 6 months. Only then will we all realize that both customers and customer service have their collective heads up their collective asses at any given time...and that we all just need to be better people.

Because I am being blatantly biased, this is the best post so far

 

[secret2]

I have had many rude customers but in my head, I have blown them away.....

I have come to believe that it's not me, it's their issue and some people just love to kick 'the cat', when they're in that mode.

I have become more patient only with time, though.

I don't want to ruin my day because of someone else who has not learned to 'calm it' and take it elsewhere.

I want to , sometimes, give it back to them...but I have found my own way to actually make them ok.

Just kindness, is always a good thing...if that fails...fuck 'em

 

[weesie]

I have been thinking about this some more.

Here is another example:

David and I have used Terminix for termites for years and years ever since we did a bit of remodeling on the house and found the little buggars.

It started out at $99.00 a yr, about 20 yrs ago. Last yr is was $240.00 a yr. Another kicker is, when they inspect, they really don't DO anything. Just look around the outside of the house and in the crawl space.

Well early last yr, they told us we had a fungus on the floor joists under the house. David contracted them to remove the fungus and continue with a NEW contract for annual checks, etc.

So, at this point we had a contract for termites and a contract for fungus.

The bill comes, it is for TWO termites contracts. He called them, repeatedly. They said no problem, we can fix that. Four months later, another bill, AGAIN TWO contracts for termites.

We finally gave up. How could they NOT look at the bill and see that it is billed wrong! It was obviously computer generated with absolutely no human oversight.

We still get automated phone messages from them, saying our contract will soon expire.

To me, they are morons!

 

[skiny]

I find most businesses are willing to help if a customer has a real problem. A well established business usually understands the value of not only repeat business but the possibility of a referral. The thing that really bugs me more than anything is people trying to sell me stuff. I don't like people calling me or knocking on my door and I really get put off by salespeople flocking to me as soon as I walk into a store. Most people are more than capable of deciding what style of couch they want without some guy hanging over their shoulder explaining how the new space age springs are somehow going to hold your ass up better when you're falling asleep in the middle of Columbo.

I went into RadioShack once a few years back for some batteries and didn't even make it halfway into the store when some kid came out of nowhere and asked "Can I help you?" I held the bags out I was carrying and said "Sure. You can hold these and walk about 5 feet behind me."

I had a salesman show up at my door once trying to sell me a vacuum cleaner. His sales pitch basically broke down to "I'll come in and vacuum your carpet and you give me 800 dollars for this vacuum." I said "I have one little carpet that I could probably drag out in the yard and shake and I'm not giving you 800 dollars to vacuum it... I'll give you 10 bucks though if you'll wash my car." I guess he didn't want to sell the vacuum cleaner that bad.

I walked into a shoe store once and a salesman asked "Are you looking for anything in particular?" I looked around me and said "Yes... Shoes.... What did you think I came in here for? An iPod?"

I was at my sister's place one time years ago before the days of Google everything and an encyclopedia salesman came to the door and she actually invited him in. Before he really got going on his sales pitch which was probably going to be a useless list of oddball things we could look up as if we would ever want to I said "Price?" By the time she finished buying all these books the set would have run her around 800 bucks. I said "You do know I can get the entire set on CD for about 30 bucks at Wal-Mart, right? Forget the money, think of all the shelf space I'd save."

Worst thing is, I dated a woman who was head of sales at a popular clothing store. Maybe this is why we broke up.... Probably not.

 

[cpdnd31]

OK I'm gonna give this a go. I think to be fair you must separate a normal business from a casino business. The reason being casinos work on a different perspective then a normal business.

I was a supervisor for a couple of casinos. One of my jobs was to manage a VIP room. I got the heavy hitters big time. Now part of my job was to keep them happy when they just lost the amount most people would pay to buy a house. Some wanted comps and some just wanted to be heard. I would listen and I would do what I could. Here was the problem. Lets say player A lost 10 grand and I comped him a room and dinner and so on. Player B would see this and think oh I want that, however player B only lost 3 grand and asked for comps every time he saw me. So what could I do? I can't tell player B he hasn't lost enough, I can't tell player B that he is a pain in the ass and I really don't want you as a customer. I can't tell player B that he bitches every time he loses and causes trouble for me and my staff. So what do I do I give in as much as I can and try to make player B feel just as special as Player A. Until player B gets to the point that I can't do no more and then I have to have the sit down discussion of I know you are here every week I know you have lost I know you play 3 grand, however this is what I have done for you in the last month alone and I just can't do right now. I need you to understand it's not that I don't want to it's the numbers don't add up and I can't however I will personally watch your acct and as soon as I can comp I will. Then player B doesn't feel as bad and still feels like a VIP player like player A is. It's not easy sometimes having to say no, its not easy listening to the sob stories but with all good aspects of ones job their are bad aspects as well. \

So there is a difference in casino service and a regular business.

 

[weesie]

I can't help thinking in most retail stores, it is part of the sales associates job to approach and ask if the customer needs help.

My daughter threw one for a loop last Friday: She was out at the local mall, looking for a certain "shoe" for her husband for Fathers' Day.

She walked in and not 5 seconds later a sales person comes up and asks, "May I help you?" Shannon says "yes".

She say the lady looked at her for a few seconds, almost strangely, then said "Sorry, everyone always says, 'No, I am just looking'"

Shannon showed her a picture on her IPhone of what she was looking for. The lady said, no, we don't have those.

Shannon said, "Well, I guess you can't help me then."

 

[bvu2011]

OK I'm gonna give this a go. I think to be fair you must separate a normal business from a casino business. The reason being casinos work on a different perspective then a normal business.

I was a supervisor for a couple of casinos. One of my jobs was to manage a VIP room. I got the heavy hitters big time. Now part of my job was to keep them happy when they just lost the amount most people would pay to buy a house. Some wanted comps and some just wanted to be heard. I would listen and I would do what I could. Here was the problem. Lets say player A lost 10 grand and I comped him a room and dinner and so on. Player B would see this and think oh I want that, however player B only lost 3 grand and asked for comps every time he saw me. So what could I do? I can't tell player B he hasn't lost enough, I can't tell player B that he is a pain in the ass and I really don't want you as a customer. I can't tell player B that he bitches every time he loses and causes trouble for me and my staff. So what do I do I give in as much as I can and try to make player B feel just as special as Player A. Until player B gets to the point that I can't do no more and then I have to have the sit down discussion of I know you are here every week I know you have lost I know you play 3 grand, however this is what I have done for you in the last month alone and I just can't do right now. I need you to understand it's not that I don't want to it's the numbers don't add up and I can't however I will personally watch your acct and as soon as I can comp I will. Then player B doesn't feel as bad and still feels like a VIP player like player A is. It's not easy sometimes having to say no, its not easy listening to the sob stories but with all good aspects of ones job their are bad aspects as well. \

So there is a difference in casino service and a regular business.

Yes, showing favoritism and giving special treatment to those who are unworthy are most definitely a deficit to a business - especially when publicly displayed.

 

[dunover]

I must admit I was always a 'taker' as far as customer-business went. I would readily complain if I felt things were not going my way, but always thank profusely those on the phone or face-to-face who I felt had been very efficient and helpful. When things didn't go as I expected, I was a pain in the a$$ with little tolerance for human error, slowness or excuses.

That was until I joined a customer-facing industry myself earlier this year. I meet people who are mainly pleasant and tolerant. Then I meet people who are like this up to a point, then become a pain, like I said I was above. Then there is the third category. Rude, ignorant and unpleasant, totally intransigent beings that I could gladly take a swing at. This has in turn made me more appreciative of those in CS who are genuinely trying to help. Made me more patient and less insistent. Given me a new level of understanding of how it feels to be on the other side of the fence.

Now, if we take the above, it becomes a different matter to a certain extent when it pertains to gambling.

Gamblers tend to be impatient, and sometimes insecure. They can find it hard to trust. This is why so many on here are so eager to endorse fast CS and fast payouts - they satisfy a gambler's requirements. Those same people, including myself, are very quick to be negative if matters are slow or delayed. We should treat the online CS as if we were face-to-face too, not be unpleasant through the anonymity of our keyboards

So, having experienced both sides of the coin, I think casino CS have a hard job sometimes. We ask for answers outside their knowledge range, We expect decisions about verification or w/ds that they can't always influence or have access to. Then our innate impatience. The casinos however do need to understand their players better though - we win and we are happy. That feeling is maintained through speedy payment and CS response. It's what makes us come back. So simple, yet many still haven't understood it.

 

[bvu2011]

Personally, I find a business most admirable when they are able to admit if they have made a mistake and/or listen to customer feedback. I believe a business must keep up with the changing times which would mean continuous observation and innovation of services.

 

[cpdnd31]

How do you see that as favoritism? I see it as one client spends a certain amount and another who wishes he was treated like that client spends a lower amount- I see it as trying to keep both clients happy. I mean if you want to be a VIP then spend money like one and you will get the same! It's simple.

 

[bvu2011]

How do you see that as favoritism? I see it as one client spends a certain amount and another who wishes he was treated like that client spends a lower amount- I see it as trying to keep both clients happy. I mean if you want to be a VIP then spend money like one and you will get the same! It's simple.

Well, being I was agreeing with you that player B should not be treated as the same as player A under policies (terms and conditions), I do not understand why you question doing so would be favoritism towards the unworthy player???

And really the more money one spends doesnt mean one wont complain LMAO Even VIP's will complain, lets think rationally!

 

[cpdnd31]

Maybe its the word favoritism that bothers me - I mean player B may be the biggest pain in the ass but I would still have to give him what he deserves. It's hard being in that situation, you never want to say no your not worthy enough so you try to do as much as you can for the player. But however the day will come when you just can't. Those were the days I hated the most.

I guess it just comes down to the numbers at the end.

 

[LHofsdal]

After retiring from working with the public for 21 years, I can honestly say that the customer is NOT always right. But when I was working my way up the ranks, I had learned that even if the customer wasn't right, I had to determine was it worth losing a customer or not. If the dispute was for a small amount, I always gave it to them, but if it was for something we would be losing a lot of money for, they didn't always get it.

It is like going to into Macys, looking at something like a Keurig coffee machine, they have a sale sign saying that Mister Coffee coffee makers are on sales for 29 dollars in front of the Keurig machines. The customer comes to the register with the Keurig machine. It is originally 149 USD. The customers is not happy with their total and says the sign says it is on sale for 29 USD. I would not let the customer get it for that because the sign says Mister Coffee on it. IF the sign was a generic sign just saying Sale 29 dollars, I would give it to them because there is nothing saying it wasn't for the Keurig machine.

In any business, you have to pick and chose your battles. In the gaming industry, it is no different. I often wonder when I see complaints on here and the way some casinos handle the situation, I think to myself "WTF, is this guy smoking grass?" So many times casinos would have retained a player if they just stepped back for a minute and looked at the whole picture, the long term outcome not the short term outcome, they would have retained a player. Perfect example.. The thread on Wild Jack casino where the player lost their winnings of 2000 pounds. How many casinos would you have played at but didn't because you saw a thread on here on how situations were handled? I know when I use to play a lot, I avoided many! I knew that if it could happen to 1 player the same thing could happen to me. So why bother?

On the other side of the coin, if you the player feel like you have been wronged by a casino, I recommend the PAB service. If you are being honest, then you have nothing to hide let the PAB handle it. Sometimes the casino won't work with you the player but will work with the people handling the PAB. So what have you got to lose?

That is my opinion, nothing more nothing less.

LH

 

[vinylweatherman]

After retiring from working with the public for 21 years, I can honestly say that the customer is NOT always right. But when I was working my way up the ranks, I had learned that even if the customer wasn't right, I had to determine was it worth losing a customer or not. If the dispute was for a small amount, I always gave it to them, but if it was for something we would be losing a lot of money for, they didn't always get it.

It is like going to into Macys, looking at something like a Keurig coffee machine, they have a sale sign saying that Mister Coffee coffee makers are on sales for 29 dollars in front of the Keurig machines. The customer comes to the register with the Keurig machine. It is originally 149 USD. The customers is not happy with their total and says the sign says it is on sale for 29 USD. I would not let the customer get it for that because the sign says Mister Coffee on it. IF the sign was a generic sign just saying Sale 29 dollars, I would give it to them because there is nothing saying it wasn't for the Keurig machine.

In any business, you have to pick and chose your battles. In the gaming industry, it is no different. I often wonder when I see complaints on here and the way some casinos handle the situation, I think to myself "WTF, is this guy smoking grass?" So many times casinos would have retained a player if they just stepped back for a minute and looked at the whole picture, the long term outcome not the short term outcome, they would have retained a player. Perfect example.. The thread on Wild Jack casino where the player lost their winnings of 2000 pounds. How many casinos would you have played at but didn't because you saw a thread on here on how situations were handled? I know when I use to play a lot, I avoided many! I knew that if it could happen to 1 player the same thing could happen to me. So why bother?

On the other side of the coin, if you the player feel like you have been wronged by a casino, I recommend the PAB service. If you are being honest, then you have nothing to hide let the PAB handle it. Sometimes the casino won't work with you the player but will work with the people handling the PAB. So what have you got to lose?

That is my opinion, nothing more nothing less.

LH

In the above example, the shop is at fault for it's sloppy display setup, even though the customer tried to profit from the error. Some shops have been caught DELIBERATELY setting up ambiguous displays in order to trick customers into thinking they are getting a bargain. The UK supermarkets have taken a battering from the regulators over this, and all three local Tesco stores have received hefty fines from Trading Standards over selling perishable foods well past their use by date, something that happened due to sloppy management leading to shoddy practices by lower staff going unchallenged.

If shops and other businesses think it is ethical to use borderline legal trickery to part customers with their money, they shouldn't squeal when smart customers aim to get the very best deal possible out of a business, even where this includes the use of similar psychological and "borderline legal" trickery.

The business world has brought this upon themselves through taking advantage of a largely naïve and trusting customer base, but along came the internet, and well informed "smart customers" developed. The "advantage customer" is not unique to the online gambling business, it is something all businesses have to deal with, and is a monster they created themselves when they started doing away with old fashioned customer service in local shops and outlets, and moved to dealing with UK customers from bases in places like India, along with treating customers like numbers, not real people.

Online casinos really should have seen this coming, and never allowed bonus culture to become the monster it is today.

 

[bvu2011]

In the above example, the shop is at fault for it's sloppy display setup, even though the customer tried to profit from the error. Some shops have been caught DELIBERATELY setting up ambiguous displays in order to trick customers into thinking they are getting a bargain. The UK supermarkets have taken a battering from the regulators over this, and all three local Tesco stores have received hefty fines from Trading Standards over selling perishable foods well past their use by date, something that happened due to sloppy management leading to shoddy practices by lower staff going unchallenged.

If shops and other businesses think it is ethical to use borderline legal trickery to part customers with their money, they shouldn't squeal when smart customers aim to get the very best deal possible out of a business, even where this includes the use of similar psychological and "borderline legal" trickery.

The business world has brought this upon themselves through taking advantage of a largely naïve and trusting customer base, but along came the internet, and well informed "smart customers" developed. The "advantage customer" is not unique to the online gambling business, it is something all businesses have to deal with, and is a monster they created themselves when they started doing away with old fashioned customer service in local shops and outlets, and moved to dealing with UK customers from bases in places like India, along with treating customers like numbers, not real people.

Online casinos really should have seen this coming, and never allowed bonus culture to become the monster it is today.

Although I have only experienced online gambling and customer service for the last few years, I have found it to be somewhat a more extensive implementation of its service. Hence, I believe customer service reps in the online gaming industry should derive from a sophisticated nature in dealing with conflict in search for resolution for a positive outcome. This is not to say there will never be those customers who will become what they call a "pest" in the business world, but its to say that a more professional style of service must be provided to diffuse situations for a win/win outcome. Customer service reps who become too personal with the client leads to more of a derogatory scenario than the favorable successful outcome for all. Communication is the key which involves; listening, providing feedback, and effective problem solving which would allow the customer service reps to develop a solid foundation of experience within their client-based business. In addition, it is also a way in gathering data for the business that seeks to identify if any improvements can be made within the business itself for customer satisfaction.

The latter? If customer service is not willing to listen and see things objectively, whereas, they may be wrong, it is inevitable they will experience more dissatisfied customers.

Just for the record: I do not want to target customer service being the sole problem because I believe there will always be the good and bad on either side.

vinylweatherman - your forecast was/is correct!! lol

 

[skiny]

Online casinos really should have seen this coming, and never allowed bonus culture to become the monster it is today.

I've been saying this for years.

 

[cpdnd31]

Well I think there are 2 sides of the coin. I mean for years we complained about robotic customer service. I remember a thread in here about a man who typed who is the president before anything in chat to make sure he wasn't speaking to a bot. We complained about them not listening to us, so now they are too personal. If so would it not be the customers fault as well for giving away too much personal info? I mean just because some one asks you a question doesn't mean you have to answer it.

So is it better to have a robotic customer service agent who only speaks enough English to ask you how you are and what you need or is it nice to have a customer service rep who says good morning how are you today and hey how did your daughters party go?

Is there a middle ground?

I personally like the rep who ask me about my day and listens to me tell the funny story every now and then I find it warming and welcoming. But hey that's just me and we all know I'm not normal. LOL

 

[vinylweatherman]

Well I think there are 2 sides of the coin. I mean for years we complained about robotic customer service. I remember a thread in here about a man who typed who is the president before anything in chat to make sure he wasn't speaking to a bot. We complained about them not listening to us, so now they are too personal. If so would it not be the customers fault as well for giving away too much personal info? I mean just because some one asks you a question doesn't mean you have to answer it.

So is it better to have a robotic customer service agent who only speaks enough English to ask you how you are and what you need or is it nice to have a customer service rep who says good morning how are you today and hey how did your daughters party go?

Is there a middle ground?

I personally like the rep who ask me about my day and listens to me tell the funny story every now and then I find it warming and welcoming. But hey that's just me and we all know I'm not normal. LOL

The problem with modern CS is that the relationship is fake, and obviously so. It's different where you have a dedicated account manager, and there is continuity between you over a number of issues, and as a result the relationship develops, and the small talk ends up involving your daughter's party and other family occasions. With most CS, you speak to a different agent each time, even over the same issue. Often these agents use fake names allocated to suit the corporate image, and rather than help, are there to impose the straitjacket of company policy and procedure, itself a robotic concept. Another irritating function of CS is to block all attempts by the customer to escalate a complaint to a higher level.

In the casino industry an obvious case in point is withdrawals. The CS will tell you they have no power to do anything, or even get hold of the correct information. They then tell you who the only people who can help are, and then flatly refuse to put you through or contact them directly because of "company policy". They will then make a dog's dinner of contacting the relevant department on your behalf, leaving behind a frustrated customer and an issue that has made zero progress over the course of a dozen CS contacts with a dozen different and equally inept CS agents. It leaves the impression that it is "company policy" to deliberately stall an issue until the customer gives up in frustration.

 

[bvu2011]

The problem with modern CS is that the relationship is fake, and obviously so. It's different where you have a dedicated account manager, and there is continuity between you over a number of issues, and as a result the relationship develops, and the small talk ends up involving your daughter's party and other family occasions. With most CS, you speak to a different agent each time, even over the same issue. Often these agents use fake names allocated to suit the corporate image, and rather than help, are there to impose the straitjacket of company policy and procedure, itself a robotic concept. Another irritating function of CS is to block all attempts by the customer to escalate a complaint to a higher level.

In the casino industry an obvious case in point is withdrawals. The CS will tell you they have no power to do anything, or even get hold of the correct information. They then tell you who the only people who can help are, and then flatly refuse to put you through or contact them directly because of "company policy". They will then make a dog's dinner of contacting the relevant department on your behalf, leaving behind a frustrated customer and an issue that has made zero progress over the course of a dozen CS contacts with a dozen different and equally inept CS agents. It leaves the impression that it is "company policy" to deliberately stall an issue until the customer gives up in frustration.

I believe cpdnd31 is referencing the reps for 3dice because they have a chat room and are able to communicate more personally with their customers.

 

[mistertee]

Although I have only experienced online gambling and customer service for the last few years, I have found it to be somewhat a more extensive implementation of its service. Hence, I believe customer service reps in the online gaming industry should derive from a sophisticated nature in dealing with conflict in search for resolution for a positive outcome. This is not to say there will never be those customers who will become what they call a "pest" in the business world, but its to say that a more professional style of service must be provided to diffuse situations for a win/win outcome. Customer service reps who become too personal with the client leads to more of a derogatory scenario than the favorable successful outcome for all. Communication is the key which involves; listening, providing feedback, and effective problem solving which would allow the customer service reps to develop a solid foundation of experience within their client-based business. In addition, it is also a way in gathering data for the business that seeks to identify if any improvements can be made within the business itself for customer satisfaction.

The latter? If customer service is not willing to listen and see things objectively, whereas, they may be wrong, it is inevitable they will experience more dissatisfied customers.

Just for the record: I do not want to target customer service being the sole problem because I believe there will always be the good and bad on either side.

vinylweatherman - your forecast was/is correct!! lol

hmmmmm ! sounds like a place I know !! lol

 

[cpdnd31]

Actually I was referencing first my job experience. Then before the laws changed I had a very good relationship with a rep at jackpot poker/jackpot casino. Then I was also referencing someone who I would talk to all the time at Club World. (Very nice rep there always asked me how my family was.) Then also 3 Dice. They are a one of a kind casino with live reps that join in on our chat conversations.

So there were many places I have chosen my experience from. But first and most of all I would have to say my work with casinos and the industry itself.