What do you consider good customer service?

[mrmark21]

I was waiting to be served at Subway today and the worker was busy doing something. They only had one person serving who looked extremely busy. She asked me to wait a moment, a few more times... She went out to the back and I thought to myself 'why am I being made to wait too spend MY money'? I waited for about five minutes. So I walked out.

The thought occurred to me that this incident would probably best explain my experience with an accredited casino recently. What on earth makes management of a casino (a place where you go to loose money) think that it's okay for customer support (countless chat agents) to keep customers waiting for days just to get a response/answer "served". Two complaints within a week, no response from a supervisor regarding either of them. Made me think about other members experiences...

What do you consider good customer service and where do you draw the line on bad service?

 

[paul@bgo]

Sometimes it takes longer than expected to resolve a query but I make sure my team are ALWAYS in contact with the player. If we don't have an answer or resolution after 24 hours then you should be told that. I personally like to know my query is being handled even if a quick solution isn't feasible. Subway is a different animal, they have a few minutes to handle your request and get it served so they should have ample staff on hand to deal with demand. Online Customer Services is different, we have more time to answer an email but when you offer a phone or live chat service and you're forced to wait in a Queue, I think that's unacceptable. Don't offer the option if you're not equipped to handle it I say!

 

[Balthazar]

Worked in customer service all my life and nothing makes me more uncomfortable than knowing that a customer is waiting for service. You have no idea how many times I've done other people's job because I didn't want the customers to have to wait. I've no patience and I act like everyone is like me so if waiting one minute is too much for me, it's too much for them too.

One time I even left a shopping cart full of food at the grocery store because the cashier was too busy chatting with his friend. Left the cart there in front of him and walked out. Unfortunately some people working in customer service just don't see it.

 

[mrmark21]

Worked in customer service all my life and nothing makes me more uncomfortable than knowing that a customer is waiting for service. You have no idea how many times I've done other people's job because I didn't want the customers to have to wait. I've no patience and I act like everyone is like me so if waiting one minute is too much for me, it's too much for them too.

One time I even left a shopping cart full of food at the grocery store because the cashier was too busy chatting with his friend. Left the cart there in front of him and walked out. Unfortunately some people working in customer service just don't see it.

Couldnt agree more I've always worked in retail or with customers. I dont think customers should have to wait if a company wants youre money they should give you the service that you pay for

 

[dunover]

Worked in customer service all my life and nothing makes me more uncomfortable than knowing that a customer is waiting for service. You have no idea how many times I've done other people's job because I didn't want the customers to have to wait. I've no patience and I act like everyone is like me so if waiting one minute is too much for me, it's too much for them too.

One time I even left a shopping cart full of food at the grocery store because the cashier was too busy chatting with his friend. Left the cart there in front of him and walked out. Unfortunately some people working in customer service just don't see it.

LOL....I did this at Tesco's years back. Massive queues, only half the tills open and 'managers' busy standing there directing people to the shortest queues. I asked why they didn't simply man the till to help clear the backlog, was told "it's not our job" to which I replied "well in that case maybe you'd like to put this lot back instead" and left them my trolley to the smiles of bemused onlookers...

 

[mrmark21]

Sometimes it takes longer than expected to resolve a query but I make sure my team are ALWAYS in contact with the player. If we don't have an answer or resolution after 24 hours then you should be told that. I personally like to know my query is being handled even if a quick solution isn't feasible. Subway is a different animal, they have a few minutes to handle your request and get it served so they should have ample staff on hand to deal with demand. Online Customer Services is different, we have more time to answer an email but when you offer a phone or live chat service and you're forced to wait in a Queue, I think that's unacceptable. Don't offer the option if you're not equipped to handle it I say!

That's true The incident with the casino happened before Subway. Just made me actually look at the situation from a different perspective. I actually work at a call center.

I think no response after being promised an answer from a supervisor follwed by days of waiting is unreasonable. I never once felt like I was actually going to get a response either. I was also talking to support and got disconnected three times. Just gets to be a hassle.

Sounds like youve got support on the right track. Keep up the good work

 

[mrmark21]

LOL....I did this at Tesco's years back. Massive queues, only half the tills open and 'managers' busy standing there directing people to the shortest queues. I asked why they didn't simply man the till to help clear the backlog, was told "it's not our job" to which I replied "well in that case maybe you'd like to put this lot back instead" and left them my trolley to the smiles of bemused onlookers...

Mind you Australia's shocking for that kind of behaviour. So I guess we learn to put up with that sort of thing. One person serving is not unusual for take away places over here happens at Subway, Mcdonald, everywhere. One person serving and eight customers waiting in line. I just leave and go buy what I needed somewhere else (just like i'll gamble somewhere else) but allot of people continue waiting in line as if that's okay as if they dont mind wasting their time waiting in a queue. I personally dont get it.

 

[mrmark21]

I guess customer service just dosent matter that much to many people. Which is fine Im just a little surprised.

 

[chayton]

There was actually just another thread about this not long ago.

Actually when I was young I worked as a waitress - I haven't done it for years, but I still sometimes dream about it. In my dream I get plunked into this restaurant where I don't know how to do anything or know where anything is and suddenly my whole section is full and I go in the back and there's no cook and I'm dicking around trying to figure out how to get the stupid coffee machine to work or find things and I come out and the people who were sitting at my tables have all left in disgust. And I actually feel really bad about it.

 

[mrmark21]

There was actually just another thread about this not long ago.

Actually when I was young I worked as a waitress - I haven't done it for years, but I still sometimes dream about it. In my dream I get plunked into this restaurant where I don't know how to do anything or know where anything is and suddenly my whole section is full and I go in the back and there's no cook and I'm dicking around trying to figure out how to get the stupid coffee machine to work or find things and I come out and the people who were sitting at my tables have all left in disgust. And I actually feel really bad about it.

Sounds like you never received adequate training. That really shouldnt happen as management should be training their employees properly Whats the name of the other thread?

 

[chayton]

Sounds like you never received adequate training. That really shouldnt happen as management should be training their employees properly Whats the name of the other thread?

Good question, I can't seem to find it now. And I'm not sure who started the thread. Or maybe I'm dreaming again?

 

[mrmark21]

Good question, I can't seem to find it now. And I'm not sure who started the thread. Or maybe I'm dreaming again?

That's okay lol! I can actually remember a thread that's a bit similar. Not the same though

I'm more trying to work out whether I just expect to much or that other people just put up with that kind of experience. I'm taking it (due to the lack of responses) that people don't really care or just don't expect much out of customer service/support. I could be wrong though but no ones really chimed in. Anyway thanks for the feedback

 

[spoton]

Customer service should be about doing what you can for the customer, and being honest. That means making sure they understand the query or order from the customer, and making sure that the customer gets it in time. If the shop is undermanned cause of staff being sick, or any other problems, they should also be honest about it and explain that thing might take longer time than usual, and not just pretend like nothing, or say "soon". Its also up to the people working on the floor to complain upwards in the system, if something aint right. If a mistake repeats itself too many times, i wont come back. Also, having a bad day shouldn't affect the service. When you're at work one should have be professional, always!

 

[Redbet-Andy]

It amazes me how overlooked this is by most senior management.
Especially by the bigger operators.

It's not difficult.

1: Make sure your site works.
2: Have excellent customer service.
3. Pay people quickly.

The rest is just window dressing.

I've had some awful experiences, primarily wth UK-based companies, we just don't do customer service that well in Britain, in any business.

 

[Igor82]

1: Make sure your site works.
2: Have excellent customer service.
3. Pay people quickly.

So absolutely spot on. It's like the 1-2-3 rule to a good business