Customer Service. We hardly knew you.

Customer Service, Rest in Peace my friend, we hardly knew you.

Whatever happened to Customer Service? I mean real Customer Service, not the 1-900-“Who Cares” we are subjected to. I mean providing service for your customers. I had an Uncle who owned a furniture store. He would often say, “The customer is always right”. He meant it too. He demonstrated that to many customers over the years. They rewarded him with coming back and telling others. He had an excellent business.

Treating your customer’s right. Showing them that you care about them more than the product you are selling. That was the way it used to be.

Just to test my hypothesis “No One Gives a Damn” I decided to search Encarta and Wikipedia, I wanted to see just how Microsoft would define it in relation to another encyclopedia source. It makes me feel good when a theory is validated. Here are the responses:

MSN Encarta defines Customer Service as: business department dealing with customers: a department of a business that deals with routine inquiries and complaints from or disputes with customers.

I found it interesting that Microsoft failed to describe it as a service to customers, nor a behavior, but a department dealing with complaints. That comment alone speaks for itself.

Wikipedia defines Customer Service as: a set of behaviors that a business undertakes during its interaction with its customers.

I had to search Encyclopedia Britannica Online to find the answer I was looking for: Customer service involves an array of activities to keep existing customers satisfied.

Yes! Validation. Keeping customers satisfied! One can argue that a set of behaviors falls into the same definition, but the answer I was brought up with is satisfied customers, and it was free. It was not, the Gold Plan, Silver Plan, a paid 900 number, nor was it grudgingly given, while some guy is cussing you out in the back. Some person reading the answer off a monitor did not provide it either. The person you dealt with knew the product, sold the product, believed in the product and was more than happy to help you.

A few months ago I accompanied a friend to a home supply store. He is a licensed contractor and deals there often. We were in the electronics department. I was watching another customer argue with a salesperson dressed either as one of Santa’s elf’s or wearing the latest fashion in coveralls. The customer had a very red face and Santa’s elf was trying his best to look interested. My friend could not find whatever it was he needed and I knew we were in for trouble. I watched as the customer stormed out and Santa’s elf went off to feed the reindeer or hide somewhere. It did not matter that my friend had tried three times to get his attention for assistance. Santa’s elf was not in the mood to deal with another person right now.

My friend walked up and down a few sections. Then began storming down others. Try as he might, no one would help him. Let alone be found to ask. My friend never misses a thing. Often he had seen a salesperson pick up one of the phones attached to every area and dial a number to access the speaker. He gave up searching, walked to a phone, picked it up, and dialed whatever number he had seen. Magic! He was on the store speaker. He said, “There is a customer in the electronics section that has dealt here for years and would like some help before he leaves and never deals here again!” I watched with interest as three salespersons and two men in suits came rushing to his assistance.

“Sir, you are not allowed to use the store intercom”, the first suit exclaimed. Suffice to say, it was on now. They were all arguing. Finally my friend raised his voice higher than the others and said, “If you would give your customer’s service, then we would not have to pick up the damn phone and beg for it!” The quietness was so loud it was uncomfortable. It was actually quiet as a church for a moment. What transpired next truly impressed me. Not only did my friend find what he needed, he was given a 15% discount for his trouble along with his normal contractor’s 10%. He also agreed never to use the store intercom again. I guess one has to give to receive.

I can’t say if this changed any of their service policies. I can say that whenever he is in the store he is well taken care of though. The sad footnote to this is it should not have happened in the first place. Nor would it have happened 20 years ago. Back then a salesperson would have been fired over that, not today.

We can’t go into any store and get customer service. Nowhere. I was at a Walmart recently and watched as the complete sales team for a department stood in the back of the store. One woman stood in front and was actually leading them in a chant. They all began clapping their hands, jumping up and down and hollered something about Walmart. They ended with a group hug. Then each went a separate direction. I was in awe. I felt as if I was intruding on some ultra-religious experience. It seemed that personal. Impressed? You bet I was. I felt that I had just witnessed the holy grail of retail. I felt they loved their store, their products and was going to go the extra distance for their customers. Damn, I felt good. I wanted to hug someone. But my buddy that was with me would probably have punched me.

This good feeling lasted for a whole five minutes. For about that time later my buddy went searching for help. He found two of that same team and went up to them. I was so happy for him. This was THE team. I saw them. I watched their holy sales ritual. Damn, they had actually all hugged! I knew he was in for excellent service. Boy was I wrong! Not only did they not help him, one was actually nasty about it. I don’t recall what it was he was looking for, but they didn’t know where it was, nor did they care. They also left the department quickly. We ended up finding it ourselves.

I have reached the conclusion that customer service has died. It lays somewhere in an unmarked grave. Some of us mourn its passing. There are those of us who never knew it. Where ever it is, Rest in Peace my friend. You are missed.