Customer Service is More Than a Slogan

By Peter DeHaan, Ph.D.

June/July 2007

Does your call center make the caller or patient a priority?  I expect that it does.  In fact, I suspect that the phrase "customer service" is found somewhere in your mission or vision statement, etched on a wall plaque, proclaimed in your marking material, and oft cited by upper management. 

However, as is often said, "talk is cheap" and "actions speak louder than words."  So the question becomes, do you actually provide quality customer service or just talk about it?  Has the vocabulary of providing world-class customer service been bandied about so often that you - and the entire organization - have been falsely convinced that it is a reality, when in fact it has no basis in truth?

An astute reader may remember a previous column, "A $175 Oil Change", in which the local car dealership charged $175, accomplishing no tangible results other than changing the oil.  This was the only impetus I needed to return to the trustworthy comfort and integrity of my local service station, where I continue to be a loyal and supportive customer of their car care services.  Unfortunately, the day that I dreaded came last summer, when they informed me that repairing my heat-generating air conditioner was beyond the scope of their services; I would need to take the car to the dealer.

With trepidation, I walked into the dealer's brightly lit and tastefully decorated service department.  As I walked up to the "customer service" desk, a representative, clad in business attire with smart-looking tie, greeted me.  I explained the problem and, knowing their mode of operation all too well, asked for an estimate.  With a confidence-building smile and positive words of assuredness, he sent me on my way.

His phone call came shortly after I returned to the office: $1,575!  Following my dumbfounded silence, he launched into an extended explanation, mixing mechanic jargon and automotive terminology - which I doubt even he fully understood - seemingly aimed to intimidate me into accepting their costly diagnosis.  "Let's get realistic," I challenged him, determined to not be victimized again. 

The representative apologized that he had no other options and admitted that his "hands were tied."  I declined to authorize the repair and arranged to pick up the car.  He kept repeating, "I'm sorry; I know I've lost you as a customer."

It took some time, but eventually I heard about a full-service garage with a reputation for honesty.  I took the car in.  Sitting in a small and somewhat dingy office with a dated décor and amidst organized clutter, I explained the chronology of events, sharing the dealer's written estimate.  The owner of the garage chose his words carefully, "Well, they could be right, but I think we can get it working for much less."  He had a $185 solution that he wanted to try.  I followed his recommendation.  He was right.

The dealership had talked ad-nauseam about their top-notch customer service in their ads, promotions, mailings, and sales pitch.  They even put on an impressive front, but there was no substance; to them, customer service seemed to be maximizing the repair bill.  The garage, on the other hand, didn't talk about customer service; they just did it.

A second saga is equally illustrative.  My wife and I went to rent a movie with a two-for-one coupon in hand and the residual amount from a gift certificate on account.  Our expectation was that we would each pick a movie and pay for them using the coupon and credit balance.  We were wrong.

The first sign of trouble came in the checkout line, when the clerk could not pull us up in their computer.  "We got new computers," he said curtly as he continued typing in vain.  After much too long, he impatiently demanded, "When were you last here?"  Our answer irritated him.  "Well, that's your problem," he announced.  "We gotta put ya in again." 

As he scanned the DVDs, I handed him the coupon.  "We don't accept these," he declared disdainfully.  Dumbfounded, I asked why.  "It's for Acme Video Hits and we're Acme Video Plus now."  I pointed to an in-store sign displaying Acme Video Hits.  "We got bought out and they voided all the coupons.  It happened three months ago," he explained exasperatedly, as though this was common knowledge of which only ignorant people were unaware.  "We haven't changed our signs yet."  He typed some more.  "That will be seven dollars."

"You charged us the price for current releases," I informed him, pointing to a sign for 99-cent rentals of older movies.

"But you got DVDs," he said with a slight roll of the eyes.  "Ninety-nine cents is only for VHS."  He paused and, saving me from another query, added, "They changed that, too."  An unfruitful discussion ensued and he summoned "the manager" when I inquired our credit balance, which had been lost during the acquisition or computer upgrade.

The manager appeared and summarized anew the critical information that we had pieced together from the unwitting clerk.  He stated the company line and confirmed the price of seven dollars.  However, he soon relented and eventually offered to partially accept our coupon, zero out the balance on our unverifiable account, and only charge us three dollars.

Sensing this was the best we could do, I accepted his offer and thanked him.  He smiled broadly and shook my hand, assuming he had resolved a conflict and retained a customer.  My wife and I, however, left with a far different perspective.  The uncaring clerk had simply dug too big of a hole for his boss to climb out of; damage had been done - we never returned.

It wasn't until another movie rental chain opened a local outlet that we rented again.  We walked in and hesitantly approached the counter.  Michelle smiled broadly and genuinely welcomed us.  Upon learning that we were first-time customers, she carefully and patiently explained how everything worked, including the store layout, membership, prices, and the specials.  Her pleasant and easy-going demeanor put us at ease. 

As we began browsing, clerks would momentarily appear, helpfully restating a tidbit of information, providing direction, or offering assistance, then moving away as stealthy as they appeared.  This was not like my usual retail experience. 

When it came time to pay, Michelle, reiterated the value of membership and reinforced the specials.  She even did a successful up-sell - which seldom works with me - to pre-pay for several movies, thereby earning a discount; this was quite a feat considering our prior experience with having a credit balance.  But when one has a compelling offer that is presented with infectious enthusiasm, it is easy to be successful.

From these experiences, it is clear that to be successful, customer service needs to be more than just a slogan.  It needs to be a strategy, one that is fully and successfully implemented with the callers' and patients' best interest in mind.

To read other articles written by Peter DeHaan, go to Vital Signs or check out his blog at blog.peterdehaan.com.  In addition to publishing AnswerStat and Connections Magazine, Peter offers custom publishing and Internet publishing (Article Weekly).  He may be reached at dehaan@answerstat.com or www.PeterDeHaan.com.