Mediocre Mobile Service Managers

Customer service – Mediocre Mobile Service Managers
 
We decided to change our mobile service provider. What a process! Many phones to choose from, contracts, information,
sales strategies, options, gen Y sales people with studs in their tongue, eyes,  lips...  

I think they knew their products really well. So they tend to only talk from personal experience referring a few times to “my mate has this phone and it can .....” They certainly weren’t talking from the company manual.

Not once did I experience ANY care; for us, for our time (the business consultant came one day late for her appointment)
for the completion of the contracts, and faxing the information through to head office. After an extra visit on a Saturday to hand the papers in the consultant called because she did not receive the information - subtly insinuating we did not send it.

I went back the Tuesday, very calm, not the usual self, waited to see the manager, the tongue studded, but friendly manager.
I asked if he could send the information again. He did not pick up the again. When I repeated the statement he acknowledged my
irritation with “I did not work so it was not my fault”.  Why should I care if he was there or not?
He is responsible for - that is what being the manager is about.  He did assist (re-sent the faxes) but with the expression on
his face that clearly communicated: “Whatever”

We, as customers, tired of complaining, but it is our fault if we accept mediocre service, rudeness,
and don’t care attitude.

We only reward the people if they have reached targets, their KPI’s and quotas.
What we should do is to start rewarding service, friendliness and care. That is what we are looking for!

Most hated opening statements

Don't you just hate the following opening statements:

• "Just browsing?"
• "Nice day isn't it?
• and my most hated one "Can I help you?"

What are yours? Let it loose......

Fixing your service

Anonymous, from tompeters.com:

"Excellence can be obtained if you:

... care more than others think is wise;
... risk more than others think is safe;
... dream more than others think is practical;
... expect more than others think is possible."

Saw it again this morning in a blog and thought this is the starting point of creating excellent customer service.

Gen Y - what you do not know

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows- Epictetus

These words are written on a piece of paper I keep handy at my desk. I look at it every minute of the day to remind myself, in order for me to
learn, I have to admit that I do not know everything. I do not know what is going on in the minds of my customers, I do not know all the plays
and moves of my favourite sports, and I do not know what is going to happen to me in the next minute.

In the past months I had an increasing number of meetings with generation Y (18 – 28 year – take and give a few years!) where they led the meeting
or where they were part of the meeting. Furthermore most of the sales people in retail stores who serve me belong to this age group. At least half
of my training groups belong to this generation.

One thing that stood out about my contact with them is that they want you to communicate with them in not more than “140 characters”.
They communicate using at most 3 partial-expressions only: “hi”, “ya”, “na”, “oh”, yeh”.

They want to move on, move to the next big thing, because they are bored, they had enough, you are too slow, demand too much, put to much pressure
on them, expect too much from them and stress them out.  However to communicate meaningfully, using 140 characters, you need a hell of a lot of
background information,
in-depth knowledge and understanding of the subject matter and finally you must acknowledge that you do not know it all.

What don’t you know that you think you know?
•    Rome was not built in a day. You can try but you will not create brand awareness in one day.
•    It is not your birth right to get respect from your clients, suppliers and customers you have to earn it.
•    It is not beneath you to service people; it takes a big man to service people. So lose the attitude.
•    A monkey can also multitask; they can eat, while looking for fleas on their mates and simultaneously fool around with their mums.
•    You are not the only one in this universe with needs; customers also have needs they also want to party and have fun.
•     Many of you are still living with your parents, getting your mums to do your washing, but if you want to make it in the real world
then you have to do the real world things.
•    The older target market is getting fitter and healthier and if you want to make money then you have to play their music.
•    Most of the customers buying from you cannot handle your arrogance born out of ignorance. Yes we know that you do not actually know.
•    People talk behind your back about your bad manners, bad communication skills and that the starting point of earning their respect is
to have and display good manners. I am sure your mums will thank me for this.
•    Real risk taking does not involve getting pissed every night but there is a greater risk in not handling customer complaints, not
displaying good manners and talking down to your customers than getting drunk. You can cure your headache with a pill but it will take much
more to get your customers back.  
•    The best feeling in the world is not talking on the phone, SMS and listening to music but it is to solve customers problems, to cry
with your customers when she phones you and tell you that the dress you sold her saved her marriage, that the medicine you delivered late at night on your way home got her child to sleep a little better.....

You will never know it all if you think you know it all.

Good old fashioned manners

I recently had tea with some of my girlfriends.For some reason the conversation
always digresses to their shopping experiences.

I think it happens because I make my living training retailers how to make more money.
(This is where I try to change the world of retailers around.)

It always start with the the following: "We had such bad experiences this week......"

All of them could usually come up with at least 2- 3 bad customer service experiences. Then they ussually look at me and ask what I would do.
(I think they question the effocacy of our customer service training sessions.).

When I ask them what they expect when they visit a shop, they agree that ALL they want is for the staff to display GOOD MANNERS.

And that folks, is it: GOOD MANNERS.
    
Look me in the eyes when you greet me, and my eyes are just below my forehead,not at my feet.
Stop chewing your gum while greeting me. (It reminds me of a ruminating cow.)
Don't "mumble". (You sound like a dying animal)
Greet me so that I can hear you above the thumping music in the store,
Remember to take your hair out of your eyes when you greet me.(I don't have hair
anymore, and do not want to be reminded of it.)
Pull up your pants before you greet me. (The only crack I want to see is the smile on your face.)
Lift your feet up when approaching me, even though you are cleaning the floor. (I don't want to be reminded of it.)

Simple stuff, really: old-fashioned, good manners.