Is it me or is customer service at an all-time low? I cannot remember the last time that I called ANY company and got a real person. You can no longer just hit “0” to reach an operator. No, you have to go through 17 prompts to get to the right department. I really enjoy when I have been on hold for 47 minutes listening to their crackly elevator music with intermittent announcements, only to be disconnected. I also love having to re-explain my issue every time they transfer me to another department. DON’T THESE PEOPLE TAKE NOTES? Then, to add insult to injury, I am asked to PROVE who I am with each person that they transferred me to on the call. By that point, I want to re-enact the Whammy Burger scene from the 1993 movie Falling Down.
Last week, my husband and I decided that we needed to be more active and made the decision to purchase a couple of bicycles. It sounds pretty simple, right? We drove to Academy Sports and sashayed up and down the bike aisle trying to choose just the right one. Have you ever tried getting a Schwinn off one of those evil bike displays? It was like we were in a UFC fight. We eventually settled on the perfect pair along with the needed accessories of seat cushions and helmets. We flagged down an employee and asked for the bikes unassembled so we could get them home in our car. After a few minutes, he returned to tell us that all the bicycles were put together and we would have to take them as is. We agreed, asking to pay for them and have Academy Sports hold them, so we could go rent a U-Haul truck and come back to get them in about an hour. The employee then informed us that they don’t hold merchandise. Confused, I asked, “Why can’t you hold something I have already paid for? I’ll be sure to come back for my $750 purchase.” His response, “It’s our policy to not hold any items.” He then said he would set the bikes “to the side” for us, but we would need to pay for the seat cushions and helmets now. Wait, what? It’s against policy to HOLD the merchandise (even if I pay for it), but you will set it aside for me if I don’t pay for it? I told him that I found this all very frustrating. I then paid for the accessories and made my way out to the nearest U-Haul.
However, I was already working up a good mad. I decided to call the corporate office to enlighten them regarding my experience. When speaking with the customer service agent, she apologized and offered a suggestion: “Go online and pay for it. In doing this, the store receives the order and then can hold the bike for you for up to seven days for pick up.” I MUST SAY IT AGAIN – wait, what? I recounted, “So you are saying, it’s against policy to have me pay in store and have them hold the bike. However, I can pay online, and the store has to hold the bike for me for up to seven days? That makes no sense!” “Yes, ma’am,” she said, “but since it is our policy, I can’t do anything about that.” After a few more minutes of babbling, she sent me a coupon for $30 off our purchase. Let me tell you that the $30 she offered me isn’t enough for the co-pay I have to shell out for the therapist I need to understand that logic.
I have at least 10 more stories like that from phone companies to retailers. Everyone uses the pandemic as an excuse for delays, lack of competency, and global warming. Just when I felt all was lost, I had an experience that has restored my faith that customer service is not totally a thing of the past. I recently visited a local Olive Garden. Typically, I get the same dish every time I go: chicken scampi. It’s delicioso! This time around, I thought I would change it up a little and order a new menu item. Unfortunately, when I took my first bite, I was highly disappointed. Ugh, now I was in a conundrum. I didn’t want to complain (as I don’t want them to sneeze in my salad), but I really didn’t like this new dish. I made the decision to just eat my sides and take home my main meal as leftovers for my husband.
Shortly after the food was delivered, our server came by to ask if all came out well. I politely answered, “All came out as expected, but I found that I didn’t enjoy the choice I had made.” She immediately apologized and asked if I would like it replaced. I replied, “I appreciate that, but it was my choice to try the new dish. No apologies are needed.” She insisted I get something I loved. I thanked her for her kindness and ordered the scampi. Less than two minutes later, the manager came to the table to apologize for the meal and assured me that her goal was for us to enjoy our entire experience. Just a short few minutes later, the chef personally delivered my favorite dish to the table. To say I was blown away was an understatement. They asked, listened, and offered a solution. In doing all of that, I felt like a valued customer and became more loyal to the brand.
It isn’t hard to make someone feel valued. Truth be told, it would have been a good experience at Olive Garden with the server just acknowledging my comment. However, she went beyond that as did her boss and the chef. I think businesses who are short-sighted often see their customers only as a transaction. Conversely, when businesses are serious about growth and vision, they understand the long-term implications their actions will have and aim to learn how to better understand and appreciate their customers. Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, said “At the end of the day, it’s not what you say or what you do but how you make people feel that matters the most.” It’s about relationships, and it’s as simple as treating others the way you want to be treated. Live well, my friends.
