Have You Been Served?

Have You Been Served?

July 30, 2014
Salesman who doesn't get it

Did you hear about the fantastic deal going on at the Big Box store down the street?? They're slashing prices and offering a free roadside emergency kit with every purchase! OK, so you didn't hear about it but the free roaside emergency kit really perked your interest, didn't it? Since you've wanted to replace your kitchen cabinets for quite some time now and you can't beat slashed pricing, along with a free emergency roadside kit, you head on over... And so your journey begins...

You've arrived and you're in the kitchen cabinet department looking around because you know exactly what you want... A slightly modern look, possibly grey cabinets, and you definitely want granite for that splash of panache. After about 20 minutes, no one's approached you to see if you needed any help. You finally grab the attention of an employee walking by to get some questions answered. You've narrowed it down to three different manufacturers and you want to know what the difference is in quality. You also want to know how the warranty actually works. How many cabinets will you need for your small space? Are there other space-saving options? How much does it all cost? Does that price include installation? What about tearing out the old? How green are these cabinets? Do they emit VOCs? You're very concerned about the environment... After a lot of "I think," "I'm not sure," and "I can look into that and get back with you," or they try to lead you to a product they do know all about (but that's not what you're looking for), you've left with no questions answered and your head spinning like a top.

That's the story a lot of people tell when they don't get the customer service they expected. You want to have your questions heard, then answered correctly. You want that person to know all about the product you're interested in and educate YOU! You don't want to know about other products just because that representative is knowledgeable about the product. When you leave the store, you want to feel like you're now on a more personal level with that representative; otherwise, you probably won't remember his/her name.

Nowadays, everything is instantaneous. We want it now, we wanted it yesterday. Our faces are in our phones that sit in the palms of our hands. Social Media and instant gratification have changed our approach to customer service, altering the face of customer service all together. Think about a few things the next time you're shopping for something - How often does the representative make eye contact with you? Has he/she really listened to what you're looking for? Does he/she seem enthusiastic to work with you? Do you feel that personal connection or do you feel like a commodity? People who deliver exceptional customer service were born with 'Customer Service DNA.' They understand that Customer Service is like a long-term relationship... It takes a lot of work, but if everyone's happy in the end, it's all worth it.