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Why has customer service gone to pot lately ?

Rabidlamb

Has there been a conscious decision by companies to save money by not dealing with complaints.
In the past 2 months I've been to the ringer with Vodafone, Ulster Bank & Smyths Toys over issues that would have been a priority years ago.

Vodafone wouldn't send out a replacement for their broken router unless I signed a new 12 month contract, I sourced one myself for a tenner on Adverts.
Ulster Bank had to be threatened with the financial ombudsman before they caved in & offered decent compensation for the 6 weeks of misery.
Smyths Toys wouldn't replace a broken belt clip on a new buggy, I relieved them of the replacement from a store display model instead.

Has anyone else noticed a deterioration in customer service in recent years ?.
Maybe I've just rose tinted spectacles of the past.

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UCDVet

To be perfectly honest, a lot of the time it's not really a customer service problem. It's a business decision.

They have some business analyst or accountant that looks at their numbers and says, 'We spent 400k last year on free router replacements'. They see that as a cost. And they aren't legally obligated to replace the routers in 99% of those cases. So they want to reduce that cost.

So, they train their phone support folk (who are reading a script) to tell you that they can't replace it and to call/mail/harass the manufacturer. They know, statistically, virtually nobody is going to leave (after all, you probably have a contract anyway). They also know you *can* get it sorted via the manufacturer, or like the original poster said, buy his own used router.

I'd bet that, in 80-90% of the cases, the customer just gets annoyed and deals with it. In the other 20-10% if the customer is really fighting for it, they'll back down and send out a router. Now instead of spending 400k they spend 80k and some rich guy gets a bigger bonus because he saved the company 320k.

Madam_X

UCDVet wrote: »

To be perfectly honest, a lot of the time it's not really a customer service problem. It's a business decision.

Absolutely. It's just easier to whinge "Bad customer service" and blame the easy target of the 20-year-old on the phone at 10pm on a Friday night earning minimum wage.
Sometimes what's construed as rudeness and a lack of co-operation is neither - it's simply the advisor's hands being tied.

Monty - the one and only

Having worked in the industry both in Ireland and abroad for years, "the customer is always right" is a downright lie. More often than not the customer lies to get what they want.

Can be amusing to get the ones that are yelling just because they can, to trip over their own lies.

Sure there are idiots in customer service out there...But the same is true for customers aswell, though unless you've worked in the industry your unlikely to know that, that number is oddly high per day of calls.

Sala

If you work in customer service it's usually the moaners you spend your time dealing with. Putting up with moaners while on minimum wage working for a company that make millions in profit and pays your overlords x10 what you make makes people miserable. That's my theory anyway. It's what makes small businesses great; they all feel they have a genuine role to play and take pride in what they do, rather than being 1 in 1000 totally replaceable customer service agents

KungPao

I worked for Smyth's Toys for years. I was at least the best employee they ever had

Used to sell bikes n sh*t like a boss, and face sh*t off like a master.

Good times.

Shryke

KungPao wrote: »

I worked for Smyth's Toys for years. I was at least the best employee they ever had

Used to sell bikes n sh*t like a boss, and face sh*t off like a master.

Good times.

The bikes lane was for dossers. Easiest job in the shop. I bet you couldn't pack down or run the desk to save your life!

Davyhal

shopaholic01 wrote: »

The only customer service problem I've had was with Eircom. Whenever I called I was told I had the wrong department, was given another number and the process was repeated. Took 3 weeks to sort out a minor issue.

I moved to another company and was bombarded with calls trying to get me to change back. Cue repeatedly asking to be removed from their marketing list. I had to threaten to contact ComReg if it persisted.

Now I have sales people calling to my door assuring me that was 'old Eircom' and that 'new Eircom' are marvellous. One of them even lied to me about a broadband upgrade, which he claimed I could only get with Eircom. Quick call to my own provider, and lo and behold, they could upgrade my service using the 'next generation lines only available to Eircom':rolleyes:.

Now I just close the door when I see them - ignorant I know, but it's the only thing that works.

Eircom are notorious alright. I have friends who have worked there before. Apparently in customer service, there is a certain length of time (think it is actually only like 90 seconds or something) that the call is meant to last, and if it goes on any longer than that, the staff are penalised. Totally wrong attitude on the company's part

T-K-O

Every time I have a problem with my phone, TV, Utility bill etc and I am forced to use their call centre, the experience is so bad it inspires me to change supplier

...but then I realise they are all as bad as each other. It's quite depressing

OneArt

What irritated me about Ireland was that when I worked in restaurants, I was slated for not smiling. I was always pleasant, even to customers who were complete dicks. Some days I would just be tired or run down or whatever, but we'd still be forced to be as pleasant and nice as possible.

Yet whenever I went into restaurants, bars or had to deal with customer service, the people working were almost always c*nts. How come they get to be and I don't? Grr.

T-K-O

OneArt wrote: »

What irritated me about Ireland was that when I worked in restaurants, I was slated for not smiling. I was always pleasant, even to customers who were complete dicks. Some days I would just be tired or run down or whatever, but we'd still be forced to be as pleasant and nice as possible.

Yet whenever I went into restaurants, bars or had to deal with customer service, the people working were almost always c*nts. How come they get to be and I don't? Grr.

Sounds like you are not cut out for the job. For the same reasons I would never work in that area.

Madam_X

I'm or have been a customer of AIB, Vodafone, Sky, UPC, Three, Bord Gais, ESB, VHI, among others and I had one bad experience with UPC which in fairness they rectified very well and apologised, and two with Vodafone, which was human error - can happen.

I know some companies have a bad reputation (Three - although I was lucky with them; Airtricity) but if a person is a serial customer service complainer re pretty much every company they deal with, then maybe they need to look at themselves rather than just the company.

krudler

Madam_X wrote: »

I'm or have been a customer of AIB, Vodafone, Sky, UPC, Three, Bord Gais, ESB, VHI, among others and I had one bad experience with UPC which in fairness they rectified very well and apologised, and two with Vodafone, which was human error - can happen.

I know some companies have a bad reputation (Three - although I was lucky with them; Airtricity) but if a person is a serial customer service complainer re pretty much every company they deal with, then maybe they need to look at themselves rather than just the company.

This, some people seem to have constant issues with everything, that doesn't happen by coincidence.

T-K-O

Energia deserve a mention and its not positive...

I'll say no more for fear of a lifetime ban

Gummy Panda

Madam_X wrote: »

I'm or have been a customer of AIB, Vodafone, Sky, UPC, Three, Bord Gais, ESB, VHI, among others and I had one bad experience with UPC which in fairness they rectified very well and apologised, and two with Vodafone, which was human error - can happen.

I know some companies have a bad reputation (Three - although I was lucky with them; Airtricity) but if a person is a serial customer service complainer re pretty much every company they deal with, then maybe they need to look at themselves rather than just the company.

The contrast of customer service between some Irish companies is amazing. I expect race to the bottom companies to have poor customer care but some of the more expensive companies have awful care.

Hippies!

Rabidlamb wrote: »

Why has customer service gone to pot lately ?

Customer service always had an issue with employees smoking pot. It's the students I blame.

Qualitymark

I mostly have pretty nice interactions with customer service, but there are some exceptions.

Rang 'Electric Ireland' last week. The little brat who answered the phone had exactly the passive-aggressive, nasty attitude of the woman in the No Nonsense Insurance ad - and the same nasal accent (where's that accent from?) He wouldn't deal with me at all unless he had my meter number (I'm not a customer), my address, my surname, my first name - at this stage I put down the phone and rang another firm, who were pleasant and helpful.

The worst ever, the all-time record-holders, were Palm - does the company still exist? I loved my Palm T1 personal organiser, used it for writing, and for everything I now use my ancient iPhone for. But the 'help' staff were so incredibly, extraordinarily rude and bullying that as soon as I could, I switched to another maker.

Apple were varied - sometimes you'd get a jobsworth, sometimes someone really nice and good and helpful. I discovered early on that if I had happened on to a jobsworth, the thing to do was say "What...what.... hello...? hello...?" and hang up, and ring back later, until I'd get someone good. Also works for other firms.

What amazes me is that there don't seem to be mystery shoppers checking up on how good the phone staff are in companies. Boy, would they find out about how their services are being sold.

Madam_X

The Electric Ireland guy probably insisted on those details because he is told to though, rather than deliberately being unhelpful. Seems unnecessary all right but from my experience if you can proceed with the call you will - because putting up barriers to the customer is not fun for the agent either.

PC CDROM

A lot of it is all about money.

I never get people ringing up about minor "cost" issues but when the repair is into the 100's all of a sudden its a "manufactures defect"

Really? Do you not think if that was the case it might have reared its head sometime earlier in the last seven years you owned the vehicle?

Also people using dodgy Diesel in vehicles is the bane of my life. Thousands to fix when the injector jams open and blows the sh1te out of an engine

Though the painful part is people didn't necessarily know it was dodgy Diesel in the first place

krudler

Madam_X wrote: »

The Electric Ireland guy probably insisted on those details because he is told to though, rather than deliberately being unhelpful. Seems unnecessary all right but from my experience if you can proceed with the call you will - because putting up barriers to the customer is not fun for the agent either.

"Sorry but I need to speak to the account holder"
"But I'm his wife/husband!"
"Oh I'm sorry, yeah I forgot being married exempts you from data protection laws, silly me"

Madam_X

"Dats turrbl customer serrrrrvice I must say."

"No, it would be terrible customer service if I divulged the details of your husband's account to you."

Qualitymark

Madam_X wrote: »

The Electric Ireland guy probably insisted on those details because he is told to though, rather than deliberately being unhelpful. Seems unnecessary all right but from my experience if you can proceed with the call you will - because putting up barriers to the customer is not fun for the agent either.

Not from his tone. He was obviously satisfied to be able to demand details from me rather than answering the rather simple question I'd rung up to ask. A clone of the No Nonsense Insurance woman.

And what is that accent?

Vicxas

A lot of the problem stems from usually HO edicts being handed down.

Back in the good days companies were a lot more lax about policy as it made them money and made customers happy.

Now its all about cost saving and doing whats best for the company rather than the customer. So dont have a go at the people on the end of the phone, their hands are tied to the sh!tty company policy.

Chucky the tree

Rabidlamb wrote: »

Also, I'm a bit of a c*nt & tend to be rash in these situations.

That's why you get **** service and people that deal with you treat you like the **** that you admit you are. Nearly everyone in customer service will tell you that the customers who act likes tossers are the least likely to get what they want.

ArtyC

Where To wrote: »

Although you are joking (I think), this is sadly a very common attitude. Not all customers are *****, but they generally turn into ***** if that's how you treat them.

Not all staff are *****, but they generally turn into *****...... You know what I'm getting to

Gummy Panda

krudler wrote: »

"Sorry but I need to speak to the account holder"
"But I'm his wife/husband!"
"Oh I'm sorry, yeah I forgot being married exempts you from data protection laws, silly me"

In fairness, a lot of people don't understand the data protection act and consequences of breaking it.

irishgirl19

I work in customer service and I can tell you, some of the customers are downright rude who are screaming as soon as you pick up the phone. As others have said, demanding the unrealistic.

Customers who want to speak to a manager for every single little thing, like things that can be dealt with by my colleagues and I, and when you say no every single one of them says oh your refusing to let me speak to a manager, when actually it is an issue that can't be escalated for example customers saying im disconnected its a disgrace and I want a supervisor......you haven't paid your bill in four months!!!!!eughhh

Qualitymark

The customers who are screaming at the unfortunate staff the second they pick up the phone have quite possibly been waiting and pressing 1 and pressing 3 and pressing 2 and pressing 5 and saying "agent" and hearing "I didn't understand that, can you repeat..." and pressing 1 and pressing 5 for 10 minutes before they actually got to speak to a human.

Those machines!

irishgirl19

Davyhal wrote: »

Eircom are notorious alright. I have friends who have worked there before. Apparently in customer service, there is a certain length of time (think it is actually only like 90 seconds or something) that the call is meant to last, and if it goes on any longer than that, the staff are penalised. Totally wrong attitude on the company's part

thats not true

Gummy Panda

irishgirl19 wrote: »

thats not true

Probably a call board though. Most call centres have them to show the level of calls on hold so agent knows to not dwindle on the phone.

krudler

Qualitymark wrote: »

The customers who are screaming at the unfortunate staff the second they pick up the phone have quite possibly been waiting and pressing 1 and pressing 3 and pressing 2 and pressing 5 and saying "agent" and hearing "I didn't understand that, can you repeat..." and pressing 1 and pressing 5 for 10 minutes before they actually got to speak to a human.

Those machines!

then use email, facebook, boards, twitter etc etc to contact them? most big companies have multiple ways of getting an issue handled these days. The reason companies use self service ivrs is otherwise nobody would ever get through, you'd have every customer ringing through to an agent.