Where has all the Service gone? (part 1 of 2)

It has slowly become apparent to me over the years that Customer Service is fast becoming a thing of the past. Pre 2000, I worked with UNIX machines for a bank in New Zealand. I remember one occasion where we were told that customer service was not just for the customer service department, and that we were all expected to represent the bank in a serving manner. I remember this well, as it seems that after this request was made to staff, I began to receive calls from outside the bank. Not many - 1 every month or two at the most. These calls were all from various customers (corporate or personal) who never seemed to require the same department. I have no idea how my external number had become know, but with the 'customer service priority' thought always in my mind, I used to choose to take a few moments out to help these people. Sometimes they were quite upset, or in great need, but it only ever took a few minutes to listen, and to explain that I was not the most appropriate person to help them, but that I would take their details, find the most appropriate person, and make sure that the call was returned. Whatever state of mind the customer was in, they always seemed happy, and all this for only a few moments of my time. It then only ever took a few minutes longer to track down the most appropriate staff member, and only a few minutes longer to explain that I would call back in a couple of hours to check that the customer was happy. So, for less than 10 minutes of my time, one customer was pleased and remained a loyal customer of the bank, so ensuring the banks continued ability to pay my salary. After my time at this bank, I moved to the UK, where I never heard the phrase customer service again. When I needed to talk to various large companies, I would sometimes choose to be facetious, and ask to speak the customer service department, and state that I did not need the 'customer relations' department. I have conducted a very unofficial straw poll of companies in the UK, and I am yet to come across any company with a customer service department. What is the difference between 'customer service' and 'customer relations' you may ask. The biggest difference is that one assumes a position of servitude, and the other a place of power. I have many cases of 'customer relations' stories while I was in the UK, but here are 3 of my favourites... When I arrived in the UK, I decided that I needed broadband (I knew it commonly as ADSL or DSL). It was relatively difficult to find out what telecommunications companies there were, where they served and what products were available. But I quickly found the biggest company, BT, so gave them a call. This particular time, as every time since, I spoke to someone who did not sound older than about 13 and who had absolutely no knowledge of anything. As each new person was unable to help me, I was passed from endless inappropriate phone queue to inappropriate phone queue, until I hung up and rang back again (repeatedly).

The biggest problem (apart from the fact that BT had no customer service department, but just a host of endless phone queues, was that we had a major language barrier. I was able to get across to these pimply faced youths that I wanted an internet connection, but that was as far as we ever got. I tried saying that I wanted "broadband", "ADSL", a "high speed connection", anything I could think of to express my need. Absolutely no-one had any idea at all what I was talking about. In return, they were asking me if I wanted (please excuse my ignorance of BT product names as I now avoid this company like the plague) "BT, around the world 1n 20 seconds", or "BT, my family lives on the moon", or "BT, make a friend today". When I asked what the details of these products were, no-one knew more than "It's for your computer, sir". I was fast becoming very dumb in everyone's eyes .... This experience, and others, forced me to the only other telecommunications company available in my area, NTL, who were at least better than BT. I once got to speak to a very nice guy at NTL, who became a friend that would always help, and he explained to me that telecommunications companies in the UK do not need customer service departments, as they are monitored by OFFTEL (telecom watchdog), and so companies redirect any complaints, etc, to this organisation, and await any report or recommendation that OFFTEL might offer, based on bulk, anonymous, impersonal complaints. My story regarding NTL's 'customer relations' occurs one day when my phone was faulty. So, I rang the technical faults department. Now, if I was ringing a customer service department, I would be the customer, and what I was experiencing would be the truth, but not so with 'customer relations'.... The young (assumed) pimply face youth first queried me, "If your phone is not working, how are you able to ring us then?". I was beaten at the first mark! He had found me out. My little game was up ... But no, my phone really was not working! "Since my phone is broken, I thought that I would ring you from a different phone (my mobile)". He then asked my address, paused while he examined his computer, and then informed me that there was no problem with my phone and that it was working perfectly. He suggested that I hang up and call him back on the house phone to confirm that there was no problem. I was not letting him go that easily! "I am standing right by my phone, and I can confirm that it is still not working. There is no dial tone, and no noises when I push the buttons." "Well, the line to your house is fine sir. I suggest that you plug in a different phone and try that." I already had. "I already have! I have a couple of other extentions in this house, and none of them are working." This went on for quite sometime, before he finally agreed to log a fault. "Someone should be at your house to check this problem sometime later this week" Don't even get me started on the inability of UK companies to know when their people will actually be at your place. The very best ones can tell you either 'morning' or 'afternoon' on a particular day, forcing you to take the whole day off work for a 5 minute (delivery or whatever). That is if they arrive... If not, another day off work is required. To be continued .... Where has all the Service gone? (part 2)