Good Customer Service Means Common Sense
We as consumers have been conditioned to expect poor customer service. Just like we expect to have to haggle with car dealers over the price of a car, we don't have high expectations when it comes to contacting customer service. The IVR maze, the uninformed agent, and the lack of follow-up are things we don't enjoy, but it's so common these days. This should be great news for companies that have a commitment to customer service. With the bar set so low, it's pretty easy to impress us.
A coworker was pleasantly surprised when a customer service rep from online music store Musician's Friend responded to his email within an hour. The company had sent him the wrong guitar case, and he wanted to return it. The rep admitted the mistake, and gave clear instructions on how to rectify the situation. It's rare to see such a positive customer service interaction.
And I recently had a great customer service experience with XM Radio. The company allowed me to skip a payment while I moved into a new house and got my finances in order. It cost the company $40 to make me a positive word-of-mouth influencer.
Companies don't have to be exceptional, they just have to be competent and use common sense. It can actually become a competitive differentiator. Go above and beyond just competent service, and you could be on the ACSI top 10 list for years to come. It's not rocket science, folks. It just takes a willingness to do right by customers.
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