The Stupid Things That Companies Do
Immersed in customer stories, I often scratch my head when I hear about the stupid things that companies do. You would think by now with all of the discussion about the importance of delivering a quality customer experience that companies could get the basics right, but they don't. Instead, I am constantly surprised how companies sabotage their own success. Here's one example I that I recently encountered:
The other day my husband received a notice in the mail from Ford saying that we missed our last car payment and, as a result, would incur a fee. Impossible. The payments are automatically debited from my husband's business account every month.
When my husband called customer service to find out what was going on, the agent told him that Ford canceled its automatic debit service because it was too costly. Because we were not sent a notice prior to Ford canceling the service, we were unaware that our payment hadn't been debited.
My husband asked why Ford would cancel a service that ensures that the company will be paid every month. The agent had no answer. It seems to us that Ford will incur more costs in calls through the contact center from customers inquiring about their non-payments, as well as long-term costs stemming from calls to customers tracking down payments. Not to mention that removing a convenience for customers may hinder the customer experience.
This is just one example. Keep the "stupid" list going. Share your stories.
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