Setting the Bar for Customer Service?

meburke asks: "Computer repair, copier repair, customer support: It seems to be mostly done the same way for the last 40 years. That is: 'Something breaks, call the repair guy.' But customers expect more, and they can't tell us what they expect, so where do we develop guidelines for customer service and how do we improve? I've searched the net for three days now, and I haven't found a comprehensive list of actions or standards that distinguish the excellent tech from the average tech. Can anyone point me toward some sources?" It seems that as our technology becomes more complex, the service that is offered to customers continues to fall shorter of the mark. What kind of service do you expect from your vendors, and how close is reality to your expectations? As an aside, shooflot wonders: "If the definition of 'news' includes 'rarity' then good service must be news. My usual experience includes the kind of sulky and dismissive attitude I got from an Apple rep when my new iPod wouldn't charge (I eventually got him to exchange it). However, I was recently surprised by Rogers, my cellphone provider, when I followed up on some charges for ringtones I'd never downloaded. The service rep not only cancelled the charges but discovered I'd been wrongly charged an extra air time fee for the whole last year and credited me for the entire amount plus tax! What great service stories does Slashdot wish to share which (I hope!) may inspire all those other reps in the trenches?"

Comments

In IT

[TykeClone]

Good customer service is doing what you said you'd do when you said that you would do it for what you said you would charge.

That sets the bar pretty low and is kind of a sad commentary on the state of IT customer service.

Re:In IT

[SomeGuyFromCA]

> 5) Repeat after me: most customers aren't stupid. They feel lost amid the technology and they are frustrated. Try to explain things in everyday language so that they can feel that the mystery of the technology isn't so overwhelming.

most customers are willfully ignorant. no, i can't fix my car, but i
a) learn the terminology - i don't call the wheel the engine or the gas pedal the go-faster button. (all those words like hard drive, modem, etc that the computer gets called. plus the ones who think the monitor is the computer.)
b) educate myself on the requirements and realities of ownership and use - i put gas in, i wash it, i have the oil changed, and if i can't get somewhere 100 miles away in 1 hour, i don't blame the manufacturer, i blame my lack of planning.

i had a customer last week who called up, enraged that the wireless network on his laptop no longer worked. turns out he was at his brother's house 30 miles from home.

what, really, do you say to something like that? i mean, i could understand if it was one of those cases where they open up the shiny new laptop and - because a neighbor has an unsecured "plug and play, it's so easy!" router - it gets a network connection immediately. if it were a case like that, i'd understand that he doesn't understand why it Magically Works at home and not 30 miles away.

but how do you make someone understand the signal won't reach 30 miles? i tried the radio station analogy - if you go 100 miles away, you get different radio stations. he blew up and said that i told him it would work anywhere.

i'd meant anywhere in the house.

the base reason for all of this is - he doesn't know jack shit about the technology. not even as much as i know about my car.

Easy answer

[SirChris]

Proactive not reactive.

Human Behavior Defies Classification

[hbo]

Although "technical support" may seem to be about technology, it's really about people and their behavior under stress. Having filled dozens of support roles in 20 years as a systems guy, I can tell you that the greatest factors in my success have been patience and humor. What book do you go to to learn those things?

Re:Human Behavior Defies Classification

[King_TJ]

I'd agree, though I'd also add "good ability to research/find information" is a HUGE plus.

No tech can really be expected to know ALL of the answers, but there's no excuse for not having the skills to look it up using google, etc.

These days, except for providing and installing replacements for defective parts, most computer service is really about straightening out OS glitches, finding updated/proper drivers for devices, and removing software causing malfunctions.

You can buy yourself a surprising amount of time to figure out a problem by humoring the customer and keeping up a friendly conversation with them while you work -- but eventually, you still need to provide the solution.

Service vs Replaceability

[NetSettler]

As we pressure companies for cheaper and cheaper everything, we squeeze out the dollars they need to do support, and they outsource it--to us.

Do I want companies to offer good quality and stand by their work? Sure. Do I expect it? Ha. It's bad enough that I generally just hope the price point is low enough that when it breaks I can afford a new one rather than talk to some unhelpful jerk on the phone.

Look at what's happened to watch repair shops. No one repairs watches any more, they just replace them. Same with shoe repair. Heck, in some regions of the company, away from big cities, it's hard to find contractors to repair houses because the people who know how to do the relevant work find it both easier and more lucrative just to build new ones. Other "technology" will probably follow suit, if it hasn't already.

Re:Service vs Replaceability

[Skynyrd]

Heck, in some regions of the company, away from big cities, it's hard to find contractors to repair houses because the people who know how to do the relevant work find it both easier and more lucrative just to build new ones.

Although I live in a big city, I think I have a relevant comment on the house repair issue.

I recently shut down a handman service I was running for the past five years - because of the customers (mostly).

Why? People don't want to pay for quality service and work. People would complain about my prices (25-35 an hour) by saying that the day laborers in the Home Depot parking lot are cheaper.

Yes, you can get one cheaper, however (at least in LA) they:
1) Don't have tools
2) Don't generally speak English
3) May claim skills they don't have
4) Don't have transportation
5) Can't be found again if there's a problem

So, you can pay $10-$15 for a guy you can't communicate with, who you have to pick up and return *and* buy/rent tools for them.

So for about twice the price, you get a card with my name and phone number (and I answer it). I drive to the job. I can pick up things at Home Depot on the way. I bring tools to the job (and the cost of the tools is usually more then the cost of the job). I speak fluent English and passible Spanish. I'll tell you if part of the job isn't in my skill set.

And people still ask for big (25%) discounts.

Sometimes good customer service simply costs "too much" for some people.

"done the same way for the last 40 years.." ?!?!?

[sakusha]

You are kidding, right? Service is getting to the point where all they say is "throw it away and get a new one."
In the early days of microcomputers, we used to do component level repair, for example, diagnosing and replacing individual memory chips, or replacing individual chips on disk drive controllers. It's been many years since that was discontinued in favor of swapping out whole circuit boards. And now that is becoming rare, it's rarely cost effective to replace boards, now the techs just tell you to throw the whole unit away and get a new one.
This is a major problem, the IT industry is not manufacturing technology products, they are manufacturing garbage heaps full of unrepairable electronic junk. I would rather buy repairable products that have a longer life, than to pay less for disposable junk.

Depends

[tom's a-cold]

A lot of companies treat their customer service as a "bag on the side" rather than as an integral part of the business. As a consequence, the reps aren't empowered to do anything to improve the customer relationship (for example, fixing accounting errors or offering complimentary goodies). Instead, they're held accountable for keeping the costs down by ending calls as soon as possible, by any means necessary.

Worse, I've been at a lot of clients where customer satisfaction is not systematically measured, where there's no incentive for reps to do the right thing, and where there's no awareness that future sales depend on the company's reputation for service as much as on the product itself. This includes some well-known companies where you'd think they'd know better.

The FPP anecdote about Apple is a great example of how great products aren't the end of the experience for customers. The other side of the coin is the somewhat pricey ISP I use. If cost and connectivity were the only drivers, I'd dump them in a heartbeat since broadband is a commodity product. But their tech support and customer service are much better than the (admittedly lousy) average, so I keep on paying the premium.

Don't just limit yourself to examples from IT

[Original Buddha]

Look at the world around you and recall the times you felt you received good service. Doesn't matter if it was from a waitress or a plumber. The first thing that I recall with good service is the persons willingness to step up to the plate and take ownership of you and your problem and following through on doing their best to find a resolution. Even if it's not fixed the first time you know they're doing everything in their power to get it done.

Re:Can't find all the answers in a book

[hbo]

Books can give you ideas. Kindness and tolerance come from life experience. I can be convinced that tolerance is a good idea, and vow that I will be tolerant in all my actions. But the real test come when some #!%& clueless user starts to blame me for their stupid mistakes.

Oops. 8)

Wrong approach

[gunner800]

There is no master list of steps. It couldn't be flexible enough to allow excellence. Here's my vague, hand-wavy suggestions:

1: Do a little more than the support contract says you have to. If it's a serious problem, call the customer a couple days after fixing it to see if it's still fixed.

2: Have your support people educated. Flowcharts and checklists for solving common problems are fine, but don't let anybody answer your phone who doesn't understand the product.

3: Don't use your support system as a sales channel. Solve the customer's problem without fobbing more product on them.

4: Don't put a mediocre support person on first-tier phone support because it's "easier" than the levels for more complex problems. First tier interacts with almost everybody who calls in, it's an important job, get somebody good at it.

5: If a support person in the field calls the home office, the office guy drops everything and deals with it. Make sure you support people know this is an option.

6: If possible, have your field support people familiar not just with your products but with your customers' processes. This helps communication. It's a nice perk when your customers are rather homogenous, but probably doesn't matter for something like photocopier repairs.

BicycleRepairman!

[Doug Merritt]

I haven't found a comprehensive list of actions or standards that distinguish the excellent tech from the average tech. Can anyone point me toward some sources?

The obvious example of excellent tech support to follow is...BicycleRepairman! Quoted from a bicycle web site:

My favorite Monty Python skit is one called "Bicycle Repairman." In the skit, we see superman walking down the street in his splendid costume. Then he stops to catch a bus, but surprizingly, the bus driver is a superman too, in an identical costume. Then, when he turns to walk back to his seat, we discover everyone else on the bus is a superman too. We go on into town, and there we find that every person in every store is a superman.

Then we see a superman riding his bicycle, but it begins to wobble badly, and then he crashes. The bicycle needs repaired, but superman doesn't know how. Then the call goes out for Bicycle Repairman. Everywhere, supermen are frantically searching for the hero.

In a crowded laundromat, a group of supermen are waiting for their costumes to wash, when another superman announces the emergency. One of the supermen looks around to see if anyone is watching him, and then he disappears into a dark recess, where he turns into Bicycle Repairman, with his brown coveralls and tool chest.

All the supermen are excited to see him, and he goes and repairs the bicycle. The message of the skit is, of course, that all of us can play an important role; we don't have to be superman. We can play some other essential role, such as Bicycle Repairman instead!

Re:BicycleRepairman!

[mollog]

I could hardly agree more that there are talented people all around us. Unfortunately, in our WalMart oriented, low-cost, budget, cut-rate society, its usually cheaper to replace something than to have it fixed. So this pool of talent goes untapped, under-utilized. Regarding the original subject; I have learned to do most things for myself. It's always cheaper and I get better results. Computers, cars, lawnmowers, home improvement, I do it myself. Only is situations like taxes do I consult a professional, and even then, I have to check their work. I suppose that some day the trend will reverse, and good help will be paid well, but right now good help is impossible to find at any price.

Re:good question ... speakeasy good, dell bad

[Jeffrey Baker]

That's because Dell isn't a service organization, they are a supply chain management firm. Once the machine leaves the door, they don't want to hear about it even again. If you are an IBM or HP customer you can easily contrast the support you get from IBM services division with the support you get from Dell. Dell just doesn't want to help you. IBM will be quite happy to help you; that's how they make all their money.

I think its just the whole attitude in IT

[manavendra]

maybe it's one of my pet peeves now, but i think being short, rude, couldnt-care-less attitude is the norm in IT:

1. You go down to PCWorld, and the reps there try to brush you off with the tersest replies they can muster. Worse is the look in their eyes if you ask them something and you can almost see the smirk twirling around their lips as they answer you. Which is wiped only when you trash their whole theory that I should buy a PC, when you tell them how you checked the motherboard and concluded its the SMPS that's busted
2. Countless software vendors I've worked with in the past have had the same attitude - 'dude, its your problem.'. Until you send them a log of their own software falling over itself every two minutes, or how it encountered an 'unexpected situation' and keeps writing a wierd error message in the logs.
3. Not that I'm dyed-in-wool. I'm currently working for a company recently acquired by Micromuse, and they mess their customers around as soon as they receive the PO. The sheer infighting and the jealousy kills any scope of friendliness and care for the customer. Little wonder the customers turn nasty

I don't think that people have woken up to the fact that buying a software is so unlike buying hardware. If its faulty or doesn't work, the hardware may be repaired or exchanged, while in software, they just mess you around, till you either threaten to sue them, or worse still, get your money back, return their software and lose your precious time

I've always had excellent service at Apple Stores.

[CyricZ]

I've been to an Apple Store many times. And I keep going back because the people there are knowledgable, and friendly.

I remember going to Circuit City once to purchase a PC. Do you know what happened? I got some foreign kid, probably no more than 18, who tried to tell me that I could run OpenVMS on a Dell x86 PC. So I asked him, "Do you know what OpenVMS is?", and he said "I have thoughts that I do, sir!". I told that kid, "Fuck off, moron," and then I went to the reliable Apple Store and got myself a PowerMac system.

Re:Great Service Story: Staples

[Anonymous Coward]

I had a very interesting converstaion in a Staples.
Their policy is very simple and clear, give the customer a new one immediately, no questions asked, no worries. I got talking to a sales guy about whether an LCD screen could be exchanged if it developed pad pixel spots. He told me straight, our policy is you get a new one, whatever the problem, even if the packaging is damaged, even if its not clear whether misuse is a factor. He explained... we sell a lot of CHEAP SHIT here, some of it is end of line, some of it are generic OEM and unbranded materials, we EXPECT things to go wrong and we EXPECT a percentage of customers to come back for exchanges. By treading this road Staples seem to keep a clean image. Everybody knows that stuff you get from staples is likely second qulaity or mildly substandard, but you also know that you basically get an INSURED product useage for a year so long as you keep a recipt.
Fortunately I always keep recipts and live within a mile of the store. I think its interesting that their policy basically admits they sell potentially dodgy stuff and has remedey built in the ground up.

Re:Can't find all the answers in a book

[toddbu]

And a lot of what comes from "within" has to do with the company that they're working for. A company that constantly nickles-and-dimes their employees by providing low wages and poor benefits doesn't build any loyalty with those who are manning the phones all day long. I used to try to reason with customer service reps, something along the lines of "If your company delivers bad service, then people like me will take our business elsewhere. When your business declines, you will be out of a job". I've never made it very far with that line of reasoning, in part because the guy I'm talking with could really give a rat's ass about his job. He's not making much money anyway, so if he wasn't answering phones then he'd just be flipping burgers down at McDonalds. (My apologies to those who work at Mickey-D's.)

If you want good customer service then the best place to start is with companies that charge more for their service. They are more likely (but not guaranteed) to treat their employees better, and this reflects directly on customer service.

nature of customer service

[paulsomm]

It's the nature of customer service to be asked to provide infinite knowledge and support with little or know reliable input from the customer. And its the nature of the customer to always want more and never feel completely satisfied. End users will never have a good technical understanding of the problems they encounter nor will they know how to communicate that as more than their frustration.

Take auto repair centers. Cars have been around for over a century now, and yet the average schmoe who brings a car in with a problem usually describes it as "there's this noise" or "its just runs funny". And even the most competent mechanics have to put up with the "end user" who feels cheated simply because he/she doesn't have a clue what the mechanic actually did.

The technology may change, but the nature of the people using it and needing support never will.

The best support techs I know are those that have good listening and analytical skills. "People skills". Not necessarily the most knowledgeable people, but the ones that can listen to the end user, break the problem down into concrete areas, and if unable to fix it can at least escalate and communicate the problem properly to those who can.

The comment previously about the Bicycle Repairman skit on Monty Python made a good point.

Re:I've always had excellent service at Apple Stor

[baddogatl]

Cursing out a young adult and calling him a moron isn't insightful -- it's disgraceful.

Educate whenever possible and treat others the way you wish to be treated. I'm sure the guy that gave you all those mod points was trying to be very very nice.

Re:I've always had excellent service at Apple Stor

[Insipid Trunculance]

I told that kid, "Fuck off, moron,"

So you counter ignorance with rudeness and wonder why Customer Service is piss poor?