Today, the current state of customer care is terrible and getting worse. Remember the good-ole days when if you had a problem, you would call a toll-free number, speak to a customer care representative, solve it and move on? Those good-old days are gone.
When something is wrong it needs to be called out. Sunlight may be painful in the short run but solves the problem and makes things better in the long run for companies and their customers.
There are of course a few companies like Apple, who do a good job taking care of their customers, but the vast majority have real problems that need to be fixed.
Why customer service stinks today
Today, too many users are getting hurt. Companies do not pay enough attention to taking great care of the customer. That is their mistake because competitors are right there waiting for them to screw up and win their customers with the promise of better customer service and that they care more.
So, things need to change. Customer care and customer service need to improve!
The reason is simple. Poor customer service can have a significant, long-term, negative impact on any company. And that is something every company wants to avoid.
Customer care needs to improve, or companies will lose
The reverse is also true. Good customer care can reward a company with growth and profitability. The proof is Apple, and its founder Steve Jobs. He saw Apple as the company customers would love, and they do.
The last thing companies want are stories being told about their poor customer experiences. So far, they don’t seem to be fixing this growing problem on their own.
Perhaps they need a nudge.
That’s the purpose of this column. To nudge these companies to do the right thing by their customers, and that will ultimately reward their shareholders.
To take care of investors, companies need to take care of customers
Over the years, you have let me know of quite a few customer care horror stories. Plus, I have experienced plenty of my own.
I invite you to continue to email me with your customer are experiences, both good and bad.
In an effort to make companies better caretakers of their valued customers, from time to time I will share with you some of these horror stories.
Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T struggle with poor customer experience
Wireless service providers like Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T all have good wireless service when the customer is connected. Especially when in a 5G area. Especially compared to a decade ago.
Unfortunately, many customers cannot get connected because the networks are often full.
This means many wireless customers are frustrated. And that’s a recipe for disaster.
Conversations with the management of all three companies tell me they don’t realize they have a problem. That disconnect means customers suffer in silence and will eventually move to a competitor.
Wireless networks need to closely monitor their access points and increase user availability where needed.
The problem seems to be with usage up so much, it’s straining for networks to keep up.
When you call customer care to solve the problem, it can be a real crapshoot. Often the person helping you does not know what they are doing.
Worse, they often make matters worse like they have for many users? Including me.
How many customer care disasters have you experienced?
I have had that exact experience with a company I had been using for decades. I may share that story with you in an upcoming column.
Unfortunately, many customer service workers simply do not do a good job. They drop the ball, and the customer suffers.
Perhaps it’s their motivation that is missing. Perhaps it’s their lack of training.
Whatever the reason, a bad customer care experience can be disastrous to the long-term health of any company.
We’ve been ignoring the growing number of customer complaints of many companies. However, with the sheer number of complaints is on the rise, we cannot ignore it any longer.
Here are a few.
Walt Mossberg ex-WSJ reporter filed high profile AT&T complaint
Walt Mossberg, well-known, life long, ex-tech reporter for the Wall Street Journal recently posted on Twitter that he just moved from AT&T to T-Mobile.
He says he has been a long-term customer of AT&T, but since he is travelling less and using the mobile service less, they cancelled him. No one called him to discuss. They just pulled the plug.
How does this make sense?
UPS traps users in customer service hell
UPS is a good company, but a recent experience tells me they are depending too much on technology and hurting their customer in the process.
I received a box at my front door delivered by UPS. It was open and empty.
Trying to report this to UPS was the beginning of a nightmare. I tried by phone, by email and online with no luck for more than an hour.
Online, I got to the customer service page, but required I attach a picture. I tried and tried and tried again but could not for some reason.
Bottom line, I could not send the message. So, UPS goes on their merry way not knowing they have a problem and one of their customers is upset with them.
Not good for business in the long run.
Aaron Epstein spent $10k on Wall Street Journal Ads against AT&T
Next, there was a high-profile case earlier this year. You remember the 90-year-old
California man named Aaron Epstein, who has been an AT&T customer for 20 years.
He was forced to spent $10,000 in Wall Street Journal ads just to reach their senior management, complaining about the slow AT&T Internet speed.
This really embarrassed the company and their top executives. If only his complaints were taken seriously in the early stages.
Mayfield Ice Cream doesn’t live up to customer expectations
Want more? I’ve got plenty.
Mayfield generally has good quality ice cream. When buying a new box of vanilla cones covered with chocolate and nuts as it shows in the cover picture, it was very disappointing to find the actual chocolate topping was just a few drops. Nothing like the delicious picture.
How disappointing to the customer. This is a big mistake for Mayfield. They may have saved some money on production, but they will lose more in lost sales.
Ring doorbells make dogs bark like crazy!
And what about those Ring doorbells? Sure, they are great because they let the homeowner see who is at the front door using their smartphone, no matter where they are.
However, the dogs go nuts and bark like crazy every time they hear the Ring doorbell activate. And even if the doorbell button is not pushed, it senses when someone is at the front door, like a delivery driver, and buzzes all by itself.
That drove my dogs crazy until I finally pulled the plug on Ring.
Ah, finally, peace and quiet once again.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me
I could go on for days, but you get the point.
When a customer gets disappointed, they often say… fool me once, shame on you… fool me twice, shame on me.
Corporate brands are making a big mistake taking advantage of loyal and trusting customers.
Companies can only get away with disappointing the customer for so long. The marketplace is full of competitors and companies who disappoint, will find themselves losing market share.
Corporate policies may be hammered out in a conference room and may theoretically make sense in the planning stages, but if they hurt the customer and their attitude toward the company, it will hurt the company in the long-term.
Share your customer care horror stories
I have been invited to attend and speak at many corporate meetings helping executives understand the marketplace and the user.
There are so many horror stories I have learned about over the years. Stories I will share with you from time to time in an effort to get companies to take better care of their customers, and by doing so, reward their investors.
You know, be more like Apple.
