Top of Mind Thursday – December 4, 2024: Getting Customer Service Right

Let’s be frank: In most cases today, customer service really sucks.

We’ve all had to deal with cable or internet providers that send you down a dark hole of automated phone trees, bots, and other diversions. Or the companies that outsource their customer service functions offshore to people whose English skills are minimal at best.

And don’t get me started on the hassle of dealing with most health insurance companies, medical providers, or pharmacies. If you weren’t feeling unwell when you started, you will be by the time you’re through with the interaction.

That’s why it was such a great surprise to have not one but two customer service interactions this week that were resolved quickly and effectively.

In the first case, I completed a survey about the company’s service that was actually read by someone at the company who took my comments to heart! They contacted me to confirm they had seen my comment, taken action to resolve the situation, and were now following up to make sure I knew this was fixed and to offer a free month of service for my trouble.

The second situation involved a Cyber Monday promotion where the company’s website didn’t provide the correct promotional discount advertised. I emailed the company and they called me back to say they knew about the problem and would fix it manually. Then they confirmed that had been done.

What makes these interactions different? In both cases, I was able to reach a live human being at the end of a customer input channel. There were no automated systems, bots, or AI assistants to get in the way. Both had someone who actually monitored customer communications, had the authority to fix the problem, and then responded in a timely fashion. And both took the time to make sure I felt appreciated as a customer.

How much actual customer service are your customers really getting? Automated systems are great in some ways, but the bottom line is human beings still need to be involved to handle situations that are out of the norm.

If you want to stand out from the crowd, try treating your customers like their business really matters.

Check out our marketing leadership podcasts and the video trailer for my book, Marketing Above the Noise: Achieve Strategic Advantage with Marketing that Matters.

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