Comments on: Customer Service or Parrot Service? http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service Microbusiness Mastery with Jane Chin, Ph.D. Sun, 21 Feb 2010 06:08:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Deborah, Verizon FiOS http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-3734 Deborah, Verizon FiOS Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:18:30 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-3734 This really happens a lot, though I understand why do they have to do that, I just try to cut short the conversation without being rude...anyway, very engaging post...thanks. This really happens a lot, though I understand why do they have to do that, I just try to cut short the conversation without being rude…anyway, very engaging post…thanks.

]]> By: Jane Chin, Ph.D. http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-598 Jane Chin, Ph.D. Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:40:32 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-598 I agree with you: we choose to be microbusiness entrepreneurs for specific reasons, including the ability to design our business approach around our personal lives and values - not the other way around. However, there are real drawbacks to microbusinesses from a bargaining standpoint. Call it "micro-inequities" if you will. I've just written about this today: http://budurl.com/microinequities I agree with you: we choose to be microbusiness entrepreneurs for specific reasons, including the ability to design our business approach around our personal lives and values – not the other way around. However, there are real drawbacks to microbusinesses from a bargaining standpoint. Call it “micro-inequities” if you will. I’ve just written about this today: http://budurl.com/microinequities

]]> By: Sarah Cook http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-589 Sarah Cook Sat, 27 Dec 2008 15:19:12 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-589 I think you hit the nail on the head. A smaller business can offer excellent customer service, making people feel heard and respected. That is one of the major advantages of being a micro-business, and we should use it to the best of our ability. It is probably the single most important thing that will make our business grow. I think you hit the nail on the head. A smaller business can offer excellent customer service, making people feel heard and respected. That is one of the major advantages of being a micro-business, and we should use it to the best of our ability. It is probably the single most important thing that will make our business grow.

]]> By: Jane Chin, Ph.D. http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-577 Jane Chin, Ph.D. Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:27:27 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-577 I received a call from Floyd at TimeWarner Cable, who gave me a promotional price for 12 months, which matched what I'd get from another ISP. Based on our conversation, I agreed to stay with TimeWarner Cable. Consider me a satisfied customer of: -TimeWarner Cable -Twitter (this would not have happened if I didn't tweet about it and @jeffTWC didn't respond) -@jeffTWC I received a call from Floyd at TimeWarner Cable, who gave me a promotional price for 12 months, which matched what I’d get from another ISP. Based on our conversation, I agreed to stay with TimeWarner Cable.

Consider me a satisfied customer of:

-TimeWarner Cable

-Twitter (this would not have happened if I didn’t tweet about it and @jeffTWC didn’t respond)

-@jeffTWC

]]> By: Jane Chin, Ph.D. http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-510 Jane Chin, Ph.D. Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:30:02 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-510 Here's an update: <a href="http://twitter.com/jeffTWC" rel="nofollow">JeffTWC</a> gave me an Executive Care line to call a couple of weeks ago, immediately after he read my tweet expressing my dissatisfaction as described in this post. Today I got a bill from TimeWarner Cable with a $2+ bump/month on my internet bill. It sounds like a small amount of money, but there was no itemized bill, so I have no idea where this extra $2+ charge came from. Certainly not from outstanding connection time (in fact there were some outage hours we experienced a couple of times this month where I had to call tech support for modem reset). I called the executive care line and admit, I was a bit confused with what I needed to do. I ended up describing the situation to the person I spoke with. Of course, halfway in our conversation the baby woke up from his nap and started screaming for me. Not my ideal interaction, as the screaming was disruptive to a business conversation, even if I am the customer! The person I spoke with took down my name and address. I also gave her the link to this blog since the post at this time is on the front page. I'll report back what happens. Here’s an update:

JeffTWC gave me an Executive Care line to call a couple of weeks ago, immediately after he read my tweet expressing my dissatisfaction as described in this post.

Today I got a bill from TimeWarner Cable with a $2+ bump/month on my internet bill. It sounds like a small amount of money, but there was no itemized bill, so I have no idea where this extra $2+ charge came from. Certainly not from outstanding connection time (in fact there were some outage hours we experienced a couple of times this month where I had to call tech support for modem reset).

I called the executive care line and admit, I was a bit confused with what I needed to do. I ended up describing the situation to the person I spoke with. Of course, halfway in our conversation the baby woke up from his nap and started screaming for me. Not my ideal interaction, as the screaming was disruptive to a business conversation, even if I am the customer!

The person I spoke with took down my name and address. I also gave her the link to this blog since the post at this time is on the front page.

I’ll report back what happens.

]]> By: Jane Chin, Ph.D. http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-380 Jane Chin, Ph.D. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:13:01 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-380 @<a href="http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service#comment-376" rel="nofollow"> Sonny Gill</a>: You're onto something! This really is about "community building", because we are looking to create a community of customers (or very good prospects). What's unfortunate is that too many employees have a mind set of "I'm not in sales, so I'm not accountable for the customer." That's what your Sears shopping experience with the loading dock employee demonstrated. EVERYONE at an organization is accountable for a customer's experience. @ Sonny Gill:

You’re onto something! This really is about “community building”, because we are looking to create a community of customers (or very good prospects).

What’s unfortunate is that too many employees have a mind set of “I’m not in sales, so I’m not accountable for the customer.” That’s what your Sears shopping experience with the loading dock employee demonstrated. EVERYONE at an organization is accountable for a customer’s experience.

]]> By: Sonny Gill http://microbusinessmentor.com/articles/customer-service-or-parrot-service/comment-page-1#comment-376 Sonny Gill Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:10:00 +0000 http://microbusinessmentor.com/?p=371#comment-376 Unfortunately, this happens far too many times Jane. CSRs (or to the fault of companies without proper training) forget the human aspects of interacting with customers. It's still community management but at the offline/traditional level. It's something that's been a lost art for CSRs and any offline interaction as a whole. I experienced the same with a Sears loading dock employee the other day. I got a TV and he wasn't being helpful as far as getting it into my car and when I asked if there was a rope to tie down my trunk so it wouldn't fly everywhere, he replies with "You can buy a cord inside." Thanks, buddy. Let me spend more money to hold down a trunk when I'm sure you have something in the back to quickly tie it with. Get a get grip and learn how to treat people the right way and the way that'll get them coming back for more. Unfortunately, this happens far too many times Jane. CSRs (or to the fault of companies without proper training) forget the human aspects of interacting with customers. It’s still community management but at the offline/traditional level. It’s something that’s been a lost art for CSRs and any offline interaction as a whole.

I experienced the same with a Sears loading dock employee the other day. I got a TV and he wasn’t being helpful as far as getting it into my car and when I asked if there was a rope to tie down my trunk so it wouldn’t fly everywhere, he replies with “You can buy a cord inside.” Thanks, buddy. Let me spend more money to hold down a trunk when I’m sure you have something in the back to quickly tie it with.

Get a get grip and learn how to treat people the right way and the way that’ll get them coming back for more.

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