Mystery Shoppers

Featured Article August '09

Dishonourable Mention

Commendations for exceptional customer service are widely publicised, but what about the criticism? We have all had atrocious experiences as consumers and it is undoubtedly true that none of us are strangers to the word ‘complaint’. Despite this, we are only made aware of the companies providing a good customer experience and not those providing a bad one.
In our opinion, it is just as important to expose poorly performing companies as it is to credit them because mistakes need to be learnt from.

MSN Money appears to be one of the few prepared to take that bold step of publicizing poor performances in their annual ‘Customer Service Hall of Shame’. Among the top 10 worst companies were AOL, Capital One and HSBC.

With financial and telecommunication commerce dominating the table of poor performers, their response is often that they predominantly deal with already upset customers as a consequence of the nature of services they provide, in contrast to fashion retailers. However, we do not feel that this is a convincing defence, even disgruntled customers can still have a positive experience.

We believe that it is the way a customer is dealt with and not their indignation which is crucial. You must treat your customers with benevolence and respect. If you endeavour to understand their problem and demonstrate a willingness to do all you can to help them then customers will come away with a good experience, even if their problem has not been completely resolved.

Outsourced call centres could also be to blame for the poor performances. I know I am not alone in having experienced the sheer frustration of a regurgitated call centre script as opposed to a considered and personalised response. This highlights the importance of valuing your customers by taking time to listen to their individual needs and responding appropriately.

Already angry customers and outsourced call centres are not something that smaller retailers typically deal with. However, do not be fooled into thinking that they are exempted from poor performances in relation to customer service.

My particular gripe is coffee shops. Clearing my own table before being able to enjoy my coffee and cake is becoming a more than regular occurrence. The remainder of my visit is already tainted and I leave feeling riled and not relaxed. However, my experience remains clandestine and the company impune. They do not learn from their mistakes.

Improvement is necessary for success, but improvement can only come from knowledge. So it is just as important to highlight the inadequate performances alongside the good. More publicity should be conferred upon bad customer service if we are to see progress which benefits us all, as retailers and consumers.

So now it is your turn to stand up and be counted, but make sure it is for the right reasons.

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