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| Text adapted by Rafael F. DaCosta. Negotiation specialist, with a background in Business Administration and an emphasis on Foreign Trade. Graduated at Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee - USA. Experienced business promoter in Brazil and in the United States. |
Client: …..Hello ?!?!? Is it ZAXX Corp? I saw an advertisement from your company on the internet, about...
Sales person: (at very high speed) .... About our promotion of "radar level sensors"? It's an offer not to be missed, isn´t it? It costs only $ 999,00 each, that you can make a down payment and then pay the residue in two equal payments and we can deliver today. So, how many do you want?
Client: ...well, I...hum, in truth I need...
Sales person: Just one?!? .... Okay. What is your credit card number?
And believe me, the customer ended up buying.
Some days later:
Client: Hello?!?!, Is it ZAXX Corp? I bought a few days ago a large size radar level sensor from a girl who works there, I made the down payment with my credit card, and I still have not received it, could you...
ZAXX Corp: I'm sorry, but this issue it's not dealt on this phone. Here is the sales department. For complaints you should call (305) 3999-9999 and ask to speak with the expedition. Thank you. (and hangs up the phone)
Client: Hello ?!? Is it the expedition of ZAXX Corp? I bought a few days ago a large size radar level sensor from a girl who works in sales, I made the down payment on the credit card but I still haven´t receive my order.
ZAXX Corp: (sound of chewing a gum) Do you have your protocol number? Without your protocol number we cannot verify what happened. What is the number of your protocol?
Client: ?!?
ZAXX Corp: So sorry, but I can´t help you. This is only the expedition. Maybe you could call back and ask to speak with the financial department? I can´t transfer your call from here. Thank you. (and she hangs up the phone).
Client: ...Hello ?!? Is it the financial department at ZAXX Corp? I bought a large size radar level sensor some days ago from a girl who works in sales, I paid the first installment with my credit card but I still haven´t received the order. I´ve already called the expedition, they asked me for a protocol number I do not have, so they suggested me to call the financial department and...
ZAXX Corp: (Lots of background noise), ohhh yeah ?!? Those guys like to ask for protocol for everything ... I've already complained about it during several of our meetings here at the company, but I gave it up. Anyways, let´s go, what's your full name?
Client: Rafael Frello daCosta
ZAXX Corp: (Two minutes of silence later)... Oh, shit, the system just went down, it crashes all the time... Honey, wait a minute, I'll have to consult your records manually... (sound of many people complaining about the system problem on the background)... Darling... I think you'd rather call sales... you know, honey ... here's just the financial department and we don´t actually manage customer service here. I suggest you to call again, because I can´t transfer your call, and ask to talk to sales. Thank you. (and she hangs up the phone).
Client: ...Hello, is it the sales department at ZAXX Corp? I bouth a large size radar level sensor from a girl who works in sales, I made the down payment with my credit card but I still haven´t receive my order. I called the expedition, they asked me for a protocol number that I still do not have and I was told to call to the financial department. As I reached the financial department they were not able to locate my order and they told me to call to sales...
ZAXX Corp: They told you to call here? Here is only sales not customer care, we only manage sales here... But that´s alright, I will do you a favor. What is your name?
Client: Rafael Frello daCosta.
ZAXX Corp: Hummm... Just a second (lot os yelling on the background)... Oh, there it is... Rafael, your order was not delivered because we ran out of large sizes radar level sensors, our inventory was not updated in the past few weeks. They should had told you, but it is a mess here, you should see it... but we have already received a new lot of it, and by tomorrow you will receive it in your address, okay? Thank you (and quickly hangs up the phone).
A week later, the client receives the order at his address, not only one, but two small size brix analisers and a invoice of $ 10.000 thousand charged at once in a single instalment, on his credit card...
Some days later, during a party at his local club:
Bob: Rafael, my dear friend, I´m happy to see you, it´s been a long time. How have you been? What have you been doing?
Rafael: Oh, my friend... it is so nice to see you, I´m working as a sales consultant for the beverage industry, how about you?
Bob: I opened a company... it is called... ZAXX Corp... and I´am selling a lot my friend, but I credit it to my personal, they are 100%, top notch!...
Rafael: Oh, good ?!?! So come on over and sit down, I have a nice little story to tell you...
____________________________________
Bottom line:
Some days later:
Client: Hello?!?!, Is it ZAXX Corp? I bought a few days ago a large size radar level sensor from a girl who works there, I made the down payment with my credit card, and I still have not received it, could you...
ZAXX Corp: I'm sorry, but this issue it's not dealt on this phone. Here is the sales department. For complaints you should call (305) 3999-9999 and ask to speak with the expedition. Thank you. (and hangs up the phone)
Client: Hello ?!? Is it the expedition of ZAXX Corp? I bought a few days ago a large size radar level sensor from a girl who works in sales, I made the down payment on the credit card but I still haven´t receive my order.
ZAXX Corp: (sound of chewing a gum) Do you have your protocol number? Without your protocol number we cannot verify what happened. What is the number of your protocol?
Client: ?!?
ZAXX Corp: So sorry, but I can´t help you. This is only the expedition. Maybe you could call back and ask to speak with the financial department? I can´t transfer your call from here. Thank you. (and she hangs up the phone).
Client: ...Hello ?!? Is it the financial department at ZAXX Corp? I bought a large size radar level sensor some days ago from a girl who works in sales, I paid the first installment with my credit card but I still haven´t received the order. I´ve already called the expedition, they asked me for a protocol number I do not have, so they suggested me to call the financial department and...
ZAXX Corp: (Lots of background noise), ohhh yeah ?!? Those guys like to ask for protocol for everything ... I've already complained about it during several of our meetings here at the company, but I gave it up. Anyways, let´s go, what's your full name?
Client: Rafael Frello daCosta
ZAXX Corp: (Two minutes of silence later)... Oh, shit, the system just went down, it crashes all the time... Honey, wait a minute, I'll have to consult your records manually... (sound of many people complaining about the system problem on the background)... Darling... I think you'd rather call sales... you know, honey ... here's just the financial department and we don´t actually manage customer service here. I suggest you to call again, because I can´t transfer your call, and ask to talk to sales. Thank you. (and she hangs up the phone).
Client: ...Hello, is it the sales department at ZAXX Corp? I bouth a large size radar level sensor from a girl who works in sales, I made the down payment with my credit card but I still haven´t receive my order. I called the expedition, they asked me for a protocol number that I still do not have and I was told to call to the financial department. As I reached the financial department they were not able to locate my order and they told me to call to sales...
ZAXX Corp: They told you to call here? Here is only sales not customer care, we only manage sales here... But that´s alright, I will do you a favor. What is your name?
Client: Rafael Frello daCosta.
ZAXX Corp: Hummm... Just a second (lot os yelling on the background)... Oh, there it is... Rafael, your order was not delivered because we ran out of large sizes radar level sensors, our inventory was not updated in the past few weeks. They should had told you, but it is a mess here, you should see it... but we have already received a new lot of it, and by tomorrow you will receive it in your address, okay? Thank you (and quickly hangs up the phone).
A week later, the client receives the order at his address, not only one, but two small size brix analisers and a invoice of $ 10.000 thousand charged at once in a single instalment, on his credit card...
Some days later, during a party at his local club:
Bob: Rafael, my dear friend, I´m happy to see you, it´s been a long time. How have you been? What have you been doing?
Rafael: Oh, my friend... it is so nice to see you, I´m working as a sales consultant for the beverage industry, how about you?
Bob: I opened a company... it is called... ZAXX Corp... and I´am selling a lot my friend, but I credit it to my personal, they are 100%, top notch!...
Rafael: Oh, good ?!?! So come on over and sit down, I have a nice little story to tell you...
____________________________________
Bottom line:
- All of the employees, regardless of function or position, they are all responsible for the company's image and customer service. There is no use spending a lot of money on high-tech products if someone answers the phone without any professional notion.
- All companies have their own internal problems. This is perfectly normal, and manageable. But we should never use these problems as excuses for customer service failures. The client has nothing to do with it.
- If your company is only concerned with sales, urgently review your goals. Nowadays the quality of customer service is a big factor of success, or failure.
- Facilitate customer access to your business. The client should not be seduced to buy and then be abandoned or have to go through an ordeal to solve a possible problem.
- The customer makes many comparisons. Not only with your competitor, but with companies from other segments. Mainly regarding the quality of customer service.
- Never stay away from the front line. Being present at the service counter, as well as at the sales desk and other sectors of the company. You can anticipate and solve many problems from even occur.
- Treat the customer with respect. Always by the name and with the correct title of treatment. (Sir, Mr, Miss, Mrs, etc ...).
- Develop tools to ensure accurate delivery as the customer has purchased. Managing complaints is not the social goal in your company.
- Customer service "is not a favor". It's a product. And if this product is good, the customer comes back.
- And finally: If you want to know how the customer service in your company is, just make a phone call...
