Hvr

As someone working in a customer facing role I have to say way too many customers present with issues that aren't a requirement for the business to solve. If you've caused the problem and then expect me to solve it well don't start by abusing me.

At best I can help you to help yourself but if you've done something that has effectively ended the transaction then I can't help you.

Be polite and reasonable then, if there is a slightly grey area I can escalate it in a way that highlights the grey to my supervisor. Abuse me and after ensuring there are no physical safety issues my supervisor will probably look at the black and white of the issue to your detriment.

Also, don't be a repeat customer with the same issue you've previously stuffed up. Your interactions are recorded and we do know who is trying to rip us off.

Let me try and resolve it to the limit of my authority. I know what I am authorised to do and when it needs to go higher. If I have a possible solution that needs to be approved then let me take the lead. Your immediate demand to escalate the matter means that you're treating me as unimportant and that my supervisor is supposed to do my role facing the customer.

Know your true worth to the company. If you start by threatening me that you're really important and will take my job and get what ever you want just by screaming at me then you're not important. You would have been given the details of the high value customer area.

Accept that you're not always going to get what you want, but will sometimes get what you need.

Many companies simply do not allow their staff to deliver unique responses. They are forced to follow the script and the steps for resolution with no deviation. Don't blame the employee. The company has decided that is how they want to treat customers. Write a letter/email to the CEO. Don't abuse the frontline staff.

Finally, working on the frontline can if you're thoughtful make you a great customer. You know what the other person has experienced.

I believe that you can only receive good customer service if you're a good customer.

Low Roller

I'm always surprised at how upset some people get about "no problem". I've never seen it as impolite. To me, it simply means "There's no need to thank me". How is that less polite than a trained response like "you're welcome"?

Generally I find that you get better results if you're polite and clear about what you need, instead of rambling on about unnecessary details or getting overly emotional. I generally also ask for their help instead of telling them what they need to do.

pinniped

It's super hit-and-miss based on the competence of the agent, in most cases.

There are some exceptions. Telecom, cable, and certain financial institutions where bait-and-switch, disinformation, fraud, and other deception are a fundamental part of the business plan for the entity. In these cases, I feel like the unwillingness to help or the forced hold times are intentional. The purpose of these call centers is by design to prevent the customer from getting what he/she is seeking, which is usually a just resolution to some type of misdeed by the company.

But airline and hotel agents I don't believe have that kind of purposeful ill intent (usually). With them, it seems like it's often clunky systems with limited capabilities, and often the need to engage some kind of "superuser" to actually resolve the problem. The other thing that is frustrating with airlines is that they often like to use people who speak limited English on English-language calls. I certainly have great respect for people who speak multiple languages, but putting people on calls in a language they aren't really fluent in seems stressful and difficult for both the employee and customer. I speak limited (slow!) Spanish, but if someone called me from Mexico or Spain to solve a tough problem, they'd get crazy-frustrated with me in 10 seconds.

Every now and then I'll call some company and encounter an intelligent, empowered agent who is capable of resolving issues in real-time with no need to talk to the manager. When that happens, it's completely refreshing and makes me want to do business with that company in the future.

davie355

Can't find it anymore but I've previously posted on FlyerTalk about curt interactions with Northeast US big city folk, and the responses I got (not from you, I presume) was that I'm holding up the line at cashiers/check-outs by even saying hello before I plonk my items on the register

pinniped

For me, the big determining factor is whether there's a queue involved. If I'm just chatting with the checkout guy at the hardware store (no queue of customers), that's no big deal. We can stand there all day and talk about the project I'm working on, the weather, how much the Royals are going to suck this year, whatever. But if there's someone in line behind me, then I know I just need to put my items on the counter, pay quickly, and get out.

If I recall the NY thread, it was stuff like buying train tickets where there's almost always a queue. There you just gotta be fast - say what you want, pay quickly, and move on.

HMPS

Training does not mean how to conduct a conversation properly, productively. It means to be a master of the subject and more importantly knowing where to turn ifs/he does not have the answer. And i beg to differ, the foundational training to be polite with please, sir, madam, thank you etc are taught at home before kindergarten. But what do you expect from those who are now child bearing age who were not taught that or the importance of it ?
Look around at the majority of the younger generation ( citizens of tomorrow!) who were brought up without such concepts.....a big fail.

BearX220

Because phone support is now an escalation channel of last resort -- it is generally faster and easier to do simple things online or via bot-chats or social media -- customers get on the phone less. They are much less practiced in expressing themselves verbally. I listen to people framing questions or problems nowadays and I can't tell what the hell they are getting at half the time. And because they are not used to it, they lose their tempers faster when the listener isn't psychic. I think this New Normal increases pressure on customer service people, and must frustrate them further. I am sure an objective research study would show customers are simply less coherent / eloquent compared to a generation ago.

Low Roller

I think this is right. If I have to make a phone call, which I hate doing, it's because I've already tried every on-line option and haven't been able to get a solution. This means that I'm already frustrated and annoyed before I even dial the number. I try really hard not to take it out on the poor minimum wage earner who answers, but I can easily see how that happens. It also means that it's probably a very specific problem that the CSA may not deal with often. Add in heavy accents from an overseas call centre and things can go downhill very fast. Having said that, with a little patience, I usually do get an answer to my question (even if it's not the one I was hoping for).

Proudelitist

This is a problem in the West.

But in Asia, Customer Service is amazing. There is absolutely no way they would ever insult a customer, or act annoyed, or brush you off. I have seen American FA's act in ways that would get an FA in Asia fired immediately. There was a poster here on FT awhile back who told a story of having an AA FA criticize his beverage choice as bad for his health...despite the airline selling it. I can only imagine the consequences of an Asian FA's berating/scolding a customer for asking for what is offered.



And it's not just the airlines and hotels. It's in every business. Everytime I go to Asia I am horrified when I get back.

davie355

I agree in broad strokes on Asia vs. the West.

However, to balance out the AA FA who said Diet Coke is bad for you, I've definitely read a story here on FT about a CA FA expressing horror at a passenger who poured vodka into orange juice or something of that nature. (Liquor isn't particularly common in working-class China, as liquor in that country is often watered down or counterfeit.)

Also I've been at a midrange IHG hotel in Shanghai where the receptionist by the gym had a mild temper, refusing to provide a service that another receptionist later provided without hesitation and with apology for the prior receptionist.

Kevin AA

The only time I've gotten rude customer service (over the phone) was trying to return rotted plants from a mail order seed company. They were so rude and useless, I did a charge back and it worked great, no hassles.

I've gotten incompetent customer service from an airline (over the phone and in person), once on Northwest and several times on United.

Badenoch

My experience with customer service people leads me to conclude your own behavior and approach tends to set the tone and result of the encounter. If you are rude, demanding and abusive the customer service people are less likely to be helpful. If you are patient, professional and making reasonable requests you are more likely to achieve your objective.

It has always perplexed me when watching passengers badger and threaten desk agents during IRROPS. The agent is the only person in the immediate vicinity who can help you. Why annoy them for no good reason?

BuildingMyBento

ou81two

Fly Business class or above and that's not likely to happen. Most flyers are choosing solely on price so if service mattered in their decision, you'd see better service. Additionally, staff who've gone through mergers and have been there a while have probably lost a ton of benefits and it's just not worth it for them to change jobs so you get what you get.

HMPS

Maybe you should have tipped them ?