Frustrating Double Standards....

[niankhsekhmet]

Customer Service?

You know, after today, I am not really too entirely sure what that really means at the company I work for. We had this big meeting with the big wigs in the upstairs offices about how we could increase customer service, etc. One of the things that I brought up is not having the tools in order to do the job that we do. If we depend on other departments such as Quality Assurance (QA) to get back with technical answers for customers OR if we need pricing information for large quantities from the buyers, we should get it in a timely fashion. Everyone agreed...this was important.

About two, two-and-a-half weeks ago, somemeone calls in to ask for pricing on quantities of 5,000 60 oz. square sided herb jars. He figured if he was going to buy that many, he wanted to get a better price than $15 for a set of 6. He wanted them at $13. Fair enough....so I write it up, give it to my bosses...and go merrily on my way on vacation.

I come back a week later to a voice mail - from the customer. Where the hell was his pricing? I call him back, leave a voice mail, Im sorry I dont have an answer. We are doing the best we can, & etc. He calls back a couple of days later...still no answer. Today he calls again, gets an inside sales rep who asks if anyone has talked to this guy..what is the story/details. And so I write back telling them - along with the comment that the customer is frustrated - and justifiably so.

I get my butt chewed out because I "made an assumption" that we had not done everything possible for the customer. I guess I don't HONESTLY understand why it takes two to two and a half weeks to get a pricing answer for a customer - and why do supervisors turn on the person who is trying to expedite for the customer. Did I do the unpardonable sin of reminding them that 1)its not good customer service to take two weeks to get a price and 2) I had the temerity to point it out. *resigned sigh* How can one give decent customer service if we are afraid of the "inconvenience" of actually getting on the people who need to give us the answers to get back to us? Maybe my view is too simplistic, or maybe Trevor and Phillipa and the BT folks kept me focused on the process of EXPEDITING on suppliers and managers to get the answers in a timely fashion. I dont get the double standard....I just don't.

Comments

[ladynaberrie.livejournal.com]

Customer service is such a thankless, frustrating job.

[niankhsekhmet.livejournal.com]

Well both Customer Service and Inside Sales have come to the conclusion that there is NO escape from "The Room" - where they have us, unless you quit, you are fired or you die. Even the people who move up in management...they haven't escaped from "The Room"...they are still there. We can apply for jobs inside the company, but of course our managers don't like to feel "threatened" by someone actually "breaking out" and therefore, they don't write up reviews for any of us that are anything other than middle of the road.

[sexigraffiti.livejournal.com]

Don't forget to breathe =*)

[niankhsekhmet.livejournal.com]

If I breathe, Mia, I may breathe fire! ;-)