Customer Service Back In The Day

I was at a gas station the other day and noticed something that caused me to look twice.
At first, it appeared to be a normal occurrence, a man pumping gas and then cleaning his windshield.
Thinking nothing of this, I continued with my gas purchase. When I again looked at the other vehicle, I saw a man walking to the rear of the same car, yet there was someone else continuing to clean his windshield.

To my surprise, the person cleaning his windshield and tending to this gas was the gas station attendant, not the customer.

This caused me to wonder if the economy might be having an impact on the level of customer service being offered today. As businesses compete for dollars, which are being tightly held by consumers, we may be seeing more of this.

Back in the day, we used to be known for giving great service to our customers and the mantra of "The Customer is Always Right" was a standard policy throughout most every retail establishment and other types of businesses.

Customers were number #1 and intensely loyal. The customer service counter area was always visible when you entered a store, and everyone knew that was where you went to solve problems and get answers to questions, any question.

Briefly, let us stroll down memory lane and look at what our customer service practices used to be. Granted, some of these still exist. Nevertheless, things have definitely changed.

 - If there was an issue with an account, you didn't have to listen to 5 or 6 different message prompts before speaking to a live person, or getting the requested information.

- If you were not happy with your meal, it would be replaced with a freshly made duplicate meal, not put in a microwave and returned.

- In a restaurant, if you needed to take home your leftover meal, the restaurant staff would prepare your carry out package in the kitchen area, rather than have you do it at your table.

- If you had some installation done in your home, cable, telephone etc., the debris would be cleaned up by the technicians, and not left for you to do.

- If you're admitted to the emergency room, you better have health insurance, enough said on this one.

Today, our customer service industry has become more automated with pre-recorded messages, self-service, unassisted online and offline shopping, less emphasis on the customer and a general feeling of having to "jump through hoops" to get a problem resolved or redeem a rebate. I believe we have come to expect less from the businesses we support.

On the other hand, this economic crisis is forcing businesses to go that extra mile in responding to their customers' needs. These are loyal customers who find themselves caught up in the downturn and need understanding. They need a return to the old fashioned customer service that endeared them to your business for life.

For example, have you seen the advertisements from certain auto manufacturers who say they will pay several months of your auto note, if a job loss occurs? This is an example of addressing the customer's needs in this down economy. If this program wasn't in place, these people would lose their vehicles. Why aren't all car manufacturers doing the same?

Here are some other ways to make your customer service more compassionate during these times:

Make it possible for your customers to talk to a live person when calling your business. This will alleviate some of your customer's stress as it shows you care about addressing your customer's issues and concerns quickly. Also, not having to move through several phone prompts can save time for the customer.

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