
Some days you just can’t help but think customer service is all but dead. This morning I encountered what could only be described as a comatose operator at a Woolies express checkout. I was doing my bit, on hearing the words “Next in line” I fronted up to the counter. On arrival I smiled and said “How are you today?” – there was absolute silence. So in an effort to see if the person serving me was actually alive, I repeated the question, this time in a tone that required her to display some form of basic manners and the ability of speech. She was obviously annoyed that I had engaged with her and appalled that I had an expectation of customer service.
As you know I am a bit cheeky and, as I never normally shop in the area, I decided to have some fun. So I asked if she understood what a ‘Mystery Shopper’ was, then I smiled politely and left. No doubt everyone in that store was on their best behaviour for the rest of the day. Now I’m guessing that when it comes to texting, Facebook, Twitter or msn there would be no problem in conversing with this young lady, but the problem for business owners is that the planet is still populated by humans with a desire to interact face-to-face.
So how does your business shape up when it comes to customer service and communication? What happens when the boss is away and the troops are free to do as they please? Just for fun over the next month why don’t you ask a friend to ‘mystery shop’ at your business enterprise and see what results unfold. They can even do this over the phone. Create some guidelines for your friend to use like:
The point is that no business can afford to have a gap between the promise of quality and its actual delivery. In order to effectively compete in today’s market you need to be seeking ways that make your business stand out from the crowd so you can:
I would love to hear if anyone else is finding the declining level of customer service in Australia frustrating, or perhaps you feel differently to me and think it is actually improving? If so, let us all know where you shop because it could be worth moving. Leave your comments.
Lynette Palmen AM is the Founder of Women’s Network Australia She speaks to, for and about women in business.

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