No matter the company or industry, the need for communications is a necessity. Whether that’s cell phones, intranet service, or our internal office phone systems, all aspects within a business need to be operational, at all times, especially when important business transactions are at stake. It’s a reality that many of us have outsourced some of these services, and we trust that another company should be able to handle our daily needs. It’s when a service request arises, and a lack of support ensues, that experience overwhelming sets the tone, even if the core product or service is performing exceptionally.
A great example comes from my recent experience with our office phone provider, where I was put on hold for a total of 50 minutes. As a disclaimer, the company that is providing the service has provided great service at a great price for us for the past 7 years. This is merely an example of how a bad customer support process can impact that goodwill in an instant. And yes they are still providing service for us today. (And yes, I am often accused of pulling out my screwdriver and doing tasks that a CEO wouldn’t normally do, guilty as charged!)
The Necessity for a Good Customer Experience
We recently hired a new employee, and I was attempting to get his phone set-up, so he could perform the necessary duties of his job: one of which is providing exceptional customer service via phone. One phone call to activate one desk phone. Five-minute task, right? Not today…
To make a long story short, I spent 25 minutes on hold, only to get transferred to the wrong person. I was transferred again, back on hold for another 15 minutes, and then ended up on the phone with the person I originally talked to. Are you following me? I waited another 10 minutes and then was subsequently hung up on. Needless to say, I was livid. The moral of story: my issue was not a challenging one, and although they didn’t know that, no one took the time to assess my problem. Let me be clear: these are good people and I enjoy doing business with this company, however, their process of serving customers and fixing problems is flawed. Our existing relationship with this provider was immediately damaged because of my experience.
I tell you this story not in an effort to throw myself a pity party, but to show you that the customer experience is the most important one. Whether it’s a face-to-face meeting, or a phone support system, it’s imperative that businesses have in place methods that will satisfy and overachieve. If a company doesn’t deliver an exceptional experience each time they’re presented with a customer interaction, that relationship falls prey to disengagement and sometimes, a loss of a customer.
Our Goal: All Day, Every Day
At SphereWMS, we not only offer the best inventory management software, but we also strive every day to offer unparalleled customer experiences, from the initial phone call, throughout the implementation process, and with each customer support inquiry. We are there, literally, every step of the way. How does our company operate? We talk to each other, help each other, and respond to customer requests in a timely manner. Do we have an automated system that deflects your call or places you in queue? No. We should strive to live in a world where there should be no difference between how people interact weather they are working for the same company or with business partners. Bottom line: we pay our employees and expect a certain level of professionalism, and we pay our vendors and expect that same competence, each and every time.
