Customer Service Marketing – The Good, The Bad and The Angry!

I’ve written before that customer service is crucial in brand and consumer marketing. For a provincial agency we are always striving to give good customer service. For some reason it seems to be one of those areas that is all too often overlooked and missed by companies. And so again I need to vent my comments on customer service that I have recently experienced. Luckily one of these below optimises the best in customer service.

THE GOOD

OneClick Technologies Ltd (oneclickpower.com)

You may not have come across these guys, but please I implore you to support them by buying their products. They sell a range of eco, energy-saving plugs and adapters that control power consumption. I have one of their multi-socket adapters to control our server at home. I recently moved things around and ‘mislaid’ the cable that links the adapter to the server – basically the intelligent switch that makes it work. My fault. My problem.

So a quick email over the holiday weekend to them to ask how much for a replacement and where I can order one from. And an instant response, by return post – a replacement cable and a brochure on their complete range of products. No questions. No hassle. And it was my stupid fault that I lost the cable but they looked at me as a valuable customer and helped me out. No cost.

Customer service par excellence. Takes service to the next level and incorporates marketing by saying (without saying it) “Look, you bought our products and if we help you out of a jam then we know you’ll come back and you’re likely to tell others about us”. Spot on and probably the cheapest most effective form of customer retention marketing.

OneClick – I applaud you.

THE BAD

SouthWest Trains

I don’t travel by train often, perhaps once or twice a month when I need to go to jolly old Londinium on business. This week I had a business ‘trip in’ and left from my local station on a return ticket to Waterloo. I live one stop East of Bracknell where my office is located (this becomes relevant shortly).

On my way back to Waterloo, mid-afternoon, I’m thinking that an early day is called for! But of course the obligatory call means I need to travel back to the office. I leave Waterloo to travel back to Bracknell – one stop further than my return ticket is booked for. On arriving I seek out the South West Trains platform guards to pay for the extra stop. And there on the platform are two guards. Which I’ll refer to as Bracknell Guard and Security Guard….

Bracknell Guard sees my proffered money and listens to my request to purchase the extra stop ticket and says, “OK. No problem. You need to see my colleague here.” and points to Security Guard.

Security Guard takes me to one side, away from the exit barriers – I assume he does this so that I don’t try to vault them to escape. Bearing in mind that I’m suited and booted with the obligatory briefcase with heavy laptop, I’m hardly likely to.

So just to reiterate – I approached them to pay for the ticket that I knew I had to buy to cover my journey, I wasn’t running away and got nabbed….

“Do you know that it is illegal to travel on South West Trains without a valid ticket to cover your journey?”, says Security Guard and looking at someone (which, I realise, actually appears to be me) as if I am unsavoury and trying to dodge paying.

“And do you know that if you don’t have the obligatory ticket you are liable to a fine of a minimum of £20 plus the cost of the ticket?”

Well I do know this, so I say simply “Yes”.

“So why didn’t you buy a ticket  at Waterloo?”, he continues.

“I didn’t think it was necessary”. Which is true. Having had this happen a couple of times before over the last couple of years this had never been requested of me and so never even entered my mind.

“And why didn’t you approach the guard on the train? I was on the same train for the last few stops and so I know the guard came down the train, you have no excuses. Do you?”

At thsi point I need to give you a visual picture of Security Guard Have, you’ve seen Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds?

Well Security Guard had definitely seen it!

Currently modelling himself on Christoph Waltz who played  Col. Hans Landa! (however Security Guard was about 6ft 2″ – a tad taller than Christoph)

I paused. Why was I feeling so much like a criminal? I didn’t think that travelling one extra stop and then being honest and actually volunteering to pay was such an onerous crime. By all means point out that this isn’t how the system works. Then it’s clarified for me. But all these pointed question… isn’t that just a tad too over the top? A bit Monty Python Spanish Inquisition?

So, obviously, while I was getting progressively annoyed. I just apologised very meekly.

Then there was a long pause while he rubbed his chin with his hand, considering the penalty he is going to hand out and relishing this moment of ultimate power.

“Well. I should fine you because you were in contravention of the South West Travel regulations. However, on this occasion I will let you go.”

The money in my hands was raised and as I asked how much Security Guard started tapping his ticket machine while Bracknell Guard coughed, nodded to Security Guard who in turn said “OK.”

And Bracknell Guard ushers me through the turnstile FOC.

Why the charade of trying to make me look stupid, feel guilty and very small? security Guard could have taken the money, pointed out that I shouldn’t do this and what I should do in future and send me on my way.

Unbelievably bad customer service. The phrase ‘Jobs Worth’ takes on a whole new meaning when you experience it.

I’ll be driving into London next time I need to go.

And finally…

THE ANGRY

British Telecom (btopenzone.com)

Last week a client of mine that runs a large covered/open air market asked me if we could arrange to install a wi-fi network for their clients. We had two routes, 1) install a commercial system that we/the client maintained or 2) turn to BT and install a BT OpenZone option. We opted for the latter as it would be easier to install and easier to maintain.

Pleasantly surprised I pulled up BT OpenZone in my browser, saw immediately a link for PartnerZone and a list of service options. I clicked on the option we needed for my client and it’s all there, plus contact details. Superb. A simple to follow site, with everything I need and a way to get the ball rolling.

Email spins off into the ether and by return I get a response asking a few more questions. I duly respond and a response comes back smartly saying that they can now come back to me to arrange a site visit.

5 days later… still waiting. Client wondering what’s happening. So a quick call and I talk to a really helpful BT guy who says he’s surprised that I haven’t had a call. “Leave it with me”.

Another 2 days and nothing. Another call. Another helpful front-line BT response and then the real truth comes out.

“Well we handle customer enquiries on this but the next stage involves our ‘other’ department. But we can’t talk to them only send a request then they will call you.”

“OK, that’s fine”, I reply, “Give me their number and I’ll call them directly”

“But”, my friendly BT man continues, “I don’t have a number. I can’t call them and neither can you. They only make outgoing calls.”

I know – I couldn’t believe it either. 10 days now another call from me and another helpful BT man. But still no progress on BT PartnerZone and client becoming more irritable (with me not BT) every day.

So, that’s why it’s under the heading angry. Its’ like dealing with a schizophrenic company. One half is so helpful it’s not true. The other half doesn’t own an incoming phone line (yes in BT!) and portrays such an unhelpful customer facing appearance it’s hard to see how the two co-exist.

Suddenly installing a commercial system starts to seem much more attractive and will maintain our client relationship which BT are eroding daily.

So please..

If you are providing customer service (which basically we all are) learn from OneClick – they have it just right.