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Episode Intro:
Staff and skills shortages aside, truly, what is happening to customer service these days? When benefits such as customer retention, employee retention, troubleshooting and problem-solving, leads to referrals, boosts the brand, increases customer lifetime value, and influences corporate culture are noted as the benefits, seems to me there is enough to make ensuring a really positive customer service experience worth an organization’s while. This certainly hasn’t been my experience recently…
Interested in learning more? Hope you will join me!
About the Host:
Susan has worked with people all her life. As a human resource professional, she has specialized in all aspects of employment, from hiring to retirement. She got her start as a national representative for a large Canadian union. After pursuing an undergrad degree in business administration, Susan transitioned to HR management, where she aspired to bring
both employee and management perspectives to her work. Susan holds a Master of Arts degree in Leadership and Training. She retired from her multi-decade career in HR to pursue writing and consulting, and to be able, in her words, to “colour outside the lines.” She promises some fun and lots of learning through this podcast series.
Susan is also the author of the book Leadership Inside Out: Effecting Change from
Within available on Amazon – click below.
Leadership Inside Out: Effecting Change from Within: Ney, Susan G: 9781777030162: Books - Amazon.ca
If you wish to contact Susan, she can be reached through any of the following:
Website: Home - Effecting Change from Within
Email: susangney@gmail.com
Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/susan-ney-197494
Facebook: www.facebook.com/susan.ney.5/
Phone: (604) 341-5643
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Hi, Susan here. Hey, glad you could join me as we
Susan Ney:reflect on the important topic of customer service. Today on
Susan Ney:the HR Inside Out podcast, I just returned from a truly
Susan Ney:delightful trip to England with my daughter, who isn't my
Susan Ney:daughter. And perhaps it's just that I don't get out enough. But
Susan Ney:I was really quite surprised and disappointed that the
Susan Ney:significant lack of care and attention what we used to call
Susan Ney:customer service that we often received as examples at British
Susan Ney:Airways in London, the weighing of your luggage, the putting the
Susan Ney:baggage tags on the check in are all now completely self service.
Susan Ney:Yes, there are individuals there to help you if you are having
Susan Ney:trouble. But the expectation is that you pay attention to the
Susan Ney:instructions provided and only call them over if you can't
Susan Ney:manage on your own. I'm talking about airlines, Air Canada is
Susan Ney:certainly receiving some very bad press in the news these
Susan Ney:days, are kicking people off the plane when they complained about
Susan Ney:the fact that they were being asked to sit him and recently
Susan Ney:vomited on seats. I know I wouldn't have been happy to sit
Susan Ney:there. And I found that the offering of blankets to cover
Susan Ney:the seats was apparently made after the complaint, quite
Susan Ney:appalling. Another example, my daughter and I, one of whom
Susan Ney:really needed to get to the facilities in our room, entered
Susan Ney:the hotel elevator expecting to quickly arrive at our
Susan Ney:destination. But no, up and down the elevator, we went between
Susan Ney:the ground floor and p3, ground floor and p3, and then up to the
Susan Ney:ninth floor, desperately trying to get the doors open. When we
Susan Ney:finally buzzed the alarm, saying, Hey, we got a problem
Susan Ney:here. We were told, yeah, we were on it, we've got somebody
Susan Ney:coming. When we finally got out, we were very upset. And we're
Susan Ney:simply told we're so sorry for the inconvenience. Now, we
Susan Ney:really felt that they should have roped off that elevator, or
Susan Ney:put a note on there not to use it for the fact that you
Susan Ney:couldn't get out once you bought him a little like being at
Susan Ney:Disneyland him in the elevator. And, you know, so we complaint
Susan Ney:and we wanted to talk to the manager, we really felt that.
Susan Ney:And it's a nice hotel. But their attention to this situation was
Susan Ney:was not appropriate. What we found is that the chill that we
Susan Ney:received from the entire staff for the duration of the time
Susan Ney:that we were there was awful, just awful. Obviously, the fact
Susan Ney:that we wanted to express that they could have done better, was
Susan Ney:not being viewed as a way to improve their service, it was
Susan Ney:just quite frankly an inconvenience to them. Another
Susan Ney:example and I'll get on to more positive in our increasingly
Susan Ney:online world and attempting to book a car service to the
Susan Ney:airport. It appeared that the request had gone through but I
Susan Ney:didn't get a confirmation so I entered it again. And guess what
Susan Ney:I got charged twice. Now I did call the car service and
Susan Ney:explained what had happened. And when I got charged twice the car
Susan Ney:service has been great. They sent me screenshots showing that
Susan Ney:they'd only actually received one payment. I didn't have the
Susan Ney:same success with my bank. I called the credit card number on
Susan Ney:the back of my my visa. And it's of course an automated service.
Susan Ney:It took me many attempts before that automated service finally
Susan Ney:realized I needed to speak to a real live person. The first time
Susan Ney:the call got dropped. The second time the individual I spoke to
Susan Ney:settle you need to speak with disputes group. And since it's
Susan Ney:still a pending charge, there's nothing I can do about it. I
Susan Ney:just kind of expected that she would take it off my shoulders
Susan Ney:and make note follow up and get back to me but instead I was
Susan Ney:provided the telephone number of the disputes group and told to
Susan Ney:make the call myself. You know we just we increasingly bag your
Susan Ney:own groceries we do our own checkout. And the number of
Susan Ney:places in England anyways who don't even accept cash because
Susan Ney:that would actually involve them having to make change. Well, you
Susan Ney:can see where I'm going with this. It wasn't that long ago
Susan Ney:that I was hiring people to teach the skills of excellent
Susan Ney:customer service to staff. And in this era of global
Susan Ney:competition, one would think that that was still really
Susan Ney:important. And I'm aware of staff shortages and the growing
Susan Ney:need to hire individuals who need to learn the skills,
Susan Ney:they're in the process of being taught. But still, is it not
Susan Ney:possible to put a message on an answering machine, or perhaps an
Susan Ney:email response, saying when a call back or a text back can be
Susan Ney:anticipated. And the experience of true empathy when something
Susan Ney:does go wrong, because of course, things go wrong. And
Susan Ney:what happened to the days when raising a matter with somebody
Susan Ney:like taking the time to say, hey, is no longer viewed as an
Susan Ney:opportunity to improve services, it's just viewed as an
Susan Ney:inconvenience. We all know what it feels like when someone takes
Susan Ney:that extra moment to ensure that all as well. My daughter and I
Susan Ney:walked into it church in Penzance. There's a group of
Susan Ney:women sitting around a table, having coffee, and sure Welcome
Susan Ney:to without any pressure to do anything, but enjoy the beauty
Susan Ney:of the building that they were also enjoying. It was one of the
Susan Ney:many highlights of my time away. Their positive energy was
Susan Ney:palpable. We have no idea what we actually express to others
Susan Ney:without saying a word. The way that my daughter and I were
Susan Ney:looked at by that hotel staff, I've already provided as an
Susan Ney:example, completely opposite was the feeling that we received
Susan Ney:when curious, we entered the doors of this ancient church
Susan Ney:wishing to see the gorgeous stained glass windows inside.
Susan Ney:They didn't ask us per donation, they joyfully answered our
Susan Ney:questions. It was obvious that they appreciated our taking the
Susan Ney:time to also honor the legacy and the history that was
Susan Ney:surrounding all of us. So what do you do when you're stressed
Susan Ney:and don't have time to provide the service that you wish to
Susan Ney:provide? You just slow down a little bit. Remember, the same
Susan Ney:pace makes waste? Have you ever not taken the time to do
Susan Ney:something properly and then had to return the job to fix their
Susan Ney:mistakes? I certainly have read a post on LinkedIn that talked
Susan Ney:about no one taking the time anymore to let individuals know
Susan Ney:why they haven't received the position that they applied for.
Susan Ney:I know most people don't realize how many applications are
Susan Ney:received for positions, and that contacting all of those
Susan Ney:applicants really just isn't possible. And that's why we do
Susan Ney:need to rely on technology and things like applicant tracking
Susan Ney:systems, which at least let the applicant know that their
Susan Ney:application has been received and that they will be contacted
Susan Ney:only if they're selected for an interview. I'm always made sure
Susan Ney:that anyone interviewed was called afterwards to let them
Susan Ney:know the outcome of the process. That personal contact. Now I
Susan Ney:know the only one that was ever happy with me was the person
Susan Ney:that got the job, because the others were sorry, but calls.
Susan Ney:But being prepared with the feedback on those sorry about
Susan Ney:calls, often left a better feeling with the individuals.
Susan Ney:And I know there were lots of internal candidates who might
Susan Ney:otherwise have great recruitment decisions, had they not provided
Susan Ney:guidance on the why of the decision. And often they were
Susan Ney:open to it. What might help them for the next time if they wish
Susan Ney:to apply again. It really didn't take that much time. And it
Susan Ney:really did build connection and care into a process that often
Susan Ney:doesn't feel like what about where you work? Are you able to
Susan Ney:provide the service that you wish? Or are you encouraged to
Susan Ney:rush things along? Someone I know has a core value of
Susan Ney:excellence. One of their employer also professes is a
Susan Ney:core value of core corporate value. Yet they're also under
Susan Ney:pressure to take less time with their customers. It doesn't seem
Susan Ney:to matter to their employer that the work they do never has to be
Susan Ney:redone. The quality of what they do leaves a very positive
Susan Ney:impression with their clients. That's a little confusing. What
Susan Ney:are your organization's values? And is there consistency with
Susan Ney:what you and your teams that you work with? are expecting to
Susan Ney:provide is really important questions not only for the
Susan Ney:people that we serve, but also for engagement levels within our
Susan Ney:organizations.
Susan Ney:As an HR professional, I actually felt sorry for the
Susan Ney:hotel staff. We had requested to speak with their manager, we
Susan Ney:raised matters that should have been taken care of. And in these
Susan Ney:days of social media, he could have used the opportunity to
Susan Ney:absolutely trash the place. We did the appropriate thing by
Susan Ney:speaking with the individuals involved. A manager actually got
Susan Ney:called from a meeting to meet with us as we exited the hotel
Susan Ney:when we were leaving, so he had taken our complaint seriously
Susan Ney:and wish to speak with us. When we don't know is the kind of
Susan Ney:manager he is towards his staff, by their demeanor towards us.
Susan Ney:And his assurance so the CCTV camera footage would be reviewed
Susan Ney:with regard to the matter. Perhaps there was fear of
Susan Ney:reprisal, rather than our intent, that the handling of the
Susan Ney:matter could have been done so much better. Improvement, not
Susan Ney:punishment. What do you do or experience when someone takes
Susan Ney:the time to express concerns over the service that they've
Susan Ney:received? Do you see it as an opportunity to potentially
Susan Ney:improve? And yes, I'm very aware of that there are some
Susan Ney:individuals who can never be satisfied no matter what you do.
Susan Ney:I'm not talking about those situations. When you say you're
Susan Ney:going to deliver something, do you follow through? Or like the
Susan Ney:fellow who asked if we minded to be smoked when we are eating our
Susan Ney:lunch and then lit up anyways? Do you not really listen. And
Susan Ney:kudos to my daughter who, as we were leaving, said to him, he
Susan Ney:shouldn't really ask if he wasn't interested in our
Susan Ney:response. That surprised him. And it really takes so little to
Susan Ney:leave a positive impression. The organizations that get this and
Susan Ney:allow that latitude to their staff are the ones that I'll
Susan Ney:return to. And they weren't the ones that I will also encourage
Susan Ney:people to work out. They're the ones that we love to be
Susan Ney:associated with. What was the last time that you were offered
Susan Ney:training and what excellent customer service looks and feels
Susan Ney:like? On a quick internet search, I've seen that there are
Susan Ney:still organizations offering it. And I see articles outlining the
Susan Ney:benefits. As an example Investopedia cites customer
Susan Ney:retention, employee retention, troubleshooting and problem
Susan Ney:solving. Customer Service leads to referrals, boosts the brand
Susan Ney:increases customer lifetime value, and influences corporate
Susan Ney:culture. Now, that seems to me like enough to make it work in
Susan Ney:organizations while you enhance customer service. Investopedia
Susan Ney:suggests consideration of service personalization, speed,
Susan Ney:providing an option for self service, listening, empathy, and
Susan Ney:being proactive. I received service personalization when
Susan Ney:restaurants were attentive to my needs, or gluten free options
Susan Ney:and warned against the possibility of cross
Susan Ney:contamination where that was a concern. I didn't experience
Susan Ney:speed from a bank, who left it to me to follow up. Rather than
Susan Ney:making a note and doing this for me. I did experience speed and
Susan Ney:moving customers along when, for example, British Airways at we
Susan Ney:do self service, or when buses expected me to tap my credit
Susan Ney:card rather than pay for my ride by cash. Although they did
Susan Ney:accept cash payments. I like that there be an option for self
Susan Ney:service and I emphasize the word option. As people oversight
Susan Ney:professionals, as your organizational world start to
Susan Ney:engage more self service options. are you ensuring that
Susan Ney:your staff teams understand how to use the technology or the
Susan Ney:service that you're automating? As an example, do your employees
Susan Ney:even understand her health benefit plans that are going
Susan Ney:into use of more technology and self serve? Did they know how to
Susan Ney:make their personal selections and what those look like? Are
Susan Ney:they aware that they need to actually go in and add their new
Susan Ney:baby to their coverage or delete coverage of a partner in a
Susan Ney:partnership split? Listening and empathy, always important. Have
Susan Ney:heard the customer is always right. Now the customer isn't
Susan Ney:always right. But the customer does need to have their concerns
Susan Ney:heard. I love Stephen Covey's principle in his book The Seven
Susan Ney:Habits of Highly Effective People seek first to understand
Susan Ney:and then to be understood. It does indeed build trust helps
Susan Ney:resolve complex and help us find those Win Win solutions. And
Susan Ney:thank you to the dictionary definition of empathy that
Susan Ney:involves the ability to sense, understand and share the
Susan Ney:feelings and emotions of others from their perspective. It is
Susan Ney:essentially being able to place yourself in someone else's shoes
Susan Ney:and know what they might be feeling in the situation. And it
Susan Ney:is and I continue with the definition of critical human
Susan Ney:skill that can positively impact our relationships, well being an
Susan Ney:ability to connect with others. Think back to a time where you
Susan Ney:have really felt heard, or you felt that the person you were
Susan Ney:speaking to really got you and the situation that you're in. I
Susan Ney:took a tumble. When I was in London, I miss stepping up on a
Susan Ney:curb and ended up sprawling across the sidewalk, immediately
Susan Ney:in front of two construction workers. very embarrassing. Now
Susan Ney:I pulled a muscle in my leg and I scraped my elbow so I wasn't
Susan Ney:actually able to stand up and was bleeding. Their reaction to
Susan Ney:show me that they were there to help to make me feel less
Susan Ney:embarrassed because they said it was just us that saw you. Yes, I
Susan Ney:must have looked ridiculous. These two could have walked
Susan Ney:away. Instead, they put themselves in my shoes I felt
Susan Ney:cared for. They even offered the services of their first day they
Susan Ney:found them 10 Prime to collect myself in their construction
Susan Ney:office. David girl foreman on the job. So remember his name,
Susan Ney:kind, compassionate, perhaps not customer service per se, but a
Susan Ney:true example of empathy and kindness. And you know, if I had
Susan Ney:been looking for a construction company to hire, his actions
Susan Ney:would have pushed my interest in considering him or them the
Susan Ney:company way up the scale. You never know. Stranger things have
Susan Ney:happened in life. And finally, as part of the definition being
Susan Ney:proactive, another quick internet search defined is
Susan Ney:acting in anticipation of future problems or needs or changes.
Susan Ney:What is there about the situation that you can control
Susan Ney:or influence it is about addressing issues before they
Susan Ney:arise. That the hotel cordoned off the elevator, our situation
Susan Ney:would have never arisen. Now, I obviously took more care and
Susan Ney:watching more established given the uneven paving stones and
Susan Ney:unusual curbs after my tumble. And Air Canada should have
Susan Ney:anticipated that the passengers in the moment covered seats
Susan Ney:would not have been happy about it, and been proactive about
Susan Ney:what they could have done ahead of time to deal with the matter.
Susan Ney:Customer service is often about learning from adversity and
Susan Ney:doing things differently as a result. It's important and it is
Susan Ney:all about who we are as individuals and how we present
Susan Ney:ourselves and our organizations to the world. Borrowing from
Susan Ney:Mahatma Ghandi Be the change you want to see in the world. What
Susan Ney:does this mean? It's all about leadership. What might you be
Susan Ney:able to do to influence the service you and your
Susan Ney:organization? Provide? And do any of the experiences that I've
Susan Ney:shared on the podcast resonate with you? I know that there are
Susan Ney:many times that I could have provided better service by being
Susan Ney:more available by listening deeper, or perhaps even offering
Susan Ney:a smile and clarification on what I couldn't couldn't do in
Susan Ney:that moment. Any of those might have made a more positive
Susan Ney:outcome. What about you? Hey, thank you for taking the time to
Susan Ney:join me today. I hope I've left something for you to consider
Susan Ney:and to reflect on and remember parents are believe you can do
Susan Ney:it Susan signing up till next time. Have a great rest of your
Susan Ney:day. Take care everyone you
