I'm Sorry You Feel That Way...
I’m Sorry You Feel That Way…
Well, first off, please accept my apologies for a far-too-long sabbatical from adding updates to this blog. Some of you know some of the circumstances around that and others don’t. In the end, it’s a long, boring story that’s better left in the mists of the past. Ever onward! This represents a huge new chapter for me personally as well as professionally. In the coming weeks there will be some huge, exciting announcements about the company and where we are headed.
Now, to today’s post…. I’m Sorry You Feel That Way, but….
Grrr! That sentence absolutely sends me over the edge!
Usually it comes from someone who’s responsible in some way for customer service for their company or snarky private citizens who’ve just done something rude. Either way, it is all too common these days for people to slough off personal responsibility for their actions or their company’s actions or policies.
It usually begins (actually, this is just the beginning of the end, because the beginning was with the first transaction where mistakes began to stack up) with a customer who has an inquiry about (you fill in the blank here).
Customer service takes two main routes here. There is voicemail hell to be negotiated, or not and, disengaged CSRs (Customer Service Representatives) somewhere in the world working off scripts where all the responses are: “I’m sorry you feel that way, but…”
It’s no wonder there is such a struggle to hold onto customers and that customers feel no loyalty. The number one reason given for small companies leaving providers is poor or non-existent customer service and follow-up after the sale. And, if you recall, it costs more than five times to get a new customer than it costs to retain a customer.
I don’t know which came first, individuals delivering these passive-aggressive non-apologies bringing the behavior into the workplace or vice versa. All I know is that it is completely counter-productive, in every way. The customer-individual is upset and frustrated. The CSRs get worn down by upset and frustrated customers. Companies lose business.
There does seem ot be a groundswell building of all kinds of people who are just out of patience with rude, self-absorbed behavior. And, more importantly, they’re actually speaking up now. Perhaps this will eventually usher in a new age of gentle behavior.
As for those snarky individuals in private life who dole out those non-apologies? Karma will take care of them!
Well, first off, please accept my apologies for a far-too-long sabbatical from adding updates to this blog. Some of you know some of the circumstances around that and others don’t. In the end, it’s a long, boring story that’s better left in the mists of the past. Ever onward! This represents a huge new chapter for me personally as well as professionally. In the coming weeks there will be some huge, exciting announcements about the company and where we are headed.
Now, to today’s post…. I’m Sorry You Feel That Way, but….
Grrr! That sentence absolutely sends me over the edge!
Usually it comes from someone who’s responsible in some way for customer service for their company or snarky private citizens who’ve just done something rude. Either way, it is all too common these days for people to slough off personal responsibility for their actions or their company’s actions or policies.
It usually begins (actually, this is just the beginning of the end, because the beginning was with the first transaction where mistakes began to stack up) with a customer who has an inquiry about (you fill in the blank here).
Customer service takes two main routes here. There is voicemail hell to be negotiated, or not and, disengaged CSRs (Customer Service Representatives) somewhere in the world working off scripts where all the responses are: “I’m sorry you feel that way, but…”
It’s no wonder there is such a struggle to hold onto customers and that customers feel no loyalty. The number one reason given for small companies leaving providers is poor or non-existent customer service and follow-up after the sale. And, if you recall, it costs more than five times to get a new customer than it costs to retain a customer.
I don’t know which came first, individuals delivering these passive-aggressive non-apologies bringing the behavior into the workplace or vice versa. All I know is that it is completely counter-productive, in every way. The customer-individual is upset and frustrated. The CSRs get worn down by upset and frustrated customers. Companies lose business.
There does seem ot be a groundswell building of all kinds of people who are just out of patience with rude, self-absorbed behavior. And, more importantly, they’re actually speaking up now. Perhaps this will eventually usher in a new age of gentle behavior.
As for those snarky individuals in private life who dole out those non-apologies? Karma will take care of them!
posted by Lydia Sugarman at
Friday, March 09, 2007
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