CUSTOMER SERVICE

I have been working in some form of Customer Service since I started working at age 17 in high school as a messenger and office assistant at Adler Reporting, a court reporting firm in the Wall Street area.

My clients were the lawyers that needed those important court transcripts and I learned about delivering not just packages but reliable service. 

Since high school I've worked in retail at Stern's Department store, UPS, a succesful investment firm named Sands Brothers, Dreyfus Investments and my dream job in advertising at The Lord Group, Ogilvy, EURO and Critical Mass. All these experiences had a Customer Service flavor to them although it was labeled Client Services. 

What I learned was, Customer Service is NOT a department that tells its clients or customers what the company line is or tells them what they cannot do. NO Customer Service is that gray area between the company rules and the customer's expectations. It's the area where we find the best resolution to issues while remaining true to both company and customer. 

Like everyone reading this I've encountered companies on either side of the spectrum. I've had a Verizon phone since 2000. It was my company phone when I was at Ogilvy, I guess because it has the most reliable network. And it does. During the terrible chaos of 9/11 and the NY blackout of 2004 when scores of people lost connectivity I had service. I was able to contact my family and gain peace of mind knowing my people were safe and that kind of peace of mind trumps bad Customer Service. 

BUT, I believe Verizon takes that for granted too often because they have the WORST Customer Service I've ever encountered. Inconsistency that is almost criminal; if you talk to 3 different reps you will get 4 different answers none of which serves you well. If another carrier beefs up reliability you better believe I will be Elvis, as in he has left the building. I despise interacting with them so much that when I saw the alien space ship in the movie Oblivion I was POSITIVE the director or producer must have had a run in with one of these poor misguided reps working the phones. Misguided because it's not the their fault they are part of a poorly designed Customer Service program.

Notice the uncanny design similarities below

Anyway that brings me to why I AM writing this non-rant. The other side of the spectrum. Canon has by far the best customer service people I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. When a rep can solve your issue and demonstrate why you should purchase the more expensive camera without making you feel like you were sold to... well that's just effing great. And more than a year later I still agree with what she told me over the phone. Why, because they are photographers too and genuinely feel your frustration, or do a damn good job of making you feel like they do.

Two days ago I decided to purchase a couple of DVDs... So I went to the cheapest online retailer, Walmart. Then I decided to check out Overstock.com. I got a few things from them before, a bike rack, camera accessories and the one time I had an issue with some noise canceling headphones it was resolved with ease. So they had one of the DVDs cheaper and the Star Trek Into Darkness DVD for $15.96, same price as Walmart. Ok no brainer, until I go to checkout and the price jumps to $20.96. No biggie but that's classic bait and switch or just false advertising. So I hit up the online chat customer service dude who issued a credit for the difference and explained that due to timing (2:00AM) the price was in flux. I don't care, not being cheap, it's the principle that counts. Uhhh ok... whenever anyone says it's the principle they're being cheap...but ANYWAY I got the lower price. Yesterday I got a survey about my Customer Service interaction asking all sorts of Net Promoter questions and at the end it was sent to a page with product suggestions based on my purchase. You guessed it, Star Trek Into Darkness was listed for  $14.99, AFTER I made my purchase. LMAO... I wasn't pissed but I HAD to write them... When I got home from work last night, an additional credit was issued for the difference. THEY are great!

Now the moral of the story is NOT to give the store away. It's to judge each situation on its merits and make a decision based on the best interests of both parties. They know I've bought a lot with them and will probably buy more. They are correct. Just as I will buy more Canon products and just as I dread, research and resist renewing my 2 year contract with Verizon when I upgrade my device in January. 

Brand loyalty still exists and Customer Service is a big part of it.