Good Customer Service

Canada
January 21, 2008 9:13pm CST
What do you consider good customer service? Is this important to you? In a world where everything is so fast pace does it really matter or do you just want to get in and get out? Does it bother you when the person in front of you takes time to count out change....Asks several questions of the cashier...or forgets their wallet in the car? What if the interact machines are down or the cashier needs a price check? How tolerant are you of these things and what does all of this do to contribute to good or bad customer service? Happy Shopping to all.....I hope! ~Heavens~
6 people like this
13 responses
@pkc3000 (1266)
• India
22 Jan 08
Good customer service always regarded as key factor for growing business. Prompt & quick service always yield profit and also earn goodwill . Good behavior & cordial relation with customer minimizes the other dark factor of business.
2 people like this
@roberten (3128)
• United States
22 Jan 08
Addressing my needs in a timely manner without attitude. You do not necessarily have to smile at me but I do want reasonable resolution the first time around.
1 person likes this
• Canada
22 Jan 08
That is a reasonable desire.... If the cashier needs to call another employee in order to resolve the matter and that person does not come right away do you take it out on the cashier? ~Heavens~
@roberten (3128)
• United States
22 Jan 08
I try very hard not to. I will, however, be directed to the person That is holding me up. I will call them on the issue at hand in as professional manner as I can muster. You get less by displaying more attitude.
1 person likes this
• Canada
22 Jan 08
True...Good Manners and respect deserves the same and should take you far in this world. At what point would you go to someone higher? ie: calling a head office or asking to speak to a manager? ~Heavens~
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
22 Jan 08
I would say Im very tolerant when it comes to customer service. Alot of times if I see theres a problem in the line Im waiting in I will just move to another one. I did have a problem a couple of months ago when I was kmart trying to pick up some money my sister had sent me. The lady was out right nasty to me. And I spent a long time waiting for her. She didnt know how to do it. I did call and complained about her to the management. They was no need for her to be so nasty to me.
• Canada
10 Feb 08
Hello Dear Terry and I am sorry that I am so long in responding to you here but I thought I had cleared up this discussion when today I found I have not :( I do hope that you can forgive me! I am sorry that you were treated so poorly and It is true there was no need for her to be that way towards you...If she was unsure of how to do it she should have said one moment please and called her supervisor to help her...that is what I have done when I have been unsure of something and it is always a wise thing to do rather than make a huge mistake that is hard to fix later!! Thanks again! ~Heavens~
@bonbon664 (3466)
• Canada
22 Jan 08
Good customer service is rare these days. My biggest pet peeve is if I'm standing in line at a store, and the clerk turns from me to answer the phone. At that point, I tell them they've just lost their real customer to the one on the phone. But, I'm pretty patient in most situations.
1 person likes this
• Canada
10 Feb 08
All of our phones are internal phones and so if it rings we must answer it as it is most likely a supervisor needing us to do something..... ~Heavens~
@mummymo (23706)
22 Jan 08
I think the most important thing that counts towards good customer service is people who are friendly and do their best to help! Someone who makes you feel they enjoy helping you and makes you feel as though it is nice to help you. Either that or what I used to like to do with some of my regular customers when I was still working - having a carry on and having a bit of a slanging match - great fun! xxx
1 person likes this
• Canada
10 Feb 08
So sorry once again mummymo, I thought I had tied up this discussion but guess I missed doing so! :( I appologize once again to you for the delay in my response.... You are much like me mummymo and I do my best to be upbeat with my customers even when I have a lot on my mind as I do these days....A lot of people have told me in the past that they always look for me when they come to the check outs as they prefer to go through me...Things like that always make your day :) ~Heavens~
1 person likes this
• Canada
10 Feb 08
Oh mummymo you do flatter me!!! *Blushes* ~Heavens~
@mummymo (23706)
10 Feb 08
Now you have made my day by comparing me to you - what a huge compliment that is sweety! Hugs xxx
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Jan 08
well good customer service is very important. i currently work in the custmer service field. all i do everyday is treat customers how i want to be treated in every situation. when im giving a situation by a custiomer, i think about how i would want to be handled or trested if i was in their shoes, with the same situation. customer service really starts at home, and how a person was brought up, but it is a skill that can be taught and learned.
1 person likes this
• Canada
10 Feb 08
Well put drkimble05 I too am in customer service and those are certainly good to live by! :) Thanks so much for your response here. ~Heavens~
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
22 Jan 08
I am normally quite tolerant with it a it happens what annoys me is when there are People behind me and doing nothing but complain What is the point in that shouting and swearing is not going to get them anywhere If they don't like it go to another Checkout as far as I am concerned
1 person likes this
• Canada
23 Jan 08
Thanks so much Gabs :) That bothers me too especially since I am on the other side of the counter and when I hear that type of stuff from that side it does affect how I feel about my job...No one deserves that treatment for something that is usually out of their control! We do the best we can :) ~Heavens~
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
22 Jan 08
I always thought good customer service is on the cashier's side, how the store helps, not how the customer acts. I think you mean how a customer should act and it does bother me when the one in front of me decides to get rid of her pennies at the check out instead of going to the bank, credit union, or to the customer service and get large denominations. Many of the things that annoy me can be done at the latter. If the interact machine is down or the cashier needs a price check, that cannot be helped. In the first case it was not the cashier's fault, it was the customer's. I would say that the customer service place should be at the entrance and in most large grocery chains or places like Walmart they are. Therefore the store has done all it can. The customer has to open her eyes and take a few steps in that direction.
• Canada
23 Jan 08
I am a cashier and the point I am trying to make here is that how you as a customer acts does reflect on the performance of the cashier....there are days that I hate my job as everyone seems to be inconsiderate and upset about things that are out of my control! We tend to get blamed for everything even though it is not our fault or is out of our control and it would be nice if people were understanding...We do not get paid enough to deal with all that we have to deal with!!! ~Heavens~
• Philippines
22 Jan 08
when a person or worker politely says thank you. thats a good costumer service.
1 person likes this
• Canada
23 Jan 08
That's definitely not too much to ask! :) ~Heavens~
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
22 Jan 08
I think when it comes to customer service, a friendly smile and a willingness to help are the most important of all. I have quite an amount of patience for standing in line. I know there are some things that take time and it is not the cashier's fault or anyone's for that matter. I think my very biggest peeve is the lottery. It is just plain dumb and rude when a customer stands there gazing and trying to make up his mind on which tickets to blow his money on and then asks the clerk to list the numbers on each of them etc etc.
• Canada
10 Feb 08
Now that would be annoying!! thankfully we do not sell lottery where I work...I think there should be a separate kiosk for that anyways! Your views are much the same as mine and I thank you for your response here...so sorry that I am three weeks in responding...I thought that I had cleaned up this discussion but apparently have not and so am doing it now! :) Please forgive me on this as it is not like me! :) Have a Great day and thanks again for sharing! ~Heavens~
@suehan1 (4344)
• Australia
22 Jan 08
i consider good customer service is a nice person to serve you who is polite.i do not mind having to wait for price checks etc.as long as the person who serves me is polite and apologises for the delay.there are too many out there who would not know the meaning of good customer service and it is sad .i am a very tolerant person,bad i can not tolerate bad customer service.cheer sue
1 person likes this
• Canada
22 Jan 08
Thanks so much Sue! This is definitely refreshing to hear! :) I agree with you but then I fully understand as I am a cashier and we see so much on that other side of the counter....It seems that there are a lot of people who get upset at things that are out of our control Thanks so much for your response ~Heavens~
• China
22 Jan 08
The best I think is he or she will not only provide a simple service but a solution. He or she knows what is the most suitable for you so as to meet and exceed your demands and requirements. He or she likes to talk with customer and get more information about the real order then suggest one or more better solutions to the clients for their reference. Sometimes he or she acts as a salesman and clients friend.
1 person likes this
• Canada
10 Feb 08
Thanks so much for your comments here and it sounds like good advice! ~Heavens~
22 Jan 08
like you said in this fast paced world we live in it seems nobody has any time for anyon else except themselves. if i have a problem with any of my bills, i know that i will have a hard time trying to get a resolution to the matter. first of all you have to go through a million menus on the phone, then if you get it wrong the call ends, which really ticks me off, whilst getting charged for the convenience! next.....comes the operator/customer care advisor who would rather try and sell you something than ask what the problem is. if i say i am not interested or i cut them up by telling them what the problem is, they get a little frosty with me. when you say you think you are not getting anywhere with this person or you have called a hundred times before and would like to talk to their supervisor they are never available. when you have sorted it out and the bill comes through the post its still not sorted out, you have to go through that all again. when i go shopping in the food store, i ask for something they dont have on the shelf, they say they will go have a look.......half an hour later they still didnt come back. my pet hate is the one where you have just finished your shopping, you only have four or five things in your basket and you go to the cashier who only has one person in the queue and they say,"i'm sorry i closed now". so, you cant take 2 minutes to put my few items through the till?.....nice!! all my moaning out the way, which i also hope made you laugh, this is what i think good customer service should be about: 1. they are clean and dressed well, depending on their job, but definately clean. 2. they are courtious to the full even when you get a little shirty. 3. they understand and respond to you in a way that is not belittling 4. the customer is 99.9% right in 99.9% cases 5. they smile even when you frown 6. treat you with respect 7. if they dont understand what you are saying they get someone to deal with you, but politely 8. apologize in all cases where it was not your fault 9. dont bully you into buying things you dont need, like if you bought a printer you wouldnt pay half again for the warranty. 10. they are friendly i hope i answered your question and hopefully opened up the discussion a little more.
• Canada
22 Jan 08
I must say I do hate phone service!!! As for having a couple items...I am the one that always takes that extra person...I never put my sign down in front of a person without serving them. I agree with your ten qualities and I hope that I live up to them when I am at work :) Thanks so much for your detailed response here! :) ~Heavens~