An idea for Docbosh?

Docbosh

I think your idea for a book on how to improve customer service is a really good idea, and I will offer my opinions and expereinces whenever I can. I was just wondering (and this is just an idea) if you had also considered a chapter on customers themselves? What I mean is that while yes there are a lot of bad customer service reps out there, there are also a lot of bad customers out there whose behavior can contribute to poor customer service expereinces. I thought it may be an interesting addition to your book to add a chapter on how certain customer behaviors can also contribute to bad customer expereinces? (just an idea, I won't be offended if its not something your interested in!) :P

I am open to all sorts of suggestions. To say that the whole idea for the book has not completely mollified in my mind.

I know the subject matter, and and the basic format, of being anecdotes, with an analysis of the situation following each story, hopefully showing the right and wrong about the individual approach.

I have a list that I pilfered that is for the customers to learn how to be better customers during calls.

Anyways I appreciate the idea. I llok forward to hearing some of your own stories.

You can feel free to write from the opposing point of view, some of the bad experiences you may have had working ofr Rogers, assuming you worked in the CSR dept.

Prue:
I've been thinking of this the entire time this has been a discussion here at SC.
I've been in retail for 16 yrs (cashier being one of the positions) and there are a LOT of bad customers out there. I'll share some of those stories as well.

The main thing to always remember is that while yes, the sales person is being paid to help you through your sale experience. They are not there to be dumped on simply because they didn't look at you right, smile at you right, and kiss your _____ right by THAT customers standards OR because you are having a bad day. They are people and as people they only need to put up with so much crap from their customer.


("you" being a generalization not pointing fingers)

It is definately fair to say there are bad customers out there, the general public has got to outnumber sales people by quite a large margin, the statistic probably is there.

I really don't know what to say about this. I have just run into so many blaise sales people over the years. The cause for this is not necessarily known, is it a condition of or a symptom of?

How to express this properly...

Are the people who end up in sales jobs predispositioned to being bad with clients, because it is a common character trait of those who would chose this type of job?

or

Are the people who end up in sales jobs conditioned to be bad with clients, because of low wages and a relentless string of bad clients, shaping them?

I always wonder in these type of ways of thinking after a friend of mine became a doctor. Suddenly a guy I had liked and respected seemed to turn into some one else.

I wondered if a**holes were predispositioned to head towards a career as a doctor. Or upon becoming a doctor they become a**holes as a condition of their profession.

I kid you not. This guy was really quite cool, and the number of snide remarks he has made to me and my wife since completing medical school is unbelievable, he became suddenly very opinionated, and felt he always knew better.

I was having a chat with him about me reading an article in MacLean's that in the first year of life a couple could expect the cost of having a child to be $10,000. I did a tally up and had come to about $2,000 to $3,000, this was towards the end of my daughters first year so I felt it was a pretty good estimate. I told him the cost of the crib I had purchased for my daughter, I got it at IKEA for about $300 with the mattress, it converted into a junior bed. He on the other hand bought a crib that doesn't convert from some French company, it cost about $800. He actually said "you get what you pay for". My second child is now using the crib, and for a second time it will be converted to a bed, I assure you my kids slept as safe and soundly in this crib as his kids slept in theirs.

another example

My wife wanted to know why he and his wife wanted to move, when they had an enormous apartment, they were paying a decent rent. They had bought this way too big of a house. My wife and I believe in modesty, we think there are better things to do with our money than keep up with the Jones. He actually said, "an apartment is no place to raise a child".

Anyways that is way of topic...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by docbosh

I really don't know what to say about this. I have just run into so many blaise sales people over the years. The cause for this is not necessarily known, is it a condition of or a symptom of?

How to express this properly...

Are the people who end up in sales jobs predispositioned to being bad with clients, because it is a common character trait of those who would chose this type of job?

or

Are the people who end up in sales jobs conditioned to be bad with clients, because of low wages and a relentless string of bad clients, shaping them?

---

I think it’s likely both, depending on the person. Personally when I first went into sales I was very enthusiastic about my job, but over the years I have lost a lot of this enthusiasm.

I began working for Radio Shack which was an amazing company to work for; they pay fairly and treat their employee's with respect. However, being a young woman, I constantly began encountering people who stereotyped me, believing that I could not know anything about electronics because of the fact I was a woman. Even when I was a manager, people would say to me 'oh it’s a technical question, I had better wait for a man' or 'you wouldn't know the answer, its technical'...and this happened more times than I could count! It was very insulting and after a few years of getting this on a constant basis, I will admit I began to feel that everyone I interacted with was judging my answer not on its merit but on the fact that I was a woman.

I felt a huge stereotype threat as well, and felt enormous pressure to ensure I knew everything so that I would NEVER prove these people right. It really took its toll on my psychologically and I know it had a serious impact on how I view customers, even to this day. Don't get me wrong, I try very hard to ensure that I never treat a customer badly, but still when I feel someone is judging me based on my gender, I get defensive and I’m sure this affects my level of customer service.

So the point of my life history ramble is that I think while it varies for each person, a lot of people start off with the predisposition to be helpful, but experience can condition them to be bad with clients. In all honestly sometimes it takes a heck of a lot of will power to remain civil and helpful to someone you know thinks you don't know something based upon an archaic stereotype!

I can't honestly say what I would have done in the sort of situation you presented...

I'd like to think I wouldn't stereotype just because it's a woman, and I have a technical question. I think all that matters is I can find someone to give me the right answer regardless of gender, and if they don't know, they will try their hardest to find me someone who does.

He is a question for you...

Who did that to you more often, men or women?

I'm certain it can't all be men.

I would say it was often men, but there was a fair share of women too, especially older women! One time I had an elderly lady refuse to let me change the batteries in her flashlight becuase 'only men' can do it! On the other side, I had a man ask me once if Radio Shack was trying to fill its equal rights quota - as it happened my DSM was standing right there, and nicely explained to the man that Radio Shack did not have equal rights quotas!

I agree that the stereoype is silly, there were plenty of both men and women who did not have an extensive knowledge in the area just as there are plenty of men and women who do.

If you'll accept the apology I apologize on behalf of all men.

I promise not to engage in this sort of unwarranted gender bias.

awwwwww! :angel:

Thankfully while it did happen a fair bit, the people who clearly showed their biases were in the minority (though some days it sure did not feel like it!). Its just one of those things where the really rude one's make such a lasting impression that their behavior and comments are what you tend to remember! But I also had some great customers as well, some that still come and deal with me today and those are the customers I try really hard to remember.

Ain't nothing Mam!

I have similar memories of working in retail. I used to work in a store that exclusively sold puzzles. I had my regulars and it was fun to see them, and then there were just the twits who make being in that kind of job, just not worth it.