Every once in a while, it’s reassuring to know someone smart sees things the same way you do. Seth Godin, the best-selling marketing author, blogger, and founder of Squidoo, wrote on his wildly popular blog recently about the incredible position customer service reps (particularly in the field) are in relative to traditional call center agents and the marketing department to be brand ambassadors and “delight” customers. (Hat tip to ZenHVAC for pointing out the post.)
It’s a really important topic in both the field- and customer service worlds, and one of the biggest fundamental shifts in all of business customer service, post-recession. It’s also something we’ve echoed here on the SmartVan a lot lately (like here, here, and here). But since Godin’s piece was (as always) so good — lines like “scalable engines of annoyance” stick out — we thought we’d point you toward it.
Speaking When They Care
” … Overseas call centers and online chat handled by untrained workers with no incentives seem like clever ways to cut costs during stressful times. What they actually are is scalable engines of annoyance, time-sucking processeses that raise expectations and then totally dash them. Better to not even have a phone number. (You can’t call Google but you don’t want to call Adobe — which one generates more animus — the inability to call, or the promise, unfilled, of respect and thoughtful help?)
“Or consider: Some airlines are starting to realize that a delayed or cancelled flight is actually a chance to earn some remarkability. In the two hours that someone is stranded, they’re paying very careful attention to your brand. What are you doing? Notifying them by email that the flight is late, offering them free wifi, even giving them a link to a free book or movie online–none of that costs more than caring…all of them important opportunities to be heard and remembered. …”
Click here for the original post in its entirety.
More: The Good and Bad of Service Tech Outsourcing.
Click here to download a free whitepaper, “Five Steps to Make Field Service Profitable.”
Share this: