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Over the last year or so I've noticed that lots of places don't take customer's concerns to heart if there are problems. It's not just banks or car lots now but real stores like Wal-Mart, real places like Amazon or production companies like Samsung. Is customer service that much of a problem for companies?
In general, there are companies who compete on price and companies who compete on higher value-add support & service.
When you compete on price, you have very thin margins but with high volume of sales. When you compete on higher value-add, you have fatter margins but much lower volume of sales.
SOOOOooooo.... if you want value-add, don't buy from Walmart or Amazon, as they are thin-margin-zero-value-add retailers. They cannot afford value-add on their thin margins. Seek out a high-value add source, and be prepared to pay a higher price.
my own views of the lacking mentioned in the OP can be easily traced to the spread of that mercantile magic of the big box mentality and all that it assumes. Low wages, job/ employee satisfaction not measured as a component of customer service, and most damaging, the ever present realization by employees of their temporary status, simply a unit of cost accounting, and replaced anytime the boss can find a cheaper human, or a silent, compliant machine to do the work.
This realization of the lacking in overall give a damn on the part of corporate America brings with it another realization, and that is the fact of the "big enterprise" as a societal anathema. We complain of government being dismissive of us, but we also have an equally dismissive manner manifested in our dealings with insurance companies, banks, Hospitals, doctors, schools, and most notably, the vast retail sector, well known for it's recent history of customer indifference. And they're all the same so going elsewhere is not an option any longer.
I remember small town business realities including a notion of customer satisfaction as a must, not taking care of customers was equal to not taking care of your business. This scam of the "face" of business hiding behind names such as "Aunt Tilly's" or Ben's Cookies, Smith Farms, and a plethora of small town names. No, they are a long way from the standards of old local suppliers of yesteryear America, there is no kindly old lady named "Tilly" selling apple jam, no Ben baking his cookies, no this is a huge factory hiding it's impersonal view of the consumer behind that picture of "Aunt Tilly." and "Ben." I find myself not expecting much in the way of service when shopping, or dealing with customer service types and I'm seldom let down..
Last edited by toosie; 01-28-2017 at 05:21 AM..
Reason: Deleted reference to now deleted post
I've kind of thought the opposite. I think most companies realize that if they don't attend to customer service they start losing customers. When it is bad customer service, I think it's more the problem caused by an individual worker or maybe a particular store, but not the whole company.
I haven't had to do it often, but things aren't going well, I just say, "You know, I can buy this on Amazon (or some other website) for less", I usually get what I want.
The biggest issue I have is the poor selection of products to choose from, which often leads me to online.
In general, there are companies who compete on price and companies who compete on higher value-add support & service.
When you compete on price, you have very thin margins but with high volume of sales. When you compete on higher value-add, you have fatter margins but much lower volume of sales.
SOOOOooooo.... if you want value-add, don't buy from Walmart or Amazon, as they are thin-margin-zero-value-add retailers. They cannot afford value-add on their thin margins. Seek out a high-value add source, and be prepared to pay a higher price.
The issue I find is value added retailers are hurting. In the retail game we are seeing the rising sales and profits of discount stores like Ross, Burlington, Marshall's/TJ Maxx, etc. while Macy's, Penney's, even Kohl's are falling. It is partially due to service. People often make the jokes of it's harder to find employees when you need them than it is merchandise that fits.
Racial tirades aside, my own views of the lacking mentioned in the OP can be easily traced to the spread of that mercantile magic of the big box mentality and all that it assumes. Low wages, job/ employee satisfaction not measured as a component of customer service, and most damaging, the ever present realization by employees of their temporary status, simply a unit of cost accounting, and replaced anytime the boss can find a cheaper human, or a silent, compliant machine to do the work.
Well the other side to the equation is about the wages we have. As I mentioned above the discount stores are booming while the traditional mall retail chains are closing down. It's not just retail facing the low wages issue. I mean if you know a fragrance smells good on you, why not seek the discount price rather than the retail price. Often times discount stores can have better deals than Wal-Mart does for those items.
Quote:
This realization of the lacking in overall give a damn on the part of corporate America brings with it another realization, and that is the fact of the "big enterprise" as a societal anathema. We complain of government being dismissive of us, but we also have an equally dismissive manner manifested in our dealings with insurance companies, banks, Hospitals, doctors, schools, and most notably, the vast retail sector, well known for it's recent history of customer indifference. And they're all the same so going elsewhere is not an option any longer.
Sadly it isn't noticed until it is gone. As I mentioned, it is far less expensive to shop at places that don't have value-added than places that do not. We don't miss it while it is here, if it is. Then again I commented that we often can't find employees easier than it is for merchandise we want. And this is in the Kohl's, Macy's, Penney's, Dillard's, etc. I would say Sears' but they really don't have clerks walking around like the others do.
Quote:
I remember small town business realities including a notion of customer satisfaction as a must, not taking care of customers was equal to not taking care of your business. This scam of the "face" of business hiding behind names such as "Aunt Tilly's" or Ben's Cookies, Smith Farms, and a plethora of small town names. No, they are a long way from the standards of old local suppliers of yesteryear America, there is no kindly old lady named "Tilly" selling apple jam, no Ben baking his cookies, no this is a huge factory hiding it's impersonal view of the consumer behind that picture of "Aunt Tilly." and "Ben." I find myself not expecting much in the way of service when shopping, or dealing with customer service types and I'm seldom let down..
Of course. I didn't see much in Long Island, NY, but I saw more in upstate New York whether in the Herkimer/Ilian area or Oneonta. They feared Wal-Mart, Loew's and Home Depot coming in and taking business of all the small businesses in town. This was back in the 1990's.
I've kind of thought the opposite. I think most companies realize that if they don't attend to customer service they start losing customers. When it is bad customer service, I think it's more the problem caused by an individual worker or maybe a particular store, but not the whole company.
I haven't had to do it often, but things aren't going well, I just say, "You know, I can buy this on Amazon (or some other website) for less", I usually get what I want.
The biggest issue I have is the poor selection of products to choose from, which often leads me to online.
And I would respect your decision to buy online or thru another vendor. I work customer service and its often a tactic for a customer to basically say- If you don't give me what I want RIGHT NOW I am taking my toys and going home. I deal with Adults and for the most part able to accommodate the realistic requests or resolve in a timely manner.
Since I started working retail, my department has seen an increase of sales in the 15% . I do not think my payscale determines how civil or gracious I am in the work I do. Some of us actually cannot have our dignity bought or sold.
I have helped be apart of that increase in figures along with my team staff. "WE" work to retain and sometimes that means being direct and respecting them for finding a better deal elsewhere. Transparency is key. Those who have been returning customers have often remarked on the courtesy extended them.
I've kind of thought the opposite. I think most companies realize that if they don't attend to customer service they start losing customers. When it is bad customer service, I think it's more the problem caused by an individual worker or maybe a particular store, but not the whole company.
I haven't had to do it often, but things aren't going well, I just say, "You know, I can buy this on Amazon (or some other website) for less", I usually get what I want.
The biggest issue I have is the poor selection of products to choose from, which often leads me to online.
You'd think the corporate focus on customer service would include refraining from establishing what amounts to anti customer policies. But we've all been had by the old "it's store policy" lament on the part of retail clerks who have little to no latitude when dealing with customer complaints. Some years back, I had my dept store credit card refused for the reason that "I hadn't used it often enough." My security, that's what they told me was behind the decision. Making me jump through hoops to get that card reset was the last straw, I declined and went to small merchants for the entire Christmas shopping gig.
Just a thought about "individual" responses on the employee's part. The disgruntled employee, the ill informed employee, and the recalcitrant employee, are all directly, or indirectly, a management problem and businesses accepting that responsibility manage their employees in a manner consistent with that realization. Every business has an in-house customer service culture, intentionally or not.
And, it doesn't take much to understand the employee as a reflection of that culture, I try to trade with small companies whenever possible, and it has been noted here that paying more for quality of goods and service seems to provide some relief from the big box mentality. Ace Hardware, small auto repair shops, independent eateries, one man contractor outfits, I've used these services and found a lot of satisfaction, and yes, I'm paying extra for that, but it helps me and those who do care about their customers.
And I would respect your decision to buy online or thru another vendor. I work customer service and its often a tactic for a customer to basically say- If you don't give me what I want RIGHT NOW I am taking my toys and going home. I deal with Adults and for the most part able to accommodate the realistic requests or resolve in a timely manner.
Since I started working retail, my department has seen an increase of sales in the 15% . I do not think my payscale determines how civil or gracious I am in the work I do. Some of us actually cannot have our dignity bought or sold.
I have helped be apart of that increase in figures along with my team staff. "WE" work to retain and sometimes that means being direct and respecting them for finding a better deal elsewhere. Transparency is key. Those who have been returning customers have often remarked on the courtesy extended them.
Fair enough.
You know, a very good example of smart business is what has happened to independent camera stores. More and more they provide their cameras at a competitive price with online...because they know that people will just buy online if they don't. What they push is in-store service. So I've bought my last few cameras in a camera store, because I have nothing to gain from going online.
Over the last year or so I've noticed that lots of places don't take customer's concerns to heart if there are problems. It's not just banks or car lots now but real stores like Wal-Mart, real places like Amazon or production companies like Samsung. Is customer service that much of a problem for companies?
How do you define "customer service" and what kind of customer service are you needing from Amazon that you are not getting? When I go to Amazon, I search for what I want to buy, determine if it fits my needs, read reviews, and then buy it. Never once had a problem with that. If for some reason I need to return it, I click on the return process, print out the label, drop it off at a UPS store or Amazon locker, and my account is credited. Never once had a problem with that. I've been buying a half dozen items per month for over a decade now. I guess I'm just not the type to "have questions" or need to talk to someone in customer service and I sure don't want to pay for that for others in the form of higher prices.
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