Are your staff letting you down?
Discussion
I shouldn't think anyone here really does have this problem, but it is always interesting to consider-
This morning I went to buy something, it really doesn't matter what. Anyway, as it was being wrapped up I took issue with the way the person was doing it, saying that I feared it would be damaged. No, it's perfectly OK came the reply. Not wanting to make a fuss, and assuming the person knew what she was doing, I paid and went.
I get back to the workshop and, of course, the item was damaged by the wrapping technique. I wasn't really bothered about the person not heeding my warning, I'm sure it was a genuine mistake on her part.
So, back to the shop and I point out the damage, which was obvious. First the person said that it wasn't a problem, but I insisted, so she bad temperedly got another one and said for me to take it away in whatever manner I pleased, which I did.
Now the point that I want to make is that the person I was dealing with was not the owner of the business, but never-the-less she, when faced with the situation, decided for her own self justification to turn me into a person who will avoid shopping there again if at all possible, when she could just have easily have turned me into a customer for life, and probably would have felt better herself in the process.
It reminded me of the absolute need to check, when I am in the happy position of having staff again, that they aren't pissing my customers off just because they feel like it. I wonder if any of you who have the type of business where various staff members make contact with your customers have a means of making sure your customers get treated the way you would, and if so, what are those methods?
This morning I went to buy something, it really doesn't matter what. Anyway, as it was being wrapped up I took issue with the way the person was doing it, saying that I feared it would be damaged. No, it's perfectly OK came the reply. Not wanting to make a fuss, and assuming the person knew what she was doing, I paid and went.
I get back to the workshop and, of course, the item was damaged by the wrapping technique. I wasn't really bothered about the person not heeding my warning, I'm sure it was a genuine mistake on her part.
So, back to the shop and I point out the damage, which was obvious. First the person said that it wasn't a problem, but I insisted, so she bad temperedly got another one and said for me to take it away in whatever manner I pleased, which I did.
Now the point that I want to make is that the person I was dealing with was not the owner of the business, but never-the-less she, when faced with the situation, decided for her own self justification to turn me into a person who will avoid shopping there again if at all possible, when she could just have easily have turned me into a customer for life, and probably would have felt better herself in the process.
It reminded me of the absolute need to check, when I am in the happy position of having staff again, that they aren't pissing my customers off just because they feel like it. I wonder if any of you who have the type of business where various staff members make contact with your customers have a means of making sure your customers get treated the way you would, and if so, what are those methods?
Service is something we just don't "get" in the UK and I don't really know why.
I was in Riyadh last year and had booked a cab to the airport. I asked the driver how much it was likely to be as I didn't know if I had enough cash on me and would need to get some out if not. "40 Riyals" he said - "but I take you for free if you haven't enough, your are guest in our country".
Can you imagine a London cabbie doing that?
I did have enough but the gesture was noted and now, every time I visit Riyadh, I give him a call and he gets all my cab business while I'm there.
It's not rocket surgery!
I was in Riyadh last year and had booked a cab to the airport. I asked the driver how much it was likely to be as I didn't know if I had enough cash on me and would need to get some out if not. "40 Riyals" he said - "but I take you for free if you haven't enough, your are guest in our country".
Can you imagine a London cabbie doing that?
I did have enough but the gesture was noted and now, every time I visit Riyadh, I give him a call and he gets all my cab business while I'm there.
It's not rocket surgery!
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Indeed. I think in my case this morning it was basically a management fault inasmuch as the manager didn't know what was happening on his/her patch, or had failed to ensure that the employee was made aware of the need to ensure that each customer contact was positive. It may even be that the employee concerned is not well treated in general, or she might just be unsuitable for a retail job, and the management don't realise.I read this thread yesterday and was reminded of it on the way home from work.
It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
Looks like as bit of customer care training would help - a lot of these people just don't make the connection between poor service = Hacked off customer going elsewhere = struggling business = no pay rise (or no job)
The member of staff in another store who, when faced with a customer with a legitimate concern, turned and shouted to the boss " Hey mate, we've got a right one 'ere" was sacked - as was the pub manager who barred a group of 8 because they asked for separate bills for their meal....
The member of staff in another store who, when faced with a customer with a legitimate concern, turned and shouted to the boss " Hey mate, we've got a right one 'ere" was sacked - as was the pub manager who barred a group of 8 because they asked for separate bills for their meal....
deviant said:
I read this thread yesterday and was reminded of it on the way home from work.
It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
Ah, but it can work in the company's favour. A group of women here at work observed a driver of an HGV on his mobile for 15 minutes on the A34 last week. They took his company's number off the lorry and promptly called and complained about him. The company said they'd investigate. I'd have got one of them to film him on their mobile too!It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
Because they get away with it. God knows how many customers are driven away before most shops/businesses find out.
The other one which annoys me is shops/businesses where when they don't have an item in stock the conversation ends. How about ordering it in or seeing when it is due in, or taking a number for when it does come in?
I too can't be arsed to complain, I just don't go back.
Frimley111R said:
deviant said:
I read this thread yesterday and was reminded of it on the way home from work.
It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
Ah, but it can work in the company's favour. A group of women here at work observed a driver of an HGV on his mobile for 15 minutes on the A34 last week. They took his company's number off the lorry and promptly called and complained about him. The company said they'd investigate. I'd have got one of them to film him on their mobile too!It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
E31Shrew said:
Frimley111R said:
deviant said:
I read this thread yesterday and was reminded of it on the way home from work.
It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
Ah, but it can work in the company's favour. A group of women here at work observed a driver of an HGV on his mobile for 15 minutes on the A34 last week. They took his company's number off the lorry and promptly called and complained about him. The company said they'd investigate. I'd have got one of them to film him on their mobile too!It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
I just thought of another example of poor staff.
I was in Target the other week and on the weekends they seem to employ mainly teenagers and just a couple of supervisors.
I was taking a wander over to the menswear section and turned down and aisle to see half a dozen female members of staff all sitting on the floor just chatting away!
I was in Target the other week and on the weekends they seem to employ mainly teenagers and just a couple of supervisors.
I was taking a wander over to the menswear section and turned down and aisle to see half a dozen female members of staff all sitting on the floor just chatting away!
singlecoil said:
E31Shrew said:
Frimley111R said:
deviant said:
I read this thread yesterday and was reminded of it on the way home from work.
It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
Ah, but it can work in the company's favour. A group of women here at work observed a driver of an HGV on his mobile for 15 minutes on the A34 last week. They took his company's number off the lorry and promptly called and complained about him. The company said they'd investigate. I'd have got one of them to film him on their mobile too!It amazes me how many businesses put their name and contact details all over a vehicle but dont seem to check the driving standards of their staff! I'm not talking the general sloppy driving you always see but being overly aggressive, speeding in inappropriate places and yelling abuse out of the window type of driving.
I used to work for RedBull and we were under strict instructions you were never allowed to get shirty in the company cars (ones with the car on the back). One of the girls came across an utter a
hole and the exchange ended with him getting flipped off. He calls and complains, she gets an angry call from the boss about to give her a ticking off, the other member of the team with her backed up her story and he ended up calling bad said motorist and giving him the shouting at. Anyways, point being, they understood the importance of their brand in the wider world. Anyone presenting your brand is your company's ambassador and their actions will reflect on you.How many other companies do?
Yes you, Connaught contracts. Seems every single chimp you employ in the Glasgow area finds it the pinnacle of hilarity to deliberately hold up traffic on the motorway, laughing and giving the held up traffic the w
ker sign when they finally get past. Well, seeing as your staff find it hilarious to waste other peoples time, do you really think thats the best way to present your business? "we charge by the hour and we'll enjoy wasting as much time as possible whilst you're paying the bill"Equally, Royal Mail van and 7.5t truck drivers seem to find holding everyone else on the road up the most fun part of their day. This from the same chumps that are arguing their overtime is entirely fair, genius.
If you get p***ed off by a 'big' company it is extremely difficult or impossible to complain to anyone that actually cares less so you get to the point of why even bother ringing or writing.
Sadly employees who work for banks for instance, right through to the cashiers have sales targets of some sort which are easy to measure, but don't have customer service targets, which are difficult to measure. They would rather go for the short term sales/target rather than the longer term effect on the business - whether some one remains a customer.
Its probably becuase everyone right up to board directors are remunerated by short term targets at the expense of the longer term (bankers' bonuses?). The only ones who should care about the longer term (business owners / shareholders) are often too far removed for one reason or another to know what goes on or have any influence on it.
Sadly employees who work for banks for instance, right through to the cashiers have sales targets of some sort which are easy to measure, but don't have customer service targets, which are difficult to measure. They would rather go for the short term sales/target rather than the longer term effect on the business - whether some one remains a customer.
Its probably becuase everyone right up to board directors are remunerated by short term targets at the expense of the longer term (bankers' bonuses?). The only ones who should care about the longer term (business owners / shareholders) are often too far removed for one reason or another to know what goes on or have any influence on it.
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