Technology - mismatched expectations.
Technology (especially in communications) has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past few years. The routes by which we communicate have multiplied, and each method has it's own nuances. Especially when it comes to response. And, in my view, this breaks down nicely into the units we commonly use to measure time. For instance (and this is a personal thing): if I want information, but I'm in no particular hurry, I'll use email. It's no too intrusive, the recipient can action it at their leisure, and I'd expect a response in about a day. If it's a bit more urgent I'll use text. Again, it doesn't insist on an instant response - but it's on their phone nagging away, and I'd expect a reply in about an hour. If I want information NOW then I'll phone - and I expect an answer in about a minute.
And this is where the mismatch comes in. Because businesses have used the same technology to distance themselves from everybody - especially their customers. A lot of suppliers now think it's acceptable not to publish any phone numbers at all (it isn't). Even if you have a number, they still use technology to try and fend you off. Here are some of the more common ones:
1. "A lot of answers to your questions can be found on our website". = If I could find it on your website I wouldn't be winding up my stress levels trying to phone you.
2. "Please email our support team with your problem". = OK, I'm sat here twiddling my thumbs, my client's MD is breathing down my neck & his whole operation is idle. Of course I'd love to email you and sit around for the rest of the day in case you deign to reply. Probably with some daft question requiring some (entirely irrelevant) piece of information.
3. "You call is important to us." = Yeah, but not THAT important, otherwise you'd have answered it.
4. "Your call will answered as soon as possible." = Wrong. As soon as possible is RIGHT NOW. What you actually mean is "as soon as a member of our under-resourced team can wade through the backlog of other irate customers and get to you".
5. "We are unusually busy." = Bad misuse of language. Unusual is something that isn't... errr... usual. If I get that message every time I phone it isn't, by definition, unusual.
Thing is though, bad customer service & under-resourced support desks is one of the prices we pay for the British obsession for trying to get stuff on the cheap. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. 'Twas ever so.
And this is where the mismatch comes in. Because businesses have used the same technology to distance themselves from everybody - especially their customers. A lot of suppliers now think it's acceptable not to publish any phone numbers at all (it isn't). Even if you have a number, they still use technology to try and fend you off. Here are some of the more common ones:
1. "A lot of answers to your questions can be found on our website". = If I could find it on your website I wouldn't be winding up my stress levels trying to phone you.
2. "Please email our support team with your problem". = OK, I'm sat here twiddling my thumbs, my client's MD is breathing down my neck & his whole operation is idle. Of course I'd love to email you and sit around for the rest of the day in case you deign to reply. Probably with some daft question requiring some (entirely irrelevant) piece of information.
3. "You call is important to us." = Yeah, but not THAT important, otherwise you'd have answered it.
4. "Your call will answered as soon as possible." = Wrong. As soon as possible is RIGHT NOW. What you actually mean is "as soon as a member of our under-resourced team can wade through the backlog of other irate customers and get to you".
5. "We are unusually busy." = Bad misuse of language. Unusual is something that isn't... errr... usual. If I get that message every time I phone it isn't, by definition, unusual.
Thing is though, bad customer service & under-resourced support desks is one of the prices we pay for the British obsession for trying to get stuff on the cheap. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. 'Twas ever so.
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