Customer Punishment and Finding a Better Way
Customer service and the customer experience, two things that many organizations claim they do right. After all, it is likely an integral part of the mission statement. What about customer punishment, is that on the agenda?
Customer View
Things often appear different when we see them through a different lens. What many organizations do to satisfy metrics are not always so favorable for the customer.
Software has become an interesting game. Once upon a time you bought a software program. Accounting, CRM, or graphic design tools, you bought them like you may buy a hammer at a hardware store.
A hammer, once purchased, is good to use forever, or until you break it or wear it out which the average person will theoretically never do. Your software purchase was once similar, use it for life, or until hardware or operating system improvements made it unworkable.
Today it is different, they want you to lease the software. The price isn’t better, it is usually more, and by the way, you must pay every month or every year. Imagine buying the hammer every month or year.
I know the software companies won’t agree, and claim that is how they stay in business, but is this a favorable customer experience?
Get More, Needed or Not
Cable television is another one in what is becoming a long list of those who knowingly issue customer punishment. You get exactly one hundred and eighty channels, but you watch about five.
How long will the customers tolerate this punishment? Who does this work for, the customer, or the vendor? The vendor may argue the price would be much higher to do it differently, until someone finds a way.
Subscription services or products have an interesting model for profit, are they customer friendly? They probably can be, but are they?
Customer Punishment
What are you doing that punishes the customer? Do you care enough to change the customer experience?
If the box is crushed do you deliver it anyway?
When the wait times are long but customers are willing to wait do you try to fix it?
Do you tell the customer to call back in an hour, or do you call them in fifty-five minutes or less with either a solution or update?
Have you asked yourself, “What is convenient, easy, or cost effective for your organization that is unfriendly to the customer experience?”
What are you doing that benefits your organization because it is tolerated by your customers? Are those things a form of customer punishment?
How long until someone (a competitor) finds a better way?
-DEG
Dennis E. Gilbert is a business consultant, speaker (CSPTM), and corporate trainer that specializes in helping businesses and individuals accelerate their leadership, their team, and their success. He is a five-time author and some of his work includes, #CustServ The Customer Service Culture, and Forgotten Respect, Navigating A Multigenerational Workforce. Reach him through his website at Dennis-Gilbert.com or by calling +1 646.546.5553.
