Customer entitlement didn’t spring fully formed out of nowhere. While it’s always been an issue, the politics of the last four years have spotlighted it in unwavering, infuriating detail. Entitled customers make it much harder for customer service reps to do their job—because the bottom line in most cases is bowing to customer wishes, even […]
Tag: #commonsense
Where does customer service cross over into undeserved customer entitlement? A recent T-Mobile ad campaign got me thinking about this important distinction, with the “I want it all…and I want it now” theme. While competent, dedicated and sincere customer service needs to continue growing in this country, the opposite is true of our entitlement mentality, […]
As COVID continues to dominate our lives, customer crankiness is growing substantially. That makes the job of customer service specialists even more challenging. Consumers are not in a forgiving mood, as a recent article in MartechSeries.com (via PRNewswire) notes: “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, more than 80% of consumers in the US expect customer support […]
Through all of the advice and philosophizing out there, sometimes great customer service boils down to what Jack Palance told Billy Crystal in the movie City Slickers. Excerpted, Palance asks, “Do you know what the secret of life is?…One thing. Just one thing…[Crystal asks] But, what is the ‘one thing?’…[Palance replies] That’s what you have […]
Gotta hand it to Costco once again. Their growth continues healthily through the pandemic, largely because of their unwavering dedication to customer service (and their strong employee support doesn’t hurt either). And, this is despite ranking lower than some competitors in the convenience category, cited by a recent ZDNet.com report as a chief consumer buying […]
“Nuts and bolts” of a company’s strengths and credibility once focused on length of time in business, track record and proven abilities—in other words, historical measures. Now, companies increasingly are judged based on their customer service-related performance in the present and moving forward. Historical reputation, while still a factor in buyer decision-making, is taking a […]
Lately, I’ve been seeing TV commercials for Omaha Steaks. Then, this past weekend, I saw Kansas City Steaks advertised. I immediately wondered who has the better rep for product, customer service and affordability—and pondered which company would score higher on a “conscious capitalism” index. A search of several sites produced mixed results. One gave the […]
Increasingly, conscious capitalism includes discussion of how companies can positively impact their communities and the planet. Being “socially responsible” in essence provides customer service to these entities deserving and needing our support. In an Inc.com article, contributor Mandy Gilbert describes five tips to creating a socially conscious business. She notes: “…creating a company that’s closely […]
Pope Francis and Warren Buffett are reading from the same page about conscious capitalism. Buffett, the billionaire CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, recently repudiated his shareholder be-all-end-all beliefs voiced in a 2006 letter. An October 2020 article published in businessinsider.com notes: “The Berkshire boss bemoaned in his 2006 letter to shareholders that criticizing efficient market theory, […]
Conscious Capitalism provides a sustainable roadmap for the capitalist system and a clear, consistent path to customer service excellence with all stakeholders—from customers and employees to partners and investors. Its importance and influence are summed up on the website ccsandiego.org: “Conscious Capitalism is a global movement co-founded by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market […]
happycurmudgeon.com 