A Rousing Discussion on Customer Service

A Rousing Discussion on Customer Service

• So how picky are you personally on customer service?

• If you're not treated right, do you go elsewhere?

• Do you make up your mind about the store owner/manager from previous events or connections with them?

• In your community, are you bias as to where you'll do business?

• If your perception is that you've been burnt or snubbed in a local business, will you go back?

• What about if that owner/manager is in public office and makes a decision that you're opposed to?

Recently I had a great conversation between friends; even a bit rousing. Customer Service was the topic of the day. This is bits and pieces from it and most definitely not all. Remember to bare with me because I write like I talk! 😉

One point of view that came up between us was basically 'a person should NOT do business with any shop/service in their town if their character is questionable, or the consumer has been snubbed, or ignored as a customer.'
Part of that discussion was what if that owner/manager does not know or understand how they come across to others?

• What if it's their 'demeanor'???

Meaning-- maybe it's their personality but they have no idea they come across cold and indifferent? OR, maybe they do have an idea and don't care or don't think it's related to their ability to do business.

• How about a "bias" ?
  

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• How about when doing business locally?
• Can our small communities survive bias's, by not going into a place of business or hiring a service because that person is the way they are?

• Can we let it roll off our backs? If so, how many times do we let it slide? Can we be more tolerant?

• So isn’t it kinda the same thing when we don’t do business because it’s owned by a certain nationality or their color of their skin isn't like ours or years ago because they were Catholic versus Methodist ...are we not saying and doing the same thing they are, when we think we have the right to NOT go into that store. It's a bias in my opinion.

 

• Can we afford bias's in our small local businesses
• Can we afford bias's in our personal lives?

What if the person doesn't understand they come across like they do to others? Maybe they cannot do anything about it and perhaps they should never be with the public, but they are? What do we do to support our small businesses? Ignore it? Point it out to them?

There are many aspects that enter into a retail or service business. It's not cut and dried and many cannot get past the demeanor, character, the treatment and more. But, if we do not, do those businesses stand to close? Can our communities afford our 'non-support'? If you're feeling it about them, chances are you are not alone. Others feel it too. Will that business blame it on everyone else, but not at themselves if they fail? Is there an answer?

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As I shared long ago, I was snubbed once at a pharmacy. I went elsewhere. I figured that I had the right to be treated better. I learned later that was just the pharmacist's personality--I was not picked out to be rude to; it was just poor customer skills. Do we help by pointing it out or telling them? (Good luck with that.)

I don't have the answers and not that I have to have them. In the greater scheme of things is this important? Maybe not, but it sure makes good conversation fodder between friends. (And yes, we're still friends and we agreed to pick the discussion up again!)

Joan

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