Customer service these days seems to be like a thing of the past. Â Something as mundane as going to the grocery store can fill you with dread like you’re going to the DMV. Â Whatever happened to customer appreciation? Â Listed below are a few suggestions on how to always demand get the best customer service.
Ask for Another Person.
If you feel that you are getting absolutely NO WHERE with the employee you are speaking to – ask for another person. Â Simple as that. Maybe it’s their first day and they are nervous or maybe they simply don’t want to be helpful. Calmly say: “I’m sorry – you don’t seem to understand my situation, I’d like to speak to someone else now please?”
Ask for a Manager/Person in Charge.
Sometimes you have to go straight to the top and deal with a person of authority. Â Explain your dilemma, stay calm and be assertive in telling them what you want. Don’t be afraid to say you feel you are being treated unfairly. Customer service is the heartbeat of a business. If it was your company, wouldn’t you want to know who was responsible for the problem?
A trick I always use is asking the person for their name (if it’s not visible). Â Especially if it’s on the phone. This way, the employee knows that if you have to accelerate the situation further, you have their name to add to the mix should you still be unsatisfied. Â I find that doing this almost always leads to a positive outcome.
Offer A Solution to the Problem.
Most stores/companies do not want to deal with or suffer the negative feedback of an unhappy customer. Â With the dawn of websites like Yelp, Expresit or Foursquare, companies want to have the best feedback possible. Â Great feedback = more money. If you feel you are spinning your wheels, simply let the employee know what it is that you want. Â If you want your money back, a product replaced or just better customer service when you come in – say just that.
Go Straight to the Top.
When all else fails and you have exhausted all the above options – call or write the business owner, CEO or whoever is in charge. Explain the situation in a calm manner, make sure you have everybody’s name who tried to “help” thus far. Tell the company owner what it is that you will need in order to associate yourself with their company in the future. Lay it all out on the line. Let the person know that you feel he/she deserved a chance to make it right before you turn to social media review websites and withdraw your business. Let them know the reason you chose their business in the first place and what you hoped to receive.
Finally, remember the old saying, “you get more bees with honey than with vinegar”? Â It’s true. But sometimes companies tend to forget that! Â And that’s why we have to remind them. Simply enough, all we really want is to feel validated.
Do you have any tips on how you always get great customer service? Â Let us know what they are.