How to avoid bad customer experience

DON’T let bad customer service ruin your day. Here’s how you can turn around an annoying or rude experience and make it work for you.

WE’VE all been there — faced with terrible customer service and letting it ruin your day.

But you can own a terrible situation and make it work for you. Here’s how to turn a bad customer experience around:

THE LONG WAIT

Ever made to wait 15, 30, 45 minutes — even after you’ve booked? When you arrive, let a business know you have to be out by a certain time and that you may have to cancel the job if they can’t see you at your booked time. Most services don’t want to lose business and will try everything they can to fit you in.

THE CALL CENTRE MERRY-GO-ROUND

Been at the receiving end of multiple automated voicemail prompts on a single call before being directed to the wrong department? Had to deal with an overseas call-centre operator’s formulaic spiel? This is probably among the worst experiences for customers, and my advice is to use online chat or email services if available, where responses are generally faster.

RUDE SERVICE

A creative to let the establishment that you’re a little teed off.

Whether rudeness is sparked by a return, a complaint by you, or simply a bad day on their part, this is likely the worst customer gripe. The important thing here is to not get emotional. Try to remain positive. Your remaining pleasant will be a stark contrast to their rude behaviour — and in more cases than not, they will notice it and become more attentive. Negotiations rarely have a good outcome when emotions are high.

THE UNEXPECTED BILL

You were quoted $200 but the final invoice states $500. Gulp! Try to avoid hidden fees by asking for cost breakdowns upfront, and an understanding of what’s fixed and what’s subject to change. This will enable you to negotiate at the time of booking. After the final quote is confirmed, let the business know you expect to be informed of any changes to the final price — and how you expect to be informed.

MR FIX-IT TURNS OUT TO BE MR SPOILT-IT

Uh, what just happened?

Why is there a mini-tsunami in your kitchen days after you’ve paid more than $200 for a big plumbing job? For many, dealing with tradespeople is like venturing into unknown territory. Scanning ratings and reviews on reputable websites can help you find good services. For large jobs, find businesses that will view a job and quote for free, and will fix a problem at no cost to you if the problem still exists afterwards.

YOU’RE THE APPRENTICE GUINEA PIG

Had a jittery junior apply bleach to your locks, keeping you on emotional tenterhooks throughout your salon visit? Communicate your expectations at the time of booking. It can really help if you explain you’ve had poor experiences with apprentices in the past and that you’re looking for a service you can stick with. Many small businesses rely on repeat business so will be more than willing to meet your needs.

Bradley Taylor is the spokesperson for TrueLocal.