The seven deadly sins of customer service

WHETHER we’re buying a coffee or applying for a home loan, nothing makes us want to bang our heads against a brick wall like bad service. So what gets our back up the most?

WHETHER we’re buying a coffee or applying for a home loan, nothing makes us want to bang our heads against a brick wall like bad service. So what gets our back up the most?

Customer research and ratings service Canstar Blue has revealed what drives everyday Aussies crazy when they go to a coffee shop, visit a supermarket, go to the bank or order a pizza.

Drawing on 17 industry-specific surveys from the past year — including research into restaurants, hardware stores, broadband providers, phone companies and utilities — these are what shoppers say are the seven deadly sins of customer service.

7. Not paying attention to customers

No one likes to be ignored, but it can be especially infuriating if you’re about to hand over your hard-earned money. This can be a common scene in cafes, where staff need to serve customers while making coffee, or in electronics stores, where sales assistants need to juggle one customer who might want a $2000 TV and another who wants a $50 toaster. No prizes for guessing who gets priority.

Canstar Blue spokeswoman Megan Doyle said businesses should not be prepared to leave customers unattended for more than a minute or so.

“Some big chains may not realise the amount of money that walks out the door because customers are not prepared to waste their time,” she said.

Customer gripe: “Too many sales staff ask if you are OK, but then don’t want to serve you.”

6. Keeping customers waiting too long

Even worse than being ignored is being left to wait. We’ve all been there: being put on hold, twiddling your thumbs while a product is being tracked down “out the back” or wondering why your dinner order is taking an eternity to reach the table.

“Unless you’re really satisfied with your order, the length of time you waited could be the overriding memory you take away with you,” Mrs Doyle said.

Customer gripe: “No one brought me a menu or asked to take my order, nor came anywhere near me. I left on that occasion.”

Business owners, leave a customer alone for a few minutes and don’t be surprised if you see this.

5. Lack of product or service knowledge

Surely, it’s not too much to ask for staff to know about the products they are trying to sell. A common complaint from customers is that sales staff are often too young and don’t know what they are talking about.

“It’s easy to forgive a lack of knowledge, but sometimes a shop assistant might try to wing it and in doing so could waste even more of your time — being sent to the wrong aisle, for example,” Mrs Doyle said.

Customer gripe: “They don’t always have the product knowledge they pretend to have. They’re unhelpful and don’t have the imagination to solve even simple problems.”

4. Being pushy and upselling

Sometimes, the suggestion of complementary products is helpful, but most of the time the salesperson is pushing their luck. We’re happy to be asked, “Would you like fries with that?” if we’ve bought a burger. But we tend to get testy if we’re asked, “Would you like an extended warranty with that burger?”

“Some people won’t want to be approached or asked questions, while others might as well have a sign on their forehead saying ‘please come and sell me things’. It’s important that shop assistants are able to differentiate between the two and adjust their approach accordingly, otherwise they risk annoying customers and they might not see them again,” Mrs Doyle said.

Customer gripe: “The staff are lazy and they try to get you to purchase things you don’t need or try and get you another product. I went in for a TomTom (GPS) and the girl was trying to sell me a garment.”

Eyes on the task at hand, please.

3. Being unhelpful or giving the impression you don’t care

This complaint surfaces often when you call your internet or energy supplier with a fault. A common experience is that the call centre staff is would rather follow a script than address the issue at hand. The ultimate insult is being passed from pillar to post, having to repeat yourself over and over to different representatives.

“People can end up feeling like they’re not being heard. Getting straight answers to straight questions should not be too much to ask, but unfortunately it often is,” Mrs Doyle said.

Customer gripe: “They couldn’t care less about customer service. They don’t let you know if there is a better deal, they will just let you pay the higher rate. Arrogant and unsympathetic. You can be on the phone up to three hours when you have a problem with your bill.”

2. Breaking promises or giving false information

One of customers’ biggest bugbears is the feeling that they have been misled. This can include being misquoted or being told the wrong thing about a product or service.

“Another common complaint is that consumers find contradictions between what they are told on the phone and what they learn in store. This seems to be most prevalent with some mobile phone service providers,” Mrs Doyle said.

Customer gripe: “If they are having a special it should be known so that the customer has a better experience than having to tell the sales people what the price is.”

1. Being rude to customers

This is the big one. While Canstar Blue research shows slow service is the most common complaint, customers rate rude behaviour as the most serious offence. According to shoppers, there is no excuse for rude, arrogant or unhelpful behaviour, whether it is expressed in tone of voice, body language or a general unhelpful attitude.

“This is a common criticism of young staff in particular and although some of them might point the finger at other people for being equally rude, the customer — as they say — is always right,” Mrs Doyle said.

Customer gripe: “They treated me extremely badly when I needed help with my brand new, expensive computer. They were also rude and dismissive.”

A bad experience with a call centre can provoke white, hot fury.

Mrs Doyle said the message for businesses was that customer service was just as important as providing a good product.

“You will remember poor service a long time after you forget how much you paid for something,” Mrs Doyle said.

“It’s never been more important for businesses to get their customer service spot on. The digital age is forcing companies to up their game as social media has the power to tarnish a reputation and brand in the blink of an eye, yet some are still not getting the message.”

It’s not all bad news, however. Canstar Blue has rated which companies are getting customer service right, from a range of industries, which you can view on their website.

What’s your worst customer experience? Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ