Has anyone ever sent you an E-mail that seemed like they forgot you were a living person? Have you ever gone to a store and felt like you weren’t a person? Just a number like at the deli, or the automobile tag office? It seems like we have been completely tokenized, even in social interactions we are now a screen name. At the root of customer service, people who are interacting with people must treat those people like they would wish to be treated. However, in our “Race to the Bottom,” as Seth Godin so cleverly calls it, we have dehumanized interactions with other people in favor of a better price, and a lack of reliability from the product.
I was so surprised during my collegiate studies of businesses during my endeavor to get my marketing degree
. Companies spend a fortune on getting new customers. Only to have them fall out the other side due to lack of systems in training humanity. Often I was told the goal was to increase profitability, not to focus on the customer’s value exchange. Instead of encouraging people to believe it’s the optimal brand to purchase and to believe they can count on that store or company to get the product they need. In such an economy it seems easy to see why online companies are destroying brick and mortar stores, leading to a cataclysm of people in the lower economic strata bother working in the physical stores as well as the principal customer shopping at them, leading to a group of customers that are just waiting to revolt and go to the competition, which ironically is often just across the street.
I don’t favor negative stories, but these are real-life examples
I was at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for my son. I saw a 2-liter bottle of soda, and it was on sale. Not even a great price. But, I figured my kids would love it. She proceeded to ask me for my membership card. I gave her my phone number. She tried two numbers, and I finally said. Let’s skip the card I’ll just pay the sales price. I was very polite and careful not to be offensive. She said you couldn’t have the sales price without the card. She put the soda behind the counter and said, next customer, please.
Today, I went to a drive through. The same one I went to on Saturday and the allowed a substitution without hesitation for a less expensive product. When I asked to do the substitution that was done without hesitation, she said no problem come on up to the window. When I got to the window, I was told that the sauce that was included with my product would cost an extra quarter, which I didn’t even question. Furthermore, they wouldn’t do the substitution. I said, “I understand, but they did it Saturday?” She replied, “it wasn’t this location.” The receipt I had Saturday showed the substitution. Furthermore, it was at the same store, and I didn’t appreciate being called a liar.
Why even bother to pretend we will leave?
A few years ago, I was disgusted with the local cable carrier. I was extremely mad, and I told them. The person on the other end of the phone informed me that I had no choice. If I didn’t like it, I had no other options. I said what will you do when there is competition. He said then maybe we will care, but right now you’re stuck. I was very angry, but I held my cool and said thank you for your time. I found out that he was right. I couldn’t even get satellite where I was. So I called back and canceled cable, but was stuck using them for the internet. I realized my extra $40/month didn’t change their bottom line one bit, and they are still crankin’ along, but I had no choice.
Not but a couple of months later, I was talking to a coaching client about the service issues I was having with my cell phone. He said you wouldn’t change carriers. You’re just gonna take what they offer and like it… I researched it and found another company contracts with them for much less money. I called the big company, and instead of letting me quit, they simply gave me a bigger discount than the other company would offer. I felt like I was kicked in the teeth, and my coaching customer was like, I would take what they gave me, and I was going to like it. Tough life.
I did make a change, at least this one
I was with an insurance company for eight years, I had platinum discounts, and when I had a claim, they handled it right away. When I called and asked them for additional discounts because their competitor with almost the same exact product was way less expensive. They said we don’t price match. Even know their ads are based on the fact they are already the cheapest. I reminded them I never got so much as a thank you card. They said well sir, we sell insurance not thank you cards. I canceled with them and went with the competition. Weeks later I received email, after email, telling me they could beat the competitor’s price. I was truly insulted and will hesitate to use them again, even know they are a great company.
What have I learned?
At the end of the day, the company that takes the time to realize it’s not about price will win the business of anyone who is completely frustrated with the products of the lower echelon. Simply, when I was tired of dealing with bags that didn’t have drawstrings, I bought ones that had them. When I’m tired of being a number, I will need to either start ordering online, or I will need to find a boutique mom and pop store where they know my name. In either event, the status quo just won’t continue to appease my needs.