We started discussing the epic fail of AT&T customer service over here in part 1, and continued in part 2.
Let’s finish up our list.
INAPPROPRIATE UPSELLING
It’s day 5 of my outage and I’m on my last call with AT&T to verify that a tech would, in fact, show up at my house, after having to cancel my participation in my martial arts class and any other activity I’d planned, because who knew when – and if – a tech would actually show up?
Plus, I'm getting very, very irritated at 1) the really bad hold music and 2) being repeatedly nagged about texting and driving.
Plus, I'm getting very, very irritated at 1) the really bad hold music and 2) being repeatedly nagged about texting and driving.
So, on Saturday, I am one seriously pissed off and unhappy customer. I have mentioned in this call and the one the night before that I am now comparison shopping alternatives to AT&T Uverse because of this incident. I am a customer with one foot out the door.
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| Why yes, I've completely failed to serve you! Would you be interested in giving me more money? |
So, what does the CSR try to do as the call is ending?
She tries to upsell me into buying cable and land line service.
I'm not kidding.
So, hey, here's an idea - instead of trying to sell me more services why not offer me something to prevent me from comparison shopping and dropping your service completely?
I’m not blaming the CSR as an individual – she’s obviously measured and rewarded on upselling products and services.
She apparently has zero incentive to placate me or see things from my point of view or attempt to prevent me from looking elsewhere for service – she has an upsell quota to meet. Her needs and AT&T's needs are what's most important, not mine. AT&T is her boss, not me.
Yesterday (Wednesday) a communication arrived at my house from AT&T. Was it an apology for the outage, and a confirmation of the credit I would receive as a result?
Ha! Ha! As if! Nope, it was yet another attempt to upsell me into more services - a special offer of discounts on additional services.
Well, that's an other piece of mail for the recycling bin. Thanks, AT&T.
LESSON LEARNED: AFTERMATH OF AN EPIC FAIL
After this Adventure in Customer Service, I say that AT&T, with all of their money, process, and training, is failing in providing excellent customer service in an epic way.
In every interaction with me, AT&T put their needs ahead of mine. They put words ahead of deeds. They demonstrated that their so-called “caring” about me is a joke, as they did not understand or seem to want to understand what I really needed from them.
In every interaction with me, AT&T put their needs ahead of mine. They put words ahead of deeds. They demonstrated that their so-called “caring” about me is a joke, as they did not understand or seem to want to understand what I really needed from them.
I know, should anybody at AT&T read this, that my words are falling on deaf ears. After all, I’m one tiny customer and won't miss me when I'm gone.
No, I'm using this experience to try to make myself a better servant to my clients - and you can, too.
No, I'm using this experience to try to make myself a better servant to my clients - and you can, too.
As small business people, customer service – really good customer service – can be our edge when competing against the big guys, who have superior resources, budgets, and sometimes cheaper prices than we do. I do not believe it requires steeply discounting your services nor does it take an investment in a huge customer service apparatus to deliver excellent customer service.
Just ask yourself – am I putting my company’s needs ahead of my customer’s? How can I discover what my customer really needs from me and deliver it? Am I treating their time and money with the respect it deserves? Do my actions match my words?
Am I asking my customers to solve problems I should be solving for them? To me, this is the key point, the essence of customer service – don’t ask customers to solve problems you should be solving! That is why they pay you!
None of us are perfect, and we will fail, at some point, to deliver what we promise, sometimes in situations beyond our control. How do we handle that fail – how do we make the customer feel more confidence in us after mistakes, rather than less? How can we turn a fail into a win?
None of us are perfect, and we will fail, at some point, to deliver what we promise, sometimes in situations beyond our control. How do we handle that fail – how do we make the customer feel more confidence in us after mistakes, rather than less? How can we turn a fail into a win?
Look at yourself, and your business, every day, and answer these questions honestly.
Go out there and provide excellent customer service.
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