Where Has All The Service Gone?

Posted by Michael Reagan

on Tuesday, October 21, 2008

When was the last time you called a company and were not greeted by a computer? Over the last five years, companies have spent millions of dollars in high tech voice recognition software systems so they don't have to speak to you. These systems are pretty sophisticated. They work well most of the time so long as you know what and how to say what you want. Don't try to hit the zero button for the operator anymore, They disabled that function long ago! The funny thing is, how many times have you jumped through the hoops, pressed all the buttons like a good caller, only to have to repeat all the information again to a live agent?

Companies have also spent millions in outsourcing their customer service call centers to India and other countries. It's funny, it's cheaper to call Internationally than it is to call another state now. Sure they speak "English", but have you ever tried to complete a tech support phone call when all the agent can keep saying to you is "Yes! Very Good Now! I am pleased to hear that!". After the 10th time, the statement begins to lose its sincerity and charms.

The same thing happens in retail stores or other companies. You ask to speak to a supervisor and you have to at times re-explain yourself over and over again until you get to the person that makes the decisions. What happens in all of these cases? FRUSTRATION!

Imagine what would happen if you made yourself accessible to your customer or your employees? When companies and managers grow, we begin a climb to the ranks of success. When this happens, many people and companies begin to shield themselves from the genuinue rank and file that got them there in the first place.In these tighter economic times, imagine how much more business you could keep, or get, if you were right there in the customers face, ready to solve the problem the moment an issue arose? You would impress that customer right away! Go a step further and imagine a company that you called, would have an operator answer the call, and immediately directed you to the department you needed! Sure, you might sit on hold a moment or two longer. But how nice would that feel to not have to repeat yourself to a voice recognition system over and over and over again. It would be like 1982 all over again. Have you ever thought, The more connected we become, The more disconnected we become from each other?