It felt like the bad customer service started during the pandemic, but it was somewhat understandable back then. People weren’t working, and the supply chain had been massively disrupted. We were all dealing with unprecedented challenges, so we gave businesses a pass on their subpar customer service. But now, in 2023, the supply chain is almost fully restored, yet customer satisfaction seems to have gotten worse.
I want to be clear: I’m not suggesting that people are yelling at me. It’s worse than that. People are just not doing their jobs well. I’m not getting what I ordered, and my dealings with customer service require multiple phone calls. No one seems to have the correct information, vital information is often omitted, and everything takes longer than it should.
This frustrating experience has been especially true in my dealings with Fidelity regarding my mom’s passing and trying to retrieve important documents. However, it’s not limited to Fidelity alone. It’s the bulk of the restaurants I visit, tech giants like Apple, telecommunications companies such as Verizon and T-mobile, financial institutions like Wells Fargo, Southwest Airlines, service at the car dealership, and so many more.
In the last three years, I’ve never walked out of a store or hung up the phone feeling so frustrated and ready to rip my hair out while screaming curse words. It’s like every business has collectively decided to lower their standards to the level of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). What’s ironic is that the DMV, which used to be the butt of tons of jokes, has actually improved. I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences at the DMV in the last couple of years.
It’s not just me; it’s everyone I know. Instead of sitting around and talking about interesting stuff, all we do is complain about how some company has screwed us over.
This represents a massive opportunity for well-managed businesses to step up their daily execution initiatives.
When it comes to customer satisfaction, we always go back to the big three things:
- Clean and inviting environment – for web-based businesses, this translates to an easy-to-navigate website.
- Product Execution – I simply want to receive what I ordered, correctly and promptly.
- Speed of Service – I expect tasks to be completed within an appropriate time frame.
This is the perfect time for businesses that genuinely care about their customers to step up with more robust systems and processes to ensure flawless execution. Remember my complaint isn’t about rude service, it’s about incompetence.
Rome is burning, and the truly smart companies will double down on their daily execution efforts, impressing their customers and gaining new ones through positive word-of-mouth.
At OpsAnalitica, we’ve seen our clients who utilize our platform effectively experience 80 to 90% increases in customer satisfaction, along with sales boosts. Our solution helps teams pay attention to the little details that greatly impact the big three factors of customer satisfaction. It also guides employees through customer interactions, ensuring they know exactly what to do to assist customers effectively.
If you’re interested in learning more about OpsAnalitica and how we can help you steal your competitors’ customers by enhancing your daily execution, schedule a demo today at https://opsanalitica.com/scheduledemo/.
In conclusion, the current state of customer service leaves much to be desired. However, this represents an enormous opportunity for businesses that are willing to prioritize their customers and invest in daily execution. By focusing on the fundamental pillars of customer satisfaction, businesses can differentiate themselves, retain existing customers, and attract new ones. Don’t miss out on this chance to rise above mediocrity and set a new standard for exceptional customer service.