Opinion

Customer disservice

Topping the list of my favourite customer disservices is the greeting of "Yes?", and since I seem always to be at the hands of a monopoly when I encounter this I've yet to respond "No!". I will one day. An advertisement in The Herald on Saturday inviting applications to work as a mystery shopper has reminded me of the "Yes?", given that as such a shopper I'd be, according to the ad, evaluating and commenting on customer service.

Revenge would be sweet. Giving priority to incoming phone calls while I wait, and especially when the call is taken while I'm being served, would be another of my targets. The prospect of dobbing on staff who lick their fingers as they wrap has me champing at the bit, and going somewhere else if it's a sandwich shop. Waving towards the general vicinity with the comment that "if we have it in stock it will be over there" must cost retailers business, and unbelievably it seems often to be the business owner or manager who does the waving. It's only mildly less disconcerting than ignoring me, and a fellow in the mystery shopping industry tells me this failure to acknowledge is one of the most common problems. It's a good business that can afford to see the customer as a nuisance!

Of course not all my faves involve people at the coal face. When my call as an existing customer to big business is transferred to someone overseas I vow to change my service provider at next opportunity - the big business dealt with me in Australia to sell me its product, and once I've handed over my money the big business bustles me off to people I would never have dealt with!

At least these call centre people overseas don't call me love, and I recall still Virgin call centre staff in Australia referring to me as bigfella.

What are your favourite customer disservices?

Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 17/05/2010 5:44:00 PM | Comments (64)

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Date: Newest first | Oldest first

Maybe the Virgin staff only made the comment after you went through the new full body x-ray?

Posted by Trixi, 18/05/2010 10:09:45 AM, on The Herald

What annoys me as much as being ignored by shop assistants is the reverse, "how are you,how has your day been so far, what do you have planned for the week end, it's such a lovely day have a great week end" & all this in the one breath!! this especially applies to Coles & Woolworths check out teenagers, I realise they are doing their job like little robots, BUT I just want to pay for the goods & get out!! not have mindless chit chat.

Posted by Ashlyn, 18/05/2010 10:11:20 AM, on The Herald

"there you go mate". I am not their mate.

Posted by dazzling, 18/05/2010 10:23:33 AM, on The Herald

Ashlyn - I agree. That inane chatter is so irritating, I can barely contain my rage. I am always surprised to see retail sales staff (usually in big department stores) walking the floor, rearranging stock on tables, moving things from A to B ~ ANYTHING to avoid actually TALKING to a customer. How do their managers allow them to think that moving stock around is MORE important thans SELLING the stock, or, at the very least -attempting to HELP a customer? In previous businesses, I have refused to let salespeople remane themselves as "account executives", or "representatives" or any other euphemistic title. They are S A L E S P E O P L E. No sales = no job. Easy. If you don't like it, leave. If you do like it, and you're good at it, I'll make you wealthy. Very few people could handle it, sadly.....

Posted by Abundance, 18/05/2010 10:45:59 AM, on The Herald

It will keep happening as long as people don't complain. Speak up, or send a complaint to the company's website. The responses can be amazing at times.

Posted by moron, 18/05/2010 10:46:08 AM, on The Herald

I try to avoid going to Woolworths at Mayfield as it seems to be the centre of the vortex of white trash - and it makes me worry about Australia's future. However when I do, there are two checkout chicks I avoid queueing at because of their annoying greetings and inane chatter that comes out. I like politeness and the general kindness of retail staff asking after my welfare, however that's pretty much where I want the dialogue to end. Let's face it do they really want to know about my life?

Posted by leahkf, 18/05/2010 10:46:11 AM, on The Herald

I recently got a "have a nice day" at 11.30pm at the supermarket recently

Posted by stevo106, 18/05/2010 10:50:39 AM, on The Herald

I thought i was just a whinger and probably am when i bring this subject up ,thanks for the opportunity to bleat Jeff. The switch of attention to the phone rather than serve a customer face to face has got to be my most despised discourteous act ,but somehow the retail world seems to allow. Another is the greeting ,HOW ARE YOU, but keep asking for your order without a chance to reply. And dont get me started on ,hows your day been so far.When the hell did the word cheers enter our vocab as the prefered send off.I had a pommy barman serve me in sydney about 20 years ago and as he handed me my change said CHEERS,i thought how unique. Now every tom dick and harriot say it to say goodbye,thanks whatever strikes.There ive had my say.Cheers.

Posted by horse, 18/05/2010 11:12:48 AM, on The Herald

And well said horse! I have a flash of irritation when I'm greeted with "how are we?".

Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/05/2010 11:40:41 AM

my all time favourite is the lady at the servo who has dirty finger nails and greasy hair. she is always out the back having a quick ciggy and whenever she is on duty the place smells like smoke and cheap air freshener. she is always coughing into her hands and then picking up my drink, placing the coughed on hand completely over the top of my drink as she scans it. i always replace it on my way out. the money she handles would also be germinated.... one time she had cut herself and was bleeding everywhere while trying to serve customers. the band aid had become that bloodied it was coming off. i have stopped attending this place when she is serving. i also loath being called buddy, dude or pal.

Posted by judgedredd, 18/05/2010 11:16:15 AM, on The Herald

.on similar subject i despise sales people knocking on my front door.. i don't care what they are selling i am not going to hear them out.. do they think i sit in my living room thinking " i feel like a pizza , i hope someone from dominos knocks on my door." an even worse variety of unwanted sales is the shopping centre pest. hovering around doorways etc waiting to sign you up for useless products like roof painting or save the whales.

Posted by catl, 18/05/2010 11:26:45 AM, on The Herald