Good service is good business. ~ Siebel Ad

There are many places I would go to where I am become immune to the type of customer service I receive because of the lack of it. I don’t expect a smile, a warm welcome or being validated as a customer because well…. it rarely happens. I would not say that I do to a particular store because I am overwhelmed by how great their customer service is but merely because it is a service I need and there is no alternative of where else I can get that service from.

So I recently hit a snug when trying to purchase some stuff online and I had to contact customer service department to have my issue resolved. My initial reaction was utter dread because of the underwhelming services I have experienced in Zambia and as such this gave me the jitters but I gave them the benefit of a doubt because they were not in Zambia. I contacted customer service and I was so impressed with how the customer service rep addressed me and was patient and eager to help me resolve my issue. It was a breath of fresh air knowing that I was valued as a customer and one would take the time to ensure that I was happy and satisfied by the service they are providing. She addressed me by my name, apologised to me when the issue took longer than anticipated and thanked me for waiting as she checked on how to resolve the issue. After that communication, it solidified my loyalty to the company and that I would be using their services more often.

So what is it that has made customer service be so terrible and have companies just accepted to have the worst service ever. Do these companies take advantage of the monopoly they have that they do not care whether the customer is happy or not? I dream of a day where I can be treated with such respect and value in Zambia…I hope that day comes soon.