Frustration Abounds When Details Differ Between the Store, Online, and Call Center By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Every two years my family and I upgrade our cell phones. This isn’t because we want the newest model. It’s because we seek the lowest cost. Since each provider offers better deals to new customers than existing ones, […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I received an interesting press release. The headline reads: “Mobile Companies Fail to Meet Customer Service Needs Online” The subhead says: “Comprehensive consumer study reveals that technical issues prevent consumers from accessing the services they want online.” The announcement continues: “U.S. consumers have declared that mobile operators are falling short […]
Unethical Business Practices Hurt Everyone By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD The deluge of phone calls was not how I wanted to start my week. These calls slammed my company’s sales line—with complaints against another company. What unfolded was a revealing look at the ugliness of unethical marketing tactics. Though I haven’t had a fax machine […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I wonder if my local phone company is clueless; it seems that they just don’t get it. By “it,” I mean everything: marketing, pricing, customer retention, technical support, and customer service. Although they are surely aware that they no longer function in a monopoly environment, their actions belie that reality. […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD A few years ago, Internet-centric companies were the next big thing; they were the dot coms! Their basic premise was insightful, if not simplistic. With the pull of the ubiquitous Internet and the support of massive server farms, their business models would be infinitely scalable, while customer service would be […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD A while back, the Connections Magazine sales line was slammed with a phone call— for another company. The calls were from irate individuals trying to call a removal line of the fax service bureau that had sent them faxes. It seems that they had received an unwanted fax solicitation on […]
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I like to order online. Unfortunately, several of my recent e-purchase experiences have fallen short of expectations—providing valuable lessons in the process. The first occurred when ordering a box of books. Upon receiving the email confirmation, I noticed that I had inadvertently ordered forty copies of a different book with an […]
Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD I once read an article whose title espoused the opposite perspective of this post. Perhaps you saw it too. I began reading it, in eager expectation of an enlightening and insightful discourse on the use of IVR (Interactive Voice Response) in the call center. I was soon to be disappointed. Essentially, […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD It was an emotional moment for me. After proudly carrying and using a Shell gasoline credit card for more than 20 years, I canceled it and was in the process of cutting it up. Not that I was angry or upset with Shell, but it no longer made sense to carry […]
By Peter Lyle DeHaan, PhD Does your organization make customer service a priority? I expect that it does. In fact, I suspect that the phrase “customer service” is found somewhere in your mission or vision statement, etched on a wall plaque, proclaimed in your marketing material, and oft orated by upper management. However, as is […]