Have
you been aggravated by the customer service experience by the last
time? Read the second half of this two-part series on getting what you
want from customer service.
If you’ve already read Part 1 of “Battling with Customer Service: How
to Win the War,” congratulations! You’re halfway to becoming a pro.
Follow these last five steps and you’ll be on track to bending the
minds of customer service representatives everywhere. Without further
ado…
6. Don’t drink and dial.
It seems like a good idea at first; the mind says no, but the six-pack
says yes. You’ve had a great relationship for years. Why throw it all
away over a silly dispute? You decide to pick up that phone, one last
time, and see if they realize what they’re missing. Has this logic ever
worked? Here’s a hint: no. Calling customer service in an obviously
altered state of mind will cause your pleas to fall on deaf, yet
slightly amused, ears. If you want customer service to take a complaint
or concern seriously, save the six-pack for when you call your ex.
7. Call during off-hours.
Yes, hold music is corporate America’s version of water torture. To
keep your sanity intact, try calling during off-hours. What are
off-hours, you ask? If Company X has 24x7 customer service, try calling
after 10pm. If not, try calling Tuesday-Thursday between 10am-8pm or
any time on Sunday.
8. Don’t call a “special number.”
The blog of a spurned employee, a news station, or a radio show might
give you some kind of “secret” and “internal” number to Company X. They
may claim it will eliminate hold time. Oftentimes, these “special
numbers” are specifically for field technicians or an obscure
department that cannot handle the concern. Call the main customer
service number and pick the correct department. The towering inferno
that is the Voice Response Unit may mistake your spoken request to “pay
a bill in Iowa” for “cancelling all services immediately in
Connecticut,” but simply stating “agent” to the VRU may get you to a
real, live person. If “agent” does not work, try similar terms such as
“operator,” “representative,” “customer service,” “parasite from the
nether world,” or “spawn of Satan.”
9. Escalate, but only if necessary.
If there’s no light at the end of a bleak tunnel, ask for a supervisor;
however, do not immediately ask for management if you were mishandled
on a previous call. Customer service representatives undergo weeks of
training and, oftentimes, are more familiar with current customer
issues than their supervisors. Supervisors are there to ensure that
customer service representatives are doing their jobs; it is the job of
the customer service representative to handle your call and concern.
10. Carefully consider contacting outside regulatory authorities.
If absolutely necessary, contact the Federal Communications Commission,
established in 1934 to regulate communications by wire, cable,
satellite, radio, and television. Complaints to the FCC are taken
seriously and will be handled at Company X by a department well trained
on their rules and regulations. Due to the escalated nature of this
department, they may have higher hold times and more restricted hours
of operation than regular customer service. If you’ve been completely,
hideously, utterly, and unforgivably wronged, feel free to call a
regulatory organization. If you’d like to voice a complaint, but do not
need any further action taken regarding your concern, call or e-mail
the company itself.
If you follow these ten tips, the balance may swing in your favor. May the customer service workforce be with you.
