In a quick interview by Barry Moltz, at the BlogWorld Expo, Jen shares her opinions on customer service!

Check it out on Barry’s Blog – B.A.M (Bust a Myth – Delivering Customer Service in A Self-Service World).

As we celebrate (and lament the decline of) the fine art of customer service, we at YSN.com thought it would be fun to ask our friends on Twitter their thoughts about lousy service.  The response came fast and furious – unlike most of the customer service reps these stories illustrate! (Guess we shouldn’t be shocked though.)

In tough economic times like these, it amazes me that so many of the gainfully employed don’t recognize that it is a privilege to be working, not a right.  Those especially in customer service roles should be grateful, not just to those who sign their paychecks, but most importantly, us customers who’s patronage ensures there are jobs to be had in the first place.  There is simply no excuse to be in a role like that and be rude, to ignore customers, not acknowledge they’re standing right in front of you waiting, or to be more focused on conversations with their friends than clients.  I also personally go nuts when service people take their sweet old time or go really slowly when I’m clearly in a rush.  Would they rather I skipped coming in at all?

As a business owner myself, I bristle when I see employees disrespecting the fact that they are representatives of the business they work for, not to mention entrepreneurs or other leaders who’ve probably have had to kill themselves and put their own lives on the line to get the organization to where it is today. It’s so easy to damage a reputation (yours or others), and all of us need to, in my opinion, be a heck of a lot more respectful of that.

So owners, executives, managers, entrepreneurs, employees and especially customer services reps BEWARE….we’re all watching you!!!!

Here’s what we heard about common customer service pet peeves from our friends on twitter.  By the way, if you’re not already following us, I’m @ysnjen and our blog team is @ysn_careersos.

@asinclair12 Waiting forever on the phone to speak to a representative only to get hung up on and have to call back again.

@marketingfails Pull up at the drive-thru, hear a friendly female voice on recording, and getting a depressed “Hello” in a deep baritone male voice.

@vickitruitt Associates that appear annoyed by your very presence. It’s as if providing their services to you is a huge inconvenience. Hate that!

@james_laker When a salesperson says, “it’s the policy” & goes into script & makes no effort to resolve a dispute!

@EntMagazineTan I loathe intentionally circuitous call centers so you’re stuck in “automated” limbo. Verizon, I’m giving you the stink eye!

@DramaFreeLiving I detest sales staff that isn’t knowledgeable about products/services. If I can’t get answers,why should I buy ?

@TarahFeinberg The worst! RT @PhilipNowak: @ysnjen Biggest Customer Svc Pet Peeve: I can’t do that. Let me speak to a mgr. Hold. Mgr app request in 30s.

@trainerLaura My customer service pet peeve is an apathetic reply to a request. The “I’ll do as little as I possibly can” attitude.

@thekimschneider Rude customer service associates. If someone can’t be 100% delightful and work in cust. serv. they shouldn’t choose that job

@marcusclarkus In any service situation coming upon a group of people and they act like you are putting them out when you ask for help or direction

@marcusclarkus When you are being helped and someone excuses themself to take a phone call. Like a ringing phone takes precedent over a live person

@jimmyaungchen@ysnjen pet peeve = indifference / cold voice

@YSN_careersos: Calling for help with technology questions and quickly discovering that I know way more about technology than the customer service rep.  Then being stuck on the phone for 20 or 30 min while they go through a new learning curve.

@EntMagazineKym Blind transfers from call center reps. why should I have to explain my problem over and over as the issue is escalated?

@timjahn When you’re unable to get a hold of the company via any channel

@Stefaniya Any employee of the place where I’m shopping/eating getting served/checked out BEFORE me in line.

@Sue_Anne @PRsarahevans Customer Service hours. CS should be a 24/7 activity. If you close pre-7 pm, that’s bad.

@JeremyMeyers I’d rather have someone who knows what they’re doing not be able to help than someone tell me to reinstall windows.

@LuAnnGlowacz Employees required to use my last name (Mrs. Glowacz): impossible to pronounce. Always painful & annoying.

@JeremyMeyers When someone is quite apparently reading from a script rather than making an honest attempt to help me fix my problem

@ekinsky #1 = lying to me (everything else pales in comparison) #2 = sending me in circles in hopes I’ll give up

@lorirusso Often it feels as if customer service reps are paid to identify obstacles rather than find solutions. Rarely seems like they *want* to help.

@sixstringsnc Indifference, rudeness (of course), condescension, lack of appreciation for my patronage.

@Scottk Walking into a store and not having anyone acknowledge me!

@KatieYSN When 5 people are behind a desk and 20 are in line and no one is paying attention to them.

@JoshuaHoppes Calling a number and getting an automated system machine.  (Within 3 seconds of saying that I actually felt a sense of rage bubbling up inside!)

@MoniquePeltz Calling and speaking to someone who doesn’t speak the language well and is so blatantly reading from a script.

@erbower The “deli experience” – what would you like? 1 lb of turkey. Ok, turkey, how much again?

@chrisandersonis When I am more friendly during the transaction than the customer service representative. It’s the worst when ‘thanks’ is met w/nada.

@lizaweiner Speaking 2 reps who don’t speak English &/or call center connections overseas is poor, difficult 2 hear/understand

@FarfsGirl My biggest customer service pet peeve is when I know they are reading from a script. just answer my questions/solve my problem

@PhilipNowak Sir, I can’t do that. Let me speak to a manager. Hold. Manager approves request in 30 seconds.

@studentforcenow The call being dripped while being transferred from one rep to another ….. I always ask the first rep stay on the phone

@PutFeed A person you either have to flag down, or to the next extreme, need to try to avoid.

@PutFeed Salespeople who flock at your like vultures.  Do I look like a dead body?:P

Have your own pet peeve to share or just get off your chest?  Add it below in comments!  And feel free to pass this article along to your friends or as a hint to someone or some company you think deserves a kick in the customer service pants.

At very least, we hope this article gives us all something to think about.  I also hope that we as customers don’t forget ourselves to be a bit nicer, friendlier, and more patient with those who are actually working hard at their jobs and maybe just are struggling through a rough day of their own.

Customer Service is the lifeblood of any successful company although it never seems to get the publicity it deserves. Happy customers are repeat customers and repeat customers refer new customers. So it stands to reason that focusing on customer service and meeting your customers’ needs, you are actually going to drive new business. All that without the expense of large marketing campaigns with low conversion rates and high overhead costs. Executive’s call this recurring revenue and recognize it is the base for building sustainable revenue streams affectionately called “Cash Cows!” But the point of this blog is not to make you understand why customer service is so important but to offer some tips for effective customer service.

1. Set Clear Expectations During the Sales Cycle – This is one of the most underrated factors in making your customers happy. All too often the sales team sets unrealistic expectations in order to make a sale thereby making it impossible for the customer service team to deliver. To avoid being doomed from the beginning. Sales and customer service should work together to set clear attainable customer expectations increasing the likelihood you meet their expectations and increase the chance the customer is happy with your product.

2. Refund Generously – This tip comes more from experience than the rulebook for business. One of the best ways to calm down an angry customer upset with your product and ready to explode is to refund their money. Not part of it, but a full refund. When offered without resistance, customers become immediately stupefied you’re willing to refund their money without them having to justify why your product stinks and complaining incessantly. Once the shock subsides, they become incredibly grateful. This protects against negative word of mouth and most of the time leads to the customer using your products again. What executives need to understand is the short term loss to the bottom line by refunds is returned tenfold by keeping the customer happy which leads to future business.

3. Track Customer Issues – This one is simple. Learn from your mistakes. If a customer is willing to proactively provide feedback regarding your products and services, you had better be willing to listen and evolve your product to meet the needs of your target market. One of the best sources for new product development can be found by data mining your customer service issues.

4. Proactive vs. Reactive – If you’re doing a product upgrade, re-branding your company or changing your core product line, it’s a great idea to be proactive with your customers. Send them email notices, letters and phone calls to inform them of the changes and collaborate on a transition strategy for them proactively. They will feel like a valued customer and therefore become more understanding as you make the transition yourself if and when issues arise. This also helps establish clear expectations leading to increased customer retention.

5. Be Honest! – The last and probably most important tip for effective customer service is to be honest with your customers. Admit mistakes and provide solutions to their problems. Work with the customers instead of against them. If you are being honest and are committed to resolving their issues, the likelihood of retaining them as customers and building a long term profitable relationships is vastly improved. Plus, not everyone likes to hear the truth, but everyone will definitely respect it!