"Customer Services"

[John_Hartley]

One of the family members I'm taking on my next trip to Ieper is registered disabled (can't walk too far).

So, I thought, I need to get in touch with the ferry company to see if I need to make arrangements to use the lift and to see we can park near to it.

P & O's website declares "A quick and easy way to get in touch is via email. Send us your questions using our support and feedback form and we will respond within 24 hours".

So sent I them the question. Did they respond within 24 hours? Or even at all? Course not.

So I sent them another email. And a third (stroppy this one was).

Still no reply.

So this morning I used the good old-fashioned telephone. Spoke to a real person. Who said words very similar to "Why are you ringing us? This has already been noted on your booking. Weeks ago!"

I said words very similar to "How am I supposed to know this if you don't tell me? Even when you get two chase-up emails. One of which is stroppy."

But what really worries is the "customer services" person then said that there would be nothing to worry about. Hah!

Anyone want to take a bet that (1) there is no record of this when I get to Dover (2) we are parked as far away from the lift as its possible to be and (3) the lift won't be working - leaving the elderly and infirm relative to spend most of the crossing climbing up & down the stairs.

John

[PhilB]

These people value your phone calls and e-mails, John. They are really important to them. They told me so endless times last time I was waiting for them to answer my call. Phil B

[Papineau]

When you check in you will be given a special sticker which will be displayed on your window hanger; you will also be sent to park in a seperate lane. From here the port staff will direct you onto the ferry first, and then they should direct you to park close to one of the lifts. I have known one lift to not work, but never two; and there is in addition a seperate crew lift which they should allow you to use if all the lifts are indeed out of commission.

I agree that they should have replied to your emails, but I am sure it will run smoothly for you when at the port. At least, I hope so.

[Moonraker]

Previously I've ranted about problems I've had with banks and building societies over my mother's finances, and I won't repeat these, but my impression of contacts with customers services, whether by phone, email or snailmail, is that they're staffed by people trained to act as automatons, not to use any initiative, and not to concede for one moment that their organisation could be at fault. PayPal didn't distinguish itself recently when I had trouble registering my new Visa card, but HP (the computer people) is very quick and helpful, if a little over effusive.

Moonraker

[squirrel]

John, did you ask for the name of the "customer services person" you spoke to?

Just waiting for the final confirmation from a large well known gas supplier that my complaint has been sorted regarding a boiler repair that took six weeks. Finally wrote to the Chairman of the group they belong to; he replied by return saying I would be hearing from the chap designated to invstigate the matter and reslolve it. His first contact was to leave a message on the answering machine to tell me he was going on holiday and would contact me on his return!

[andigger]

Hey... its not Norfolk Lines... as I recall they were removed from the list last time.

Andy

BTW... I am a stickler for good customer service. This weekend I had a wine shop owner tell me I was the most annoying customer he had because I expected to return unopened bottles from an event according to the policies on his receipt. He didn't care what his documented return policy was it was what he felt like doing at the moment. I love a good fight like this, cause I will get my $20.18 back. Updates to follow....

[Dragon]

Hello John

I had no problem with arrangements working out when travelling abroad on mainland Europe (to the Alps)with an elderly disabled person, even though there were times when I could have lost my normal calm because third parties seemed not to be responding with the urgency which I thought my requests demanded. It's generally because it's not at all an unusual situation and they have procedures which work. I can understand your frustration at hearing nothing.

However, advanced planning helps a lot and I had some helpful conversations with Radar to sort out some practicalities (like the use of blue badges). Some countries in mainland Europe are not as conscientious as the UK is in their provision for people with limited mobility.

Apologies if you already know this; I'm aware you plan ahead meticulously.

(Just an observation: isn't the Tunnel much much easier for people who struggle with stairs? No need to leave the car...)

In fact, the absence of marmalade was one of the most difficult problems to resolve and I would advise anyone travelling with an elderly passenger to pop a couple of mini-pots in one's suitcase. It's a generation thing, I think.

Gwyn

[John_Hartley]

Pals

My rant was particularly directed at the the company's statement that they would respond within 24 hours and then them failing to do so.

Papineau - thanks for the explanation. Very helpful to understand the practicalities - I can now explain it to the rellie.

John

[Guest Simon Bull]

In my experience at lest 50% of the time persons with job titles which include the words "customer" and "service" are actually there to ensure you do not get service. I had major problems with my almost brand new car recently, (new brake disks and clutch on car done less than 8,000 miles) and the so-called customer service person I had to deal with at the manufacturers was quite plainly on a target to reject as many warranty claims as possible. After a long list of spurious reasons why they should not pay under warranty and a repeated implication (which I deeply resented) that I had damaged the car in some way, I asked her the direct question whether her pay was linked to how many claims were rejected and she refused to answer in a manner which said it all. I won in the end, but a less determined person or someone with less knowledge of their legal rights would have given up.

[FAAAEd]

I agree that they should have replied to your emails, but I am sure it will run smoothly for you when at the port. At least, I hope so.

Let us just hope that it does not smack into the terminal when docking (a la Red Funnel).

[Moonraker]

I wonder if companies take into account the adverse effects of inefficient or obstructive "customer services" on their image, especially now that consumers are able to rant and name names on the Internet. Abbey is frequently mentioned in the financial pages as having poor admin, and I've had a double dose of this myself, the second case involving its "Customer Account Service Excellence"; after I had got the matter resolved, I received a bland letter confirming all was now in order, but no apology.

On the other hand, when I pointed out to Bristol & West that it had sent me an erroneous tax certificate it rang me up to apologise and thank me for pointing it out - and this was during the "twilight" period between Christmas Day and the New Year.

When a friend's new Tiny PC had a problem with a floppy disk drive, the shop was most unhelpful - just at the time that I was considering where to buy a computer - so I didn't go there. A year later, Tiny and its chain of shops went bust - no wonder, I thought, as they frequently featured near the bottom of customer satisfaction charts.

Moonraker

[CarylW]

I reached the conclusion some time ago that to get any complaint about customer service attended to in the UK one needs to be a pain in the b..., or a thorn in their side that does not go away and since I'm not someone who is bolshie by nature (unless I'm terribly vexed), or finds it easy to complain I do find this quite hard to do, but I'm learning fast!!

I don't know how Americans feel about their standard of customer service, but I came back from the US with the feeling that we could learn a lot from them

Have a nice day!

Caryl

[Paul Nixon]

It's been a while since I've experienced UK customer service (from UK customer service people in UK customer service departments) but my memory says that it's a whole lot better than Indian customer service which seems to be either non existent in the industries where you need some assistance (utilities, banks, post offices, telephone companies etc) or completely over-the-top in others (restaurants and shops). Ironic really that so many of the youngsters here gravitate towards call centres. Perhaps in time the manners of the population as a whole will see some improvement.

[squirrel]

Unlikely if my experience of call centres from the sub continent are anything to go by. They are very good at talking but they don't give you a chance to answer a question except with a yes or no and they have an inate inability to listen. Perhaps they should swap with the ones in the hotels/restaurants?

[andigger]

Actually continuing to read through this thread Eddie has a good point. For all the times we bitch and moan about how this customer no-service agent didn't treat us with respect have we ever taken the time when we get treated better than we expected to tip the person a little more, or take the commendations to their supervisor?

Negatives are easy to broadcast, but we shouldn't forget to reward and acknowledge those who do their jobs and more.

Andy

[Jim Clay]

Hear hear, Andy & Eddie.

Bad customer service deserves to be criticised and broadcast, but it's perhaps too rare for really good service to be adequately acknowledged.

My beloved works in a "customer-orientated" job, and puts up, day after day with the ignorant, rude, ungrateful "customers" she has to deal with. She always treats them with courtesy - even when she is allowed, because of their behaviour, to put the phone down on them. (And she lets me know what ****s she's had to deal with ... )

But her day is made when a customer says, sincerely, thank you for your help/courtesy/etc.

As in all walks of life, and as I say when driving, courtesy, and acknowledgement of courtesy, cost NOWT but make the living/driving/whatever experience that bit more bearable.

Saint Jim

[squirrel]

Some organisations don't have a procedure for passing on comments on good service. They have a procedure, telephone numbers, addresses etc. for dealing with complaints, but try to find out how to get a commendation passed on and it confuses them.

One company I dealt with years ago told me to contact the Chairman and the message would be passed down the line. I wrote to him and the the person in question was sent a copy of my letter, a message from the Chairman and a letter from his Line Manager.

[John_Hartley]

Dear Saint Jim

I promise that I will be as quick to praise as & when the opportunity arises.

Before the Probation Service and I jointly decided that our best interests were served by us following separate paths, I was keen to encourage the idea that there should be temporary secondments between the admin staff working in our field offices and those working on the "help desk". I felt it was the only way of understanding the problems on the "other end of the phone line".

Never caught on. Too much vested interest in whinging I think.

John

[andigger]

Some organisations don't have a procedure for passing on comments on good service.

Mr Squirrel

Unfortunately you are right, but telling someone they did a good job doesn't require a proper procedure. If you ask for their supervisor and in front of the person say, 'I just wanted to point how helpful X was, she didn't have to give me all that extra info, but because she did I now know what my options are."

Ok, this is a cheesy example, but we all like praise and even if a compliment can't be officially recorded just saying they did a great job can halp make someone's day.

Andy

[Dragon]

Bad customer service deserves to be criticised and broadcast, but it's perhaps too rare for really good service to be adequately acknowledged. ...

I’m glad you said that, Jim, because it’s too easy to forget that the anonymous people whom one might be tempted to abuse are humans with feelings, private lives, personal problems and all sorts of things going on. They might well disagree with the company policy but just have to get on with carrying it out. In almost any job, if someone is rude, critical or aggressive, you carry it with you for the rest of the day and it eats away at your self-esteem.

Workplaces can be extremely destructive and people’s mental health in almost all workplaces is under stress from our culture. It is under pressure at considerable cost to our UK GNP. A lot of employers simply dismiss mental health as something to which they pay lip-service (simply having a Policy as part of HR’s defence strategy) and don’t offer any training or support on handling stress. Though I have never been in a customer-facing environment, apart from being a Saturday girl in a shop, I always remind myself that however annoyed I am, I have no idea whether the person at the end of the phone line is close to her or his breaking point and I would never wish to be the cause of the moment when someone’s crumple button was pressed once too often.

I can distinguish between the possible temporary relief of being rude to someone at the end of the phone line (after which I’d feel awful) and the construction of an effective letter in which I can calmly consider what I want to achieve and argue for it persuasively. A good letter can depersonalise a complaint to the point at which it becomes someone’s job to sort it out rather than an attack on an individual. I’m not sanctimonious, but I really believe I get much more from people by being constructive and appreciative rather than belligerent. However, I would have to admit to having wept copiously down the phone when a recent on-going situation with a travel insurer’s scepticism just became too much.

I always make a point of engaging with people, thanking them by name when I’m pleased with the outcome of a phone call or when I realise they’ve done their best. It costs me nothing.

Mind’s report on Stress and Mental Health in the Workplace (2005), here, to which I think I contributed data, is a sober read for employers, employees and anyone who thinks that arguing for workplace mental health care is just providing refuge for the weak.

Gwyn

[andigger]

They might well disagree with the company policy but just have to get on with carrying it out.

This is true... but to make a counter argument I don't think its the people that are only enforcing company policy that most of us have an issue with. Its those who have the wrong attitude about work and the service they are providing. For example - my nightly bus ride home has the most abusive driver I've seen in a while. He drives well above speed, never stops at the stop but several yards down. He has been known to more than once stop in traffic rather than at the curb and to take the cake he refused to lower the bus when an elderly woman struggled to make it down the steps. This is the customer no service that needs to be dealt with.

Andy

[CarylW]

I always make a point to thank those who have been helpful, or have gone out of their way to help me. I was brought up to be polite. 'Manners cost nowt' as my Lancashire granny always said. That's why I find it hard to complain about anything. Usually I grin and bear it but recently have had several cases where I have stuck to my guns, without being rude and have then obtained either an apology or financial recompense. There are ways of being a pain in the b...and a thorn in the side of the companies concerned without being rude to the staff

I agree, there should be some system in place for individual companies where those who are helpful and kind above and beyond the call of duty are recognised. Sadly, I haven't come across many lately.

For those who are rude and unhelpful they should not be in that job or should have better training in customer relations after all most of them represent services that we are paying for and if they can't do the job they are being paid to do then there are plenty of unemployed who would be grateful for a job (plenty wouldn't but that is a different issue)

Is it wrong to expect good service and complain when we don't have this? The service problems from the company themselves are not the fault of those on the helpdesk or in customer service, I do realise this and for those who are helpful I have thanked them as I mentioned and have often said "Look I know this isn't your fault personally but I need to get this sorted"

I'm not always 100% happy with AOL but when I recently had problems and had to contact their helpdesk I had three different people on separate occasions all with Asian accents very slowly and patiently talk me through everything repeatedly because I kept getting the wrong end of the stick!

After a problem of this sort AOL send out a customer report via e-mail to make sure we are happy with the service. I made sure I replied with glowing praise for those who had been so patient and helpful - I hope I made their day!

Caryl

[angelab]

One of the family members I'm taking on my next trip to Ieper is registered disabled .... Anyone want to take a bet that (1) there is no record of this when I get to Dover (2) we are parked as far away from the lift as its possible to be ...

Just to go back to your question, John.

It's very important when you get to the P&O check-in-kiosk at Dover (the point where you hand your ticket) to mention the fact that you need to be near a lift when you get on board.

Even if you haven't got a special pass or anything, this is the point at which they will tell you go into a special lane, and will probably tell you to put your emergency flashers on as well. Then when loading begins, the marshalls take people from that queue as and when a space becomes available on the car deck near the lift.

I haven't had to do this myself, but I often observe people in these special lanes. My father requested this service for a ferry crossing on several occasions as he had difficulty with stairs but wasn't officially registered disabled.

Angela

[Moonraker]

My parents share a savings policy and I've asked that correspondence be sent to my father and to me (I have enduring power of attorney for my mother). "Our systems will only allow for one correspondence address" was the reply; so how come one day last month they sent a letter to my mother at her former address, followed the next day by a different letter to both my parents at my address?

Moonraker

[John_Hartley]

Pals

In spite of my earlier rant, the actual boarding procedure worked exactly as others described it would be. Everything was fine. Both ways.

John