OUR VIEW: Customers expect quality service

Most everyone has either had the experience or known someone who’s had an unpleasant conversation with a company customer service representative. Whether on the phone or at the store, it’s usually not one of those events looked forward to on a regular basis.

Many companies seem to have forgotten the word “service” is in the phrase customer service.

How many times, when unhappy with a product, warrantee, service or price, does an employee say they’re sorry about what happened but can’t do anything about it. Then, the disgruntled customer has to ask for a manager or superior when the peon employee should have offered to transfer the complaint when he realized he couldn’t help.

Often the employee just sits and stares at the customer – like it’s her fault the store messed up. The fault of an employee or computer malfunction should not rest with the customer. It ought to be the store’s responsibility to remedy the situation as quickly as possible so future incidents won’t occur and the customer will return to do business.

So, for anyone who is now working as a customer service representative or aspire to be one someday, remember there are people just like you on the other line or the other side of the counter – they aren’t trying to make your day horrible, they’re just trying to get their money’s worth. And, you took the job, so live up to your title.