What The Fuss Is All About

Let’s talk about customer service, shall we?

inmi:

Considering how easily annoyed I can be, you wouldn’t ever peg me as someone who would work in customer service…but I did for many years. I have found that even when my job didn’t have a c/s function, those same skills you use with customers translate pretty nicely with coworkers.

A little courtesy goes a long way.

Sure, you’re busy, I’m busy - but sometimes delivering even bad news with a smile helps. Sometimes going a step beyond what is expected of you simply because it would get the job done makes a world of difference. Yeah yeah yeah, you’re busy - but maybe a two minute effort is a huge thing to the person you’re helping.

I was good at customer because I’m usually a nice person. There were times I spent hours sorting something out - things I could have just as easily said, “Meh. You’re outta luck.” but it was appreciated nearly every time.

Why am I rambling?

Because when I drive through to the pharmacy to pick up the prescriptions for my daughter and I say, “Doc called in two” and the pharmacist says, “We only have one,” and I say, “She sent them two ways: electronically and by fax and she said to make sure I got both” and the pharmacist replies, “We only have one.”

And then: “I don’t know what to tell you.”

I don’t know what to tell you.
“I don’t know what to tell you” is shitty customer service and it is beyond shitty because you know I’ve just got an rx for antibiotics for a child - you know because THAT ONE you filled and so presumably said child is sick and I’m asking you for her cough syrup.

“I don’t know what to tell you” leaves me without the meds to ease my daughter’s cough and let her get some rest. Sadly, she could have easily called my doctor’s office, gotten the information and helped me out. Getting the rx would have taken two minutes, max. I know because when I called the doctor’s office as I was driving home to explain the problem, they answered on the first ring, had the prescription info handy and immediately offered to call the pharmacy directly and hand hold them through filling a script.

It’s not that hard to be nice to people and make their day a little easier - but it’s also not that hard to make a not so nice day a little rougher.

Wish more people would opt to take the extra step sometimes.

And this has been the rant of a mom with a kid who doesn’t feel well and does not have cough syrup yet.

“I don’t know what to tell you” is exactly what was repeated to me by every US Postal Service employee I spoke to when trying to find out why a piece of mail I sent wasn’t delivered over the course of a month’s investigation. It’s the reason I will not be doing business with them anymore.

3 February 2012 ·