Comment 15
ustomer service is something of a soapbox for me. My school and college summer jobs were both customer facing, and my first full time job came with a mandatory week-long sales and customer service training course. I can’t help thinking as I sit here typing and listening to colleagues talk about their weekends that so many people seem to have forgotten what customer service means, or justify not providing it by citing costs. One colleague has been trying to make contact with her telephone provider for two days.
Service with a smile – never old news C
Another attempted to return a newly purchased vacuum cleaner which belched smoke and sparks on third use – to be told that the dust, dark smudges and small melted plastic spots meant that the product was no longer in the good condition in which it left the shop.
She eventually had it replaced, but only after a loud stand-up row. What these two things have in common is the swearing up and down that they will not use those companies again.
On the other hand, a colleague bought an external hard drive, talked to a helpful technician who established that it was dead, and sent her to her nearest retailer for a direct exchange. The retailer was expecting her, the paperwork was already filled out, and while she isn’t happy about the product failing in the first place, she swears by the retailer.
From an employee’s point of view – especially if his or her company supports good service – they have the scope to provide excellent service, and there’s a sense of satisfaction at sending an unhappy customer away happy. From the customer’s point of view, an individual is representative of the whole company, and can make or break his relationship with that company. And yet, the roles that incorporate that customer service are often either overlooked or taken for granted by their industry, their employer and/or their customers. This is why ACR News was keen to get behind the concept of a Customer Service Award.
Disa Shearer of Logicool made an excellent inaugural winner of this Award, both surprised and humble on the night, and loudly supported by her company who gave her a standing ovation as she went to collect her trophy from host Lenny Henry. And the other nominees should not be forgotten as each of them works hard for their customers. Nadege Gicquiaud and Sophie Swain both came extraordinarily close to taking the Award, while David Livingstone, Mohamed Salem Badi, Natasha Eley, Robert Long, Tony Martin and Ken Osmann were every single one of them well supported in the voting.
As has often been mentioned, this award was inspired by a blog on the subject by Steve Gill, who it so happens is up for a Stevie Award for – you
guessed it – customer service. I have just heard as we go to press that he has taken the gold in his category. Congratulations are well deserved all around for everyone who goes that little bit above and beyond the call of duty.
Lynn Sencicle Editor
Fujitsu Air Conditioning | Comfort is our passion
www.fgeurofred.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44