Who says the customer is king?

Another very important skill is “good listening” Listening is not just “hearing” what the other says with ones ears, but “understanding” what they are saying, and grasping what is really prompting them to make the complaint. Many times I’ve seen staff going to “defensive mode”, and immediately taking the position the “the customer is wrong”, the moment they are picked up on something, rather than listen. Again how to listen without going into “defensive mode” is a skill that staff can be taught.

By Yasmin Perera

Many progressive organizations the world over pay a great deal of attention to customer service these days. In staff trainings the “gurus” recommend the approach “the customer is always right”. In these organizations, a well trained staff member may usually start the discussion with, “I am sorry this has happened to you, it must have been very frustrating (annoying, tiring, disappointing – whatever the emotion the customer is displaying) – let’s see what we can do to address the difficulty….” Or something along those lines. Basically, it is beginning by empathizing with the customer. Empathy – that wonderful ability to walk in the other’s shoes and understand what he/she is feeling and going through, is considered one of the most important skills in customer service trainings. True empathy can only come from genuine concern and a desire to help other people. I find good customer service is still a hit and miss thing in Sri Lanka. Some staff are wonderful, others very poor in their attitude, often within the same organization. What I wonder is whether Managers are actually monitoring their staff, and doing something about training staff, whose manner with customers, is below the standard set by the organization. Of course the organization needs to have clear, objective standards and performance indicators to support the task of managing. From memory, in Australia at McDonalds if you are not served within 2 minutes (their performance indicator), you can ask for a free burger.

Good listeners
Another very important skill is “good listening” Listening is not just “hearing” what the other says with ones ears, but “understanding” what they are saying, and grasping what is really prompting them to make the complaint. Many times I’ve seen staff going to “defensive mode”, and immediately taking the position “the customer is wrong”, the moment they are picked up on something, rather than listen. Again how to listen without going into “defensive mode” is a skill that staff can be taught.

During my stay in Sri Lanka I have heard story after story of the enormous difficulties that people have had to go through to get anything done. This may be to get their pension registered, get money out of their own account, address concerns with phone bills that suddenly shot up to three, four times the usual bill, get a residence visa or passport and so on. The list is endless. The final experience of all these people was helplessness, anger, or fear that if their anger was expressed the job will not be done at all. The fight had gone out of most of them. I felt the weight of their despair, or worse apathy – a hopelessness about anything ever changing. That’s when I hear “this country has gone to the dogs”, “don’t waste your time trying to complain, they will not do anything.” That is when I ache for them. In Sri Lanka we have one of the highest rates of literacy, and in trainings I have done here, I have found many people so eager to learn. So why does this happen?

In one week I had two experiences of what I consider to be “very bad customer service”. I thought to myself let me check out why this is happening. The first occasion which is what I am writing about today, was when I found Tomato Juice on my kitchen shelf that was full of mildew at the bottom, the pack was turning a brown colour, and starting to deteriorate. All the other packs there were in perfect condition. I checked the use by date and it was 10 months away. I looked for the bill but did not find it. I knew I bought it in the first week of August, as I bought it for my overseas visitors.

I visited the supermarket store and explained I didn’t have the bill, but the product was clearly damaged. I was told that they really need the bill, but to bring the article in which I did. Then with a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, I was told that the Manager says that without the bill they cannot do anything. I held the position “you knew I didn’t have the bill, why did you then tell me to bring the product”. I was told that the only thing they can do was to contact the supplier, but they couldn’t do it from the store, they would need to go through the warehouse. The girl promised to ring me with the outcome.

No response
A week to 10 days later as I had not heard from them, I visited the store again. I was told by the girl that they had not heard from the warehouse. This is when I blew my fuse and angrily asked whether they used an ant to bring the answer that it took so long. There was no apology for the delay or for the fact there had been no follow up on her part. When I stated they should not harass customers and waste their time this way her response was “I told you I will phone you, and that you didn’t need to come” (oh yes, the “defense mode” – it’s not my fault it is your fault). The attitude very much was that to take a week to 10 days to follow up a simple thing was ok, nothing for the customer to get worried about, or angry about I presume. To add insult to injury, the girl further added that she was trying to do something because I was a “valued customer”! Shaking my head in despair, I replied that if the end result was going to be “no”, it would have been better to stick to the “no” than have me waste time and money going back and forth to the store three times. The Manager was absent this day so I spoke to the Assistant Manager who reiterated there was nothing they could do, but understood my frustration at the lack of a clear message from the girl. To add fuel to fire, while I was talking to the Manager, the girl stood there whispering to another staff member about our conversation and laughing. The Assistant Manager did nothing about this behavior.

I then called the supplier myself and spoke to the Marketing Manager – even before I stopped speaking, he apologized profusely saying all the store had to do was to replace the product, then send the damaged product to the supplier. The supplier would have then replaced it. He promised to deliver me a carton of Tomato Juice.

Warpath
I was on the warpath, I wanted to follow the incident to the top with the supermarket group, and see what the “work culture” at the top was. I called the Store Supervisor at the Head Office. He listened to my story and apologized for the treatment I had received, and said he will investigate it with the store. The very next morning I had a gushing apology from the same manager who had said nothing could be done about my issue, and an assurance that the girl will apologize to me. He said I could collect a carton of Tomato Juice from the store. After three trips and more than the cost of the juice spent on three wheeler fares, you have to be kidding! My response had better be left unprinted. He promised to have a carton of Juice delivered to me.
At a personal level that particular story had a fun ending when the supplier and the assistant manager arrived together on a motorbike and delivered TWO packs of juice.

You may think that the story ends there - happily. Not for me. Being a trainer and a psychotherapist I am curious to find out why such things happen, especially in a reputed firm. So I asked the store manager what the company’s policy on the return of damaged goods was, I was told there was no such policy. If true this would leave the addressing of complaints to the discretion, values and world view of the managers, or even the shop floor staff. There would be no accountability on how staff addresses these important matters. If there was a clear policy and some principles in dealing with customers, and good training wouldn’t things be easier all round?

I believe the insistence of a bill to return a product that has a shelf live of one or two years, is ridiculous and devoid of all common sense. Most often these will be products that cost less then Rs 200. I do not know anyone who keeps grocery bills for one or two years. Many overseas stores and some here use a logo on the price sticker. So items purchased from that store or chain could be identified. Not to have a policy to address this valid problem and fob customers off for not having a bill is very irresponsible. The “Returns Policy” as well as information where complaints can be taken at the store level and beyond, is responsible customer service. This information should be displayed so the customers can see it, and know what their rights are.

Clear policies
If there is a clear, simple to execute, understanding with the suppliers about damaged goods that store staff are familiar with, this will make it easy for the store staff and customers. I checked with Unilever – being a major supplier of groceries - about their damaged goods policy. The answer was that what is brought in is instantly replaced by the company. If the store returns are dealt with so efficiently by the supplier, why does the store staff make the life of the customer so difficult?

Well the days went by and I waited, and I waited …….. for the girl to call me. Not because I needed an apology, but with the hope she will learn something from the experience. I finally called the Manager to inform him of this. He commented “I thought now everything was ok”. The principle of “good follow through of what of has been agreed” was obviously lost on him. I went to the store for two things – a replacement of my Tomato Juice and good customer service from a reputed store.

The girl called and apologized for her actions and the store’s. After explaining she didn’t need to apologize for the store, I asked what she was apologizing for. Sadly the only reply she could make was a global “for everything”. Staff is often the butt of customers’ frustrations. At the end of the day however, an important thing is for organizations to have clear policies and principles. To operationalize these there needs to be effective staff training and monitoring of staff and the development of a “work culture”, where staff are supported to learn by mistakes as well. Then and only then will we have good customer service.

So to go the next step, and find out more about the work culture of this organization, I spoke to the person in the Head Office, dealing with customer service, to tell my story and ask whether the organization had a “returns policy”. She was very understanding, “empathic”, and apologetic. She explained the returns policy, and how they expect Managers to address such issues. She was very clear that with regard to my proverbial Tomato Juice, (did ever a litre of Tomato Juice create such controversy in the history of womankind and tomatoes?), that the Managers acted wrongly in not replacing the damaged carton, as well as not following up what they had promised to do. She undertook to talk to the staff in the Store. Well, well, well HOPE….?. I sincerely hope so.

In this case there were people at the top that had the right attitude and skills to handle complaints. They were clear thinking and responsible. Their challenge is now to see how that knowledge, skills and attitude can flow down the hierarchy to the shop floor.

Proper training
Most of us have difficulty facing criticism and anger. It is a skill that requires hard work on our part if we are to master it. It is much easier to blame the other person, “the difficult customer”. At the same time it is important for customers to realize that we often “shoot the messenger”. The ignorance and unhelpful behavior of the staff on the floor is the responsibility of the Management – either to train or sack. Yet the staff are the ones, often without the required training, who are facing the anger and frustration of the customers. While in the moment we maybe frustrated with the staff, for anything to change we need to realize it has to come from the top. When we get angry with the floor staff we are invariably “shooting the messenger” (the staff just carries the message of the management, the culture set by them, and so are not the ones mostly to blame.)

Something that constantly surprises me in Sri Lanka is that staff who handle people, doing a customer service job, do not seem to really understand the difficulties they cause customers. Going back and forth three or four times for a simple thing, money and time spent on traveling – the stress of it all. This sort of practice is accepted or put up with by all. If it is acceptable and ok for all I would have no problem. But the stories tell me this is not so. No wonder Sri Lanka has one of the highest rates of heart disease!

Don’t give up
I had the luxury of time and energy to follow up this issue to an end. I know many who live here may not have that, or even know their rights. Yet I want to say let’s not give up. I say this equally to customers, Managers and staff of our organizations. Let’s not despair, ignore and fall into apathy. Let us support each other to make some little changes. We may not work miracles but we may change something for one person a customer or a staff member. Remember, the first step of making a journey is “opening the gate” as my favourite and beautiful Australian cartoonist, Leunig, would say. Then we may have good practice and not arguments about who is to blame. We can all win.”

Do write and let us know your experiences in getting things done, or not done and let’s see how we can help each other. Business Editor’s note – our columns are open to readers who wishes to raise an issue about customer service and related issues. These could be emailed to ft@sundaytimes.wnl.lk or sent to The Sunday Times FT, No 8, Hunupitiya Cross Road, Colombo 2.