by H. Mallett

Created on: June 16, 2008

In my opinion quite a few factors have contributed to the lack of service to the paying customer.

In recent years, corporations are increasingly outsourcing their customer call centers to foreign countries. This results in lower labor costs to the company, but also a decreased amount of service to the customer. From a consumer's point of view, it is very frustrating trying to explain a problem to an individual, whose first language is not the same as theirs, and is also in a different time zone. The same applies to outsourcing the manufacturing and distribution to the other side of the world. The time it takes to deliver parts or replacement product, is much longer due to the distance the item must travel.

The role of a customer service representative has traditionally been considered an entry level position. Despite the fact, that these employee's are a vital link in the sale of a company's product or service. As a rule, customer service people spend more time communicating with the customer, than any other department. Yet customer service roles are considered a stepping stone instead of a valuable resource. The poor remuneration they receive reflects their place within the company landscape.

In the past customer service roles were more easily defined, but due to the downsizing corporate mind-set, today's customer service person deals with everything from order entry to account collections and defective product returns to delivery logistics. These separate issues used to be filled by many have been recalculated to be done by a overwhelmed few. The working conditions, in the modern call center are comparable to a prison work group. Everything is monitored by computers from how much time you spend with each call, to how long you took taking a bathroom break. Each and every issue that a customer could conceivably come up with has its own procedure that must be followed to the letter. Whether that procedure is logical or is in the customer's best interests is irrelevant. Corporate customer service people are not paid to think independently, they are paid to enforce the company's policies and procedures.

Now let's observe the view from the other side of these transactions. Let's take a hard look at today's customer.

Ask yourself this very important question. Do you perceive people in the service industry as human, as susceptible as we all are to error? Or do you embrace these opportunities as a chance to vent your spleen? To justifiably rant at another person for being well let's face it, human! Do you keep the actual issue in perspective, or does it suddenly become a target for every thing that has gone wrong in your life? We all desire instant gratification; we want our problems fixed right now! Sometimes issues cannot be resolved as quickly as we expect.

Having done time in the customer service industry, I understand the bad service the customer experiences from an incompetent employee. I always found that by taking accountability for the issue and explaining to the customer, what my plan was to resolve the issue was a sure fire method to calming the outraged customer, that and a commitment to communicate, whether I had resolved it or not.

At the end of the day we are all working people trying to earn a living. It should come as no surprise, that service people burn out fast. Young people who start their working years in the service industry, soon find that the abuse and hard work, is not worth the lousy pay. Dealing with the unpredictable public is not a job for the faint of heart. I do feel that employers should do more to train and encourage their customer service people because they really do represent the company and all it stands for!

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