by Cody Hodge

Created on: December 29, 2008

When it comes to getting good customer service, it is important ot realize that an effort must be made on your part. Just as giving good customer service requires effort and patience, getting good customer service takes effort, and patience on the part of the customer. I realize some people out there may be thinking that the customer shouldn't have to do anything to get good service. In theory that is true, but in practice it almost never happens that way.

If you need to speak to someone, be polite, and as accomdating as possible. Just because you have an urgent return that needs to be dealt with immediately, that doesn't mean that a manager will always be around to talk. A store manager may not know as much about lawn mowers as the manager of the lawn department, or the manager of the front end may not know exactly what type of ice cream is on sale, and so it may take some time to find an answer.

If you find that you are being run around between various departments, it isn't always because the employees are clueless. A good manager will always try to find the right answer, not just the first answer, and I would assume that most people would rather have the right answer than just any answer. It may take a little time to get to whoever would have the right answer to a question or problem, and you will get better service if you are perceived to be appreciative of such an effort.

Good customer service employees do value your time, and they understand that at times you may be in a hurry, and you may not have the time to wait. However, if you are up front about your time restraints, a good manager will always be willing to give you a call later, or maybe even discount a price, or offer a gift card as a thank you for your paitence in the matter. Businesses can only move so fast, and sometimes waiting just a little longer for an issue to be resolved now can save you time later.

Being a regular shopper is always a good way to get good customer service. If you shop in a store frequently enough, you can develop a relationship with the place of business. I know from experience that I have gone the extra mile to find a obscure item, or something that we only had one left of, because I knew the customer and that they would be appreciative of my efforts.

Sometimes it is best to compromise on an issue in order to get good service. I have been in situations where people have misread price tags, or have had other misunderstandings in which a customer thought they were being given a raw deal. Typically, if a customer was easy to deal with, I will tend to give them what they thought they were getting. If a customer gives me a hard time, I will usually be less willing to deal with them, or turn them over to my manager to see what they want to do about it, which again is more time trying to resolve your issue.

I realize that all customers deserve great service regardless of who they are, or how they act. However, customer service employees are people too, and will react differently in different situations. The reality is that if you are patient with us, we will do more to try and help you out, and that the situation will be resolved easier for both sides that way.

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