Continuing on the theme of customer service and my thoughts - and many of these are based on my experience working within pr and marketing for many years.
Yesterday as I outlined I had a big problem with mobile telephone company O2. After a pointless 30 minutes on a chat adviser programme I got so frustrated I went into Norwich to try to sort the problem out. Half an hour with an adviser and another 15 minutes on the phone and I was assured it had been sorted. It remains to be seen whether it actually has, but my simple request to change my tariff and keep the same phone and same number has necessitated a visit to Norwich and about three hours of my time being wasted.
Multiply this by all the other poor service and you begin to ask yourself whatever happened to the old fashioned notion that "the customer is always right?"
Which brings me to the point of my discussion here: We are so conditioned to marketing and advertising that we no longer have any idea about quality. Companies seem to think that if they bombard us with messages stating how good their service or product is we will believe it. Experience shows this not to be true. There is nothing more insulting to an individual who has had a bad experience with a company or product to then have to watch advertising telling them that said product or service is the best available.
It's pretty much the same when we watch witnesses in the Leveson Enquiry talking what I would refer to as "twaddle." You just know that most of them are openly lying or should we say "being a bit conservative with the truth."
There is often a million miles between what companies promise and what they actually deliver and customer care has gone out of the window. Once you are signed up to something things sadly go downhill and all the promises made beforehand count for nothing. When you have a problem or complaint you are likely to be shoved from pillar to post before finding out that the person you are talking to doesn't have the authority to administer what you need. Even trying to get to the right person in the right place has become an art form.
One of the big problems is a workforce that feel disinterested because of the way they have been treated and the ridiculous workloads they are expected to undertake. This leads to a "couldn't care less" attitude and this is something I can understand.
Of course there are exceptions - there are companies where employees are valued and where they do feel part of everything - but the number of these seems to be dwindling. I guess it's all part of the modern disposable society we live in. Rant over for today.
This morning caught up on a feature on Sky TV about British Academy footballers helping with coaching in South African townships. This was of particular interest because one of the "scholars" featured will be living with us this year. This was a wonderful example of young people "doing good" and being idolised by disadvantaged youngsters who still spend the day with smiles on their faces. In today's time of hugely overpaid and pampered footballers it was good to see these youngsters thriving in an atmosphere that gave them the opportunity to experience a different world and a world in which they could make a difference.
Pleased to see lots of features and news items in this week's local newspaper - plenty of articles I have written about Hethersett. I still get a buzz by seeing my writing in print.
Yesterday as I outlined I had a big problem with mobile telephone company O2. After a pointless 30 minutes on a chat adviser programme I got so frustrated I went into Norwich to try to sort the problem out. Half an hour with an adviser and another 15 minutes on the phone and I was assured it had been sorted. It remains to be seen whether it actually has, but my simple request to change my tariff and keep the same phone and same number has necessitated a visit to Norwich and about three hours of my time being wasted.
Multiply this by all the other poor service and you begin to ask yourself whatever happened to the old fashioned notion that "the customer is always right?"
Which brings me to the point of my discussion here: We are so conditioned to marketing and advertising that we no longer have any idea about quality. Companies seem to think that if they bombard us with messages stating how good their service or product is we will believe it. Experience shows this not to be true. There is nothing more insulting to an individual who has had a bad experience with a company or product to then have to watch advertising telling them that said product or service is the best available.
It's pretty much the same when we watch witnesses in the Leveson Enquiry talking what I would refer to as "twaddle." You just know that most of them are openly lying or should we say "being a bit conservative with the truth."
There is often a million miles between what companies promise and what they actually deliver and customer care has gone out of the window. Once you are signed up to something things sadly go downhill and all the promises made beforehand count for nothing. When you have a problem or complaint you are likely to be shoved from pillar to post before finding out that the person you are talking to doesn't have the authority to administer what you need. Even trying to get to the right person in the right place has become an art form.
One of the big problems is a workforce that feel disinterested because of the way they have been treated and the ridiculous workloads they are expected to undertake. This leads to a "couldn't care less" attitude and this is something I can understand.
Of course there are exceptions - there are companies where employees are valued and where they do feel part of everything - but the number of these seems to be dwindling. I guess it's all part of the modern disposable society we live in. Rant over for today.
This morning caught up on a feature on Sky TV about British Academy footballers helping with coaching in South African townships. This was of particular interest because one of the "scholars" featured will be living with us this year. This was a wonderful example of young people "doing good" and being idolised by disadvantaged youngsters who still spend the day with smiles on their faces. In today's time of hugely overpaid and pampered footballers it was good to see these youngsters thriving in an atmosphere that gave them the opportunity to experience a different world and a world in which they could make a difference.
Pleased to see lots of features and news items in this week's local newspaper - plenty of articles I have written about Hethersett. I still get a buzz by seeing my writing in print.
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