Yvette here.

When I got my start in the world of telecommunications more than 35 years ago, I started out as a  customer service rep at what was then known as the New York Telephone Company in lower Manhattan. Oh, how well do I remember my trainer, Ann S also known as ‘Smoky’  who was of the best trainers in the Company. She taught us customer service from a to z.  Let’s  just keep it real here, Smoky drilled customer service into our little ‘fresh out of high school’ heads on everything from from how quickly to answer the phone when it rang, to what to say in any given customer service situation.

We learned about acknowledging the customer’s opening statement and assuring the customer they had reached the person who could help them. We explained why we were putting them (the customer) on hold and got their attention when we returned to the line before we began speaking.  We thanked customers for their business and apologized when they were dissatisfied about anything whether it was caused by our department or not. We never usedthe word ‘they’ to blame another department in our company for something that was done incorrectly.

We took responsibility for everything. We followed up when we made a promise to a customer and made sure they understood what they were getting and asked them if there was anything else we could do. We avoided the word  ‘policy’ when talking to an angry customer.

We practiced customer service, role-played it and listened to recordings of  it. I was so inspired by Smoky who at the time seemed like a drill sergeant, I later became a corporate trainer myself teaching the art of customer service.

Because customer service was such an integral part of my job, as a consumer, I tend to watch for it in my daily business dealings. I make a mental note of good and bad customer service experiences everywhere I go just for fun whether it’s at the post office, a department store, fast-food restaurant, auto repair shop or even the library. I will take the time to fill out a comment card on exceptionally good or bad service.

With the economy in the predicament that it’s in, you would think that customer service would be at an all-time high, but I’m sad to say that it isn’t. What happened? Where did customer service go?

Should we expect customer service any more or is it yet another lost art?

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What’s up everybody?

Yvette here.

On my way to work this morning I was reading a preview of a book I just have to check out called “How Not To Act Old.” Just read a couple pages of it, but it looks really good if you have a good sense of humor. My husband and I love to joke about this subject because he actually does some of the things that this book pokes fun at.  

As a baby boomer who just recently turned 58 and is still actively a part of corporate America, I am kinda sensitive to the fact that a lot of ‘younger’ folks seem to think that all of us are ready to be put out to pasture.

“When are you going to retire?”
“Don’t you have enough years in?”

First of all, many boomers are having to work longer or in some cases, return to work because of devaluated 401k plans and changes in our economy. While there are a lot of people that I know of that are showing up at work each day and doing next to nothing and expecting a paycheck, there are many of us that are valuable contributors to the workforce. As for me personally, I read, listen to and watch all that I can to stay on top of nuances in the telecom industry (where I’ve been employed going on 35 years) and there’s a lot to keep up with. 

Since I have been with my company, I have gone from an environment where everything was on paper,  then we went to microfiche (rememember those little tv-looking microfiche viewers?) and now… computers. 

Yeah, it was scary at first, I admit that, but I applied myself and did what it took to learn the next new thing and that’s how I survive.    

Ok, enough of my soapbox tirade.

Sorry about that.  

As I said time and time again, I am a coach and a student meaning that I readily admit that I don’t know it all. Not even close. As a member of Blog Success I am learning a ton of stuff to help me get more love to my blog.
Watch this video to learn how to use trackbacks to your blog to get more link love…

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