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Words by Cornelius Engelbrecht, Pix ©
iStockphoto.com
Is modern technology killing good customer service?
In general, consumers of modern telecommunications technology are
benefiting from the conveniences that are supposed to make life easier, if not
always better. But as we grow ever more dependent on technology, many
companies hide behind the anonymity of call centres and systems, thereby
shirking their responsibility towards their customers.
T
he recent experience of a friend made myself to be an enlightened user of modern
me realize that in this age of modern telecommunications. As such I choose which calls I
telecommunications, service has become a like to answer and which not. By that token it implies
commodity that is lost to us as the consumer. Many that numbers that are withheld, such as those
companies would argue that this is just not true, and originating from call-centres and the like, are calls
they will always have electronic records to back that automatically fall in the less urgent category
them up. Records that will prove that a consumer had when deciding if I want to be disturbed.
received exactly the service promised, regardless of As an enlightened customer I also take a service
whether the service had actually been delivered. provider by their word when they promise they will get
Let me explain. Most switched-on consumers back to me, and as far as I am concerned, that does
receive many mobile telephone calls on a daily basis. not mean logging anonymous calls.
While we’ll most likely answer most calls made to us, While striving for efficiency, companies may
we will sometimes miss calls, or even choose to ignore easily forget that it is service to the customer that
anonymous calls. It is these calls that often lead to is sacrificed when a company trades service for
trouble with a service provider further down the road. excellence. The ability to prove how many times the
“But sir,” the lady behind the terminal would say, “our company did not get hold of their client does not
records clearly indicate that we tried to contact imply any competence towards service.
you on two separate occasions.” What she probably To improve my own ability to engage in purposeful
doesn’t realise is that she is saying: “If it wasn’t for our communication I would think that companies should
excellent client service we would not even have tried think of a way to identify their phone calls to clients
to contact you a second time.” by means of caller identification. Either that, or
When this happens, the responsibility automatically perhaps consider using that other marvel of mobile
shifts to the consumer to explain why, when our service communications, the simple sms, to inform clients that
provider tried to reach us, we were not available, there was an attempt to reach them. I am convinced
twice! Sadly, we stand defenceless against the date- that technology has advanced to such a level that it
and time-stamps that the service agent uses as the can actually aid us, rather than frustrate us, and therefore
final shield against the onslaught of an upset customer. petition companies, big and small, to better consider the
Now here I suppose I have to admit that I consider way they communicate with their clients.
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