4 trends you easily notice at different businesses
You always see most of the businesses advertising their products in a cheerful manner. On television, you notice workers greeting customers happily. The customers themselves are shown to be overexcited, smiling and laughing along with the company staff. In reality, however, things are much different. Almost every customer is turned into another transaction regardless of any existence of happiness or respect for that customer. Many businesses refer to you by your name, which is supposed to make you feel better. However, even then, you are treated like another transaction. You are not “Mr. Joe“; you are “Mr. Joe with 2,400 dollars in his bank account.” You are not “Miss Ana“; you are “Miss Ana with 2,400 dollars in her bank account.”
Respecting a customer because of their business relationship is different than respecting a customer in order to create a business relationship with them. The latter is not bad; in fact, it’s essential and a good things on many levels. However, when the following trends are visible, something is clearly wrong.
- Why are you asked to show your picture ID when paying with a credit card, yet the company charging your credit card doesn’t show you anything to assure you that they won’t misuse your money? What would happen if you asked employees at McDonald’s or BestBuy about their staff id and their agreement with the company to see if you can trust them with your money? The entire payment experience at most of the businesses, if not all of them, is built on making sure the business doesn’t get ripped off right from the very start. How about providing more assurances to the customers also?
- When you go to a place like TOGO’s and ask for the menu, regardless of whether or not you’re the only customer in the store, the TOGO’s staff will hand you the menu, put on new clean gloves and then ask you immediately “Are you ready?” Not that many people can read a whole menu in less than seven seconds. You get asked that question twice, and then you hear “Let me know whenever you’re ready.” How about having some patience and making sure the customer isn’t rushed into making a purchase?
- Why are the business hours for opening new accounts through the phone usually longer than for getting support for already existing accounts? Why are all the new specials for companies like Sprint, T-mobile and Cingular only for new customers? Respect your existing customers, and they will respect you. This is the same as standing in line at banks to deposit money, but sitting on a leather seat to open a new account.
- Why do cashiers say “How are you doing today?” and then don’t even listen to your answer most of the time? I went to Bank of America yesterday and was asked “How are you doing today?” To this this point out, I said “My dog just died“, and she continued to ask “What can I do for you?” All companies tell their staff to put on a smile and ask the customers how they feel. Don’t just show that you are trying to respect someone. Respect someone honestly and you don’t have to show off any acting skills. If you can’t be honest, don’t lie about it. My dog did not just die, by the way.
These are the 4 random things I notice on a daily basis in person or through different kinds of media. What do you think about this? Have you ever experienced something similar? What is your opinion on any of the above points?
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( June 17th, 2006 at 10:29 am )
Hi Bes,
You make some very good points. I particularly can relate to point number 1. I hate when a business will tell you it’s thier ‘policy’. Well, guess what, I have a policy too. They are morons. They don’t respect the customer at all. They don’t acknowlege that it’s a two way street. Leaving the customer feeling unvalidated. They must have it in thier minds that the consumer will put up with that kind of abuse. I, for one, will not keep doing with a business that is so unflexible. The unfortunate thing is the faces we deal with in these businesses are usually very disconnected from the decision makers in the company. Aka, the cookie cutter sales associate.
Anyway, why are you still banking at B of A? I logged out a long time ago when they started charging to use the teller.
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( June 17th, 2006 at 3:25 pm )
Very well said about it being “a two way street” ; yes. You also make a good point about the disconnection between different levels of management; there should be a consistency to ensure that the staff is not imposing unwarranted authority [as if any authority is warranted in many cases], and vice versa.
I’m still banking at Bofa. I get checks many times that are from Bofa and I had many issues cashing large checks, so I opened an account and simply use it to cash instantly anywhere. Here are some of the issues I am pointing to:
Cashing checks through the higher standards of Bank of America
B of A charges to use a teller? Really? Where?
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( June 18th, 2006 at 1:14 am )
Hi Bes,
It was years ago that I was a customer of B of A. Perhaps, they don’t do it now. But, it was the direction they were heading that really got to me. I’ve had other experiences since but I won’t get into it here.
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( June 19th, 2006 at 11:40 am )
Yup good points. I don’t have too much to add myself right now though… but it seems every time we go to a "sit down" restaurant we get the ready to order? a few times then we do order and the waiter/waitress is really good until we have been there for a little bit, and then it’s like they lose interest and we sometimes have to go ask for our check because we need to leave, etc.
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( June 28th, 2006 at 2:20 am )
Harmony — > Yes, Bofa has changed directions several times, probably because of competition also.
Valerie — > Yeah, it’s just like businesses luring you in and then giving discounts and promos only to new customers. You shouldn’t leave tip in those occasions.
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