Customer Services, What’s That?

Remember the days when the action was that the customers were always right? You would shop for anything, and the staff would do anything to help. Your shopping experience would be great and satisfying. But where did it go? When shoppers were enticed to shop online and leave the high street, changes could be noticed.

Companies in the late 1990’s were still after making profits but could still look after customer care. The Sears group, which became Arcadia were always encouraging staff and training them in customer service; they believed the customer came first. Then came the rise of the Internet and the fall of high street shopping. But did the internet really change things?

Wealth seemed to come of age with the dot-com boom. Money seemed plentiful in this computer era. Many domains that started in a bedroom became worth millions overnight. The dot-com boom was in full swing. But then shopping online was the next step forward, using Amazon as a good example. It was possible to buy items more cheaply and get them delivered to your door. Clothes and shoes can be a problem, but in the high street, someone would help you get the correct size. Seeing a picture gives no guarantee of quality without first seeing the item.

Problems with customer service come when you buy from Chinese businesses. There are no trading standards or customer service for vendors in China.  But don’t be put off buying abroad. German companies tend to have excellent customer service and speak good English, generally.

So, the internet has moved on, and most people buy from major retailers using a computer or apps on their mobile phones.

“In the UK, 58% of British shoppers buy something online at least once a week, indicating a significant level of daily online shopping activity. Additionally, 30.7% of all UK retail spending is expected to be online in 2025, highlighting the growing trend of online shopping.” 

But let’s get back to the point. A lot of these companies are using offshore call centers for their customer service or technical help. In certain countries, it can be frustrating when you cannot understand someone in customer service. Dialects and heavy accents can be a problem. Also, it can be like talking to someone who is reading a manual, trying to help. Correct training of any staff is important. These people represent a company, but it does not seem to matter. This is customer service on a negative scale. Companies these days are profit-driven and forsake their customers. Offshore call centres are cheap, that’s why they are used. The customer comes last.

First Direct is an online bank which puts the customer first, and that’s why we feel we should use them as an example. First Direct customer help line is open 24/7. Yes, get a banking thought in your head at 2 a.m., and they’re ready for your call. They are strong on security, so after your security questions, you’re on your way. Now the call centres are manned by people from the UK. It does not get much better than it is because they are customer-friendly and customer-aware. If they can do it, the likes of Santander should be able to do it.

Think, are you getting customer service? You call a media company up and say you have a problem with your TV. They reply ahh, you have a problem with your broadband, do you?

Have a look online at the huge profits being made by large corporations, then weigh up what you get as a customer.