Have you ever complained about something and rather than the agent at the Customer Service desk or on the Customer Support line having what seems to be a well-rehearsed, often-used, ready solution to your concern, you receive instead a well-rehearsed, often-used, and ready explanation for why what’s bothering you has to be the case?
Usually the scenario is something like: There was this other problem Customers used to have. So, the brand comes up with a solution that takes care of that specific issue while (hopefully, fingers-crossed) attempting not to cause a more aggravating condition. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t.
But even if the “solution” really is less annoying than the prevailing circumstance, the inconvenience isn’t gone altogether; sometimes it’s just replaced with a different hassle.
And so there you are as the Customer receiving a history lesson as to how we got to this state instead of the brand taking it upon itself simply to take note of your concern and recognizing that, while this may be better (again, fingers-crossed), they’re still not quite there yet.
At the end of the day, though, why should you as the Customer have to even care? Better question: Why are they burdening you with their sausage-making details? I don’t care that you had some sort of inventory glitch two years ago and so implemented this new policy; I’m telling you it’s a hassle now. It doesn’t matter to me that some partner or another of yours is suddenly charging more or whatnot; I’m telling you this is quite an increased mark-up since last week.
All the over-sharing gets me to wondering: Have I been unknowingly recruited onto some sort of internal team of yours charged with finding a better solution than the one you dreamt up that is now aggravating all of us? Why is that my job?
(Now, truth be told, when I work with my clients, that actually is a big part of my job, okay. But I’m a Customer in this scenario.)
What’s more, if I do offer thoughts (“Why don’t y’all just do this instead?”), it’s usually met with either a blank stare (over the phone…you can hear those), or an explanation about how the agent doesn’t have that authority. So why are we bothering with this conversation? Why are you even on the phone with me?
Adding to that frustration, again, is that, when I start pulling the thread on whatever explanation the agent gives me, it’s clear that that explanation wasn’t intended as the opening of some dialog about how they could better solve the issue and serve us as Customers, but rather as the ending of the conversation…we’ve explained it, and providing that explanation was actually a part of the solution: Yeah, this is how it is now, this is why, thanks for your interest.
What way is that to run an organization? Certainly not a Customer-centric one, and definitely not a problem-solving one!
By arming your team members with historical accounts rather than the empowerment to fix your Customers’ issues, you’re telling on yourself: Yes, we’re aware that this isn’t good. But rather than find an actual solution, we’re going to make excuses instead. It’s like when you’re out driving and there’s a sign that reads: “Rough Road.” Helpful. But why take all the effort to get the Sign Putting-Up Team to put up a sign rather than, um, fixing the road?! Sure, the warning serves a purpose of making us aware to drive with more caution; but a better way to actually serve us is to repair the rough road. Message: It’s a rough road, you see…so you, the motorist adjust how you drive for the next little bit. Why am I somehow in on, and part of, this whole thing?
Similarly, some brands seem to think that when their Customers complain, what we’re looking for in response is context, when what we’re really looking for is the trouble to go away. We’ve done our job by bringing it to your attention…we don’t need to participate any further. It’s up to you to get it right from there.
