How Not to Handle Customer Service

Recently a technical issue arose that was beyond our control. More specifically, it was something that had to be fixed by Microsoft on their end. It was affecting our clients ability to perform certain business functions, and needless to say was a high priority for us. Based on our interaction with their support team, we learned several that you should never do for (to) your clients.

Our first step was to find a support phone number or email address, so we went to one of Microsoft’s primary websites and logged into our account. We then dug around until we found the support section and noticed they offer phone, email, and online chat support. Based on good online chat experiences with other companies such as HostGator, we thought, “Great, a quick chat and problem will be solved.” Boy were we wrong. Here’s how that chat session began.

You are number (6) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 39 minutes 50 seconds
You are number (5) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 40 minutes 45 seconds
You are number (4) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 43 minutes 48 seconds
You are number (3) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 51 minutes 9 seconds
You are number (2) in queue. Estimated wait time is 0 hours 39 minutes 19 seconds
You are next in queue… Estimated wait time is 0 hours 21 minutes 35 seconds
You are next in queue… Estimated wait time is 0 hours 24 minutes 42 seconds

Lessons:

• If you have a help or support team make it easy for clients to find them. Make it obvious on your website and other media how to contact them.
• Be honest but don’t depress us. Each time we moved up a position in the waiting line, our wait time got longer, even when we were next in line. The more a client waits the closer they should be to help, not further.

From the rest of the discussion (trimmed for brevity), which proved short and fruitless…

Yel: Hello Marc, I hope you didn’t have to wait a long time to get to us. Anyway, how are you doing today?

marc: …a specific website cannot be loaded/displayed.
marc: …Connecting through other ISPs works fine. Even multiple computers tried through msn dialup and none can reach this site. …other sites are working normally.

Yel: So this is the only website that is having problems and only when using the MSN connection.

marc: correct

Yel: I checked the website and it looks normal.

marc: yes it does

Yel: So this is even when using Internet Explorer, right?
Yel: As long as you use MSN dial-up?

marc: yes, tried 3 different browsers and none can get this site
marc: [explaination of what I think is going on]

Yel: That’s what I’m trying to find out.
Yel: The thing is, our tools have limited capabilities so I can’t promise you anything.

marc: [further explaination of how issue was narrowed to Microsoft]

Yel: I see. I’d have to be honest, we don’t have access to that part of our server so the only thing we can advise you for now is to wait it out. I’m sure it’ll be refreshed on our server. I’ll be filing a report about this to our Product Team so they can do something about it as soon as possible.

marc: it’s already been 7 days

Yel: I understand, that’s why I’m filing a report as well to hasten the update.
Yel: Would there be anything else that I can help you with?
Yel: I’ve submitted the report, by the way.
Yel: Hi, it looks like you’re busy with something else and I’ll need to end this session. I’ll go ahead and update your case number in case you need to contact us again. Thank you for contacting MSN Support.

Lessons:

• Again, be honest. If you know a client waited over an hour for something, thank them for waiting. Don’t pretend that the wait was not unduely long.
• It’s good to restate the issue for clarity, but only once. Don’t keep reiterating, reiterating, reiterating… we already know the problem.
• Never try to make your customer feels stupid by saying there is no problem, “I checked the website and it looks normal.” Obviously something is wrong or they would not have spent their time contacting you. Help them find the issue.
• The help should be worth the wait. If you can’t help, find someone who can. It doesn’t serve the client if “our tools have limited capabilities” or “we don’t have access.” Someone at the company does, that is why the client called you.
• Don’t add insult to injury. If a customer has already waited to get your help, it is not acceptable to tell them to “wait it out.” If you cannot help them, do not waste anymore of there time. At the very least offer to look into the issue further and get back to them.
• Never hang up on a customer. This seems obvious, but even in an online chat it is inappropriate to disconnect from a customer without offering them some form of resolution, even if it is to look further into the issue. Filing a report with no hope of ever being contacted again is probably not the best resolution.

How do you succeed and provided awesome customer service? Learn. From every  experience and interaction, learn something that can improve the way you interact with your customers and clients.  Record some of your interactions with clients as well as your interactions as a client, then analyze them similarly to how we have done here. Make notes and practice each item.

Analyze, learn, practice and you will provide outstanding customer service!