Much has been written about 'customer service'; Hundreds of books and articles abound on the Internet, bookstores and libraries. Why keep writing about something that seems so studied and, in fact, so obvious? On a daily basis, as clients, we are the first to perceive that in practice, in many situations, the matter goes beyond the theoretical treatments that have been considered on it. There is no lack of complaints in the offices about poor customer service, even after the training and trainings of the case.
In my opinion, with the argument that 'the client is always right', the emphasis on the treatment of the matter has sometimes been based in a particular way around the client, leaving aside, at times, the others actors. We cannot forget that 'customer service' turns out to be a conversation between three: who offers the product or service, who receives it -the customer-, and the product or service as such.
And, of course, we already know that the objective is not to make sales but customers. But it is worth asking again, where is the product or service and who offers it?
Let us assume that the product and / or service is of good quality and that it offers the benefits expected by the client, and let us make some considerations about who offers it.
After analyzing some frustrating situations that I have experienced as a client, I have begun to think that in these bad experiences I have been attended by personnel who suffer from deafness. Yes, deafness, but not physiological, of a deafness of a psychological order that is particularly evident when talking.
We speak and we are not listened to, we feel that they look at us over their shoulders, perhaps worried about the one who is still in line, thinking about the end of the day, or distant and locked in their own point of view. Our interlocutor is not willing to attend to and understand our position and our needs. Sometimes we realize that he himself is not heard. Like musicians, when conversing with someone, we must not only be in tune with the chords of our interlocutor but also with those of our own voice. The relationship with a client cannot be based on deafness; It must be, above all, a conversation, about a product or service, that demands the utmost respect and courtesy for what the other is good at communicating to us. Let's not forget it,more than making sales it is about making clients through conversations with the other; And for this we must be willing to overcome this deafness that almost always derives from the stagnation that routine produces and hides in the inflexibility of some rules, procedures and regulations that in some cases are inappropriate.
