A novelty in recent years in the business world was the concept of Social Responsibility. It is a global trend to start looking around and not only at themselves and this also happens in the field of companies. They realize that they are not alone in their world, that they affect many other parts and are in turn impacted by the actions of others. So they decide to have a more comprehensive look.
Although we are getting used to hearing the words Corporate Social Responsibility, I must confess that, personally, it generates contradictory feelings in me.
On the one hand, I feel hope, but at the same time a feeling of mistrust comes over me.
The hope of hearing that there are those who decide to look around while doing their business, and it makes me believe that it is possible to integrate all the actors in a project of a sustainable society, with a future, with fewer imbalances, with greater equity.
But also mistrust; because I wonder why someone would want to have this fraternal look at the environment, when we always imagine selfish, individualistic, ambitious entrepreneurs. Could it be that they are not all like that? Will there be other motivations? Will there be a genuine interest in those who apply it?
Lately I had an experience that made me think about the title of this article: « Without quality in service you are not socially responsible «. I hired a service from a company, which did not leave me satisfied with their care. I felt that I was not taken seriously in my need, and furthermore the service was not rendered with total legality. In short, a low quality of service. Later I found out that this company claims to be (or wants to be) socially responsible. It seemed like a complete contradiction to me. It gave me such a negative feeling inside that it even hurt me. A great disappointment. That hope I spoke of earlier was weakened.
So I confirmed this idea: companies are necessary for our life. They are an important part of our society. Especially service companies (we think that these include health, education, recreation, communications), due to the impact it has on our daily lives. Therefore, if a company wants to be socially responsible, the FIRST thing it must do is provide its service very well, have QUALITY OF SERVICE!
Think about this: what is the largest population that a service company influences? Imagine who is most influenced by a telephone company, a beauty company, a passenger transport company, etc.
In most of them we can say that about their CLIENTS! and surely the influence on them will be more direct. And if the greatest influence is exerted on clients, it will be with them that we must be more "socially responsible."
Let's imagine Olga who needs to make an appointment at her doctor online, but every time she wants to send the information, her connection is cut and she loses everything she did. She tries several times but the time comes when she has to cook and she has not succeeded. After having lunch with her family and doing the dishes, she has to help her children to do their homework, then their clothes… The day ends and Olga couldn't take her turn.
Another user, Ulises, must send his teacher the practical work whose term ends today, but he cannot attach the file; the connection is cut.
Marisa, from Argentina, wants to hear from her relatives who traveled to Brazil, where there was a strong storm, but she cannot log in to e-mail due to poor internet service.
This company that provides internet services may have programs to help children, the environment, etc. All of them are valid and intrinsically good, but it goes out of hand to help those who put their trust in her: her clients!
Quality in service is the first duty of companies. Once this is achieved, they will be able to open the circle of commitment with other social actors. But without quality of service, everything else becomes a screen.
A company without quality of service that undertakes other actions of social responsibility is like a lady who does many charitable works outside the home, but loses daily charity with her family.
Do you want your company to be socially responsible?
Do this exercise:
1) Find your claim log (or ask if there were claims to those who have contact with customers).
2) Get the details of at least one of the customers who made a claim.
3) Call or quote him and talk to him to understand what happened.
4) If your problem persists, seek all means to fix it.
5) Find the causes that originated this problem and implement the necessary actions so that it does not happen again.
6) Inform your client of the actions that were taken to avoid repeating his problem in him or in others.
If you did it with a single client, you will have already improved the quality of the service you provide, for him and for all those who will come later, avoiding the same problem.
And in this way, without the need for extraordinary actions, you will have increased your social responsibility.
