CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NOT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION BECAUSE YOU REFER

So I checked into this hotel, because I had no other choice; the nicest hotel I know, though a stone throw away was fully booked, not just for that day but for the entire weekend of my retreat. I did not know anyone I could call to recommend another Hotel as nice as my first choice and since what I saw at the lobby looked and smelt good, I paid to check in the next day.

My first woe happened when I pulled out my charger to have my device charged. The sockets ‘had issues’. I called the reception and someone came up to my room, had it rectified. You would call that customer service, right? I totally agree with you. But when I told the guy that I would need a cup (which naturally should have been in the room) he told me to call the restaurant. You may still wish to call that customer service and I agree with you again but what I was expecting to get is customer satisfaction. All I expected was a cup, I thought that informing a service provider in the hotel was enough, whether such request was under his purview or not. No one would be hurt if he headed straight to the intercom on the lobby, called the restaurant and informed them that the guest in room 207 has requested for a cup. Simple! And probably put a call across to room 207 after a few minutes according to what the SLA has stipulated, to ask if the cup has reached me (feedback).

Sometimes we become so rigid and dogmatic with our policies that we forget to see the thin line between customer service and customer satisfaction, between what the company has asked us to do or not do and what truly makes the customer happy and stress-free. we are unable to see the difference between client patronage and client retention. Though I paid and stayed there for a few days, I am definitely not going to go back there. I have only now learnt to make early booking lodging arrangements.

I remember as a paying teller, in the banking hall, if a customer needed cash bag, it did not make sense to send the customer all the way to the teller who had the bags stored in her own cubicle. You either tell the customer to please hold on, get the bag and bring to him or you keep a pile of bags in your own cubicle so you could meet that need every time and truly satisfy the customer in one instance - not asking him to walk all the way to the ‘lady in pink camisole over there’. In the same organization, there were other branches where they strictly maintained that only one teller stores cash bags (custodian) and any customer who needs a bag will walk all the way to pick it up from that point. What else were they adding to the customer’s experience than stress? 

Many other woes befell me during my stay at this hotel. I will spare you the details of all the various ‘ball passing scenarios’ but bear in mind that each case also played out during my previous stay at a choice hotel and they were handled differently, better put, better. 

That a need/problem was mentioned within the perimeters of your ears behoves you to meet that need either directly, or by contacting the appropriate quarters and maintain open lines to get feedback because you are to ensure that the issue is resolved. Do not refer. Someone told me “the matter gets to your door step and it ends there, we don’t refer, we only report the testimonies”.

We take pleasure in passing the ball, only because we assume that we are right. At best, what we hold is an assumption, look around you, you will find tons of competitors who have moved past customer service and are now giving true worth in exchange for money - satisfaction. Should we live in a country where we cannot make a purchase purchase or request for service except someone refers us? Truth be told, that is how some people live their lives. They will not walk into a store, bank, hospital, restaurant, hotel etc if someone has not earlier referred them there. The change begins with you. Yes, you. 

This article has been descriptive enough to help you find scenarios that can play out in your work place and help you see the impact of your action or inaction on your clients and consumers of your products/service.