| Kippreport.com

It is a well-known fact that here in the UAE customer service isn’t quite at the level it should be. Even after spending hours on the phone or at a customer service center, chances are you did not get the desired service from your provider. In my experience, as a vendor and customer, I have noticed there are certain customers that get better service than others. In fact, there have been occasions when I  received a more favorable response from service providers. Similarly, when I worked at an after-sales support company, there were certain customers who received priority treatment.

So, what is the determining factor? Why does the quality of service change, although the provider stays the same? It is a difficult question to answer, but from my experience I have compiled a list of dos and don’ts when it comes to dealing with support staff.

Control your rage – Do not call a contact center/service desk when you are still angry about the situation. Let the storm pass. This will help you to better explain your point.

Consolidate your thoughts – Before you start speaking, gather your thoughts. You can even write them down, so that you can refer to them when you talk to the other person.

Call people by their names – This will give you magical results. Wherever you are, call the people who serve you by name. Next time you are in a restaurant, call the waiter/waitress by his/her name. You will get special treatment. Try it next time you are in a cab; make sure to call your taxi driver by his name at least twice during the journey.  Chances are you will not only have a happier driver, but also a safer one.

Separate people from the organization – When you are mad at a situation, tell the person attending to you that you are sorry for being harsh and that your grudge is against the company,  not the individual. The minute you  say that, people will open up. They may even go out of the way to attend to your issue.

Ask for commitment – The most common answer you may get from someone in the service industry is: “We will look into it as soon as possible.” Do not make the mistake of agreeing to this. Instead be sure to ask for a specific time and day.

Follow up – Keep an account of all your interactions with the customer service department. Should you need to take your case to upper management, good documentation can help strengthen your case.

Escalation – If you think  people at the front-end are not able to resolve your issue, feel free to take it up with upper management.

Drop names – Do not hesitate to suggest that you would take your business to a competitor if things do not improve.

Appreciate – Last, but not least, appreciate people when you get good service. If possible try and pass on your positive feedback to the supervisor or make a mention of their names in a feedback card.