Is Customer Service important to us ??
Apr 30 2007 | Views 153 |
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Tags: This tries to bring up two issues - morality in business and reality check of Customer Service.
Tags: This tries to bring up two issues - morality in business and reality check of Customer Service.
Author Amit Bapna goes to write
" Today ,Indian Consumers are rewriting the paradigms of ownership patterns by shopping, dinning and travelling in an unprecedented conspicucous manner.In response, a plethora of emerging to cash in huge opportunity.Brands are rushing to position themselves on the planks of innovation and customer service "
Author also quotes M.G.Parameshwaran,Executive Director ,FCB Ulka, " The definition of Customer Service is under going a sea change in India.with Brand proliferation,increased channel competion and growth of telecom infrastructure. "
I may not disagree with the author or M.G Parameshwaran that the definition of "Customer Service " has under gone sea change but he did not tell the reader what is the changed one. I have some serious disconnect with the what author and Ulka Executive Director is trying to tell. I am not too sure if they know what "Customer Service " is ? I am sure id consumers could take test of 100 Marketing Directors/Executive Directors and ask them to write the definition of "Customer Service " in 5 or 10 minutes - the result will be very revealing and it it will be great if what they write are displayed at every service point. I have some basic questions on Customer Service . I will raise those after I talk about few more related issues.
I want the readers to focus on what the author said and I have made it bold for getting attention. I realize that many Indians today have significantly high incomes so it is the objective of the Business World cash in and make those Indians to consume more. But in our hurry to "rewrite the paradigm " and cash in the opportunity we are ignoring to look at one very relevant point. Is the growth in consumption has a parity with growth in earnings ( I mean the legitimate one ). A close scrutiny will tell that the gap is large and it is becoming larger as the days go by.
Many years back ,to be precise end Eighties , one village Head Man told me during my visit to the village in connection with our initiative to educate the farmers on use of a new Herbicide, told me that he holds TV responsible for many Social evils. I was bit surprised . He did not mention Bollywood Movies , violence etc usually rattled by most of us, but he gave me bigger surprise by asking me a question,which made me change my outlook towards what we do in terms of marketing. His question was precise - " Is it not immoral to raise aspiration or expection of people when there is no legitimate means or opportunities to satisfy them ?. He narrated one example - he said we are trying to tell people that dowry is bad but dowry related crimes are on the increase - all though out the country cutting accross social strata. He says that aspirations are increasing and it is being done by the marketers. Result - every one wants to have things which they may need or may not need. He gave some examples - a village boy wants a suit ,while he has no real need. He wants some electrical gadgets which may not have significant use. These are demanded and possesion is a Status symbol. Think about it - to me it made sense. I left the village that evening with one lesson - which no body told me so bluntly before - Social responsibility of Business .
I am quite confident if this viewed - it will be rubbished because it is nor coming out from a Business School Pundit or some celebrity. It may attract comments opposing my views. I am not expecting to influence too many people.If I can make a few thinking about it,I will be happy.
I mentioned that we need to look at the increase in consumption and in crease in earnings.Consumption and splurging has become a status symbol in our Society. We are evaluated today on the basis of what cars we ride, what Cell phone we use, how many times we eat out, what brand we drink, what perfume, which Bank we use ( the foreign and Private Banks with minimum deosit needs are better ( it tells about your finanacial health),etc etc . List could be never ending. Now those who can not afford such things from the legitimate source of income does not want to be left out in the race,does not want his wife and Children whine about not having a particular Cell phone or a saree or a home theatre or LCD TV. It tells upon his pride. Very few can take it,most succumb. But most unfortunate part of the story is it is the section of the Society which directly corrupting the Society will lecture that people are getting corrupt - blame Govt Official and fiannly the punching bag - POLITICIANS . It is our favourite pastime to malign politicians and system but those who really corrupting the society flaunt their BMWs and Hondas or Cuban Cigars.
Let me come back to Customer Service. What can we expect from the bunch who have no concern for the Social responsibility of the Business. I do not expect either unless imbibed from strong family values. The rat race of getting into the most sought after route - IIT - IIM - a fancy job. We often say that our present schooling norms are taking away the "childhood" from our children.
I am asking a question . The age which gives a tendency to all to be fair and develop a sense of justice are crushed under the wheels of rat race to reach IIT- IIM - fancy job in a foreign Bank or FI or the political hype on the issues like reservation or Hindutva. No where in the horizon - exists "MORALITY". People are taught - end justifies the means.
So to this crowd - what does Customer Service mean ? These people are the gullible lot and can be manipulated to believe at ATM is a status symbol and a big "SERVICE" to a person who has the necessity to Bank. I laugh when people talk about rushing to an ATM in the midst of shopping or dinning and pride. I laugh when Banks have a TV spot showing some one driving to withdraw money in the middle of the night. WHO WILL EVALUATE WHAT IS THE REAL BENEFIT TO AN ACCOUNT HOLDER ? I am almost 70 , I am sure many will laugh,if I say I have never used an ATM card to withdraw money. I plan differently.
Who will also evaluate how much damage was done by this customer service. We borrowed it from West and put this as an indicator for our progress.
Banks have given a face lift of their Banches and some of the foreign Banks branches are fancy but but one charges the customer for a vist in some category of Accounts. RBI directed that Account Holders being given a Pass Book or a monthly statement. Some started and slowly slipped back to quarterly with an explanation that they will give the customers want.
Some Private Banks - one can not meet the Branch Manager unless he or she can satify his/her cronies the purpose he/she wants to see the Branch. I always thought that communication between a Banker and the customer is "privileged" but now now you are expected to discuss almost in public with open offices some keep two or more chairs and people just walk in and take the chair when you are talking. That is great Customer Service.
You ask for a Interest Certificate from a Foreigh Bank - they first try to send you a soft copy on your e-mail id and then a print out pretending as if they have just come from USA and they are not aware of IT requirement of mannualy signed statement dult stamped.
Ask a question to a Asst .Manager/ Operation Manager - really second person in command ,may show you a phone and ask you pick up so that you are directly connected to the Call Centre, that is Customer Service.
Most Banks, Hotels and Airlines have gone for what is known as "Relationship Marketing". All of them have "Relationship Manager". Ask them - to tell you what they understand by "Relationship ", I can guarantee 8 or 9 out of 10 can ot answer. All of them will be offended and some might be even curt. What can the person really do for customer, when he or she does not even care to know what it means. I met one Relationship Manager in one of the big branches of HSBC ,she knew what she is expected to do and could articulate and she never failed to deliver. Most try to make good for their ignorance with Jargons they are old by the people who trained.
An Airlines which talks about Relationship Marketing ,did a good job till some Expat Executives were there now still follows the same but sends you a Birthday Greetings on wrong day. Prompt explanation - data base in the system got corrupted. In the days of those foreigners they will seek the data again but not send the Birth day Greetings on a wrong day. It is like a telphone operator or front office answering your calls by name but use the name of the person who stayed last - question same old story - Computer/system - in short it is the technology. But what about the person who forgot update the data in the system when you checked in.
Most people will try to give the garbage of technology - ATM/Net Banking/ 24x365 call centres ,Toll free Numbers but my question is does this all substitute for "INTENT". Let not the guys in the Service Sector decide what Customers need and want. Now they decide and then evaluate themselves about the standard they fix. Customer has no place.
Companies like Tata Sky enroll customers and they have scheme with 3 months or 6 months free they forget that it infringes the law of equity. Individual complaints never reach the right place. Tata Sky enrolled cusmoers with with a set of channels but then drops on the pretext of some order from authority which is out of a commercial dispute.
Companies like Phillips - offers a scheme of AMC for some of their product . Dealer's Technician never visits even once in 9 moths ,then arrives unannounced at a time most inconvenient or when there is power shut down but never shopws up again. Yes- you can get service - provided one has the energy of taking these Companies to Consumer Court and even challenge the intent. We have law - but an ordinary person can not benefit from it.
Large companies know it and take undue advantage and have article written to for self glorification.
I am requesting people to question and demand the service they are supposed to get. Don't get carried away by the hype.
© Ratan Datta., all rights reserved.
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