The Language We Speak Here Is "Customer Service"

I walked into a restaurant, the type with crisp white tablecloths and napkins, and along with the menu the waiter brought the wine list.

Not seeing anything special or even tasty, I asked: Whats the House wine?

These are our wines, he replied, pointing to the wine list in my hands.

I know, but do you have a House wine? I repeated, hoping he would get it the second time.

Seeing his perplexed look, I tried to ask the question another way.

If someone comes in and asks for a glass of Cabernet, which wine will you pour?

A Cabernet, he answered, not at all getting my drift, but growing visibly irritated with my questions.

Ill tell you what, I said with resignation, Bring me an iced tea, please.

In a huff, he rumbled off.

On my way to wash my hands I saw a waitress, and I decided to ask her the same question.

Pardon me, but if I asked you Whats the House wine? would you know what Im talking about?

I dont know, but Ill be happy to find out, she replied with a smile.

Now, thats a better answer.

Anyway, all of this banter bothered me and I was quickly losing my appetite. Also, I didnt want to continue with the original waiter so I asked the host if I could substitute another one. I explained the first guy and I were having a communication problem and I doubted he would get my order right.

Uh, I dont know he responded weakly. Ill have to ask the manager.

Returning to my table the original waiter defensively said, Yes, you can have a waiter who speaks English, and then he stormed off.

That did it.

It was time to leave.

Before I did, I said to him in his native language, with a flawless accent and perfect vocabulary and syntax that I could ask the very same question in ANY language about House wines and still, he wouldnt be able to answer it.

Ive spent thousands of dollars over the years in that restaurant, and in a matter of five minutes our relationship was destroyed.

I wont go back.

Customer service isnt a frill, an extra bonus that we decide to give, like a gift, to patrons.

It is the business were in, no matter what our business happens to be.

Train your people, and then monitor, measure, and actively manage them.

If you dont, the good will that has been developed over a decade or more can be thrown away, and with it, the future of your enterprise.

Best-selling author of 12 books and more than 800 articles, Dr. Gary S. Goodman is considered a foremost expert in telephone effectiveness, customer service, and sales development. A top-rated speaker, seminar leader, and consultant, his clients extend across the organizational spectrum, from the Fortune 1000 to small businesses. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Why Is Good Telephone Customer Service So Hard To Find?
Have you ever tried to call up for customer support in the middle of the night? How about just in the middle of the day. You will be of excellent luck if after a long wait you find that the person on the other end of the phone will speak English in a way that can be well understood. Usually you will get someone with a heavy accent that can not spea...

Top Speaker Says: 1960’s Rhetoric Prevents Us From Really Satisfying Customers
I just happened upon an article that entices us to speak about customer transactions as experiences.Suddenly, I feel Im emerging from a time capsule, back to the 1960s (most of which really happened in the 70s according to people who were there.)Everybody is barefoot, dangling love beads, and singing If you come to San Francisco, wear a flower in y...

Customer Service and Its Importance
Whenever we go out to eat what we look for the most after good food is the customer service. Most of the people prefer to eat at places where they like the customer service as when we go to eat outside then we are overwhelmed by good service to get that special feel. The customer service is therefore very important for a hotel or any other establ...

Customer Service - The Ins And Outs
Customer Service is the big topic of discussion wherever you go!! Its all about customer service and how you are treated in the business world.When you work in the customer service field for so many years you learn and you expect to be treated in a certain way and you expect to get superior service, which is not always the case. In your day to day ...

Customer Satisfaction
Call center outsourcing is one of the most high-rising industry in our world today. But what really happens in a call center outsourcing center? Primarily, call center outsourcing or contact centers is a service that conduct both inbound and outbound services. They are a function outside of the main company that focus on the services for customers....

Customer Service Consultants
When all else fails in your company to meet the needs of your customer consider a customer service consultant. If you find that agents in your company are constantly having misunderstanding that result in loss of customers bring in a consultant. There are a number of resources available in books and on the Internet to help you find which consulta...

Customer Service Mistake: Youll Be "More Than Happy" To Help Me?
One of my great claims to fame is the creation, testing, and validatiion of the Customer Service Call Path.This is a ritualized way of starting a conversation that tells the customer or prospect that youre ready, willing, and able to help them. You send this message not only through TEXT, what you say; but also through TONE and TIMING; how and when...