Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/255289
Our Customer Service Leaves Lasting Impressions However, many times those impressions are not so good. As we get deeper into the year and prepare for the busy season it might be worthwhile to revisit what impressions we are leaving with our customers. We are all consumers and have our good and bad stories to tell – but the reality is, we always remember much more readily the times when we were mistreated versus the occasions when we were treated well. Such is the world of customer service. I had an experience with a car rental agency back in the early 1990s in Richmond Va. I am sure you know the drill. Fill up the tank and then go to the rental return and check out. They check the odometer, the gas tank, and walk around the vehicle and finally give you your invoice. Well, that's what happened in Richmond. What I did not expect was to receive a further invoice in the mail a few weeks later saying I owed another $10 or so for gas. Being who I am, I called the rental car company and asked what was going on, only to be told it was a franchise issue, and they had no control over them. So I called the franchise and asked again what was going on, and they calmly told me that I returned the car without a full tank of gas. Now keep in mind, their employee had checked the gauge and gave me an invoice indicating I owed nothing for gas. Nevertheless, they stuck to their guns and I paid the bill. Being a customer service trainer, I have not used that rental car company since, and that has been more than 25 years. Oh, and another thing: I believe I have told that story to some 10,000 people over the years, only when I tell it, I name the company. I wonder if the $10 was worth it. Now here's a new twist. Airlines are one of the few industries that can commit what I call legal fraud. They can sell a product that they don't have. You've seen it happen – the plane should be boarding any minute when all of a sudden they announce at the gate that they have oversold the flight, and they're looking for volunteers to give up their seats and take later flights. What's Up With These People? I think I must have missed the memo, because that just happened to me with a rental car reservation. I made a reservation to pick up a car in my hometown, and when I got to the counter I was told there were no cars available and I was going to have to wait. I asked how long and was told that they didn't know. I was starting to explain the urgency of my situation – I had to be in Los Angeles to catch a flight – when suddenly I was told to "please step aside, sir, so I can serve another customer." Very interesting. Well, I called my travel agent, a lady I have dealt with for more than 25 years who does a terrific job for me; I asked her if there was anything she could do to help. As usual there was, and I picked up a car at the National counter and drove away quite happy with National and unhappy with my previous choice. Guess what? I have a new customer service story to tell, don't I! Customer service is a critical element in everything we do, yet it remains a challenge. You see, it is not companies that give customer service; it is their employees. These are the people who I call your heroes; the ones who work with your customers day in and day out. They field complaints, overcome objections, and provide service with a smile. They are truly wonderful people. They are also, in many cases, overworked and underappreciated. We need to ensure that we have the "correct" number of people performing this work. It is not a static sales-per-employee number that drives everything. We need to provide the latest technologies in Internet parts ordering, electronic catalogs and wireless headsets, and much more. We need to provide training on the products and services that you offer the market. We need to ensure that these customer service personnel are trained in the art of selling. If we fall short, it's the employee who will be under pressure and maybe won't respond to the customer as (s)he should. Don't give customers the opportunity to tell negative stories about your company. The time is now. RON SLEE (ron@rjslee.com) is the founder of R.J. Slee & Associates, Rancho Mirage, Calif., celebrating more than 30 years in business in the United States, a consulting firm that specializes in dealership operations. Ron also operates Quest Learning Centers, a company that provides training services specializing in product support, and Insight (M&R) Institute, a company that operates and facilitates "Dealer Twenty" Groups. Fol- low Ron on Twitter: @RonSlee; and read his blog at learningwithoutscars.com. BY RON SLEE Aftermarket February 2014 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 59