Is Customer Service Dead?

19 replies
I have a question for everyone. Is customer service dead now in the world.

For the past month I have been trying to get in touch with several different companies in reguards to their services. And these are big companies such as Moneygram, Vending Comapnies, Locating companies, Gift Card Companies and many more companies. I will call and leave messages and send e-mails and do everything I can just to get a moment of someones time to talk about getting their service or seeing if their service will fit in with our company and it amazes me that no one ever answers the phone, returns a phone call or an e-mail. It is now 3:40 pm est as I write this and I just went through my list of 25 companies. Out of that list I actually talked to 2 human beings. One was just a receptionist and I am waiting for a call back. The second was some old guy who just didn't have a clue what was going on and the rest were either leaving messages or the number was no longer valid.

So being a friday maybe people leave early but not before 4 or 5 and you don't get brushed off or be told to wait for a company to call you back.

so my main question is is customer service dead and what are your thoughts on how people are running their businessess today.
#customer #dead #service
  • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
    It doesn't sound like you're a customer of these companies yet so you need to get a hold of their sales reps.

    The key is that you have the right contacts on your list. If you're just calling some generic phone number you won't get far (as you've seen). You need to spend time researching the correct contacts before calling. Maybe you've done this but from the way you described it, it doesn't seem likely.
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  • Profile picture of the author FortressDewey
    My offline business (janitorial) answers the phone and/or returns a message within 24 hours of receiving it M-S. So, is customer service dead? No, but certain verticals can get away with giving less than par CS.
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  • Profile picture of the author NicheExposed
    No actually 99% of the companies I called I am not affiliated with. I have done my research and am looking to expand the businesses that I associate with. The vending company that I work for I have worked with them for 5+ years now and the locating companies that we deal with are slacking off and not performing as they should so I am looking for new companeis. The other side of the company I work for is a money based service and we do have a rep who I was playing phone tag with and we also deal with gift cards and other services and called a company called Blackhawlk networks who is the major player in the game and they kept sending me to the same person over and over even though I told them that she wasn't returning my calls. I have also been dealing with a company called Perfect Break Systems where we get 99% of our vending machines. Been dealing with this company for over 20 years and they are slacking off as well. I wrote them a well crafted e-mail and sent it to the president of the company and got back a 3 line response with a snyde comment.

    It just amazes me in my experience that people aren't going out of their way to bring in business when everyone is struggling.

    Just my 2 cents.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cataclysm1987
    Well, I know one thing for sure. Google customer service is dead.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      getting their service or seeing if their service will fit in with our company
      I have to ask - are you asking about buying their products/services - or are you pitching them for your own business in some way?

      It's not quite clear to me. Companies may be slow but can't imagine 25 companies ignoring a customer seriously interested in buying. They might ignore a person wanting something other than to make a purchase, however.

      Maybe that not what you are doing - but your questions are being viewed that way by those receiving them.

      kay
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  • Profile picture of the author NicheExposed
    I am calling to get their services. I am not pitching them anything. We need these services to improve our business and give our customers what they are looking for as well as safe guard our company from criminals.
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  • Profile picture of the author cartoonstudios
    Customer service of big companies has been going down hill for quite some time now, look at that place something wal something lol... good example there... few others I have had bad experience with is best buy actually had one support rep over the phone thought she put me on hold when I ask for a supervisor but she didn't heard her entire conversation they got a girl to act like a supervisor she told her to just sound important and not to call me a stupid dumba*** when she got on the phone like she wanted to do but couldn't... so yeah what can you say... it's all about getting your money but after most of the big companies once they have your cash they could care less...
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  • Profile picture of the author CodyTemke
    I would say it is close to dead!! most just want to get a high volume of sales and call it a day... after they have sold you, they do not wanna hear for you.
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  • Profile picture of the author rayx
    yeah, I think a lot of companies are firing customer service employees unfortunately...

    the way I see it, if you're going to offer a product or service you should be offering reliable customer support (that's part of the job)

    ...obviously it's terrible for long term business
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    • Profile picture of the author tryinhere
      Originally Posted by rayx View Post

      yeah, I think a lot of companies are firing customer service employees unfortunately...
      it probably cuts costs in half to remove these staff and spend a few more buck on the glitz n glitter marketing machine to cover up any negative vibes
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      • Profile picture of the author rayx
        Originally Posted by tryinhere View Post

        it probably cuts costs in half to remove these staff and spend a few more buck on the glitz n glitter marketing machine to cover up any negative vibes
        yeah that makes sense, but eventually a lot of people will figure out that they don't offer customer service (or very little) and as a result there overall business will suffer IMO
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  • Profile picture of the author EricOM
    I think we are victims of our own demands for lower cost goods. Almost everything bought nowadays is of substandard manufacture and quality. If it is still working after a year, hang out a flag. If it isnt, try and get it fixed under warranty, you get a "so what do you expect for xxx£s" attitude.
    Welcome to the complete throw away society.
    Gimme your money + only call when you are buying another.
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Hell, half the time I can't even get a sales rep to call me back.

    I keep hearing about how hard of an economic recession we're in, but it seems like a very large percentage of the businesses out there across a multiplicity of niches are pretty uninterested in communicating with customers and even prospective customers.

    My sympathy meter is broken.
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  • Profile picture of the author donmccobb
    Your question is interesting. My experience is that customer service is only dead in dead or dying companies. By that I mean that a company with poor customer service will not survive. On the other hand those companies with good customer service will prosper.

    Don McCobb
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  • Profile picture of the author NicheExposed
    Here's another one. I called a company called USA Vending... they are supposed to be a full service vending company. We are looking to get some coffee vending machines for a car dealership. The woman picked up the phone and I intorduced myself, told her I was with (company name) and that I was looking for a full service coffee vending machine. I thought the woman was going to have a stroke over the phone. She was so confused I thought she was going to cry. Her response was "We just sell vending Machines."

    I asked "Do you sell coffee vending machines"

    "I don't understand the question"

    "Do you sell full service coffee vending machines?"

    "Sir, I don't understand your question. We just sell vending machines. I don't know how I can answer your question?"

    "You just did, thank you very much." and I hung up...

    and some of the web sites on google are starting to piss me off as well. I try looking for companies and just get bs feeder pages that don't lead to anything.

    Were in trouble people... no wonder were in a recession.
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    • Profile picture of the author Leedir
      Customer Service cannot be dead. It may have gone into a coma. Before long companies are going to realize the value of what they have been ignoring and they are going to rush to bring it out of this coma. It may sound cliched but a customer has risen from being king to being god! So we will just have to wait for customer service to be brought back to life.
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