Testing the Customer Experience - Spotting and Fixing Hidden Service FAILures

Customer service failures can happen for various reasons—whether it's poorly trained representatives, confusing phone systems, or a website that’s not functioning properly. But the bigger question is: Does management even know these issues exist?

When was the last time you tested your own company's customer service to experience it firsthand?

The truth is, many of these customer service FAILures could have been avoided if management took the time to walk in the customer's shoes. By doing so, they can pinpoint problem areas and make real improvements that enhance the overall experience.

Let's dive into a few common scenarios that highlight just how crucial this testing can be.

ACCESSING ACCOUNT OR WASTING MY TIME

You call Monolithic Corporation and hear, PROMPT: “Thank you for calling. Please listen carefully as our menu options have recently changed.”

You listen—but quickly realize that the menu options haven’t changed at all. In fact, they’ve been the same for years.

Next, the system asks you to enter your account number, which you do. After being transferred, an agent answers:

AGENT: “Hello, this is Josh. May I have your account (or other identification) number, please?”

CALLER: I already entered it.

AGENT: Oh, well it didn’t come through.

CALLER: Then why did I enter it?!”

This kind of system failure not only wastes the customer’s time but also creates frustration. Ideally, the account number should be forwarded to the agent automatically. If that's not possible, letting the customer know ahead of time that they may need to repeat the information would at least manage expectations and improve the experience. Clear communication goes a long way in maintaining customer satisfaction.

PHONE ETIQUETTE, KEEPING IT PERSONAL

CALLER: “Is so-and-so there?”

EMPLOYEE: “She’s not available right now. Can you call back in 15 minutes?”

CALLER: “No. You can take a message and have her call me.”

EMPLOYEE: “Oh she’s really busy, and I can’t guarantee that she’ll call back.”

CALLER: “So it’s company policy not to return phone calls? Look, I’m calling this number once. She’s not available. That doesn’t place the burden on me to call again. You make sure that she calls me!”

Providing your customers with personal service?proves your commitment. When a customer sees that they get personal service, they become better customers. It is never acceptable to say “not available, call back.” That is very impersonal.

DOUBLE-TALK: A SLIPPERY SLOPE (AND POSSIBLY A MONEY GRAB)

Imagine this conversation:

CSR: "The equipment you’re using is outdated. You’ll need a new converter to continue using our service. That’ll be an additional $6 per month."

Caller: "So, your rates have gone up?"

CSR: "No, not at all. Our rates haven’t changed. It’s just an extra $6 per month for the converter so you can keep using the service."

Caller: "So, your rates have gone up?"

CSR: "No, not at all..."

And the loop continues, with the customer feeling confused and misled.

This is a prime example of "double-talk"—when responses are worded in a way that can obscure the truth, making it hard for customers to get a straight answer. In this case, the representative avoids admitting that costs have, in fact, increased.

It’s crucial for businesses to avoid using complicated or misleading language that can frustrate customers. Hidden fees or unclear explanations damage trust. To improve customer satisfaction, ensure your representatives give clear, straightforward answers to tough questions. Transparency fosters better relationships and reduces the risk of losing clients to confusion or frustration.

Customer Service Phone Call Hall of Shame

• Phone menus with no “speak with a human” option.
• Phone menus that take forever to navigate to the correct service area, only to hear “You’ve reached the XYZ Department after hours. Please call back when we’re open. Good bye” and the line goes dead.
• Phone call transfers that turn into disconnects, without any pre-emptive personal responsibility (“May I have a call-back number, in case we get disconnected? OR “If we get disconnected my extension is xxxx.”).

Customer service teams often don’t have the authority to fix major issues like faulty phone systems or other frustrating customer interactions. This responsibility falls on management. To provide an exceptional customer experience, it’s crucial for leadership to regularly test the customer journey themselves. When they do, these horrible FAILs and situations of customer alienation will be discovered, corrected, and avoided.

This information is from our Customer Service training curriculum. If you're looking for ways to improve your communication skills, register for one of our public classes.