I’m a big fan of MSN Money’s annual “Customer Service Hall of Shame”, as voted on by their readers from among Fortune 500 companies. Have been using it in my Customer Service Training programs since ’07.
Here is the 2011 “Bottom 10” of customer service.
10. Farmers Insurance
9. CHASE BANK *
8. Progressive Insurance
7. Citibank
6. Comcast
5. Time Warner Cable
4. SPRINT *
3. Capital One Bank
2. AOL
1. Bank of America
Have had recent experiences with both Chase Bank and Sprint that might offer some insights as to how these organizations are perceived to offer poor service. I’ll take SPRINT first, since my experience just happened this morning.
My cell phone wasn’t working so I went to the sSrint store at 116th & Keystone in Carmel, where I’d bought it. The gentleman there, Bill, was very professional. He checked a few things and told me it was a problem with the phone and I was insured but the technicians had been transferred to the store at 146th & Hazel Dell ( 12 miles round trip). When I got to that store, two customers were walking out without ever having been waited on. Not enough technicians.
I hung in and got to Dustin, who informed me the problem was with the battery and that I wasn’t insured for that. Worse, Sprint doesn’t sell batteries for cell phones, which feels akin to not selling t- bones with a bone to me. He informed me that the best place to purchase a battery would be Batteries Plus, which was one mile on the other side of the original Sprint store on Keystone.
The guys at Batteries Plus did a good job for me and the lady ahead of me.
I spent a lot of time chasing my tail for something I would’ve thought Sprint might handle in one visit. I understand the idea is to sell me a warranty and have it run out right before the battery runs down. But I don’t understand taking the techs out of the Keystone store and then not having enough techs at the store where you send them. And I don’t understand not making batteries available to your customers, thus forcing them to make yet another stop. But maybe that’s just me!
If this were my railroad, I’d sell batteries for the phones I sell. That would have saved me the third stop and I’d have felt better. Also, I wouldn’t leave my Carmel store customers without a technician. Finally, at the Noblesville store, I’d have enough help to keep customers from walking out. Then again, that’s just me! You have to wonder if Sprint cares enough to escape the CUSTOMER SERVICE HALL OF SHAME. I’m betting they don’t! Make sure your business doesn’t belong to the Hall of Shame. Learn from Sprint’s mistakes.
Danny O’Malia
Indy’s Trusted Servant
(317) 413-9062
fax (317) 815-8755
www.indystrustedservant.blogspot.com
CHASE BANK’S FAILURE TO EMPOWER
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011Mary Kay Ash said it best. When asked how she’d become so successful, she answered, “I tried to hire really nice people and then let them be as nice as they could be.”
That’s something most businesses fail miserably at today. Which compels me to share my Chase Bank Story with you.
In March of .09, on the advice of my daughter, who had had a business relationship with the Chase Carmel branch while working for a local jewelry store, I contacted her Business Banker. Let’s call him “Joe”. I set up a Chase business account for my new business, Indy’s Trusted Servant. All went well until March of this year.
I had a $2000 check from a client to deposit, as well as two personal checks totaling just shy of eight dollars to cash. The girl at the window informed me the bank could not cash the two personal checks because I did not have a personal account with Chase( my personal account is with PNC and goes way back to Merchants’ days)
I thought about asking for the Branch Manager or my business banker, “Joe”. Then I realized I was dealing with an institution failing to train and/ or properly empower its employees to give basic customer service. I took the two small checks back, went home and proceeded to call “Joe”.
But “Joe” didn’t answer—I got a message from “Frank.”.
Two days later I entered the bank with another check from a client. I asked for the Branch Manager. He was gracious. I asked to close the door and told him my story. He was apologetic and explained that “Joe” had been promoted and not yet replaced.
My response was, “So you left his clients twisting in the wind?’ His response was, “Yes, I guess so.”
So I closed the account immediately. I took all my money to PNC that very day.
Banks—and other businesses—need to care more about their customers. They need to hire better people and THEN PROPERLY TRAIN AND EMPOWER THEM to take care of the customers. The young lady at the window could have offered someone higher up. She didn’t. I refuse to do business in such an establishment. So should you!
I’ll be sure to let you know if and when PNC makes me this angry. If they do, there are plenty of other banks around. CHASE BANK’S FAILURE TO EMPOWER
Danny O’Malia
Indy’s Trusted Servant
(317) 413-9062
fax (317) 815-8755
www.indystrustedservant.blogspot.com
Tags: business tips, customer service, indianapolis small business, Indy's Trusted Servant
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