Customer Service is Overrated

“Customer service is overrated,” that’s what I thought today when I stopped in at a new restaurant right around the corner from my house. The new establishment took months getting ready for their grand opening. When I walked in the door the place looked incredible! The decor was first class. Each server was in matching uniforms that resonated excellence. The smell of the food was noticeable when I walked in and I was completely excited about this new experience.

Big problem though, “customer service was overrated.” The restaurant wasn’t full and we could see empty tables everywhere. We waited and waited and waited to be seated, but no one acknowledged that we were there. It became so bad that I leaned over to my party and said, “sixty seconds and we’re out of here.” At that point within seconds we were finally seated.

The next thirty minutes it was again confirmed that obviously in their eyes, “customer service must be overrated.” It was a waiting game the whole night. The server didn’t know the menu, we had to ask for everything, but here’s the kicker, the food was incredible.

Would I go back? Probably, but I would order carry out.

It was a good lesson to observe again. It doesn’t matter how well you package your product, or how well your product actually is. If the face of your product or brand doesn’t understand how to interact with the consumer you run the risk of losing valuable customers. You also increase the chance of negative conversations being spread about your brand and its products.

Chris Brogan and Julien Smith in their recent bestseller, Trust Agents (Amazon link) outline a great strategy to excellent customer service. Chris writes that while he worked a brief stint in a restaurant he followed the three A’s when dealing with a customer complaint: Acknowledge, Apologize and Act.

While it seems so simple, it’s amazing how two simple words like, “I’m sorry” can go a long way. Then act quickly to “do something.” A simple “I’m sorry” and quick response can work wonders in putting your customer at ease and creating a positive experience for the consumer.

Customer Service and Social Media

How do you handle customer service in regards to your social media activity? Do you respond to email quickly? Are you there when someone reaches out to you? If not, I wonder if you’re sending the same message that I received tonight, “customer service is overrated.”

The comment section is yours. I would love to hear your thoughts.

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Tagged as: Business, Chris Brogan, Customer Management, Customer service, Julien Smith, Social media