Monday, June 26, 2006

The Need to Follow Up.....

Ok, I have read all the comments from my last post as well as talked to some of my friends that read it and must say that I feel the need to follow-up. I do understand that this is just the way it is and these are the things I cannot change. I do not let it bother me too much they are just the things that make me shake my head.

Coming from a sales/customer service background I think it is ashame that so many companies have lost site of what made them as successful as they are. My own company forgets this at times. Having to deal with them face to face and to be the one to try and smooth over the company procedures and policies with the customer's perception is never an easy task. Many customers still deal with businesses under the belief that the customer is always right. We know that the customer is definitely not always right.

While I have argued many times with those same ideas, there are many times that I can admit I definitely was not in the right. I always try to step back and look at things from both sides. I also try to remember the person I am dealing with does not make the rules they are only the voice to communicate them.

I think what get's lost in everything is the customer just does not understand and too many times the company representative just quotes the rule rather than the reason. For instance in my Microsoft/Dell dilemma I could not understand why I register and activate my software yet they cannot help me retrieve any of my information from it. The technology has to be there. Perhaps someone could have just explained it to me. They could have told me anything rather than just saying no.

Anyway, I am going to let that all go. It really did not bother me too much, I found it more comical than anything as I thought back through it. I also know the answer to the question of the post. I control my life not anyone else. Had I returned that software back to where it belonged the last time I used it, I would not have been in that situation. I really did not like the title I put there but I was honestly too tired to stop and change it to something else.

2 comments:

Susan said...

Customer service is sort of a dying "art" in my opinion. And really, it is that "WOW-factor" that Tom Peters talks about. Shouldn't that be the goal of every employee in a company? To go above and beyond the call of duty. Chances are, your software IS registered somewhere at Microsoft...and it DOES seem like you should be able to locate it when necessary. Imagine what would have happened if you knew that the person on the other end of the phone tried several avenues only to have to say "no" in the end. It seems it would have made it a bit easier to swallow the "no" pill then. This is just my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Dan, I'm resending yours. It doesn't look like I pushed all the right buttons, so you may get two of these.

I'm send ing this comment to each of your BLOGS, as it applies to all.

The "gene pool" huh? Yes you're right, we do change considerably as we age and the stresses we felt as younger adults tends to come more into perspective and relevance. As I remember the stories you've "let out", I smile. Do we change? Definitely! Is it for the better? Definitely! Do we see ourselves in our children? Thank God, DEFINITELY!

Sus, Dan and Greg, I LOVE YOU ALL for what you each are and the traits you picked up from the "Old Man". You each, THANKFULLY, have balanced those traits with the traits of your Mother(s). Those have given you the sensibility and patience, reflected in your own personalities.

Love to all,
Dad