A Chain of Failures and lots of Questions

Having a bad day? 

Need to talk to someone right now about a leaking roof, broken plumbing or your new light fixture that suddenly broke? Ever call a company and play the phone game? Press 1 if you are happy, press 2 if you are mad. Please hold, and hold, and hold. We have great music while you wait. Are you getting happier now that we are playing the game? Are you feeling more relaxed? Are we solving your problem?

What is it with telephones and companies? Great way to communicate. We are delighted that you called us and we do so value your business,  but we are just so busy and short staffed right now. Please leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. 

Wow, you called me back. I am delirious with joy! My problem is that the lights I bought ........ Well, actually, you need to speak with Troy who is our sub-contractor for this type of work. He is Marlin fishing in Florida right now. I'll call him and leave a message on his voice mail, and he'll call you when he's back in town. Yes, I know it's inconvenient but we are simply not staffed to do this type of work. Yes, I know you purchased the lights from us, and yes, we stand behind our product, but there is really nothing we can do right now. I'm so sorry, I'm sure you understand! I'll make sure he gets the message as soon as he gets back, and he'll call you right away......

Does your organization talk about The Customer Experience? Can you define it? Can you place a value on it? Is Customer Service mentioned in your Mission Statement? Does your company take it seriously? Do you have the authority to make your customer's experience a positive one? Is the customer care message driven from the top down or from the bottom up? Do you know the costs associated with getting a new customer and how little effort it takes to loose one? Does your organization care?

Here is a simple reality check: How many people do you tell when you've had a good experience? How many people do you tell when you've had a bad experience? What have you heard about your company?

What are the compelling reasons why you or your company should measure your customers' experiences any differently? Can you really afford not to?