When did the customer cease to be king?

Kell

This is a mini rant particularly about the level of service you get when dealing with inusrance companies.

Although my car insurance came down this year, it came down less than it did last year when I had a lower no claims. Anyway, I went through the jigs and the reels and got them to explain exactly how the came up with my premimum. Anyway, the explanation was complete nonsense as the figures they spouted at me still didn't add up so I said that I would look elsewhere. The guy at the end of the phone basically said good luck finding a cheaper quote as you wont get one.

Anyway I came back to them a week later with a cheaper quote and do you think they would budge? Nah. With them for three years and do you think that retaining customer loyalty is at the top of their agenda? Nah. I said to three people "So retaining your customer is of no interest to you whatsoever" to which they replied "Of course it is sir, however we absolutely cannot match that quote".

When did companies start not to give a fúck about their customer loyalty? Across the board I can see very few of the companies that I deal with give a toss about trying to retain my business or not rip me off.

K-

RicardoSmith

These days making money is a companies number one priority and providing a quality service, product, customer satisfaction is very low on the list. Its a bit of a chicken and egg situation, as to which should come first. Most companies have obviously decided that its the money that is the most important and screw the customer. Generally it sucks big time, all over Ireland. Its unusual to find some place that has a pride in their work, product and you enjoy dealing with them. Theres still one or two around though.

ballooba

SMEs are hungrier.

p

It's all your fault!

Well it's our fault really. Irish people tend to complain and do nothing about things.

So in this situation you move to the other company.

Until bad customer service hits them in the pocket nothing will be done.

So anyone reading this, when a company screws you over, make a complaint to the manager, go to a different shop, write a letter to them.

This is the only way things will improve.

- Kevin

s10

Back in the late eighties , when it was discovered that your average irshman will go to the nearest shop rather than 5 miles down the road to get it cheaper .
This was a delight to abroad retailers as they all moved shop here an charged what they like ,
Bhaaaa Bhaaa Bleet Bleet (couldnt be assed going to shops , will just lie here n starve)
(or order a pizza @ 16 euros)

nahdoic

i hope you did actually change insurance companies then Kell, you did didn't you?

Shilo

Umm, in my experience, the customer ceased to be king when so many of us had to work in crappy customer care jobs and had to listen to people whinge on about everything and nothing all day. It also ceased when people forgot that, whoever they're talking to, the voice on the other end of the phone is a person and deserves as much respect as the caller themselves would demand. And lastly, it ceased when customers decided they'd claim that they knew everything about everything. Simple fact of the matter, 9 times out of 10 the customer is WRONG and just doesn't have the brains to admit it. And the old 'I know my rights!' thing? Don't make me laugh...

This is nothing to do with Kell's posting directly - just an honest view of the question.

I'd disagree about Irish people complaining - they complain a hell of a lot. They just mainly complain about the wrong stuff to the wrong people - and then wonder when they get no results!

ballooba

I would think that the case there is that most customer care people don't know their ar5e from their elbow.

Also companies like Eircom and Esat are badly understaffed. No one ever available that can answer your question. They ring you back about a day later.

QBall

Shilo: Bravo, I couldn't have said it better myself.

Originally posted by ballooba
I would think that the case there is that most customer care people don't know their ar5e from their elbow.

They pay peanuts and get monkeys.

Any person with a clue leaves as soon as they realise what a pack of whingers the custards are. (Or in my case, sticks it out long afterwards cos the hours suited better than the average part time job and moans about what a pack of w4nkers the customers are.[1])

Originally posted by ballooba
Also companies like Eircom and Esat are badly understaffed. No one ever available that can answer your question. They ring you back about a day later.

This condition is also caused by people clamouring for their products at a cheaper price. They have to cut costs somewhere and the softest targets are the ones that generate no income.

Kell:
The reason that they didn't match the cheaper quote was probably down to the fact that the CSR in question didn't have the authority to give you a better deal than what the company rules said. Anyone with the authority to match that cheaper quote wouldn't be seen dead on the end of a phone to a customer. :-(


[1] Although in my time, I had a couple of customers who really made my day due to being the only polite reasonable customer of the day.