by Pa Rock
Consumer of Services
My job requires that I occasionally make phone calls to multiple public schools. Generally I dread that task because schools have, by and large, adopted the customer-unfriendly practice of using automated call-routing systems that generally give a little speech about how great their programs are - before providing a variety of numbered options to deflect or stall calls. The nuisance machines can cause a wait of several minutes before the caller is connected to the desired office - if the customer is exceedingly lucky! Those suffering from a lack of stamina - or a lack of time - often give up and hang up.
As a customer service, that sucks.
(Doctors' offices are also becoming harder and harder to contact in a timely fashion due to those evil answering systems. I'm personally very tired of a machine telling me "If this is a true emergency, please hang up and dial 911." Well dumb ass, if it was a true emergency, I would have called 911 - but today I am just a poor schmuck who is trying to get a prescription extended or set an appointment!)
Over the past few days I have had to telephone numerous high schools located in the West Valley - and I suffered many call-routing machines. However, late in the morning I phoned nine high schools in one particular district and got a human being first time, every time. I did not have to put up with one recorded message.
That was a case of great customer service. The phone rang and someone answered it. What a concept!
If someone who owns a furniture store or a pizza joint wants to annoy their customers with a call-routing machine, so be it. They won't be in business long. But if agencies or offices that provide important services - government offices, schools, and medical offices and facilities - choose to impede customer service with these annoying and time-eating machines, then those making the decisions to do so should be caned in the public square at high noon!
I am hopeful that the use of call-routing machines is an aberration that has about run its course. It wasn't an accident that every single high school in one Arizona school district answered their phones with a human this morning. A conscious decision was made by somebody in that district office to treat the public in a respectful manner.
If the phone rings, answer it. Courtesy is a great customer service.
Consumer of Services
My job requires that I occasionally make phone calls to multiple public schools. Generally I dread that task because schools have, by and large, adopted the customer-unfriendly practice of using automated call-routing systems that generally give a little speech about how great their programs are - before providing a variety of numbered options to deflect or stall calls. The nuisance machines can cause a wait of several minutes before the caller is connected to the desired office - if the customer is exceedingly lucky! Those suffering from a lack of stamina - or a lack of time - often give up and hang up.
As a customer service, that sucks.
(Doctors' offices are also becoming harder and harder to contact in a timely fashion due to those evil answering systems. I'm personally very tired of a machine telling me "If this is a true emergency, please hang up and dial 911." Well dumb ass, if it was a true emergency, I would have called 911 - but today I am just a poor schmuck who is trying to get a prescription extended or set an appointment!)
Over the past few days I have had to telephone numerous high schools located in the West Valley - and I suffered many call-routing machines. However, late in the morning I phoned nine high schools in one particular district and got a human being first time, every time. I did not have to put up with one recorded message.
That was a case of great customer service. The phone rang and someone answered it. What a concept!
If someone who owns a furniture store or a pizza joint wants to annoy their customers with a call-routing machine, so be it. They won't be in business long. But if agencies or offices that provide important services - government offices, schools, and medical offices and facilities - choose to impede customer service with these annoying and time-eating machines, then those making the decisions to do so should be caned in the public square at high noon!
I am hopeful that the use of call-routing machines is an aberration that has about run its course. It wasn't an accident that every single high school in one Arizona school district answered their phones with a human this morning. A conscious decision was made by somebody in that district office to treat the public in a respectful manner.
If the phone rings, answer it. Courtesy is a great customer service.
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