Isn’t it amazing in this day in age, when everything has become automated, that we actually stammer our words when a human being answers the telephone at any corporation or place of business we call. Oh my gosh, I think a human just answered this phone. I was ready to push a button. What do I do? What will I say?
We are so used to speeding through the prompts, press 1 for customer service, press 2 for parts. We blatantly ignore the plea for us to “listen to the selections carefully for the menu has changed”. We would rather end up in the “wrong” department, only to be disconnected while on hold, than to listen to ANOTHER recording. The voices have become scarily realistic. Sometimes it seems as though we really ARE talking to a human only to be embarrassed by their non-response to our question, “How are you today?”
Thousands of phone systems no longer recognize the constant, insistent pushing of 0 for the SOS call that it is. Instead of being transferred to a human, who could answer our question in two seconds or less, we are forced to drill down our inquiries with pinpoint accuracy, only to be transferred to another answering machine at the very end of the “conversation”.
We have an acquaintance who tells the story of a friend who actually overpaid a mistake on their cell phone bill as opposed to wrangling with his cell phone carriers answering system.
The flip side of this could be that sometimes we welcome the automation. We are busy multi tasking, we really only need to check the ship date or the balance due. Human interaction would actually slow things down.
Where can businesses find the balance?
Do you need a human voice to begin the relationship? Can you let ANY opportunity pass where human interaction would have made all the difference?
A real live person answers the phone here at Dine Company. All the time. Everyday. 90% of the time it is Karen. She has many other duties, but somehow she gets most of the phone calls. She answers the phone so professionally, so invitingly, so warmly and with such enthusiasm that people who talk to her about picking up an order or listen as she gives them directions to the store arrive here wanting to say hi to her. Karen deals with many repeat orders for our customers by phone. Many of these clients receive their products through our delivery services and never make it in to our showroom, but if they do; they always want to know if we are Karen, they want to meet her.
So think about this. A good first impression often makes a very favorable lasting impression. Some of our clients form their opinion about us based initially and solely on the way we answer and react to their call. Our customer service team welcomes your call; we’re up for the challenge. We invite you to experience the difference our people make.
