Archive for category customer service
new website live
Posted by Volker in cb consulting, change management, customer service, motivation, NLP, performance, SEM, spirituality and business, time management on December 29, 2008
Hello All,
My slightly revamped cb consulting website is live. What do you think?
Volker
customer service again – fitness first last
Posted by Volker in cb consulting, customer service, health, personal on November 8, 2008
Hello,
I wrote about fitness first’s customer service before. Now, I decided to leave them and join my local council gym. It is cheaper, closer and it upgraded all the gym equipment.
After the last hassle of changing between clubs my contract got “officially renewed” although I have been with fitness first for quite some time. Now I have to wait for the minimum period to be over to cancel the membership, and have to see an adviser to cancel my membership too.
That is what I did today. And, I was positively surprised. I had to sign another form that says I want to cancel and not take the opportunity to sign up for some free stuff if I decided to stay. Got a temporary card and can use the gym until end of the year. Not too bad.
Will then join the council gym, Beckenham Spa, for £13/month less and it is about 10 minutes closer to home. What else I want. Happy days?!
Only problem: the time to use the gym 
Have a good weekend
Volker
Vodafone – bad customer service and pushy sales tactics
Posted by Volker in cb consulting, customer service, personal on October 11, 2008
Hello,
Now, let me have an official go at Vodafone.
As, in my eyes, best provider of mobile services due to its reception in all areas of the UK, including the Scottish Highlands, I find Vodafone quite bad in regards to customer service and sales tactics.
Customer Service first:
My wife was due for an upgrade. When asking the person on the phone, she suggested to get 50 minutes and 50 text more for the same price. So, I was put on the account and started negotiating. Unfortunately, it has not been the first time that happens. Because I had to do that with my contract as well. The trick is that you tell them what T-Mobile offers. Then they say that they cannot offer that to existing but to new customers only.
That is the first problem – why treat customers that have been with you for 18 months worse than some that just want to become your clients? That is the old sales tactic to hook the client. Once the client signs up, Vodafone does not seem to be interested anymore.
My negotiation tactic goes on: “If you cannot offer me a better deal I have to go to T-Mobile.” The magic answer from the upgrade team is: “Ok, I put you through to our promotional team.” Once you are there you get the deal they offer new clients and you feel really happy because you got a very good deal. I am jealous my wife as a new phone now and a really good deal. Ach well, I am due for an upgrade in 8 months and then I can negotiate an even better deal 
Now, the problem I have is that I need to escalate things. As an exisiting client I really should not have to do that. I should get a phone call when I am due to upgrade with a really good deal instead of pushing the service provider to give it to me. BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE VODAFONE!
Sales second:
It gets better. I had about 5 missed calls from Vodafone myself and when I finally answered, a pushy sales person offered me a 2nd line because I am such a good customer. When I said that I do not need one, and that no one has a pay as you go, as he suggested, that wanted to upgrade, he offered me the “deal of my life”.
Why, so he suggested, not get a 2nd sim card for yourself. He checked my account and, of course, I go over my limit every month. So, if I had a 2nd sim I could put it into my phone when my current free bundle is finished. When I asked how people would reach me on my current number, he suggested I could text everyone in my address book once a month to let them know my number changed (and of course using 500 texts for it). It would only be £10/month for a 2nd sim with enough minutes and it works out so much cheaper for me.
I asked him if he was serious because that is the most ridiculous sales tactic and suggestion I had ever heard. Why would someone do that and change their number in the middle of the months to save 2 or 5 pounds? If they had offered me an upgrade to another contract that would have made sense but changing to a 2nd sim just does not do it for me. I would rather go to a competitor, get a new phone and a new contract. VERY BAD SALES TACTIC AND TOO PUSHY!
Summa summarum:
I am with Vodafone for the coverage in the UK. For customer service I would go back to T-Mobile or O2. Latter’s coverage is supposendly very good also, so maybe I change next year. People calling me up to offer me unreasonable, useless deals is just wrong. And, it does not shed a good light on a company that presents itself to the outside in a complete different branding.
Vodafone – change your sales tactic and offer me a job as a Sales Director UK (Sorry, A., I am not serious.)
Have a good weekend,
Volker
fitness first – customer service second!
Posted by Volker in cb consulting, customer service, health, personal on August 29, 2008
Fitness First seems to be one of the biggest fitness clubs in the UK.
However, their customer service is appalling. I try to be constructive with my critics:
I joined them in their Bloomsbury gym in March and went during lunch time. Since I got busier I could not go anymore and tried to go to the Beckenham club since. There I have to sign in every time I go and if I have any membership related questions they refer me to Bloomsbury.
So, on 14th of July (coming up 2 months) I filled in a form to transfer my membership at same conditions and be a member in Beckenham.
Since, I had about 5 calls, voice mails etc, returned the calls and nothing has happened. NOTHING at all. Left notes at the reception desk too. Ergo, I called their customer service team in their head office yesterday and said “no one seems to be interested and if I do not hear from you I quit and go somewhere else”.
Guess, nothing has happened.
I think I might have to go to the Bloomsbury branch and quit my membership and start a new one in Beckenham. The assumption I make is that I need to pay extra to join the Beckenham gym. Would not surprise me.
When I refered someone to the club it took them 4 weeks (f-o-u-r) to actually sort out my referral voucher which I had to redeem the same day due to its validity. I was not impressed and complained about that – still waiting for an answer and excuse. And, the watch I got was not working properly – did not really want it but had to chose something!
Maybe big clubs can afford to lose members and can afford an arrogant attitude towards their members. There is no doubt their gym equipment is top notch and their trainers are well educated, but, with all enthusiasm, I cannot see anyone caring for their customers….
If you pick that up, Fitness First, let me know and feel free to comment.
Anyone else had bad experience with them? I knew why I took out a 3 months membership, I might just go back to the council gym for half the price but friendly people….you will see!
Btw, I like their comment about “Fitness First is always working hard to make sure you get the best benefits for your membership – inside and outside your club!”
Wow, they save you pounds but don’t have any offers? And, they are working hard for you to get the best benefits for your membership – WORK HARDER!
customer service once again
Posted by Volker in customer service on March 26, 2008
Hello,
Today another story of poor customer service – from the financial sector for a change.
I wrote to my lovely credit card (cc) company a “secure message” asking to raise my limit. Purely to be on the safe side for our house expenses coming up (not that I can put the whole house on the cc ).
So, I got a nice message back within a few hours saying that it is not a problem and the limit was granted.
However, today a company called me up saying my cc is not working. Embarrassing! I spoke to my cc company and they said that I the limit was not raised and that I cannot get a higher limit. I said “fair enough” as I do not necessarily need the limit, however I asked how they dared to tell me they raised the limit but did not.
“I should write a complaint online about the limit” they said. So I did, mentioning the above and explicitly saying “I do not care about the limit but mainly about you telling me that the limit was raised”. Haha, got a message back saying that for an appeal about the limit I would have to……
Often I wonder about customer service. And why people are too stupid to understand me and my emails. Sometimes I wonder if it is me?! Then I show people my emails and they reassure me that it is not me – it is them!
I now replied, again via secure message, that I don’t care about the limit. I care about their service. 18 months ago their charged me for being 150 GBP over the limit for 24 hours and it took 10 emails to sort it and get my money back. Ridiculous.
Alright, I keep you posted.
Volker
customer service – or how the world seems to fall apart….
Posted by Volker in customer service, personal on January 17, 2008
I am not sure if this entry really reflects cb consulting or if I am just having another one of my moments….
What happened this month?
Yes,
- the tour company reimbursed me two tours and called me to apologize! Happy days.
- my mobile phone company, although I told them to just take the money from my account for my new phone, decided to tell me off for not paying and I was not happy as you can imagine…still ongoing and to be honest…I am more than happy to escalate that too!
- the text message alert company does not respond and the ones where I signed up to do not take on any responsibility, e.g. I signed up with A which subcontracts to B. But A is not having any of the problems and tells me to talk to B – why cannot A just sort it for me, I never wanted to do business with B.
- someone made a copy of our debit card – not happy
- someone broke into our garage and stole a bike – we need a new garage door (3 months old) and a new bike.
Was that all? I think so, at least what I want you to tell about. Still waiting for 2 orders I placed online, one 1 month and one 1 week ago. Slow turn around these days – not that I had time to read a book at the moment but still. Where is the service!
On a positive note my new job is going well, I really like it.
So overall, things are positive, aren’t they?
It probably comes back to look at the bright side of things and not to bother. And, to be honest, I do not. It is more the hassle that annoys me and to sort things out. I said to my wife about 2 years ago that I am looking forward to the day when there is nothing to be sorted out. But, at the moment I do not think that will ever happen.
Have a great Thursday night – btw, I never noticed where the week went.
PS: Rabjor, if you read that. I have not forgotten, I will be in touch!
Customer Service – finished
Posted by Volker in customer service on January 12, 2008
One down, one to go ,-)
I wrote about that holiday city tour company. Supposedly, after leaving a voicemail in their US office, their Paris office and writing another email, only then the person in charge was informed. Who then, of course, reimbursed me the tour and a 2nd one as well…..almost as if he got scared.
Why do we need to take drastic measures to ensure good customer service?
What a week? Customer Service again….
Posted by Volker in customer service, personal on January 10, 2008
Dear Readers, it is getting quieter around here. My apologies for that.
I just have been busy.
Regarding customer service there are more examples to add:
1) There is this horoscope service I accidentally signed up to on facebook with the result of me now getting text alerts. However, you have to tell them about 1,000,000 times to stop it and then they will…hopefully anyway.
2) There is a company we booked our discovery tours in Thailand with and they first had confirmed a tour, then did not pick us up. After accepting a different tour, that tour then was delayed and the taxi driver of the company would not get us back to the hotel as he got lost. However, me complaining to them just resulted after 6 weeks in an apology and after over 2 months in me not qualifying for refund. I finally got a phone number and a name in an office but the person does not answer the phone…..
Why are people and companies not nicer? I heard from several people that a big mobile network does give clients free stuff if they stay with them – why can’t my company be like that…I am now bound until August 2009 – will we still have mobiles then?
Anyhow, just thought I sum up my week – have been busy with work.
customer service
Posted by Volker in customer service on January 5, 2008
cb consulting offers trainings in customer service. Why?
Quite frankly because ever since I started working, I noticed that there is a need for customer service and customer care. What I have sold I have sold in good confidence and wanted to make sure my client is happy. Sustainable business – if the client is not happy, why should I ask for money for the product I offer?
A nice or not so nice story is with my mobile phone provider. Without mentioning the name, I would like to use this as an example.
I went to the high street shop and the person there was just not knowledgeable about the phones at all. However, knowing a bit myself I was happy and go ahead with an upgrade. But she could not offer me the online deal, I would have to phone their team or order online, she said.
So I did, called them asked for an upgrade with more minutes and they said they would not be able to do it. Then I go to a different provider, I said. Wait, I put you through to our special deals department – who then, surprise, could offer me what I wanted but I had to pay a small amount for the new phone.
Why did I have to escalate things to get what I wanted?
They sent me the new phone and forgot to put on the delivery address the flat I am living in. Ergo the delivery person did not bother and did not deliver. As they cannot leave a note somewhere I only found out by checking online myself. After I called them I arranged delivery to my work address the next day which did not happen. I found out checking online again, called them and they said that the delivery man made a mistake but it would be delivered the next day before 12.
Guess, 12 pm the parcel was not there. So I called them and they said the parcel was lost. Why had no one called me? Oh someone would once they found the parcel. Ok, I called my provider asked for a new delivery and they should order the other one back from the delivery company – no problem, however, in the meantime they found my parcel! Hurray I said, what is going to happen?
Oh, they said, someone will call you before 3 pm and arrange delivery to your flat or a neighbours flat before 6 pm today. We are sorry. Ok, I said, can live with that.
10 minutes later I had my phone, delivered to my work address, no word since from neither the parcel delivery company nor the phone company. So, what to do?
Good customer service: give the client a courtesy call, ask if it all worked out, apologize and do not charge for the delivery cost. Make the client feel good and give them an additional 100 minutes to use for free?
Bad customer service: do not do anything, as the phone got delivered.
As I have not heard anything that is what I did:
a) I wrote an online review about the parcel service which showed I am not the only one being annoyed with them. Not sure if it helps but helps me to get it off my chest.
b) I wrote an email to my mobile phone provider, mentioning that I would not pay for the phone until they invoice me – sorry I forgot to mention that when I ordered the phone they said I should call them to pay for it? Why would I have to do that….
to be – hopefully not – continued.
Whilst I have this rant, I do not know why we put up with the following:
- the check-out person sneezing on my bread?
- the watch seller not making sure the watch works and I have to go back the next day?
Just a thought. Why are more and more companies so arrogant that they do not care anymore?
Maybe on a positive note. I ordered something online the other day and they promised next day delivery. However, with New Year it would be a day late. So they emailed me, apologizing that they had been closed for a few days and dispatch it first class today. It arrived the next day.
Not sure if they meant it or if they really care but I was happy. And happy customers buy again, non happy ones do not.
Have a stress-free weekend and thank you for listening to my rant.
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