I resonated today with my friend and fellow blogger … Maria Palma’s post … Sharing Some Friendly Advice… over at Customers are Always because somebody else does not fit the menu choices on these longer-and-longer-menued-killer-phones. Call for service and you get platitudes… call for questions about a bill and you get fixed answers about their ads… The list goes on....
At least... until you call for Pizza and you get a guy who asks you 
what topping you want and 25 minutes later he has his bucks and you have your Pizza. All answering systems should have Pizza guys on the other end. They live in your neighborhood ... and they seem interested in what you want – rather than in sending your head though a maze of telephone craziness. They don't planned canned music at you ... nd they don'y tell you stuff "for your convenience" ... like they have no interest in rip-snorting on about about how well they are at eating... making ... or serving people Pizza. No way – they get you just the one you ask 'em for – then they get their money and a hot deal is struck!
Maria pointed to Susan Gast of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution who offers some “Friendly Advice for Customer Service Gurus."
"Rarely do I have a question that can be answered through an automated, touch-tone, customer-service recording." That’s me too Maria and Susan! That's why I say we get the Pizza guys on the other end of more lines – they get it and the rest of us seem to have lost it!
Susan Gast also pointed out … “ If I'm calling, I either can't or don't want to fix the problem online. “
The thing about Pizza guys is that they know if they are friendly and get your delivery half right – they’ll get a tip. It’s a win-win!
Maria also suggested another tip I affirm! “Choose carefully the recordings you play while we are on hold. Customers with problems do not want to hear about additional new services. They would respond better to sympathetic lyrics, such as ‘You had a bad day" or "Mama said there'd be days like this.’” The Pizza guys talk to you about what you want – they rarely waste your time … or theirs … telling you about the next guys order. That’s because … with the kind of phone service these guys give … and with the great Pizza that comes as double cheese … and a Hawaiian mix – they know you’ll be back and that you might ask for another kind next time. They also know you want a Pizza now since that’s why you called.
Read more of Susan Gast’s article here... and I think you’ll agree with me that Pizza guys and gals deserve a raise for the way you can get through and for the way a deal gets done! What do you think?
What an interesting thought. Your advice is very true and I particularly agree with you on the subject of neverending service calls. And I really hate the cranky music they put on while we wait for the call to connect. They should once ask their customers about this tradition at least.
Posted by: Mr. Drug Rehab | September 12, 2006 8:16 AM | Permalink to Comment