Customer Service Is an Oxymoron

0 Comments | Insight on the News, Jan 1, 2001 | by Timothy W. Maier

Keeping the customer satisfied no longer is the mantra of American businesses, as studies show a steady decline in customer satisfaction that is projected to continue.

The Sharp camcorder didn't work after the Disney World trip. Maybe the heat got to it, or traveling on one too many thrill rides cracked the screen. Who knows? Best Buy will fix it because that's what extended warranties are for. But the Best Buy store in Columbia, Md., pointed to the fine print in the warranty -- no coverage for "incidental or accidental damage," which arguably could mean anything.

"Pick up your camcorder," Best Buy said. Easier said than done. The Columbia store refused to return my camcorder unless I signed a release form that said I was satisfied with the repair service. The clerk insisted. "I am not satisfied," I replied. "I don't know what happened to this camcorder. I think you should fix it."

"Sorry, your warranty doesn't cover incidental or accidental damages. For all we know you might have purposely dropped the camcorder."

Right, I purposely would drop my camcorder so it would break and I could get it fixed. That makes perfect sense, I thought. As a crowd of impatient people began to nose around the counter, the young clerk suggested, "Why not write that you are not satisfied and then sign it?"

Sounds reasonable. So I wrote, "I am not satisfied. I think it should be repaired!" and then signed it. The clerk looked at the release form and ordered me to sign where it says satisfied with the service repair. With no store manager in sight, I firmly stated, "I'm done writing my name," grabbed my broken camcorder and headed toward the door ... where the security guard stopped me. Oh, Great! Busted for stealing my own camcorder. Exasperated, I took the security guard over to the clerk and pointed out that the form was signed. The guard, who understood the meaning of "The customer is always right," let me go.

After firing off three complaint letters, notifying Best Buy they were about to lose a valuable customer, the company responded in an e-mail urging me to shop online. Someone would call me, the store promised. I'm still waiting.

At least my experience didn't turn violent, as was the case with private-eye Sharon Weidenfeld, who asked for a receipt from a Staples store in Silver Spring, Md., during the holiday shopping season when she returned some envelopes. The clerk, a substitute public-school teacher, refused to provide one, declaring, "I told you what's up." The lady gumshoe informed the manager, who ordered the clerk to provide a receipt.

Weidenfeld then told the clerk, "I told you what's up, idiot" - where-upon he slugged her in the face and subsequently was convicted of battery. Weidenfeld later won an out-of-court settlement with Staples. "My job as a private eye takes me into some dangerous neighborhoods and around some dangerous people, but no one before this ever tried to hit me" she says. "I never would have thought that a trip to an office-supply store would prove to be more risky than my job."

Isolated stories? Hardly. Which is why public perception is that customer service in America stinks. We have become a nation lost in voice-mail hell. When we dial directory assistance for help, we get a clueless operator asking if Wisconsin is in Canada? And it doesn't seem to matter whether we are talking about restaurants, retail shops or the local phone company -- customer service has all but vanished.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), developed in 1994 at the University of Michigan National Quality Research Center, documents this decline. On a 100-point scale this year the service industry is pleasing only 72.9 percent of customers -- and that is a decline of one full point a year. Call it a C- rapidly closing in on a D. Standouts do exist, such as Amazon.com, hitting an 84, and Dell Computer, an 80, as well as some clinkers such as U.S. Air Group Inc., at 62, and BankAmerica Corp. with a 61.

Government service is worse, says University of Michigan Business School professor Claes Fornell, who coordinates the ACSI survey. According to the most recent ACSI figures, the government's overall score is 68.6. Even so, that's 9 percent higher than commercial airlines and 11 percent higher than TV network news, Fornell notes. The IRS is among the lowest-scoring government agencies at 51, with the Food Safety and Inspection Service at 62 and the Federal Aviation Administration at 58.

"Service is taking a serious hit," says Fornell. "I think we have seen it hit every industry. Businesses are seeing profits coming from cutting quality of service, but those profits won't be sustainable in the long run."

The surveys also show older customers tend to be more satisfied, observes Fornell. "Maybe they have more time and are less irritated. Women also are more satisfied than men and that may be because women are better shoppers -- take more time -- whereas men make decisions too quickly and tend to regret them" he says.

What does America expect, Disney World? As a matter fact, it does, says Ramon A. Avila, a Ball State University marketing professor and director of the school's Professional Selling Institute. "But corporations are not going to treat everyone as Disney World does until their bottom line gets hurt."