I have been wanting to understand how well it serves the purpose of keeping “customer satisfaction and protection” promptly met at the highest standards.
Outsourcing services became globally popular and highly in demand for the past years. However, it befell too customary now that concerned parties are consuming much time and focus on how to manage a tougher competition.
And because this business concept is considered to be one of the most lucrative in the present economic history, a “supposedly” new and innovative strategies which are thought to be effective are being developed but which seemed to apply only on the ability to penetrate the market whether saturated or niche.
Again, it still does not manifests where such new and innovative strategies exist focusing on the ever increasing demand for customer satisfaction and protection at the core of its concept.
A company engaged an external service and provided the manpower training (adequate perhaps). Basically, the idea is to minimize labor costs and at the same time leave the overwhelming problems of all sorts to the either half-trained or culturally disoriented customer service agent to solve the problem which I can only see in 3 ways as a customer:
- Get my full personal details and promise me that I will receive a call back “SHORTLY”.
- Refer me to the “more appropriate person who can address my concerns” but whom I assume is another customer service agent more senior.
- Ask me to hang on while my call is put on hold for a couple of minutes.
Any of these 3 ways should be enough to provide me with satisfactory solutions. Yet still, frustration persists and only dilemmas occurred correspondingly:
- I wish I did receive that call back shortly but luck never strikes me. This is just so contrary to the 24/7 prompt service advertisements. Then suddenly, I keep on receiving anonymous calls offering me certain products or services which does not interests me at all or have not even come across with in the first place.
- The so-called “more appropriate person” makes me repeat again my entire long statement of concerns and worst is – I get referred again to the 3rd more appropriate person where chances are high to make me repeat my long script again for the 3rd time and so on.
- In reality, putting my call on hold for minutes or few will no doubt only make me wait eternally before they can comfortably come back to me. That is - provided if the line was not cut in between which usually happens and I find very strange. In this case, I will have to dial again and allow myself to undergo another grieving effort and all for just the simple reason of getting a straightforward advice and solution.
Going back to my earlier question. Is this business concept sustainable and ethical?
My answer. I cannot completely agree yet as I still do not see the sheer capability of most of these parties providing “customer satisfaction and protection” and I see the following as the major stumbling blocks which are lacking from both parties in this categorized industry:
- Providing staff with more in-depth product/technical know-how;
- Moral principles
- Cultural/social diversification and;
- The ability to communicate effectively.
I see that the demand for customer satisfaction is on the rise but the supply is also ample. How come it doesn’t equate thus far? This continues to be a dilemma in the business environment if providers will remain to focus only on profit and market penetration and not give conscientious priority on the 4 aforementioned loopholes.
Much as I want to keep a blind eye, deaf ear and impassive reaction but the thought of inevitably dialing a customer service hotline for my urgent concern is like a compulsory attendance to a week of circus event with all those ding-dong effects, passing me from one point to another going through long and winding routes with nothing concrete but only magical moments.
Hence, not only it is a waste of time but a sad waste of precious, quality time and effort which should specifically be allocated for productive means to yield productive outputs.
Having worked with both small and big companies where a dedicated and constantly trained team of customer service officers are internally and strongly in place and where every employee (including myself) are likewise obliged to promptly attend to our respective customers’ needs commensurate to our adequately acquired knowledge, I wonder why this conventional but more effectual practice cannot continue in this present era and the eras to come?
Yes this traditional practice could be more costly but it enables focus, commitment, transparency and loyalty which I believe are the top dynamics to a sustainable, lasting business.
Maintaining customer relationship should be just as crucial as meeting targets for recruiting new customers. Winning a customer will require a longstanding genuine commitment as it is a valuable price for keeping the business up and kicking. It is very critical not to compromise the trust given by customers and for which customers do not just easily submit unless the business is worth it in all its ethical aspects.
Just to clarify my point. The idea of outsourcing customer service is not unethical. It only becomes corruptible when the core purpose is not geared towards customer satisfaction and protection. And if customers are not valued according to the proper service they deserve, the business eventually becomes unsustainable.
I am looking forward to that one day when I will enthusiastically write about the significance of outsourcing customer service because this concept has proven its track of ability in harmonizing the 3Ps of the business world:
- People - loyalty and rights of its employees, customers, stakeholders
- Planet - protection of the environment in general
- Profit - to sustain an exceptional service and ethical functions
Customer service is Caring for Customers.
After all, everyone in this world is a customer with distinct needs. Let us deliver what we also expect to collect according to the principles of business and morals.