"Ranked #1 in Customer Service"

[SiliconJon]

Well, not sure how many of you out there are familiar with internal corporate numbers, but I find this one to be of the utmost absurdity (well, except for changing red numbers to black). And it's rampid like a wildfire.

Just how do you get these rankings? Well, one of the most popular methods is to ask a question after a customer has called in regards to a problem. That question would sound something like "Have we resolved your problem(s) to your satisfaction today, Sir?" If you answer yes, then a point for the company's [customer] service. It's kind of laughable, though. The more problems that arrise, the more phone calls that are handled to resolve the problems, the more "points" their customer service gets.

Hold on, I'm still laughing...

SO, the more problems you let get to the customers (so long as you take care of it "later" when someone complains about it or at least make the customer feel like you did all you could), the better your service!

Just another fad in corporate policy that has gone semi-global. A way to make their crap shine, eh?

format c:\

[Telexen]

Don't they have to take an average between "yes" and "no"

[SiliconJon]

Usually, yes. Sorry if that was misleading in that manner. Just myself and some buddies have run into this from the consumer end.

Like a Verizon phone my buddy had. It had problems all over, from phone glitches out the wazzu to voice mails arriving days later than they were left. While he was on hold for a CSR the recording would mention how they had "...the best service...". On one of his later calls he asked how that was, and they described that if you answered yes to them having done well with the situation (I don't recall the wording he quoted me, but it was a very vague questio in regards to the situation having been handled), they got a point added to their positive service record. Now, for them to keep track of individual CSR's ability to handle the situation, that's a good idea. But I find it a mighty tWist on how they use these numbers in the end.

We found it amusing that each time any part of his service was screwing up they were adding boasting privilages to having the best service. Just one example.

Another would be a job I had some time ago where the call center a couple buildings over was quite similar. While the center was for internal affairs, they used the numbers from the call center to represent the company's service over all, with no regards to the problems' origins. It was kind of creepy to walk in the main entrance and see those numbers posted for visiting clients. The thought that would pop into my head when I saw it was "Wow, the more someone here screws up, the better our service looks so long as someone can "fix" it later, no matter what damage has already been done." And on top of that, after speaking with a few of the ladies over there, they had ways to get out of many of the negative points "legitimately", thus removing them from the numbers completely.

[osprey4]

SiliconJon, do you have any actual data to support your claim that companies are just making this stuff up?

I wouldn't think a company would be inclined to provide bogus customer satisfaction ratings any more than publish inflated earnings reports. Yes, it happens, but not without consequences.