Should a labor shortage be an excuse for bad customer service? How long are you spending on the phone today for insurance companies, banks, etc? When will Covid 19 and a labor shortage as an excuse end? Scenario true story number one: A customer dines in a 60-year-old historic restaurant just up the road from my rural home. While eating, a waiter steals money from her purse which was on the floor beside her chair. Once she discovers this, she reports it to the manager. He assured her he would take care of it and before she left, he had returned the money to her. A few weeks later curious about what exactly happened, the woman returned to the restaurant and asked the manager who took the money. He kindly pointed to one young waiter. The woman asked why the waiter was still working at a restaurant where he stole money to which the manager replied, “because we are unable to get anyone to work.” The restaurant that had survived two floods mysteriously caught on fire a few weeks later and has not reopened.
Scenario number two: I receive Subway coupons in the mail and have always used them because I am frugal. I was shopping at Walmart recently and since they have a Subway and I had been spending money all day, I decided to make a trip to my car to retrieve my unexpired coupons planning to purchase more than one sandwich. When I informed the young man making my sub on what I wanted he started to put ham on the sandwich which I kindly said no, it’s turkey. He told me it was his first day. Of course, it is your first day I said to myself knowing how difficult it is to obtain employees. A young woman came out to assist him as I pulled out my Subway coupon. When all was done, I walked to the cash register with my coupon in hand in which the woman said we do not accept coupons. Wow! I informed her it was a Subway coupon in which she said we don’t take them because we are not set up to take them. Not an “I am sorry sir we don’t take them,” just we don’t take them. I suggested she put a sign up stating no coupons (while I observed the help wanted sign). She said the manager would not allow her to put up a sign. I know they have a way of giving discounts because I use to be a cop and would receive discounts but not going to get there with this employee. No sir! Later, I would discover, Subway is actually cutting back now and not giving discounts any longer. It seems to me, the head office should stop sending discounts in the mail.
I am noticing more and more of this lack of customer service. Have you flown recently? I just returned home after a presentation in Indiana. As I was waiting at the terminal, I lift red to three pilots complaining. They are overworked and everyone is angry. Flight Attendants having to threaten fliers to wear a mask or get off the plane. I commend anyone working now but do customers deserve this?
How can we address personnel issues such as these while still keeping valuable employees that actually show up to work?
My presentation will explore customer service with a power pack, interactive customer perception-centered experience which will allow your team to see it from both sides and make valuable, adjustments to keep your business thriving in these uncertain times as well as early spring when the all-clear signal is given.
