Week 3A: Communication- Business and Consumers
One of the most frustrating times I ever had when trying to purchase a product was just a little over a year ago. I wanted to buy myself a new phone for my birthday, I had gone into the store previously and a worker told me that I could get a better deal if I called and ordered one through the phone. To begin with, it took 30 minutes to actually get on the phone with a representative which was already a long time for me. After that they began to ask me what it was I wanted to do. I then proceeded to tell her I was looking to upgrade my phone but I didn't want to pay more than x amount a month. She then told me to stay on the line to see what she could do. Once again I waited 30 minutes only to be hung up on! I tried calling back right after, the next morning, afternoon, etc. For two whole days, I couldn't get in contact with anyone. When speaking to someone again they began by saying sorry about what had happened before. To me it wasn't the biggest deal but how does a huge corporation have such bad customer service to the point where no one answers your call for two days.
In today's society where the overall majority of companies have some sort of social media, it has become an easier and more casual way you can get in contact with them. Companies have specific employees that monitor their social media pages replying back to both the negative and positive posts. Whether it was that they had a bad experience or have questions on a product social media makes it easy to respond fast and to many more people. It also helps bring awareness or traffic to your company. On social media, if you see a brand that is super responsive it makes someone who is unaware of the brand to have a positive image of them just do to their customer service.
As a yelp addict and a big online shopper when it comes to clothes and shoes, reviews are so important. Typically when writing a review for a restaurant I will start off by describing the atmosphere and moving on to my experience with customer service and the overall food and include images I also find it useful to include the prices in your review. On the other hand when writing a review for an article of clothing or shoe its a little different. I have realized that it is so helpful when you can see the size someone bought and the size they normally wear then include if it fits true to size or not. As well as describing the feel of the material and its quality. This gives someone a lot of insight into something that they cannot physically try on until they receive it.
Whether it is positive or negative it is so important to respond back. This will show customers that you truly care. Depending on their comment I might thank them for being a customer, offer them a discount, or offer help with finding a product.
In today's society where the overall majority of companies have some sort of social media, it has become an easier and more casual way you can get in contact with them. Companies have specific employees that monitor their social media pages replying back to both the negative and positive posts. Whether it was that they had a bad experience or have questions on a product social media makes it easy to respond fast and to many more people. It also helps bring awareness or traffic to your company. On social media, if you see a brand that is super responsive it makes someone who is unaware of the brand to have a positive image of them just do to their customer service.
As a yelp addict and a big online shopper when it comes to clothes and shoes, reviews are so important. Typically when writing a review for a restaurant I will start off by describing the atmosphere and moving on to my experience with customer service and the overall food and include images I also find it useful to include the prices in your review. On the other hand when writing a review for an article of clothing or shoe its a little different. I have realized that it is so helpful when you can see the size someone bought and the size they normally wear then include if it fits true to size or not. As well as describing the feel of the material and its quality. This gives someone a lot of insight into something that they cannot physically try on until they receive it.
Whether it is positive or negative it is so important to respond back. This will show customers that you truly care. Depending on their comment I might thank them for being a customer, offer them a discount, or offer help with finding a product.
Hey Gabriela! You know, I have never really bought any clothing online for the simple that I cannot try it on. But, with the help of other customers writing and streaming their reviews online, describing the texture, the feel, and overall value of the product, it makes it increasingly beneficial to shop online from specific companies. Thank you for your input and insight!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHi Gabriela,
Great points in your post. I will also take some of your ideas when I leave reviews. I am also a huge fan of online shopping. I like the idea of adding price versus value. This can be super beneficial. I also rely on the reviews, especially when buying clothing online. As I buy 90% of my clothing and shoes online, I would as you said, love to know about the fit, quality of materials and how it feels on, before I buy. It has always been a stretch and leap of faith, especially when purchasing from Amazon or a new business that I have come across online.
Hi Gabriela,
ReplyDeleteI believe that phone communication is the worst form of customer service. I, too, have had so many bad experiences trying to resolve issues over the phone with companies. It sometimes feels like I will be on hold forever with how backed up the customer service phone lines can be. It can also be frustrating as words can be lost in translation when communicating over the phone. I'm not too fond of it when this is the only option. I see this form of customer service being phased out in the coming years as online help desks become standard.
Thanks for sharing!