Everyone has a customer service
story to tell, especially a bad one. There’s an old saying that goes
something like this: If someone receives good customer service, they’ll
tell three people; if they have bad service, they’ll tell 10. While I
agree with that, there’s always that customer who might not say a thing
if they receive the bad kind. And I think there are more customers out
there than anyone realizes.
How do I know this? I’m one of them.
Here’s
an example: I recently went to a restaurant that I’ve been to before.
I’ve not been there that many times, but generally, every time I’ve
gone, the service has been pretty good, the good is great and the bill
a little more than I’d normally pay, but the good food and service made
up for it.
The last time I went, some of my food was stale. The
server basically tossed my bill on the table. She didn't bother to ask
me how the meal was. In short, it wasn't a great experience.
But
rather than tell someone right away that I wasn’t pleased, I kept my
mouth shut. Why? I really don’t know. Maybe it was because I needed to
get back to the office. Maybe it was because, while I’ve been to this
restaurant before, I’d never really cemented a great relationship with
it and didn’t care enough to tell someone. Maybe it’s because I know I
can take my money elsewhere.
Whatever the reason, I think I put down a little mental note: “Don’t come here again.”
We’ve
all done it. It’s human. It’s the same reason cave men stopped eating
this berry or that animal — the last time they did it, it made them
sick.
I think the moral of my own story is this: Don’t worry about
the customers who complain about the service they receive. Worry about
the ones who say nothing and don’t return.
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