I have previously worked in the International Marketing and Development Offices at Cardiff University, University of Wales, Institute Cardiff (UWIC) and Bangor University. During my time at each of these institutions I engaged a great deal with the Partnership as a customer and so it is has been interesting for me to move across and see firsthand customer service from the other side. My main responsibilities within the Partnership include membership of the Leadership team; devising a Partnership Communications Strategic Plan; co-ordinating and overseeing all Partnership external and internal communication vehicles; helping to review, promote and develop the Partnership Menu of Services; contributing to Boarding Schools member acquisition strategy.
Martyn
9 October 2009 at 1028 |
Picture the scene, you need to query a phone / gas / water bill that claims you spent £400 more than you should have and if you don’t pay last week then they will send the boys round to repossess your iPhone, house, car, WiiFit…
You try and go online, the website is down, you decide to try your luck with the helpline number
Automated voice telling you which number to press, none of the options apply to you, so you hold and wait to speak to a real person, annoying background music that sounds like a 3-year old playing a keyboard goes on for 5 minutes, the voice comes back and thanks you for holding, more music, the voice again thanking you, music, voice, music, voice….
Just when you think you can take no more someone human finally comes onto the other end of the line, a tense game of cat and mouse begins as they try and catch you out with the security check, you finally get through although not after hesitantly stuttering out the first 2 letters of your mother’s maiden name as if its ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’, congratulations, you are you! well done, you’re on to the next round
you tell them the situation, they can’t find your details, you try and stay calm, they ask you to hold so that they can go and check with someone else, possibly the automated voice or the keyboard playing 3-year old, they come back, its tense, yes, you are right, you do not owe us £400, sorry about that, you can now go back to your life, excitement over, crisis averted….
until next time
any similar experiences? let me know