Retailers, one strike and you're out

[Jman888]

how many time would you allow the retailer take you for a ride?

 

However, it is sad that there are more and more establishment that we are avoiding due to the sh1tty customer service, until there is nothing left

 

as for Miss Rebecca, there is no business lost if i was the dentist

 

Retailers, one strike and you're out

By Jacqueline Woo My Paper Wednesday, May 15, 2013

 

A single bad experience was all it took for communications officer Rebecca Yuen, 24, to swear off future visits to a dental clinic in Bukit Batok.

 

She had made an appointment with a braces specialist on May 4 to fix a problem that needed immediate attention. But she was refused at the door as she "did not get (my) braces done there", Ms Yuen said. She could not see the dentist she frequented because he was not working that day.

 

"It was an emergency. I don't see why the specialist should discriminate against his patients," she said. "I'm never going back."

 

Many people like Ms Yuen boycott companies after just one bad customer experience, going by poll findings released yesterday by AchieveGlobal Singapore, a soft-skills training provider.

 

Nearly one third of the 514 consumers polled here last November said that they were "somewhat" to "very" likely to defect to a competitor after a single bad experience.

 

More consumers were more forgiving, but not by much. Slightly over nine in 10 consumers said they would defect to another company after three or fewer bad experiences. This is similar to the findings for Taiwan and China, where similar surveys were done.

 

On why so many consumers here would boycott a firm, Mr Andrew Calvert, regional director and solution architect at AchieveGlobal Singapore, said: "In today's economy, there are just too many choices... The stakes involved for companies in delivering superior and consistent service are now higher than ever."

 

Ms Sarah Lim, a senior retail-management lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, said she believes Singapore is taking "small steps" in improving customer engagement. Noting that it is a "buyers' world these days", she said that there is "no shortcut" for firms when it comes to service.

 

"Companies will just have to...make sure every experience for the customer is a pleasant one," she said.

[Tianmo]

how many retailers really train or send their front line staffs for training..............it is really sad to see that many retail companies fail to realize that front line staffs are first contacts......... [:(]

Edited May 15, 2013 by Tianmo

[Baphomet]

to me, Service is the most important. No matter how good your product is or how nice your food taste.. as long as your Service is F-Up, I will never go again.

 

Unlesss of course those LLST instances whereby there's really no other choices...which is plentiful here in SG...

[Kangadrool]

how many retailers really train or send their front line staffs for training..............it is really sad to see that many retail companies fail to realize that front line staffs are first contacts......... [:(]

 

Training? LOL.... The kiam kanas employers will up the prices citing increase costs again.

 

 

[Tianmo]

Training? LOL.... The kiam kanas employers will up the prices citing increase costs again.

 

 

I used to help retailers train their staffs in products. (FOC one).............but sadly............know product but cannot serve and sell is as good as zero ................ <_<

 

 

and you are right...........KNN...........SG employers never believe in training one................ [laugh]

[Mockngbrd]

Sama Sama.... 1 time bad service i won't go back anymore. There are many other places out there.

[Gitanic]

Training? LOL.... The kiam kanas employers will up the prices citing increase costs again.

i like the way u put it

[TonyStark123]

It could be an isolated incident lah....I will go back another 3 times, if still the same, then ask why....if some crap reason....then don't go back loh...

 

In this case, we don't what was being said to the customer....so who knows?

[Lala81]

got 2 sides of a coin lah, how many of these people actually do frontline retail or service industry

 

[Yeobh]

My never-hood postal service staff hardly smile and 90% of the times I the customer have to take the initiative to wish them good morning and thank u. With such service quality, any logically thinking person will be forced to shift their business to another private courier service company.

[Soya]

Many retailers/vendors still dun get it. In grey situations, empower the salesperson to give the customers the benefit of the doubt. Goodwill and word of mouth recommendation is priceless. But many companies seem to tink flushing $$$ down the toilet thru fancy advertisements juz to let the customer down at the POS is a wiser thing to do.

 

 

 

[Kangadrool]

My never-hood postal service staff hardly smile and 90% of the times I the customer have to take the initiative to wish them good morning and thank u. With such service quality, any logically thinking person will be forced to shift their business to another private courier service company.

 

Actually, I prefer them not to smile or act act be friendly. I don't expect sulky face also. What I expect is hassle-free service done properly.

 

When you see the "staff" smiling at you at the post office, it's the sales staff for insurance, etc.

[Kangadrool]

Even in big MNC with budget for training also liddat one. They will act act, put budget send one batch to trainings, then suddenly stop/suspend. So, those later batch lugi.... Happened in my company many times liao.

[Jman888]

Many retailers/vendors still dun get it. In grey situations, empower the salesperson to give the customers the benefit of the doubt. Goodwill and word of mouth recommendation is priceless. But many companies seem to tink flushing $$$ down the toilet thru fancy advertisements juz to let the customer down at the POS is a wiser thing to do.

 

 

i guess this empowerment was the 90s thing, now hardly people do it except for some big one staying on top maintaining the reputation.

 

the training always use the Ritz as case study that their staff is empowered to make decision to satisfy a client for value up to $2K. now you probably see this only apply to VIP lounge of a casino

 

on the retail scene, which many are now chain stores, if each are given such empowerment, the friends of the employee would be very happy to abuse such privileges [laugh]

[Tianmo]

Even in big MNC with budget for training also liddat one. They will act act, put budget send one batch to trainings, then suddenly stop/suspend. So, those later batch lugi.... Happened in my company many times liao.

 

 

unless is gov pay 90%........company pay $20 that kind............. [laugh]

[Kangadrool]

unless is gov pay 90%........company pay $20 that kind............. [laugh]

 

Then, how about downtime the kiam kanas will ask again? Kiam Kanas will ask for "replacement" costs as well.

 

Anyway, all these co-funding normally will result in course fees being jacked up, just like child care fees.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Kangadrool

[13177]

how many retailers really train or send their front line staffs for training..............it is really sad to see that many retail companies fail to realize that front line staffs are first contacts......... [:(]

Maybe many retailers doesnt bother, if they lost one customer there are sure to have other customers, so nevermind service good or not.

[TVT]

Does this survey include services in GL and massage parlours ???