In our modern fast-paced world, customer service often becomes the make-or-break factor in our experiences with businesses. Whether it’s the efficiency of a service, the warmth of a personal touch, or the negativity of an employee, how we are treated by service providers significantly impacts our overall satisfaction and loyalty. Equally important is how these interactions influence the career satisfaction and upward mobility of employees. Drawing from personal anecdotes, I want to explore why customer service matters so deeply for both customers and employees.
The Power of Generosity
Not long ago I had an experience that really underscored the transformative power of exceptional customer service, during a family vacation in Jeddah. We had booked a family suite in an apartment complex that had excellent Google reviews. Upon arrival, the manager assessed our large group and suggested that the suite we had chosen might not be adequate for our group. I fully expected to be upsold on a more expensive option at an unreasonable price, and was feeling cornered and annoyed. Was he going to hike up his prices, seeing how many exhausted kids were in our group? Hence imagine my surprise when, after a few seconds of thought, he offered us the upgrade to a far more spacious suite absolutely free! I really felt speechless. To top it off, the staff arranged complimentary coffee and sweets without any prompt from us.
This was not just about receiving a better room but about the generosity of the manager and the thoughtfulness of the staff. They created a powerful, positive experience that extended beyond our stay and made me an advocate for their business. An experience that placed them on a completely different level to other apartment complexes we had visited. It was not transactional, it was very personal and generous and it made me eager to share this positive experience with others. I left a glowing review, something I do not do lightly, and made sure to recommend this place to friends and family.
The Lasting Impact of Poor Service
Conversely, poor customer service can have a lasting negative impact. My daughters’ previous school is a case in point. Over the course of a year, the school’s culture seemed to be plagued by a consistent pattern of overpromising and under-delivering. Whether home room teacher, subject teacher, or section head, this tendency seemed to be ingrained in the school’s culture. The last straw was being badly treated by the CEO’s secretary, who had made a promise to get back to me regarding an urgent issue but then never did. As he also didn’t answer his phone, I had to drive out the next morning (45 min from work) to speak to him directly. He was alone in his office. Though intensely frustrated, I remained calm and professional and asked him what the CEO had said regarding my issue. He replied very coldly with half a dozen words, and without any apology for not getting back to me. As a firm believer of giving people one last chance, I mentioned (again calmly) that it would have been nice if he had contacted me. He kept typing at the keyboard and completely ignored me. I have rarely felt so incensed, and in that moment I also knew that I was not the first “paying customer” to receive such horrendous treatment. I penned a detailed and highly negative, but professional, Google review (which is also something I do not do lightly). It soon became the most-viewed review for that school. If the secretary had only shown some compassion I would not have posted such a negative review. That is all it would have taken.
This experience underscored how detrimental poor customer service can be, not just in terms of immediate dissatisfaction but also in how it can affect a business’s reputation and future prospects. The lack of empathy and responsiveness from the secretary pushed my negativity towards the school past the brink, and the genuine frustration in my review is very likely to have influenced other parents to look elsewhere.
The Dual Impact on Customers and Employees
The influence of customer service extends beyond the customer experience. For employees, delivering excellent service can lead to increased personal satisfaction, positive feedback, and significant opportunities for advancement. When employees receive recognition for their exceptional service, it translates into a more fulfilling work experience and can open doors for future career growth.
Conversely, poor service environments lead to job dissatisfaction and high turnover rates. Employees who work in organizations where customer service is undervalued or poorly managed find their work less rewarding, which impacts their motivation and performance. This cycle of dissatisfaction can hinder both individual career progression and the overall success of the organization.
Customer service is not just a transaction. It is a fundamental skill that shapes the entire client experience and has profound implications for employee satisfaction and advancement. Exceptional service creates loyal customers and advocates, while poor service can lead to lasting negative impressions. This is not just based on my views, this is a tangible reality that we all know is true. Given the power of the internet, these experiences now reverberate and amplify in a way they did not do before. They do not simply go away, and this makes investing in exceptional customer service a strategic necessity.