Customer Service – How to lose your Customer

How easy is it to lose your customer? In this day and age, it is just so simple for your customer to go elsewhere. All they need to do is go online, phone your competitor, ask on Facebook or any of the many other ways to chop you up and leave without even bothering to say good bye.

I just did it… I left.

I had been quite happy with Origin Energy for my electricity supply. Even when their last account came in and it was quite a bit higher than normal, I passed it off as being winter and yes, we had used a bit more electricity. It was when I came to pay the account I briefly looked it over as noticed that the previous account had a $15 deduction as I had paid the account on time, but this account had nothing for paying it on time.

“Bugger that” I thought and rang them. After the obligatory 15 minutes listening to ads for a service I already had… why do they do that? I can’t be the only person that gets riled up sitting on the phone listening to some ads saying how great they are when the reason you are ringing is to complain… anyway, I digress. I finally got through to a real person and carefully explained that my bill had increased and last time I was rewarded for paying on time and now I was not going to get the same reward. The answer was quite stunning “your contract finished so you lose that reward”
“When were you going to tell me my contract had finished?
“We aren’t obliged to tell you”
“Hmmmm so I don’t have to pay on time then?”
“Of course you do”

I then started to ask why I lose the reward even though my contract had finished, what incentives were there to pay on time, oh the list just went on… The lady then offered me a couple of ways I could reduce my bill based on turning off appliances.. I left the phone call still quite uneasy about what had happened.

Now when a customer is uneasy after leaving a call, they are blaming you. If you don’t handle their concern, you leave them with the bad taste and then you are at risk of losing them.

To quell my uneasiness, I hopped online and searched for comparing electrical companies. Easy, one website does it all – http://iselect.com.au – within 15 minutes I had checked out all the competition and found that I could reduce my bill by a considerable amount and with various other incentives, move for no cost and no contracts. I rang the number and its done. Origin Energy just lost a customer and they couldn’t care less.

If they cared, I would still be their customer. If they had taken the time to remind me that my contract was ending and so were some benefits, I would still be there.

All customers have a need to be heard, especially when they feel they have a grievance or are upset. Ignore them at your peril. Treat them with respect and keep them informed and your life as their supporter will be ten times easier and you will retain their custom. Treat them any other way and you risk everything. How many times have you heard the saying ” It Is Easier to Keep An Old Client Happy Than to Find a New One.”?

There are two sounds you will hear when it comes to customers. The first one is the contented breathe of a happy and informed customer and the second is the slamming of a door in your face. Make sure the sound you are listening to is the first!!!