Does bad customer service drive you crazy?

Dubai: When was the last time you called a public service and waited endlessly to talk to an operator? Chances are you were put on hold with a recorded message that kept telling you “your call is important to us”, only to add later that “all our operators are busy with other important calls”.

When was the last time you visited a public service utility and returned without getting your job done? In all probability, you missed out on some documents or were told the concerned official was not available or that you had to go to another place to get your problem resolved.

Familiar scenarios all, customer service in the UAE, like many other parts of the world, leaves much to be desired, reveals a new analysis by a customer service consultancy.

Sharing its findings with XPRESS, the UAE-based CustomerService.ae in association with LiveaAdmins.ae JLT said customers are a frustrated lot as they go around in circles even to get simple enquiries on the telephone answered.

According to the consultancy, customer dissatisfaction with both public and private organisations is widespread, as residents get bounced around by multiple contacts or stuck with bureaucracy, interactive voice responses (IVRs) and long hold times.

Lack of information and availability of officials also adds to their woes. “It is commonly said that the customer is king, yet customer service remains a grey area. Even though billions of dollars are spent on marketing, the current customer is forgotten. Our analysis was an attempt to outline problems to help organisations pay greater attention to customer service and empower customers to know their rights,” said Hamza Nasir, director of strategic relations at LiveAdmins.ae, adding these problems are not unique to the UAE.

Talking to machines

Nasir said customers like talking to people, not machines. But very often they are left with no choice but to deal with automated systems and find their way through its maze of instructions. He said the issue is common in the telecom sector where many options are thrown in. Corporates too have the same system, where the lists keep changing and there is no end to dialling numbers.

“There are certain areas like flight information by airports and billing and package data by telcos where IVR does well. But companies should follow a generic route of operation. For example, there should be a standard 1 for Arabic, 2 for English and 0 for the operator upfront. This way, things would be faster and more standardised.”

Outsourcing woes

Companies that outsource customer service also test their clients’ patience. “The problem is companies see customer service as an expense centre, which is why they try to have the bare minimum resources, typically outsourced, to reduce the costs. Offshoring generic problems that can be virtually taken care of is a proven business model. But using lesser resources than the expected trend requires is against the rights of the customer.”

The analysis says if hold time has to happen, the customer should be informed upfront about his standing so an expectation can be created instead of constantly running a preset automated message or advertisement. They don’t go down well with someone who needs immediate help.

By way of an example, he said: “Trying to get a cab during rush hour can take a while because demand peaks between 4.30pm and 6pm. Also, the drivers’ shifts change during this time and they only want to head in the direction of their offices. If customers are informed of this, they can schedule their trips before time to avoid traffic and waiting lines. The shift timings should be moved around so the rush hours and the shift change times do not overlap.”

Billing complaints

As for customer complaints with billing, Nasir said: “RTA provides more than 21 ways to pay bills, and so does every other government department. These need to be marketed better so consumers can understand the various options for their own convenience. Parking tickets can be paid through smartphones, through a text message and the Emirates ID can be tracked online instead of going to your local PO Box and asking for assistance.”

Unavailability of officials is also a major concern. Nasir said: “Providing a phone number that is not attended at all is unacceptable, especially during office hours. A case in point is the time a lunch break is taken. It often extends between noon to 2:30pm, and in some companies between 1-5pm.”

Unattended mail

According to Nasir, e-mail marketing is a proven method to engage customers, yet responding to emails seems to be considered a burden and is even ignored completely. “The benefit of providing email support is the leverage of replying at a certain delay still being acceptable. Imagine a phone call not being answered for 10 minutes compared to email and you’ll get the idea.”