Customer service is an important part of any business, no matter the size of the concern, as it is the link between customers and management.
Whenever there is a drop in the quality of service being provided, it causes the expectation and trust on the quality of the company to drop, too. When consumers are dissatisfied, they seek other companies to provide the services.
How have been your experiences with customer service? Has the experience caused you to remain loyal to the company or has it caused you to move on? Let us know at www.gulfnews.com
The quality of customer service is just average.
I do not think customer service is up to the mark in the UAE. The salespeople may not be rude but they are not polite either.
Customer service is all about bringing a smile to your face, so salespersons should be more polite and make a conscious effort to satisfy the customer.
Kamiya Badlani
Al Ain
Yes I would say it's average. Customer service employees confuse you. They need more programmes for relationship and communication skills.
They also need to be educated well about what they are doing. A lot of times, they seem to be confused.
Binu Sain Al Deen
Dubai
If a company is really serious about customer service it is their responsibility to employ experienced salespersons and not novices. Training does play an important role, but even training produces better results on experienced professionals.
If a company invests such huge amounts in customer service, it is their responsibility to ensure their salespersons are experienced and good at their job.
Mohammad Faizan
Dubai
I think customer service in the UAE is above average. I like the phone directory service - 181, which is always ready to take our calls and let us know the right numbers or locations.
The one service that has irked me in the past is banks. Their lines are always busy and so are their officers. I guess this is because there are so many clients and the list grows every day.
Mohammad Nazeer
Dubai
Poor customer service is a direct result of no training.
Having been in the UAE for the past few years, I have had different experiences at different departmental stores. Customers need service and poor customer service has a direct impact on the business. Attitude matters.
They need to have proper training systems in place and check on the customer service provided by salespeople to improve customer satisfaction.
Yasser Mansour
Dubai
Customer service is good in the telecom service because they treat you well and they are polite. I have not experienced bad customer service in Dubai, although when operators put us on hold, they do take very long to get back.
They require training and need to know the details of their products so that they can answer our queries.
Lubna Iqbal
Dubai
People hired for customer service usually don't request high payment. Also, there isn't much effort put in training them.
Most of the companies offering services take their customers for granted and don't spend money on training employees, which leads to bad customer service.
Farah Daoud
Dubai
I think that in general, customer service workers in the UAE are well trained. They are always polite and ready to help.
I think the main reason for bad customer service is that they are understaffed, which makes it harder for them to do their job effectively and satisfy the customer.
Mohammad Hamza
Abu Dhabi
There is need for a government-driven consumer protection body.
Definitely. Instituting a consumer protection policy is the hallmark of good authority and it does help keep unscrupulous traders at bay.
Upholding a customer's right should be observed in all business, otherwise people would shy away from spending more than the bare necessity.
Subhasis Mukherjee
Dubai
To a certain level, a government body should be established to intervene between customers and retailers or services. The attitude that these stores develop towards their clients should be monitored and improved.
They should become more customer-oriented. There is definitely room for improvement in the customer service industry.
Farrukh Khan
Dubai
It is very important to have a government body to protect consumers. This is the only way customers will feel protected.
As far as the attitude of customer service employees' is concerned, the store's management should monitor them. I think the salespeople in UAE are very helpful and friendly.
Bret Benson
Dubai
It is necessary to have such regulating authorities, and I believe they exist worldwide. Having a consumer protection agency helps guard customers from being sold fake goods.
There is a need for more training and stronger management in the customer service industry, especially in the UAE, which is a hub for shoppers.
Leonard Theng
Dubai
Poor working conditions result in unhelpful salespeople.
I don't think it's the working conditions that make them behave like they do. It is just the fact that the customer service industry is a huge one in the UAE and they handle too many customers.
It is natural for them to get irritated or sound frustrated when we complain. One thing they can do to counter this is to explain their actions to consumers so they can understand their perspective.
Haruna Abdullahi
Dubai
Of course, the most important thing in any business is motivation. You can only have motivated employees if they like their workplace and their job.
You also need to invest and train them, to make them happy. This is the only way they would provide the best customer service.
Sara Migally
Dubai
Poor working conditions result in a decrease in the morale of the employees. The workers do not feel happy and this discontent shows in the way they serve customers.
An increase in salary is always good for employees and training is also very important. Additionally, education from an early age helps them to work better and adapt well.
Yusri Abdul Rahman
Dubai
I think other factors play a role in bad customer service. The customer service people seem to be overloaded with work. Hiring more employees would make a change.
I also think good payment and other motivation techniques would help them work better in the job they do.
Mahmoud Mohammad
Dubai
