What happened to good service?

Like everyone else, I've had countless bad customer service experiences in my life. But I've never had so many customer service fiascos in such a short a time.

For two days this week, I spoke to banks, car dealers and leasing firms to resolve one question: Is it better to buy a car or rent one? I was doing a mystery shop for a story that you've probably read on this page.

Well, the assignment tossed at me sounded so simple: Call up a few companies, get car prices, rentals, bank loan interest rates and compare. It doesn't sound so hard at all, does it?

So, I went ahead to make a few calls on January 13. The first call was made to a number posted on a car dealer's website. I excitedly told the lady on the phone that I wanted to inquire about their car prices. I had my enthusiasm doused a bit when she answered, "This is the HR department. I'll transfer you to sales."

I was put on hold for 10 minutes listening to music. My sense of powerlessness grew as Shakira reminded me how much I'd rather be watching her concert at the Emirates Palace. Finally, another woman took the call. "Can I speak to a car salesman?" I inquired. "Sorry, this is the hardware department," she said. Strike one.

I made the second call to a bank. I said: "I have an account with your company. Can I apply for a car loan?" The agent said: "If your salary is at least Dh5,000, yes. "What if I don't have an account with your bank?" I enquired. "What is the minimum salary requirement? Agent: "I told you, it's Dh5,000."

My head started to spin as he blabbered on while I was trying to make myself clear. It wasn't until I nearly shouted at the top of my lungs that I managed to extract the one figure that I needed: "Please, listen to me. Imagine I'm not your bank customer. I don't have an account with your bank. How much should I earn each month to qualify for a loan?" "Ah, okay, it's Dh6,000," he finally said. I called another bank to check if they require a down payment on auto loans. I only wanted a yes or no answer. A "personal banking" staff answered: "Sorry I can't answer your query right now. Can I get your contact details so we can call you later?" "Sure, how long should I wait?" I replied. Bank staff: "In one or two working days." Wish me luck.

In 18 hours, I logged at least 41 blood-boiling phone calls to solve one problem. In many instances, hurried office staff either tossed me from one department to another or politely ended the conversation as if they were attending to some emergency. Each time, I had to battle to extract one figure or piece of information.

We all know that good customer service is one of the single most important aspects of a successful business. But good customer service isn't just about being able to answer all calls. A company's accessibility, and its staff's ability to communicate, along with their willingness to go the extra mile to cut red tape and help an inquiring customer goes a long way. In an economy where there is a lot of competition, good customer service becomes an issue of survival.