It happened just like that. One minute my phone is fine, the next the screen is black and flickering. After a few hours and hundreds of attempts to restart my phone, I give up and head to the nearest Verizon store.
Real World Story: I arrive at a local store around 5:00 pm. I’m greeted immediately by the manager, Brian. (I know his name and title because of his name badge.) He takes my account information and tells me that I’m next in line. He invites me to browse the store while I wait.
While I’m browsing, I realize if my phone cannot be fixed, it’s time for me to buy a new one. Of all the phones in the store, I narrow it down to my top three choices. My main criteria are PRICE and MEMORY.
Finally, a young employee named Alejandro approached me and asked what I needed. I had already told this to the manager, but I repeated myself. And the only reason I knew his name was because of his name badge. He, like the manager, did not introduce themselves.
Alejandro was friendly and knowledgeable. He said the problem with my phone was the screen, so he suggested I go to a repair place— pretty much next door. So, off I go to the nearby repair shop. Turns out, the store did not have my screen in stock. Back to Verizon I go. Luckily, Alejandro was still at the counter with no customers. I explained what happened and that I wanted a new phone. I showed him the three phones I had previously narrowed down and the deciding factor would be MEMORY. He said my third choice had 128GB of memory. Perfect! He also convinced me to change my plan to an unlimited plan since it was only $5 more a month. I told him that was good because…MY HOTSPOT USES UP A LOT OF DATA.
All seemed good in the world…until I got home.
I had started reloading applications, logging into accounts, etc. However, it didn’t take me long to realize this phone had 64GB of memory, not 128!!! I was already using 44% of the phone’s memory. I was NOT happy!
I call Verizon. After a long wait, I explain the situation and am told all I can do is take the phone back to the store. However, I will incur a $50 restocking fee! What? You have GOT to be kidding! Fine. I hang up the call.
I then discover that my new phone plan does NOT include mobile hotspot, which I had told Alejandro I must have. I start looking at the pre-paid plans, which Alejandro had suggested, and I decide I’d like to switch to one of those plans. I call Verizon, yet again. It’s about 8:00 pm. A nice and friendly man named Israel answers the phone and basically tells me that I have to change the plan in the store. BUT he DOES say I will NOT have to pay the $50 restocking fee due to the inconvenience. He notes the waiver on my account.
The next day, I go back to the store. I’m greeted by Brian, the same manager from the previous day. I tell him my situation, and he just has a blank stare on his face. He kind of mumbles “Sorry” but looks more annoyed than anything else. He says I’ll have a short wait for a technician. I then see manager Brian whispering with another employee while they stare at me, making me feel awkward.
Minutes later, another young employee approaches and asks how he can help. Once again, I have to repeat myself. I then say I want a cheaper model phone and to change back to my regular plan, which includes mobile hotspot. He says, “This is going to be a lot of work,” so he tries to convince me to stay with this phone—but I insist.
He finally succumbs and goes to make the changes in the back, which takes him quite a while. While I’m sitting there, I go to the employee who manager Brian was whispering to and ask about the prepaid plans. “You guys can’t switch me to a prepaid plan?” I ask. He says, “No. Plus those prepaid plans don’t include mobile hotspot.” I tell him their website states it does. He says, “Well, one of them probably does.” He was brusque and rude.
While waiting, I pull the manager aside and express my frustration. He basically said, “Well, we have a lot of products, so I can see how someone might not know all the information about them!” WHAT? How about something like “I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’ll make sure and discuss this with my team so nothing like this happens in the future.” UGH!!!
My sales person finally returns and says that because the phone I want is $50 cheaper, the $50 restocking fee is washed out, so I can keep my current phone. HE DOESN’T GET IT! I’m not supposed to pay the restocking fee!!!
I’m so tired of this two-day exchange that I don’t argue and keep the darned phone. I ask him about helping me change the phone plan, and he says they can’t do that in the store. He gave me a phone number to call. OMG!
I call the number while I’m in the store, but I’m redirected to another number to call, which I do. This lady—Artasia—was fabulous! She told me the salespeople in the store are supposed to help me with phone plan changes. But since they wouldn’t, she tried to help me. But—she realizes I need to have the phone for at least 30 days before I can make any plan changes. She apologizes for the hassle and tells me to call back in 30 days.
Wow! What an ordeal!
Strategies that Turn it Around:
- Listen with intention. Listen closely to your customers, so you can offer the appropriate solutions that meet their needs—not yours nor your convenience. For example, I said I use up a lot of data on mobile hotspot, yet I was put on a plan without one!
- Move beyond excuses. Don’t just give excuses, show sincere caring and empathy! Even if you have to fake it, ensure that every customer walks away happy and feeling special. This is especially true for managers.
- Take notes. When was the last time you had a list of must-haves, and your sales and/or service agent took notes to ensure ALL your requirements were met? How can customer needs be met if you don’t take notes? Additionally, if you take notes, you can share them with other team members, so customers don’t have to keep repeating themselves.
- Know your product or service. Employees should KNOW their products and not make stuff up. If inventory is too great to memorize and there is information overload, then having NOTES will come in handy by turning them into a checklist and comparing it to products/services that customers are looking for.
Remember: Customers want to feel heard. They want to know that all their needs will be met without having to come back to you again and again.
How does your organization ensure that customer needs are met completely and consistently to avoid follow up calls and/or repeat visits?