This is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.
When
you hear the term customer
service,
what do you think? For me, it means a service that is out there,
specifically for me, the consumer. When I think of the term,
“customer service”, I think of a department within a
company that exists for the sole purpose of listening to and being
there for customers. However, it seems that this is not always the
case anymore. If I need to contact a customer service department, I
have full intentions to speak to a customer service representative on
the other line. I expect that person to listen to my needs and
concerns, and for that person to help me find a solution. If they
cannot find a solution, I expect them to help me get in touch with a
person who can. I, like many other consumers out there, do not want
to call a company’s customer service line and only get an automated
system that may or may not connect me to the person or department I
need to talk to, and then be placed on a long and tiring hold. Even
worse is when that tiring hold turns into “call back in 24 hours,”
and you never hear back, leaving your issue unsolved.
I’m
not alone in dreading customer service calls, but there are certainly
companies out there that do put their customers first. Read on for
some tips to handle your next customer service call!
With
the rise in social media, more companies can be reached by
communicating on social media. One tip to keep in mind before making
the call is to reach out to the company directly through its social
media pages like Facebook or Twitter. I have even found that by
looking at other comments made by customers, my questions were
sometimes answered. Another benefit to reaching out to companies
through their social media sites is avoiding run-arounds and being
connected directly, instead of trying to figure out which number to
press on the automated system.
Another
trick to assure I get to the bottom of the issue is documenting
everything. This can help me and the customer service rep. This
includes receipts, letters, and prior ticket numbers. Having
everything organized ahead of time will save a lot of time and
frustration on the call.
I
find these tips to be very helpful, and when it comes to credit card
customer service in particular, I like knowing that I can have a very
pleasant experience. One credit card company that has excellent
customer service is Discover. They have been recognized for being a
leader in consumer loyalty for 17 straight years according to the
2013
Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index.
When I call the customer service department at Discover,
I am connected to a live, U.S.-based agent who is friendly and there
to help me, the consumer!
The
next time you need to make a call to a customer service department,
take the tips I shared with you and use them, and remember that
customer service is there for
you,
not the other way around!
This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. This post is sponsored by Discover since I am a member of the Discover Preferred Blogger Program. Thank you to Discover for sponsoring this post!
