Are retailers/service providers really concerned with customer satisfaction anymore?

I find that I spend an awful lot of time sorting out problems with my cable and broadband provider/gas and electric company etc. not to mention wrongly delivered goods/incomplete goods etc etc etc. What's more, their so-called customer helplines make being unhelpful into an art form and can be so rude to you, the paying customer. I have to say that things are much the same before they have secured your purchase, in many cases. Have you tried asking for advice in an electrical store recently? Is the philosophy of customer-satisfaction just a token gesture nowadays? Why and how do these companies continue to generate huge profits despite essentially poor consumer-relations (regardless of what their 'surveys' show)?

Are retailers/service providers really concerned with customer satisfaction anymore?
NO they are not, as a whole concerned ,


about us their retail customers .


This is very short sighted ,as we have seen many ,


previously high, profit making businesses,


that are


are now going "to the wall"


Because of their cavalier attitude to the customers





It is a competitive world and eventually people ,


rebel against this off hand treatment


and take their custom else were ,


for better service and support





Then the huge profits made,


from their poorly served customers ,


will fall and they will be no more .





When we are treated ,with this contempt and indifference ---


We should all "vote" with our feet !!!!!





%26gt;^,,^%26lt;
Reply:todays "free trade" society is obsessed with products of all kinds. most people feel pressurised to have most products because it is "cool" or "socially acceptable" to have them. in the capitalist world this means that many more products are becoming essential like water, electricity and food. this means companies can charge you whatever they want and not worry about customer service as much. that s my hate fuelled explanation anyway!!


lol!!!
Reply:"Customer service" seems to be a euphamism for damage limitation for when things go wrong.





The only reason large companies with poor customer relations make big profits, it that people put up with poor service and take it for granted.





I do not. If I get poor service and am dissatisfied, I vote with my feet and take my business elsewhere. This applies to all businesses; banks, shops, utility companies, transportation, you name it. If more people did this, the bad companies would go bust in no time.
Reply:Well rocket, there may be many explanations...many reasons...


1.In countries where there are lots of competition in an industry and the service industries are matured, firms try to differentiate by providing high quality and thats why due to competition its not true that such costs will also charge more...they provide quality to survive......But in cases where the service industries are not so mature, they don't have to bother about customer.....its demand and supply game.. they supply and demand is already there...who cares about quality?


2. In some cases even in matured markets, some firms provide so cheap low cost versions that they don't provide quality and they explicitly state that in their communications to customers.


3. Still if they claim to provide high quality but are not providing it, its is the management problem. Such firms in mature markets in long term will lose customers always.


Now pick up your case.


WHAT CAN YOU DO TO SOLVE YOUR PROBLEM?


If your case is no.3 and you expect high quality- shift to another firm or if switching cost is high then complain and keep on complaining to the top management. If its a good firm they will listen or else drag them to the consumer courts.


MANY A TIMES BECAUSE OF OUR DIDN'T MATTER attitude even good firms don't provide what they claim. But, once they understand that customers too have power they will be more responsible towards customers like you....


Let me know your view......
Reply:I think it depends on the store. One place I buy music from has got such great staff I travel 20 miles to go there rather than the one in my town. Some places are really strong on customer service.
Reply:It depends upon their marketing strategy. Quality retailers who do not sell on price will invest in customer satisfaction and provide the back up this needs. Outlets that sell by tying to be the cheapest will strip their costs to the bone employing pushy spotty faced salespeople who will tell you anything to sell you anything.