Why T&T’s Bad Customer Service Is Good For Your Business

First of all do you have any argument with such a statement? Are a few bad apples spoiling the whole bunch or are a bunch of bad apples spoiling a few? At worst I’m sure you’ll agree with the overall perception then that ‘customer service’ in Trinidad and Tobago stinks and stinks BIG TIME!

We experience it all the time:

• Rude people at the end of the phone
• Rude people  at the counter when you go to pay
• Staff ignoring you at the counter
• Non-existent/rude salespeople in a store
• Slow service making you wait in line
• Callous and don’t-care attitude to your problem
• Non customer-friendly stores- lack of proper signage, ‘plainclothesed’ staff, poorly laid out stores

It’s to a point that we’ve grown to expect it as customers and that’s sad. But to your business it’s an opportunity as it can be used as an absolute no-cost way to gain new and loyal customers.

What many local business owners don’t realize is that Trinis of today are very well travelled. They’ve visited the US, Europe- and even our neighboring Caribbean islands and they’ve experienced good customer service as the rule instead of the exception. That’s why we hear all the ‘steupsing’ at the bank while waiting in the teller line and the muttering of how much better the same situation is ‘away’.

Think, whenever we receive any semblance of good customer service in TnT it feels so refreshing that it makes a huge impact in our minds. It’s such a big deal that our impression of that business grows. We’ll continue going back while we tell everyone else we know won’t we?

Combine the above with the fact that Trini’s just can’t wait to teach customer-service offenders a lesson by taking their business to a competitor and so it makes absolute sense that you patiently wait in the wings with open arms and a plan to keep them there.

What these bad apples don’t know (and now you know!) is that a bad experience travels twice as fast as a good one and continues to do harm long after the incident because the aggrieved party continues to broadcast it (hello- Facebook, emails, blogs ensure super-fast circulation now) so damage control takes time and resources.

FYI, technically, customer service is what you provide to customers before, during and after a purchase. When a customer comes into your store and begins browsing, that’s ’before’. You don’t know if they’ll actually buy but if you (or your staff) does a good job by explaining the product, it’s benefits and how it solves their problem it should lead to the second stage- which is the ‘during’ where you reinforce the product qualities, provide the guarantees, discounts and complete the sale. Don’t hard-sell, a customer can spot that a mile away. Then there’s after the purchase- a follow-up, ask for a testimonial, make a date for maintenance service etc., give a coupon for a future purchase- surprise them (and yourself) with an ingenious marketing technique.

Bottom line- try to duplicate the same type of good customer service you observe and receive ‘away’ right here in your T&T business and you’ll have unofficial marketing personnel up and down T&T that you don’t have to pay a cent for.