Customer Service 101

Now I recognize that this form of media communication does not reach that large of an audience, but those people who follow this blog and at any point in time have to offer customer service to someone, here's an example from Trinidad and Tobago's finest company on WHAT NOT TO DO!!!!!!!

Speaking of which someone should make a TV show out of all these situations and model it off of TLC's "WHAT NOT TO WEAR."

Sadly the director may airing on the show the same company every episode.

So, my dear company owners, employees etc. here's what NOT to do if you want to keep your customers.

Enter the experience of TSTT:

I the customer signed up for post-paid cellular phone service with the great, the wonderful TSTT/bmobile on October 3rd 2009. I paid an advance of $299.00 toward my account. Yay!!! I now have post paid service (in those areas of the 5000 sq km land surface that gets service consistently).

Enter October 30th. Yours truly gets a bill in the mail from bmobile in the amount of $408.40!!!!

Now I know yours truly likes to talk but I didn't think that I would talk that much in one month!!! Yours truly goes into to TSTT/bmobile to query the amount on the bill - no I didn't call first because as this blog will let you know calling makes no difference.

A very long complaint form is pulled out and then the error was detailed - Firstly, that TSTT ADDED $99 to my bill and then further, did not deduct the advance paid. So I and my dumb self thought that once this form is submitted everything will be rectified. Yes, yes, I know, I know!!! I was stupid, how could I possibly think that a Trinidadian company will ever do anything like that. Right!?!? Anyway, since TSTT is owned by the Government of the country how could they ever be expected to actually do anything right.

So stupid me went home thinking that everything was sorted out with my bill. On November 2nd I get a text message that read, “you are over your credit limit." So now I'm thinking - What's my credit limit on my phone? I went back to my bill and saw that my credit limit is $600.00!!!!

How could I be over $600.00?!?!?! So this time I decided to call and I spoke with some girl who must be grateful for the script in front of her because every time she deviated from the script I thought I was talking to the drug lord on the block (due to her inability to speak English well without being prompted by the script). Needless to say, she explained to me that there was a note on my account, which stated that the advance of $299.00 had not yet been applied but was due to be posted to my account on November 3rd.

Great! So me and my stupid self AGAIN are thinking great! I'm in the clear BUT to make things completely even, I deducted the difference and paid the remaining due balance - or that which I thought was the due balance on November 3rd.

Enter November 4th - I can't make outgoing calls!!!!! WHAT?!?!?!? I receive a text message that read, " you can only make free calls. Your service has been suspended until the bill is paid."

Can you say LIVID! So I'm back on the phone with the great, the wonderful, the magnificent TSTT/bmobile. I spoke with a gentleman this time who is very sympathetic. He understood my situation but could do nothing because why would he. TSTT does not have anything in place for him to actually HELP me with my problem. I explained to him that I have now paid close to $500.00 to TSTT and now I can't even make phone calls. He said that the only bill he was seeing was the one that I had pending. So in other words, we are NOT in the age of computers and the company that is providing internet, fixed land line and cell phone services, and recently HOME SECURITY SERVICE, does not have a computer system that updates transactions automatically!!!!

Hmmmmmm I thought. Well it's not the guy's fault that this technology company's systems are dated (500 years in the past.)

I waited 24 hours as he suggested and yes.... I was torturing myself - I called the stupid company back because I actually believe that there is such a thing as hope.

Well, to make a long story short, on the last call to TSTT I asked "What do I have to do to discontinue this lack of service that I am getting with your company" and you wouldn't believe the answer - (obviously taken from the script). “I do not have that information. You will have to call the retentions department," and he proceeded to give me the phone number! Well well well!

I know, I know, TSTT isn't Sprint, AT&T, Tmobile, Verizon! So my expectations are a little, well are very high but for goodness sake! I do not wish this kind of service on anyone. If I were TSTT I would seriously think about putting the CUSTOMER first, not your script, not your faulty accounting system. If you take a good look at what your CUSTOMERS WHAT AND NEED then you will figure out the solutions. But seeing that TSTT is a Government organization by majority shares we know that very little will be done. As we know most government institutions need consultants to assist in matters such as those listed below.

1) Automatic system updates

2) Paperless

3) Cross-training - it makes your employees look as if they actually know something about the ORGANIZATION and just their very small area

4) Train employees on what to say when the question isn't on the script - so we don't find out that you hired people who don't have all CXC passes.

So my readers, it is clear that customer service is not considered to be a priority in Trinidad and Tobago. I am seriously thinking about forwarding this blog to Digicel (the only competition) so that they can capitalize on TSTT/bmobile’s inefficiencies.

Maybe I should also consider seeking out customer service at other companies, rate the level of service that I receive and post my findings both here and in the local newspapers. What do you think?