As we move into 2023, the sense of normalcy in business regarding customer service seems to have shifted. The pandemic continues to take its toll on our industry, but businesses everywhere continue to suffer from labor shortages and supply issues.
During the height of the economic disruption, many services and quality controls were set aside as businesses struggled to do more with less. But those times are fading and fading fast. Some businesses realized they could cut budgets by removing certain amenities.
A small but effective example is your local coffee house. They used to provide unlimited access to cream and sugar. But as the world returns to normal, they still require guests to ask for it. Is it because the supply is low, or did they realize they could save money by keeping the condiments behind the counter?
The societal shift is tangible as many businesses keep certain safety protocols in place, such as those disappearing condiments. Many are still struggling to regain capital, while others are using the pandemic to save costs or, even worse, use it as an excuse for just about anything they can’t provide.
While we sympathize and try to understand that businesses are still struggling to stay afloat, others are using the situation to deflect the need to return to quality service. It feels as if we are living in a society where 80 percent of service performance is acceptable. In the past, this would never do. Is customer service dead?
100% Customer Service – Always!
Think Simplicity has always believed that maintaining 100% customer service levels is a key priority for our customers. If you are looking to replace your existing, potentially failing phone system or PBX, it’s time to re-evaluate purchasing decisions from a service, support, and execution standpoint.
We believe that service and support should come first. That’s why we are available 24/7/365 to answer your call. We will be there when you need us, and believe us, we will answer our phones, even during the worst of times. Because we are based in the United States, you won’t ever get an offshore operator. Even more so, our staff is trained to help you no matter the issue. We don’t follow a script only to pass you on to another technical support person.
If you need service references, we can provide those! Because we have always worked remotely, our offices are never down. We believe that it is crucial to be available at the worst of times. Sometimes that is when our clients need us the most. Our job is to help you, even in extreme situations, such as the recent hurricane in Florida.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to whether your vendor can maintain a 100 percent level of service, even in the worst of times. What we do know is that the world is shifting. Lower standards are being created and often accepted without question.
The time is coming when we all need to put our foot down and say, “Enough! Where are the sugar packets!”