Customer Service Matters
June 18, 2007
I just wasted 2 hours of my life! My recently purchased cell phone has a defect. The screen went black. Never dropped or damaged in any way. So I go to the store I purchased it from and ask for assistance. He says I need to call the warranty line. So I go home and call the warranty phone number. This person proceeds to tell me that my phone warranty ID was never registered and that I needed to go to the store to have it verified. So I traveled back to the store and was told that the number has been registered. Then I am told to sit and call the warranty line again. (Did I mention there was a hold time of over 15 minutes each time I called that number?) Then I had to have the store associate get on the phone and verify the ID number on the back of the phone. All of this because I was sold a defective phone. I never once received an apology – we are sorry – or anything. All I can say is that now I understand why they lock you into a contract.
As i drove back home from the store I thought about how this related to church. The attractional church places a high priority on satisfying their visitors and members. They spend a tremendous amount money ensuring they have an experience that will make them want to come back or join. On the flip side, simple churches place a high priority on connecting with people. This connecting makes a huge difference. (I don’t have any data – only experience and stories). My experience tells me that when people connect with others there is tremendous staying power.
Our church is taking this seriously. We have made a commitment to connect with each other outside of our regular gatherings. Sometimes we connect over dinner or a movie or a football game. Basically we are learning to live life with open access.
What I mean is that we openly invite others to join in life with us, and we are always seeking ways to involve ourselves in other’s lives.
I would be a more happy and loyal customer if one person would have taken the time to connect with me through my ordeal. However, I have been sent home with my phone still broken and waiting on a replacement phone that will take 5 – 10 days to arrive.
Posted in Life