Gone are the days when a customer with a product issue could easily phone a company to get some resolution. Now businesses have phone systems that frequently involve complicated phone menus, long wait times, or continuous transferring. If customers somehow reach a live customer service agent to help them, various scenarios can play out.
Many customers needing help have discovered that the customer care agents:
Cannot answer any questions
Don’t have the knowledge or power to actually solve a problem
Offer insanely complicated return processes
Transfer the caller to multiple other departments, usually with disconnections
All of the above
Press-1-for-Frustration
Recently one customer embroiled in an ongoing overcharging situation called the company (again) with the phone number she’d been using, only to discover it was now in another language, possibly Italian- with no way to switch it out, and no other phone number that worked.
Another person found that the case number he’d been given by a previous agent could not be found- so he needed to start his problem-solving process over. Such repeated situations make it seem that company resolution processes are actually designed to make “problematic” customers become discouraged and give up.
Worse yet, many customers with issues to resolve discover that the reputable company they used in good faith outsources their customer service to third party vendors– not direct employees. 50% of companies worldwide report that they outsource customer service, supposedly to “cut costs and improve efficiency.” The Philippines, India, Latin America, Poland and Romania are popular outsourcing regions, with companies wanting strong English speakers and service oriented cultures.
Businesses that outsource their customer services also proudly report that outsourcing provides high-quality customer support- touting as proof their improved customer satisfaction increases of 62% when businesses outsourced their service. Their not-so-satisfied clients might wonder how companies reached that 62% statistic increase in customer satisfaction scores. It could be the result of the common tactic of “If you don’t take our company satisfaction survey, we’re coming after you with so many texts and emails, you’ll finally respond.” With any resulting data, the company then uses vanity metric surveys designed to produce good-looking scores rather than useful insight. Voila- a 62% increase in customer satisfaction!
The Website FAQs That Answer Everything But YOUR Question
Beyond providing a help desk reachable by phone, businesses increasingly reduce support costs by funneling their needy consumers digitally.
Companies euphemistically call it:
self-service support online support portal customer support ticketing system automated customer service digital-first customer support
Exasperated customers call it:
ticket purgatory the help-center maze chatbot circular process support black hole digital runaround
No customer argues that AI can adeptly check billing, share invoice status, give company hours, answer common questions, and provide certain 24/7 support. People object when companies embrace AI support technology to provide ALL their customer support. Customers are savvy enough to realize that such companies rely on support deflection- a deliberate strategy that directs customers online so as to never reach a live representative. While these tactics can save companies money, they regularly fail to resolve actual customer service issues- and also cause companies to lose customers.
What are some BEST WAYS to actually resolve your customer service issue?
Be ready and organized with necessary information like account numbers, receipts, timeline.
Clearly and calmly state your problem and the desired resolution- as many times as necessary.
Call during off-hours, since most people call after work or during lunch. Try early morning, which can have shorter hold times and fewer callers ahead of you.
Repeatedly use key words such as “agent” or “representative” in chats. Trigger escalation by using phrases such as “file a complaint” or “cancel service” as well.
Keep track of who you spoke to, when, and what you were told. Ask representatives questions to clarify what they tell you.
Nicely ask for a supervisor if the initial representative cannot help. If the supervisor doesn’t help, ask to connect to the team that has authority to resolve this issue fully.
Tactfully utilize social media like Twitter, X, Facebook, Meta, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn or Reddit to escalate your service issues when traditional channels fail. Companies monitor mentions, DMs, or comments on their official pages, and can be sensitive to public complaints.
Politely refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer- persistence is key.
So while it may feel like you’re fighting with company bots or the help desk from hell, navigate with patience, persistence, and well-planned tactics. These are the ways you are most likely to get your problem solved.
Photo by Moose Photos
