Give feedback on these four posts

A. Experience as a Customer post 1

What was the problem? I was given the wrong order at a restaurant which could have caused me an allergic reaction. Describe the communication of issue. How did customer service listen? I told the waiter that my order was incorrect and Im allergic. The waiter listened and empathized with me. What were the possible solutions that a) you wanted, and b) the company offered? The solution I wanted was for them to bring the correct order. That was also the solution that was offered. Was there an opportunity for you to be involved in the solution (co-production)? Yes, the manager even came out and ask what kind of dessert I wanted for me and my daughter and that it was on the house. What was the BEST solution? The best solution was to make things right with me by correcting my order in which they did. How was the solution implemented? It was implemented by working together. Was there any follow-up from the company? No there was no follow up. Reflect on each - why was it positive? What needed to be changed? It was positive because they listened to me and got my order fixed. There was nothing that needed to be changed.

post 2

The positive experience I would like to share is one that took place while I was shopping at kohls. I was buying clothes for my son which is what sparked the conversation between me and the cashier. She started asking me questions about him and she ended up being an absolute joy to connect with. Its not unusual for cashiers to ask, find everything you need and then continue the rest of the transaction in silence so to have someone truly interested in why I was shopping was a nice change of pace. She was so sweet, and she shared stories with me about her daughter that put a smile on my face. I appreciated her being kind so much that I filled out the survey at the bottom of my receipt so that she would hopefully be acknowledged for her satisfactory customer service!

This was a positive experience because I left feeling happy and grateful for the little connection and conversation we shared.

The negative experience I would like to share happened a couple of years ago. I went out for dinner with my sister and ordered a dish without meat because I am a vegetarian. When I received my meal, I quickly realized it had chicken in it (luckily before eating it) when I asked the server if I could have the correct meal, he acted annoyed. It was a busy night; he might not have had the time or was afraid of getting in trouble with the kitchenbut either way, he proceeded to ask if I was a real vegetarian or if I could just stick with the meal I had. I was shocked he would ask that. After another 30 minutes, I received the correct meal with no apology. My sister asked to speak with a manager but that never ended up happening. The best solution would have just been to acknowledge the mistake. There was no follow-up. We just decided not to return to that specific restaurant.

That was a negative experience because I was paying for the meal so I would have liked to receive it without it becoming an issue.

B. Empowerment

post 3

Empowerment is a way of decision making for the employees in a positive way. At my current job, I always feel empowered to do right by the customer when it comes to credits and adjustments. We are empowered to do what feels right after getting the customers side of the story and reviewing notes that were left on account by other employees. Empowerment is an important part of customer service experience because it gives customers faith that the employee that they are working with is going to get the job done and not transfer them many times before coming to a resolution. It affect the business in a positive way because more customers will give good reviews, the customer is handled efficiently and the employee does not have to wait around for supervisors approvals for most matters. Once at walmart I bought a tv and when I made it home the screen was completely cracked. When I returned it the associate showed great empathy and was empowered to handle the return without a hassle for me. I felt very well treated and everything was done in a timely matter which I appreciated.

post 4

When a customer has a complaint or issue, the last thing they want to have to do is repeat themselves. I have found lately that more and more companies make customers explain their issues with someone before it is passed on to someone who can actually help or compensate them. This only adds to the customer's frustration. If the person taking the complaint, is not trusted enough to appropriately handle the situation, they shouldn't be taking the complaint in the first place. The main industry I see this as a major problem in, is the restaurant industry. The majority of restaurants that offer to-go services, use a third party call center to take orders, and filter out customer calls. Even if you call a location directly, you are almost always speaking with a call center, they are just not allowed to disclose that information. So when a customer is upset with their order or experience, they are required to explain their situation with the person who answers the phone. Then IF the agent finds it to be important enough, they place the customer on hold, call the location, wait for a manger, re-explain the situation and then transfer the guest to a manager. The headache it causes just to speak with someone about the issue, is enough to turn a customer off from using that location again. If the agent was given the power to be able to help the customer directly, it could make a world of difference. It would eliminate wait time, leave less room for error, avoid the managers getting a "watered down" version of the problem and would make the customer feel as if they are a priority.

I recently just had an experience with King Soopers grocery pickup that fits this perfectly. The total they gave me at the time of pickup was much more than the total shown in the app when I placed my order. He explained the prices had changed since the time of me placing the order. Rather than having to go get a manager, the employee explained as long as everything matched on his end, he had the ability to adjust the total I was being charged. He check everything and immediately corrected the total. That saved me having to go in, wait for someone, make a complaint, and having to wait for results. Everything was taken care of right then and there.