Interactive voice response (IVR) systems are typically used to service high call volumes, reduce cost, and improve the customer experience.
When I called Comcast customer service last weekend, I was given the option to input my phone number and have a customer service representative return my call within the next 20 minutes.
In theory, this system is useful. It allows customers to make better use of their time than idly waiting on the line, listening to promotional messages or music-on-hold.
But theory and reality are two different things.
About 10 minutes after my call, true to its word, I received a call back from Comcast. When I answered, I was greeted by a recorded message from Rick Germano, SVP, Customer Operations:
“This is Rick Germano, head of customer operations here at Comcast. We appreciate that you’ve chosen us and we think it’s our responsibility to give you a great experience. That’s our promise…”
I can recall this lengthy message because I listened to it repeat a half-dozen times during a five minute holding period before a customer service representative joined the call.
Seriously? The purpose of an IVR system is to save customers time and frustration, not add to it.
Comcast has a checkered customer service history. (In fact, it wouldn’t be unprecedented for me to receive a bill next month addressed to “Bitch Dog” for writing this post.)
Here’s the deal: You have to earn the right to record a message like the one above. Lexus can record that message. So can Nordstrom. But Comcast cannot. It hasn’t earned the right to record that message.
If you’re going to provide excellent customer service—for real—then talk about it. If you’re not, then don’t talk about it. Doing so only undermines consumer trust and reinforces how poor your customer service actually is.
