customer service

by Karen Friedman on December 9, 2016 Leave a Comment

Make it easy to do business with you

It was in the crunch of early morning emails when I realized the internet wasn’t working. I immediately started trouble shooting. I rebooted my computer, turned the internet router off and then back on, and pushed a few unnamed blinking buttons on the box. Nothing worked, so I took the next measure. I texted my husband who was away on a business trip.

Me: The internet isn’t working and I don’t know why.

Husband: Turn the power strip off, wait a minute and turn it back on.

Me: What about the button that says WPS?

Husband: Don’t touch it.

Me: Oops, I already did, now what?

Husband: I don’t know, call Xfinity.

by Karen Friedman on April 11, 2015 Leave a Comment

Lessons learned from a vendor/customer email war

I don’t take pleasure in firing vendors or anyone for that matter though this may be the exception. ‘Michael’ handled our payroll for years. Every year, I watched our fees go up with no advance notice or explanation so I inquired as to why his rates were outpacing inflation.

I was told it’s because he has the “best payroll staff in the industry” and therefore he increases their pay each year. He went on to say that he was competitive and customers who have left him often came back because other firms “typically screwed things up.” Annoyed, I dashed off a terse email to our CFO saying that’s the kind of thing people say when they don’t have a real reason and then I hit send a bit too quickly. Only I accidentally sent it to Michael. [Read more…] about Lessons learned from a vendor/customer email war

by Karen Friedman on March 3, 2015 Leave a Comment

Of Goofing Up and Forgiveness

Oops, I goofed. This is a textbook case of what not to do when you’re annoyed. It went something like this.

One of our vendors sent us an invoice that reflected a price increase. Looking back at the invoices, I noticed that he does this every year, yet his annual sock-it-to-the-customer hikes were far outpacing inflation. So we inquired why.

by Karen Friedman on September 20, 2013 Leave a Comment

Your call is very important to us

The Amtrak train from New York’s Penn Station to 30th Street Philadelphia burped and lurched and suddenly screeched to a stop in Newark. As passengers wondered what happened, the conductor instructed everyone headed to Philadelphia to get off. He said the train had mechanical problems and we were to wait on the platform for the next train to Philadelphia.

Given it was evening rush hour, when the next train arrived; it was packed without a seat to be found. So like others, I stood for the following one and a half hours. Only, I was wearing high heels that quickly became uncomfortable as I was sandwiched in-between two bouncy rail cars standing shoulder to shoulder with two male strangers whose 24-hour deodorant was apparently on its 25th hour on this muggy summer evening. So, a little unsteady on my feet and staring to feel queasy, I held on hoping for the best. [Read more…] about Your call is very important to us

« Previous Page