While poor customer service can be found all over the world, there are traits that are culture-specific to the Philippines. These are:
1. The señorito mentality. This arises out of the Spanish era wherein we were subservient to Spain. While the noble goal then was independence, the underlying goal was to become like them: señoritos with servants. In other words, we’d rather be served than serve.
2. The mañana habit. In English, this means putting off for tomorrow what can be finished today. This is why many customer service answers are not definite. The tacit message is, "We don’t want to be pressured, so you’ll have to wait."
3. The martyr syndrome. This brings about the notion of, "Why bother me? I have my own problems." This is the basic reason why many customer service personnel seem to be in a bad mood when you call on them.
4. The "Just-a-Job" attitude. This tells us that the customer service person is just in it for the job and is waiting for the right career to come around; or perhaps that opening to go to the Middle East. So his customer care is lackadaisical.
What is the solution to the flaws mentioned above?
1. Place a high premium on customer service. Many companies spend like crazy to acquire customers, but spend next to nothing in caring for them.
2. Customer service training. Many companies spend to train their sales team and even get the best trainers, but leave their customer care to people who know nothing about it. For some, they merely leave ready-made scripts for their support personnel to read and nothing else.
If Philippine corporations just apply the two points above, they would raise their professional level several notches higher. And, yes, even acquire more customers and repeat purchases.
Here’s a personal peeve. There are some customer support personnel who, after asking your name, would address you as "Sir (your first name)," e.g. "Sir Francis." For instance: "Okay, Sir Francis, may I know your concern?"
Unionbank –one of the few banks that have an excellent customer support department– addresses me as, "Mr. Secor," after knowing what my name is. It’s professional and respectful. They’re not trying to be cutesy-cutesy by calling me "Sir Francis."
The last time a customer service person addressed me as "Sir Francis," I told her to address me as Mr. Secor, since I wasn’t knighted by Queen Elizabeth.
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