Nov 24, 2009
Don’t want the answer? Don’t ask the question.
Scene: my office, 2pm today. The phone rings.
Them: “This is Tracy from AAA Imports. You recently had your Mercedes in for service, and I’m calling to ask how everything went for you.”
Me: “Well, the repair itself was fine, but I had some rough spots in communication with the service person. I had a few unpleasant surprises.”
Them: “OK. Thank you.” Click.
In about 20 seconds, I’d gone from impressed to flabbergasted. I initially figured that my repair shop was following up to ensure my need was solved. Perhaps even anticipating how my needs might evolve after a couple of years and a wear and tear repair on my car. I hung up thinking Tracy was told to make X number of calls today, and once she got me on the line and asked her question, she was done. Click.
How did the smart well intended people at my repair shop let this happen? Perhaps these calls have evolved from active learning to a habit bragged about as ‘best practice.’ Perhaps Tracy is rewarded for activity (calls made) and not outcomes (actionable knowledge about my experience).
Don’t let your customer experience fall victim to this kind of auto-pilot action. If you don’t want the answer, don’t ask the question.
