Stop Blaming COVID for Lousy Customer Service!

Stop Blaming COVID for Lousy Customer Service!

We are one year into our pandemic. Approximately 2 million Americans are getting vaccinated every day—and yet, companies are still using COVID-19 as an excuse for horrific customer service! Are you seeing this trend too?

In Nevada, for example, who can get vaccinated is changing weekly with everyone eligible over age 16 on April 5. However, the only website that consistently updates eligibility is Wal-Mart! Major pharmacies (including Kroger) haven’t updated their system in over 3 weeks, so although I qualify, I can’t schedule a vaccination there.

But, it’s just not the vaccination issue. Let’s talk restaurants, which here increased to 50% capacity on March 15. Major players including casinos still have on their website that they are operating at 35% capacity. Some sites are still repeating the mantra, “reservations required by the governor’s mandate,” which is also old news. In short, companies are not investing the time or money to update their sites to improve customer service.

Shall we talk about stores, banks, and coffee shops? I raced over to Bank of America which now closes at 5 pm because of COVID. Please explain to me how limiting hours helps the customer or even protects customers from the pandemic? When I arrived, the bank was closed because apparently, they now close at 4!

I was joining a prospect for an outdoor coffee at a local coffee hangout; the website says that new hours mean they now close at 2 pm. Of course, when I showed up at 1 pm, there was a hand lettered sign stating we are now closed on Mondays, and oh, by the way, we often close at 1 pm if we feel we don’t have enough customers. Let me be clear: you are never getting back this customer!

We are in a transition period; now is the time to step up your game and stop making excuses for lousy service. Are you updating your website? Did you change your voice mail? Are you putting new protocols in place to delight your customers?

What’s been your experience with customer service? Has any company wowed you? I’m all ears.

Liz