Deliver Trustomer Service Or Take Delivery on Negative Word-of-Mouth

Composed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana--

I called a tele-seminar vendor to inquire about what looked to be a double billing on a recent invoice.  An account representative saw that an error had occurred.  She didn't offer an explanation, perhaps because she wasn't embarrassed.  She didn't offer an apology, perhaps because she hasn't had sufficient training.   

Instead, the rep responded as if the call were some kind of game show.   "You're right," she said, "We'll issue a credit."

As I explain in my audio FastLearnerAudio2 program on customer service, trust plays a critical role in customer service.  When trust is betrayed, reps should not take the issue lightly because they are on the verge of losing a customer and engaging the dreaded flywheel of negative word-of-mouth.

I trusted the vendor to only charge me "x" and if I hadn't caught the mistake they would have charged me"2x."

Recently, a major hotel chain wanted to charge me for a room even though I had canceled well before the cancellation time and date.  When I protested, the representative gave me a homework assignment and asked me to contact their billing department. 

Call me old-fashioned, but I think someone from the hotel should contact the billing department.  It was, after all, their mistake.

The tele-seminar vendor was quick to issue a credit.  The hotel made things right, but only after a high-ranking person in their district office got involved.  Now I wonder if I can trust either company to look after me next time.  If there is a next time.  Customer service is trustomer service.