Words vs. Actions

I can’t believe that I’m ranting again... and so soon! 

Now, it may sound like I’m complaining about the lack of respect, assistance, satisfaction, and courtesy that I've suffered at the hands of a certain cell phone company that shall remain nameless… at least in this posting.  

It may sound like I’m complaining about the inability of corporate America to solve problems of its own making, forcing its customers to pay the price of its incompetencies.

It may sound like I’m complaining about the lack of listening skills, understanding, and conscious effort that should be ingrained and embodied in the phrase customer service.

Granted, all the above do apply in this particular instance, which is fueling my anger, but that’s not what I’m going to focus on today… at least, not in this posting.

What I find more egregious than any of the above, is the lack of integrity companies have built into their customer service procedures.  And, once again, companies have created this integrity problem for themselves, forcing its customers to pay the price.

I won’t bore you with all the details — my close friends will take THAT burden off your shoulders — but I will share with you the integrity issue that has gotten under my skin.

Although I am using this particular cell phone company as an example, most companies follow similar practices around the country and the world, so I’m sure you have come across this in your daily activities… more than once.

Companies instruct their employees to follow written scripts, such as:  They would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused you.  They thank you for being a customer of theirs.  They appreciate your business.

No matter what is transacting, they are instructed to say this about every 3 or 4 sentences:  They would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused you.  They thank you for being a customer of theirs.  They appreciate your business.

Because I’m a “long-time” customer of theirs, this particular cell phone company repeats their apology and appreciation every other sentence.  They would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused me.  They thank me for being a long-time customer of theirs.  They appreciate my business.

As the conversation is going on, they tell me No, NO, NO to my requests for a fair solution to my problem, followed by… They would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused me.  They thank me for being a long-time customer of theirs.  They appreciate my business.

The fact that they didn’t, couldn’t, and wouldn’t help me with my problem completely escapes their notice, while they say…. They would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused me.  They thank me for being a long-time customer of theirs.  They appreciate my business.

Do they not understand the meaning behind the words in the script they recite?  As they mechanically and continually recite these words to me, their words become hollow and without meaning.  They become habitual liars to me.  Do they not realize this?

In turn, the entire company comes off as hollow and without meaning. 

Your business is extremely important to us — is a farce.

We appreciate you — is a lie.

Does anyone believe in what they're saying?

Do I, as a customer, feel valued, heard, taken care of, or appreciated?  No.

Do I, as a customer, feel abused, taken advantaged, and discarded?  Yes.

Do I, as a customer, trust this company?  No, because their actions don't match their words.

It all goes back to integrity.

We try so hard to teach this important concept to our children — the importance of integrity and being honest in your dealing with others.  We tell our children that to be responsible adults, they must be responsible for their actions and do what’s right.  We tell them that they need to be consistent in action and word.  They must have integrity in everything they do and say.  If they want to be trusted and respected, their words have to match their actions at all times. They can’t promise something and not follow through with it.

Corporate America must have forgotten all of this.  They must have also forgotten that once your words begin to no longer match your actions, people will no longer trust your word.  Instead of being respected and trusted, your words will become hollow and powerless.  You will soon lose the respect of others.  You will lose all that you worked so hard to gain. 

For corporate America, this means they will lose their customers…

And only then, will they understand what they were reciting… but, by then, it will be too late.

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