Customer Service Problem? Don't Bother Calling

In the future, consumers are expected to face even more obstacles when trying to reach a customer service agent. Nowadays, fewer personnel are being hired to handle customer service issues, according to Marjo Silvo of Finland’s Institute of Marketing.

“There’s a desire to charge for advice that comes from a live customer service agent. Several free services are offered online, but unfortunately the service is often slower,” says Silvo.

Advancing technology has led to the scaling back of human interaction in the customer service sector. Silvo adds that customer service has not managed to keep up with new innovations.

“There is the will to be more cost effective, but the methods to do so have not been thought through. Not everything can be done automatically. At some stage in the service process, there needs to be a person who can take charge,” says Silvo.

Can you please hold?

The Finnish Consumer Agency says it's often more difficult to get a hold of a business now than in the past. Sometimes consumers are unable to find any means of contacting a company. Other times, customers are forced to wait for what seems like an eternity to get a response. In the worst cases, a company's customer service department is completely obsolete.

”Certainly the most aggravating thing is when a business doesn’t get back to the customer. For example, a company doesn’t respond to a customer’s email. It is also infuriating to wait on the phone for extended periods of time,” says Anja Peltonen of the Finnish Consumer Agency.

Peltonen says that some companies, particularly small online businesses, completely disregard the value of customer service. In recent years, telecommunications companies have had difficulties with customer service as well.

She says that companies should respond to customers’ needs even after purchases are made. In the best circumstances, a customer will have several different channels to reach a company.