Custom Service vs. Customer Service
Written by J. Clarke - Custom Audio Video
ometimes I like to spend a little bit of my Saturday afternoons perusing the aisles of one of the local “big box” electronics retailers, looking for something new and exciting on DVD or Blu-Ray. Most of the time, I manage to stay away from the large displays of plasma and LCD TVs, but every once in awhile I am inexorably drawn to the bright screens of sumptuous HD goodness.
Inevitably, I am approached by one of the minimum wage sales people, typically a young man with a haircut that skirts the edge of permissible dress code. These interactions tend to go one of two ways; either, I am nice, and I politely say “No thank you. I’m just looking,” or if I find myself in a particularly mischievous mood, I might begin a technical inquisition on whatever video display I happen to be standing next to. Fortunately, for the big box retailers, most customers don’t ask questions like “What is the image refresh rate at 1080P?” or “Are the wall mount holes VESA compliant?” Unfortunately for the minimum wage sales person, I’m happy to stand there until he or she thinks of an answer.
Is it childish to barrage someone with questions they can’t answer? Of course it is, but it does provide me with the opportunity to see what the priorities of these superstores really are. It never ceases to amaze me how their salespeople know so little about the electronics that are on display, but are so eager to tell me about the extended warranty service plans that their management is pushing them to sell. Of course, this is something the customer needs, right?
When I think of my client’s needs, an extended warranty isn’t usually at the top of the list. A service plan doesn’t help them operate their system. It doesn’t answer the phone on weekends. It doesn’t rush a technician down to a client’s home the night of a big party. Most of what my clients really need is someone who listens to what they want. Someone who can turn their expectations into a well designed electronics package that is reliable and easy to use.
My clients might feel better having purchased an extended warranty, but I hope they take their greatest comfort knowing they have someone they can call who is responsive, dependable, and experienced. When standing before a big box store sales person, I find myself wondering if they are thinking the same thing about their customers. Probably not.
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