Episode 20 - We are not robots

Boring Boring Boring. That's how a lot of customer service appears to customers. Not all customers are the same right? Not all staff are the same right? Yet organisations try to implement “consistent” sales, service and employment policies. What they are really seeking is standardisation. It’s like buying every kid the same gift for Christmas and ignores their personal preferences. I hear you. Your wondering if I’m suggesting personalised service for each person. Well, the internet is getting there with (albeit algorithmic) personalisation. And all is not lost for physical stores. But ‘more of the same’ doesn’t work. That’s why places like Macy’s in the US announced the shedding of 6,000 jobs and 100 stores this week. Kohl’s made a similar announcement. Not only is department store shopping inefficient, but everyone gets treated the same. Generically. Problem is. Not even the generic service is the same. We find in our Mystery Shopping that even generic is hard to achieve. Why? Because staff are not engaged. Why? Because they are also treated generically. Confusing standardisation with consistency is self-defeating, and ultimately, destructive.

boring boring boring boring boring boring boring boring that's what customer services these days we all get treated the same , or we're supposed to. We all get the same sales process the same customer service program we get the same emails we get the same same same it's like every kid in the world getting the same Christmas present and it doesn't make any sense. Obviously we've also got staff who get treated same same. Same career path Same promotions same pay scales same responsibilities same ways of being spoken to same same performance evaluations it's all same same same same now that could be okay if you've got it right like it's not actually OK if you get it right but let's say it is ok to get it right the issue is we can't even get to that point. I know through our mystery shopping company that we just don't get to that consistent level of sales and service we can't follow a process. So not only are we offering a generic product or service that people don't want but we're also not even meeting the generic stuff that people don't want. So we're not providing the stuff that people don't want. It makes absolutely no sense. Then we have the staff. The staff are not getting what they want because staff are basically screwing up. They're not following processes. Why? Because they're not engaged. So you've got staff who are not engaged - because they're all treated the same. The customers who are all being treated the same, but not being treated the same in terms of the process. It doesn't make any sense it's falling apart. That's why places like the department stores like Kohl's in the US and Macy's are closing 100 stores at January 2017 and they're letting go 6,000 employees. They are trying to jam the same same same into something that's not working. On the internet however, it is consistent and the other thing that happens is through algorithms retailers are starting to understand how you act as an individual. Google's the master because they know when you search for then they can predict almost what you're going to do next And that level of customization just can't be beaten, and it gets executed Now that doesn't mean it's all doom and gloom for retailers with Bricks and Mortar. Not at all all it just means that the challenge is harder. You can't go treating people as plain old vanilla robots. It's not going to work anymore