Outrage

Recently I’ve been outraged about service. I know we are in tough times. Companies are having a hard time finding help, most people are angry, and it bleeds out everywhere. But I’m not outraged at human service. I’m outraged by the automated service.

Every month Version sends me a “bonus” for being such a great customer. I get a text with a link to claim my “rewards.” It’s a $3 gift card. I always get it for Amazon. To get the card, you must:

  1. Click on the link in the text
  2. Click on another link on a landing page to “view” my reward
  3. Click on the third link on a new landing page to “redeem” my reward
  4. Enter your email 2xs
  5. Go to your email and click on the link: “view gift card.”
  6. Copy the 15+ letter/number code
  7. Log into Amazon (or other retail site)
  8. Paste in the code to redeem your $3
  9. And voila, now the $3 are applied to your Amazon account

I don’t know if this is a bonus or just someone laughing at what I am willing to do for $3.

I could regale you with what my eye doctor’s office automated answering machine puts me through, but I can’t bear to relive it. So much so, I’m skipping an exam this year and taking suggestions on a new doctor! (Do you have someone you’d recommend?)

See, the thing is, these companies are losing customers in their automated process. Why? Because they designed the process with their operations in mind and the collection of data and metrics. But they never thought about it from the users’ perspective.

To continue great relations with your customer, think about the user/recipient when setting up your phone system, online forms, and email. Is your process designed with the customer in mind?