Sometimes you just need your problem solved. But oftentimes, getting the service to do so can cause more trouble than the problem itself. If you have had a problem with products or services, you’re not alone.
Did you know that over three-quarters of Americans had a bad product or service experience in the past year? Your Survival Guy’s not making this up. According to the National Customer Rage Survey (love the name), 77% of customers reported a product or service problem in the past year—a new high.
A new high. Wow, wouldn’t you think that with all of today’s creature comforts and tech, a frustrating experience would be lower? Not true.
Yes, using Amazon is a piece of cake. But if you have “a” problem (not necessarily a lot of problems), getting in touch with a live voice is a different story. Have you ever tried finding a phone number?
How about making a dinner reservation by phone, old school, I know. It’s a 50-50 endeavor at best. In the few times you need to talk to the maître d’ (I date myself), for example, with a special request, you’re stuck in a phone death loop.
“Thank you for calling Chez George. Your business is important to us. If you would like to place a takeout order, press 1. If you would like to make a reservation, press 2.”
After Your Survival Guy finds the keypad on my “smart” phone, I press 2.
“Thank you for choosing Chez George. To make a reservation, please visit our website at www.youtechilliterate.com.” Click.
How about when Your Survival Guy is brushing his teeth after a long day of conversations with you, and my phone lights up from one of the two people who used to live down the hall rent free?
“Dad, what’s our Netflix password?” in a tone as if I’m the inconvenience.
“Don’t you have school/work tomorrow?” Your Survival Guy thinks.
Several minutes later, after finally finding the password.
“Thank you.”
And just before I’m about to turn out the lights.
“Did you get a code from Apple?”
“Thanks!”
Are we done?
Imagine when you need to deal with hangnails like these with your money. For whatever reason, you need to change something, and it should be a piece of cake, but it’s not. Getting a live voice can be brutal. Explaining your situation to someone whose second language is English? Try again. I understand.
Convenient and a Bit Obnoxious
You know how convenient it is to use Amazon. Your Survival Guy hates to admit it, but I use it all the time. It’s a bit obnoxious. Need AAA batteries? Boom, done. They’re sitting at my doorstep when I get home after a day of my conversations with you.
Sorry. I will not stoop that low and order one package of batteries. It’s why one of my office cabinets resembles a display at Radio Shack. Batteries everywhere. It’s a problem, I know. Because here’s the deal, Amazon is great at delivery, but returning stuff? Not so much.
Sure, they’re solving the last mile to your door, but I still need to get in the car and drive to the UPS store or Post All to return stuff (or just keep it. See batteries above). Might as well swing into Walmart or Costco.
Which is why I like Walmart and Costco. You can find a living person to help you. You can get stuff delivered to your home or buy gold bars, and it’s easy to return stuff. I don’t do much shopping at either place, but the more I think about retail, I don’t think Amazon has point, set, match quite yet. There’s still a place in this world for bricks and mortar.
Is The Customer Still Always Right?
Remember the old saying, “the customer is always right?” Well, you can kiss that phrase goodbye because, based on the number of shoppers reporting a product or service problem, telling a customer they’re wrong is a risk companies seem willing to take. In other words, if you’re a problem customer, you can take your problems elsewhere, mess with another company, and make us better.
A clear example is the airline industry. If you’ve taken a commercial flight recently, you know exactly what I’m talking about. How about a cruise? You get what you pay for has never been truer. It’s why you need to be increasingly diligent about prior planning both endeavors. The same goes for your retirement life.
You’re reading this because you’re one of my successful American readers who saved ‘til it hurt and lived within your means. Listen, you can afford to spend the extra dough to travel with the peace of mind and comfort you so richly deserve. You don’t need to be stuck in the back row with the folk who are traveling for “free” because they took advantage of the system. It’s not fair that you’re paying for their trip too, right? Exactly.
So, here’s the deal. Inflation’s a problem, and it’s not going away anytime soon. Be prepared for some sticker shock. You don’t want to ruin your trip before you leave. Make a list of the trips you want to take and figure out what you’re up against.
Make a list of must-take trips and what might be possible trips. It’s ok to dream. This is what this stage is all about. Hey, you can’t take your money with you. And who said you need to tell the kids how you got there? (That is the fun part, though, isn’t it?).
Customers who believe they’re always right are not worth the hassle. A business that kneels down to them isn’t running the business; they are. As I said in my conversation with one of you recently, go to Paris, don’t go too far off the beaten path, dress accordingly, fit in, and you’ll be just fine.
The Cost of Doing Business
Unhappy customers are the new cost of doing business. In other words, companies no longer believe the “customer is always right” if it means they need to provide them with a live voice to speak to.
And respondents to the Rage Survey gave chatbots ambiguous or modestly unfavorable ratings as tools for complaints. When Your Survival Guy needs help, I wonder, “Where did everybody go?”
In my conversation with you last week, you said you have more money than you dreamed you would have. But it’s time to spend. You have trips you want to take.
“How much do you need? I asked.
“Well, I’m not too concerned about leaving a fortune to the kids. I don’t want them happier if I’m dead.”
“Good point,” I said.
“So, send me some money.”
When it comes to your money, you know how the big financial firms are scrambling to develop multiple streams of income from you, not for you.
Annuities will begin to litter your 401(k), as will collective investment trusts (CITs) in target date funds, adding to the potential opacity in the funds’ holdings, and there’s a huge push for private equity funds where no one knows the real price.
Action Line: Financial engineers are busy at work. There’s no rest for the weary. When you want help navigating it all, shoot me an email. Don’t be surprised when I respond. ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com.
