"Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

[lonerism]

"Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

Am I'm the only one who hates when customer-service becomes more personalized and obnoxious/intrusive? For example - back when I was doing a lot of shopping (a long time ago) - I would hate entering the Gap more than other stores because that store always seemed to position an "outgoing", solicitous employee at the store entrance - who would unfailingly greet you while staring you down. (And these employees never seemed to half-a$$ the eye-contact - their eye-contact seemed to always be laser-focused on you.) Those few moments would be so uncomfortable for me; I liked the Gap's clothes, but I hated having to face those darn employees.

Well, today - I encountered an odd and disturbing situation when I pulled into a drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant (not McDonalds or Burger King). At the drive-thru speaker, there was an employee - a real, live, human employee - standing there with a tablet, taking people's orders. So, instead of yelling your order into a faceless speaker while staring at a faceless menu - you had to give your order to this human employee. Please say it isn't so!

As I uncomfortably observed this scene (before it was my turn to place my order) - I assumed that this was a one-off anomaly due to the speaker being broken, or something like that. But when I gave this guy my order and inquired about the situation, I learned that the speaker was not broken - that this company had simply decided to offer service with a more "personal touch" to drive-thru customers. WTH?! To someone with my anxiety - part of the appeal of the drive-thru window is that it cuts down on face-to-face, human interaction. So for them to "re-insert" a human face where we have become accustomed to there being none is not a welcome development.

To make matters worse - he asked me my name during the transaction - supposedly to "enhance order accuracy" or something like that. If I had thought the situation through a little better, I probably would have declined giving him any part of my name (I did not give him my entire name). Is it really necessary? I mean, drive-thrus have worked pretty well for me without me having to give employees my name - almost never has there been a situation when I was given someone else's order. I wonder if "order accuracy" is the only reason why this company wants my name; in this day-and-age, you have to wonder whenever people start asking for your personal information.

I hope what I faced today isn't the start of some trend. This type of thing can be awkward even for the average person; it's much worse for someone with my anxiety. For me - the more personalized and "attentive" customer service is - the more uncomfortable I am.

Anyone else have customer-service "war stories" from the business/retail world? Have there been instances when you noticed more aggressive and intrusive customer-service?

 

[Kiwong]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

There is a new local Supermarket that had someone handing plastic shopping baskets out. I tried to avoid them. They don't do it anymore.

 

[jc972]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

I would've drove off. There's no reason to ask for your name. I got a burger and fries on my way to work at a Hardees and they didn't need to know anything but what i wanted. It worked just fine. At a particular retail store in the mall i got asked "name and zip code, sir?" To which i said "no, thanks" and apparently the cashier was a bit overzealous and she said "i need your last name and zip code sir". My reply was simply "negative, ma'am. I'm paying with cash. Ring the shit up and take my money or Ill take my shopping elsewhere". That cashier wouldn't let it go so i left and went to their competitor. Having new tires put on my vehicle the cashier at the tire shop said "name and phone number?" I said "negative. Take my money and print the receipt." He kept insisting and i finally told him that he wasn't getting any of my information and in the future i would be buying my tires from another store. I pay cash everywhere i shop just to avoid having to give personal information. If they keep it up they lose my business. It really is that simple with me. I dont care to be confrontational. I don't care what your store policy is. I don't want on your mailing list. I don't want your frequent shopper card. I really don't like how they overcomplicate transactions.

 

[R3K]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

worse yet, is the pressure on these employees subjected to these "enhanced personalization" changes. I used to work at a pharmacy and the corporate bosses suddenly declared that we had to verbally say a welcoming message to every single customer that walked in the door, even if that meant interrupting the customer we were checking it. it was torture

 

[jc972]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

There was another post here that I intended to respond to but I see it's gone. Maybe for the better. Tsk tsk

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

I think the employee of the drive-thru was just being polite, I mean, people are like that, like to talk, and face-to-face, but what for us is awkward for them it's normal, better have to deal with service like this than the ones who are grumpy. I know who hard is for shopping, I can't do with alone, I always have to take someone with me to support the hawk-eyed of the employees. You should try this.

I'm sure the employee was making an effort to be polite because that is basically what he has been told to do - but I somehow doubt that these fast-food employees genuinely prefer standing outside in the midday sun (with the weather getting hotter by the day) - greeting each customer and personally recording customers' orders - when there is a perfectly-good speaker-system right beside them. Unless he was just some exceptionally-eager employee, something tells me that he would have rather been back inside - in the relative comfort and coolness of the building.

But I guess you're at least partially-right - his overall politeness is preferable to facing employees who are rude/disrespectful. But it would be nice if these businesses understood that not every customer is going to be comfortable with more personalized service such as this - especially when there appears to be no real need for it (the speaker wasn't broken, and I think customers who use drive-thrus are fine without interacting with a human).

Also - I don't think we should be forced to choose between "service" which seems to needlessly ask us for our names/personal info - and receiving "rude" service. What's next? Somewhere down the line, are we going to be asked to choose between these businesses installing cameras inside of our cars - and rude service - just because the former would be "done with a smile"?

That's good that bringing someone with you makes it easier for you to shop and to endure various painful situations....but I don't think I have anyone in my life who would be willing to do that. I don't think I can impose something like that on my two senior-citizen parents. They have already had enough on their plate with me - I don't need to increase their workload.

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

There is a new local Supermarket that had someone handing plastic shopping baskets out. I tried to avoid them. They don't do it anymore.

Hmmm - I wonder if someone complained about that? Or perhaps they just simply discontinued certain things as some of the "newness" of the store wore off. But I would see how that would aggravate social anxiety - having an employee stand around, doing a task that involves having their attention focused on customers. Such situations have often not turned out exactly well for me.

One time, I was entering this grocery store (a smaller chain) - and there was an employee stationed right there in the entrance, offering free samples of some new snack. When I entered the store, he really started pestering me to try this item. Since any degree of social-interaction can be excruciating for me, I found his odd persistence very uncomfortable. And oddly, he didn't seem to be as persistent with a woman who had entered the store around the same time as I did - his solicitous energy seemed to be focused on me.

I declined at first - I just wanted to get into the store in peace and without having my nerves fried by having to interact with this employee - but he seemed to keep at it, and I relented. I took a sample, and thought that I would try to make eye-contact with him while saying something polite and relevant to the situation. So much for trying to make appropriate eye-contact and having a polite, affirming exchange! When I looked up at him while making an appreciative comment about the item - he just gave me the rudest, most uncomfortable stare. His stare was very much at odds with the supposedly "friendly" energy he had displayed just moments before in trying to get me over to the table.

I swear - I wish these people could somehow be made to understand just how difficult it is for me and for others with my level of anxiety - and be less-intrusive and more empathetic.

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

I would've drove off. There's no reason to ask for your name. I got a burger and fries on my way to work at a Hardees and they didn't need to know anything but what i wanted. It worked just fine. At a particular retail store in the mall i got asked "name and zip code, sir?" To which i said "no, thanks" and apparently the cashier was a bit overzealous and she said "i need your last name and zip code sir". My reply was simply "negative, ma'am. I'm paying with cash. Ring the shit up and take my money or Ill take my shopping elsewhere". That cashier wouldn't let it go so i left and went to their competitor. Having new tires put on my vehicle the cashier at the tire shop said "name and phone number?" I said "negative. Take my money and print the receipt." He kept insisting and i finally told him that he wasn't getting any of my information and in the future i would be buying my tires from another store. I pay cash everywhere i shop just to avoid having to give personal information. If they keep it up they lose my business. It really is that simple with me. I dont care to be confrontational. I don't care what your store policy is. I don't want on your mailing list. I don't want your frequent shopper card. I really don't like how they overcomplicate transactions.

Exactly! These are pretty much my feelings. In addition to the situation I described in my first post, I have had at least a couple of other experiences here recently in which I was asked for my personal information. I regret that I wasn't able to be as adamant as you were in refusing to hand over my info. Whenever I am in these situations (or pretty much any interpersonal situation these days) my mind is completely hijacked by anxiety, and I'm not as quick-thinking or as assertive as I later wish I had been.

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

worse yet, is the pressure on these employees subjected to these "enhanced personalization" changes. I used to work at a pharmacy and the corporate bosses suddenly declared that we had to verbally say a welcoming message to every single customer that walked in the door, even if that meant interrupting the customer we were checking it. it was torture

Really? How excessive to be forced to greet customers even while you're busy trying to check another customer out. And it seems strange to me to get "greeted" like this as I'm entering a basic drugstore (i.e. Walgreens). I mean, it's not Sephora or some high-end boutique - really, it's o.k. if they don't greet me as I'm entering the store to buy my Wetnaps or my Vick's cough drops.

 

[Fighter86]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

Other than providing personal touch in asking your name, I think they also do it so they can match the orders easily to a name so as not to serve the wrong order. That sometimes happens to me in Starbucks. After ordering and paying, people usually stand to a side to wait for their orders. So there is no confusion, names are written on the disposable cups when your order is ready they just call out your name. As I also do not like giving my name, I usually just provide my second name. Being Asian it is a common second name, so it doesnt feel as though its quite too personal. Or you could give a shorten form of your name as well. Eg, Bob for Bobby. So it doesn't feel that all too personal.

 

[Kiwong]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

There are also times when staff ask you to give money in raffles. I was nervous filling out the ticket butt, and she picked up on it, must've thought I was flirting with her.

 

[R3K]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

And it seems strange to me to get "greeted" like this as I'm entering a basic drugstore (i.e. Walgreens)

that's what I said... when I enter a drug store as a customer and some cranky, self-hating cashier blurts out "welcome to walgreens" I don't feel so much duly welcomed as suddenly extra socially anxious and generally apprehensive of things.

total diminished perception of the corporate heads glaring down at unsavory sales numbers and thrusting hasty fix ideas onto the threshold without thinking about the affect(sp) it has on social phobics on both ends of the ordeal.

 

[Livemylife]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

I hate it too...My bank always does this nonsense. As soon as I walk in they yell "welcome!" and then I have to walk up to the teller unsure of whether to make eye contact with them. I don't know, it's just weird. But I bet it works for their customers otherwise they wouldn't do it. :idontknow: I know on Yelp a lot of reviews will mention "friendliness" of the employees.

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

Other than providing personal touch in asking your name, I think they also do it so they can match the orders easily to a name so as not to serve the wrong order. That sometimes happens to me in Starbucks. After ordering and paying, people usually stand to a side to wait for their orders. So there is no confusion, names are written on the disposable cups when your order is ready they just call out your name. As I also do not like giving my name, I usually just provide my second name. Being Asian it is a common second name, so it doesnt feel as though its quite too personal. Or you could give a shorten form of your name as well. Eg, Bob for Bobby. So it doesn't feel that all too personal.

Oh - I can understand doing something like this in a Starbucks.....but to ask for names at a fast-food drive thru is just excessive. For decades, now - drive thrus have been operating well without this practice. I mean, the cars are naturally in sequential order - so the chances of a mix-up are much lower than they are inside of a Starbucks.

And I guess Starbucks wanted to go a more personalized route than what has been the standard practice in many similar situations...which has been to hand the customer a receipt with an order number printed on it - and when that order is ready, the number is called. Using names instead of numbers may be seen as "cooler", and "friendlier" - though this custom has its pitfalls. But I guess you could always use an alias to avoid potential issues.

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

that's what I said... when I enter a drug store as a customer and some cranky, self-hating cashier blurts out "welcome to walgreens" I don't feel so much duly welcomed as suddenly extra socially anxious and generally apprehensive of things.

total diminished perception of the corporate heads glaring down at unsavory sales numbers and thrusting hasty fix ideas onto the threshold without thinking about the affect(sp) it has on social phobics on both ends of the ordeal.

Exactly! erfect:

 

[lonerism]

Re: "Customer-Service" Nightmare: How do you feel about "enhanced" customer-service?

I hate it too...My bank always does this nonsense. As soon as I walk in they yell "welcome!" and then I have to walk up to the teller unsure of whether to make eye contact with them. I don't know, it's just weird. But I bet it works for their customers otherwise they wouldn't do it. :idontknow: I know on Yelp a lot of reviews will mention "friendliness" of the employees.

A big yell of "Welcome!" just as I'm walking in the door is just overwhelming and nerve-wracking. It makes the simple act of entering a business much more stressful. Can I at least have a few moments to find my bearings and get a bit "settled"? Something lower-key - though still quite difficult - is at least slightly easier on the nerves.

Also - when you face a loud greeting right at the entrance, it sometimes attracts the attention of other customers, and they might turn their heads and look at you.

I think being greeted more quietly by the teller who is actually going to assist you - when it is "your turn" and you are face-to-face with that teller - more than suffices for "friendly customer service".