A few months ago, I called my TV and internet provider to complain about a billing issue. After explaining the situation, the customer service representative resolved the problem and applied a credit to my account.
However, before I hung up, she informed me that she was also going to apply an additional credit to my account because of the problem I encountered. As you might imagine, I hung up the phone feeling very pleased!
Courtesy credits
More recently, I’ve been working with a utility where the office manager has the authority to issue a $25 courtesy credit to any customer to help resolve complaints.
We’ve all seen situations where a customer is charged a late fee in error or a payment was misapplied to the wrong account. What better way to diffuse the situation with an angry customer than to resolve the problem and issue an additional credit as a good will gesture?
How is this relevant to utilities?
Granted, in the situation with my TV and internet provider, I have choices and can take my business elsewhere. Your customers probably don’t have the option of switching to another utility, but that’s no reason not to try to provide excellent customer service.
We’re a monopoly – why does customer service matter?
Be sure to read my next newsletter which will discuss why providing excellent customer service is important, even though you don’t have any competition.
