The first was an exterminator, whom I called to investigate the wasps that keep showing up in the ventilation The company I called (not any of the several who have come around to sell an unneeded "service," which seems a common tactic) sent out a serviceman who did a thorough inspection, inside and out - and told me there wasn't a nest, and the wasps I was seeing were probably foraging (when the weather is dry, they seek any cool, dark place). He could spray the eaves or fumigate the attic, but the chemicals would wear off - but the best thing I could do was just to deal with them using supermarket-brand pesticides when they showed up.
The second was the company that sold me a water softener (lots of limestone in this area means very hard water) that hadn't been using much salt in the past few months, and which I suspected was broken (in a way that might be covered by the warranty, I hoped). Again, the company sent out a serviceman, who looked over the unit, and found nothing wrong with the mechanics - just some salt crystals plugging up the works. Just pour a few gallons of hot water down the intake line, every month, to clear them out.
The third was an auto shop where I went to replace the battery in my car. Another company, which does oil changes for me, mentioned it seemed to be running low and it was probably time to replace it (they don't sell batteries, but recommended a few places). The shop that I went to tested the battery, pulled it out and did a visual inspection, and pronounce that there was nothing wrong with it - and even though it's about five years old, it's in good shape to last a few more years before needing to be replaced.
In all three instances, there was an opportunity for the companies to sell me things I didn't really need, and I likely would have been none the wiser. And in all three instances, they opted not to do so. Instead of paying a few thousand dollars for services, I laid out a few hundred for their service fees (some might complain about paying a fee for no appreciable work, but having an expert take the time to look things over is a service provide at a cost to them, so I've no objection). And as a result, I have three companies that I can trust to serve my future needs, and recommend to others.
If any on these incidents occurred on its own, I would have considered it to be unusual and exceptional - but to have the same thing happen, with three different companies, on the very same day, was a bit of an awakening: maybe the state of customer service isn't as bad as the analysts and critics would have us think?
Of course, critics and analysts (present company included) are inclined to be critical and analytical. It's their job, and I don't think any firm would be happy to pay a salary or a hefty consulting fee to someone whose constant refrain is "everything's fine and there's nothing you could be doing any better than you already are."
In order to make improvements, you must identify problems or at least problem areas where things could be done a bit better. But I think I could take a cue from these companies who've served me well to reflect on the service I provide to others: there comes a time at which you've done as thorough an inspection as you can, and must accept that your failure to find a problem might mean that there isn't one.
No comments:
Post a Comment