Say no to blame game playas.

You might have time to say that three times fast as you sit on hold, waiting for the customer service department of any major wireless carrier or utility service.

It is a running joke with my friends and family that it is a part-time job to question your bills or service these days. My latest experience is a glass of customer disservice on the rocks with a twist of lemonade.

Try it - here’s my glass.

I received a bill from my cell phone carrier. It stated I owed three times my monthly amount. I scanned the bill to see that they were charging me for three family plans. I have two cell phone lines that share one family plan and unlimited text messaging. I don’t even own three cell phones.

How could this be?

The first time I tried to call to straighten out my bill was after 5 pm. Big Mistake. I was put on hold for 1 1/2 hours, only to be hung up on. Lucky for me, I have a speaker phone. I was able to cook and eat dinner, discuss the day with my family, clean the dishes, check my email and get the kids in a bath before I was hung up on.

I tried again two days later, at 8 am. After telling three ” account specialists” in three different departments my request, I was connected to a man named Bill.

Bill did not transfer me. He corrected my bill, apologized for his company’s errors and reviewed my account to see if I was in the best package according to usage and price. This man was the cell phone God in my eyes, and I fell over myself on the phone telling him so.

After I showered Bill with compliments and accolades, I said to him “I am sorry if you took more time with me than you were allotted. I hope you don’t get in trouble for helping me for too long.” He simply said to me, “This is my job and that’s what I am here to do. The conversation doesn’t end with my customers until we can resolve the problem. Period.”

This man didn’t have to claim responsibility for his company’s errors. Heck, most times when I call to try and resolve something with customer service, the first thing they do is try to find a way to blame me. When that is unsuccessful, they try to find a way to blame someone else in their company. All that does is infuriate me as a consumer, and I try to find a way toward the exit door.

I can’t change my utility companies. They are the only ones that service my area. I can’t change my cell phone carrier. I upgraded my service and had to sign on for another two-year contract.

If I am a real estate buyer or seller, once my initial listing/buyer agreement expires, I don’t have to return if I am unhappy with your service.

• If you keep me on hold by not returning my calls or emails, I will not turn from prospect into customer.
• If you blame the attorney, home inspector, title company or mortgage broker rather than finding a solution to my problems, I will not use you again.
• If you blame the market for my inactivity, or if you blame me that I listed my house too high without having warned me from the get-go, I will not return.
• If you are not honest about your experience with my specific real estate needs and you try to service me beyond your abilities, I will not refer you to my friends and family.

Blame game playas - take accountability for your services, even in the most uncomfortable of situations. Even if it wasn’t initially “your fault.”

Consumers - Say no to blame game playas. Walk away and find an alternative - they aren’t worth your time or your money.

Posted by Rebecca D. Levinson

Tags: blame game, choosing a real estate agent, Connect2Agent, good service

This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 6:00 am and is filed under Buyer and Seller Advice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.