I have a well known IM/internet calling service installed on my laptop which I installed when I was at my last job and foolishly used my work email in my account profile .  Yes you guessed it I forgot the password.  The interesting vicious circle I got caught in was to get a new passsword I need to get an email (which I can’t becasue it was my old work one) and to change the email I need a password.

Ok I have no problem contacting customer service and asking for help. Yes, I did a stupid thing, mea culpa but please help me.  Now here’s where it got interesting.   You can’t contact this firm’s customer service.  No phone, number or email only a virtual loop of FAQs.  OK I’m into self-help but my problem isn’t on the list so can’t self-help either.

Next I tried emailing support.  That was 2 weeks ago and it’s the second black hole that customers get to yell into.  Ok, I’m internet savvy so I start the google search and what do I find?  Page after page of  customer complaints about the lack of customer service.  Yikes!  Is no one at this company listening?

So I ask you is no customer service better than poor customer service?  Of course the answer is no.  They are both frustrating the customer, damaging the brand and getting clients to vote with their feet.  Certainly, the one thing it points out is that in today’s socially connected world companies better be listening and responding.

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again..check and double check your customer service policies.  Make it easy for customers to request help directly and ensure your policies are customer friendly.  Otherwise you may just find your company suffering a  slow painful death by word-of-mouth.

We’re connected, we’re global and we’re telling it like it is – the good, the bad and the ugly.  Personally I’d rather have referrals which you don’t get when customer service is poor or non-existent.

Susan Frederick

www.twitter.com/sueafrederick