Warning: Undefined array key "inject_bottom_color" in /home/0excusesfitness/public_html/wp-content/plugins/newsletter-leads/plugin.php on line 143

Warning: Undefined array key "inject_bottom_color" in /home/0excusesfitness/public_html/wp-content/plugins/newsletter-leads/plugin.php on line 159

Warning: Undefined array key "" in /home/0excusesfitness/public_html/wp-content/plugins/newsletter-leads/plugin.php on line 159

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /home/0excusesfitness/public_html/wp-content/plugins/newsletter-leads/plugin.php on line 160

Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in /home/0excusesfitness/public_html/wp-content/plugins/newsletter-leads/plugin.php on line 161

Do you know what annoys me MORE than anything else when it comes to customer service – or communication in general, but especially customer service? 

It isn’t so much the issue as the WAY it’s handled. 

A long, long time ago a friend who couldn’t handle my brutally direct style and had a misunderstanding with me (which he didn’t at the time resolve face to face) had this to say – “It’s not WHAT he says – it’s HOW he says it!” 

(That above bit told to my ex girlfriend at the time, and while we’re good friends again – shortly after that misunderstanding occurred, actually, the point stands). 

While in my case the brutally direct nature was probably what set the cat amongst the piegons (unsurprisingly, hehe) what I’m talking about today is different.

It’s about customer service reps that seemingly and willingly IGNORE what you say – willy nilly, almost, and to add insult to injury respond to your carefully crafted messages with a “stock” copy and paste response that not only looks like it’s been copied and pasted – but like a third grader wrote it. 

And while I am NOT saying what I am about to to be discriminatory, the fact remains that a lot of unsatisfactory customer service reps I’ve dealt with are based out of … you guessed it. 

India. 

And it isn’t just customer service where this issue occurs. Remember, I have worked in I.T. companies both large and small here in the past, and MOST clients (in both types of companies) had ONE MAJOR recurring complaint and although it was sometimes about the quality of work, that wasn’t always the main thing. 

IT was about not being listened to. Their emails being ignored. The points they spent a good bit of time crafting (especially when it comes to BPO projects etc) being IGNORED. 

This afternoon, I sent the customer service of PayTm, an Indian payment app modeled on Alipay (and indeed funded by Alipay as well to a large extent) – – oh, and for those that don’t know, Alipay is a payment giant in mainland China – them of Alibaba.com, as it were – -and the customer service was (as expected) – – less than satisfactory – – and that is me being polite. 

It was a simple enough issue, to be honest. 

I emailed them about it (the issue was basically about “linking” an account – standard stuff, don’t ask) and received a stock “Hi Rahul, we’re looking into your issue” response. 

OK … 

A few hours later, I received another one of those aggravating responses. 

“Hi Rahul. Can you provide us with a screen shot of the error you’re facing?” 

Huh? Error? I hadn’t even mentioned any error in the comm I Sent these guys! All I asked was why it was taking donkey’s years to “link” the account, and I did so in far politer and more “professional” language than I just used, hehe. 

They clearly hadn’t even bothered to read what I said – – and if they did, they didn’t understand – – and while its no wonder that PayTm is losing money by the DAY and is neck deep in debt etc – – it isn’t by any means the only company in India that needs to improve the level of it’s service. 

There are a few diamonds in the rough everywhere of course, and Paytm isn’t an exception to the rule. One of the reps I’ve been dealing with has been nothing but proactive, friendly and RESPONSIVE … but he is the ONLY one. Vijay Shankar, if you’re reading this – listen UP! 

I used to call the company out on Twitter in the past, but quickly realized it was a waste of time. They just don’t care. It’s as if they’re saying “a  billion people or more than it are forced to use us, so we could care less about service!” 

Big big mistake my friend – and SERVICE is the one of the reasons I use Amazon for everything when it comes to online shopping. 

It’s not so much because I admire Bezos overall style – or the inspiring rags (garage) to riches story – – it’s Amazon’s customer service – and over all the years I’ve been with them I can confidently say that Amazon is the #1 company when it comes to customer service GLOBALLY – by FAR! 

THE VERY BEST – keep it up Bezos and team – -and that, more than anything else (and even the prices, yes, I’m being honest) is why I will ALWAYS be an Amazon customer … 

And now, what is the point of this rant, you ask? 

Well its this – that customer service is one huge huge reason why a lot of companies — – or brands – – succeed – – or fail. (the other being poor marketing, but we won’t get into that here!). 

Por ejempelo, Gautam, a customer from India once contacted me words of HIGH praise for the initial rahulmokerjee.com website, and asked me a few question about the “then” version of the book on pull-ups. 

Actually, he didn’t just ask me a few questions. 

He asked me a LOT of questions – detailed ones – ones that I wouldn’t normally answer in great depth – – but coming from this person, I could see he had really put his heart into – – and was a GENUINE customer (or was genuinely interested, at any rate). 

Not only did I take the time to answer all his questions about Fast and Furious Fitness – – as WELL as the book on pull-ups – – I even worked with him on price – – something I NEVER EVER do for most people (unless there is a damned good reason behind it!). 

Compare that to an email I got last year – – I think it was from the UK. 

“Why are your books so expensive” was the sum and substance of this email. 

You can guess my response, hehe. Actually you don’t have to guess. Its on the blog somewhere – – I posted about it, but the point remains – good customer service not only makes the sale – – but it also earns you GOODWILL. 

Gautam benefited a lot from the book on pull-ups – – and he not only gave me the testimonial on the site – – but also TWO on BOTH our facebook pages! 

And those three testimonials themselves have pulled in FAR more sales for that one book – so much so that a compilation of the advanced and initial book now exists – – at a price point far, far higher than what I sold it to Gautam for (although admittedly that was the 2013 version WITHOUT the additions I made in 2017, but still!). 

And if that doesn’t tell you the value of good customer service – and going the extra mile for genuine customers – – well – – I don’t know what will, my friend! 

OK, that’s it for now. I’ll be back again soon! 

Best, 

Rahul Mookerjee

P.S. – I don’t know why, but it seems the best customer service I’m getting these days from companies in general is either back Stateside – – or those with reps based out of Eastern Europe as opposed to Asia. Common culture or something?? No, I’m NOT Slavic! But … hey, who knows! I sure do hope India picks up it’s GAME in this regard though – with their billion people, many of whom have a decent command of English – – certainly far more than in mainland China, they could really make a killing if they applied themselves just a little! 

P.S #2 – Oh, and if you haven’t picked up the book on pull-ups do so NOW – right here — https://0excusesfitness.com/pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks/