Customer service conversation questions

Customer service can mean different things, but often it refers to the way in which companies deal with their customers' problems.

Customer service

 * What springs to your mind when you hear the words customer service?
 * How would you describe the quality of customer service in your country?
 * If you have a complaint about a company how is it usually received in your country?
 * When you are using a company's customer service what do you expect from them? e.g. to be knowledgeable, courteous, responsive and timely or attentive.
 * What attitudes do you think people have to those who make complaints in your country? Are they regarded as: Sincere people who need assistance; people who help make companies better; people who simply like to cause trouble; people who are simply wasting their own and other people's time?
 * Which businesses do you think have the worst customer service?
 * How do you react to automated call handling systems - the ones which ask you to press certain buttons in order to be put through to the people you want to speak to.
 * Is the customer always right?
 * What are some tips for providing good customer service?
 * Does a higher customer satisfaction influence sales?

Your rights

 * How aware are you of your rights as a consumer?
 * What are your rights in your country if:
 * A product doesn't work in the first year of purchase?
 * In the second year of purchase?
 * Who is responsible for replacing or repairing a faulty product - the manufacturer or the seller?
 * If you are unable to obtain satisfaction by talking to the company is there any official state body which can help you out? How well does it work?
 * How many times have you had to make a claim on a guarantee? How responsive was the company in each case?
 * How often have you had to make a complaint about a product? What results have you obtained?

How to complain
What are the positive and negative aspects of using each one?
 * Writing "letters of complaint" is a favourite homework task for students. How often have you written one in real life?  Do businesses in your society take them seriously?
 * What information should you include in a letter of complaint?
 * Consider the following ways of contacting a company to make a complaint:
 * Sending an SMS/text message.
 * Phoning.
 * Sending an email.
 * Sending a letter.

Unusual ways of complaining

 * If you cannot get satisfaction from the company, what other means could you use to make your voice heard in addition to the above?
 * Consider the following additional ways of complaining and decide if they would be effective or not. Which ones would be most effective and which least effective?
 * Write a song or poem about your case and broadcast it on YouTube.
 * Write to your Member of Parliament or ombudsman.
 * Write to the newspapers.
 * Write to the appropriate industry trade body.
 * File a lawsuit.
 * Walk up and down outside the offices of the company with a banner and wearing an outlandish costume.
 * Get hold of the managing director's home phone number and repeatedly phone him at 1 am.
 * Purchasing user generated advertising space to vent your complaint.

Receiving complaints

 * What do you imagine it's like to work in a busy customer help centre?
 * What sort of training do you think people who work in customer service receive?
 * If you had to give advice to somebody handling customer complaints all day, what advice would you give?
 * What words would you use to tell somebody that you thought their complaint was not valid?