Customer Satisfaction

What does customer satisfaction mean???

As far as I understand, its offering your services to the customer in the most satisfying way. Helping the customer in the most efficient and the swift way possible that his problem is solved.

Alas, this is being misunderstood by most of the companies that provide customer service. It simply reflects from their actions that customer satisfaction only means "speak in a polite manner irrespective of being useful or not, even to the most irritated customer". No matter how much he screams you reply saying "We are very sorry for the delay and you will definitely hear from us in the next 4 hours". Which is most of the times the only reply you get from their side.

We are shifting offices and want our landlines and the internet connection shifted to the new address. Its been three long weeks since we raised a request and its yet to be done. Every time we call we only get the 4 hours statement as a reply and the worst part of the whole process is that you don't get to reach the same person who is attending your case. Each time you get connected to a different person and have to repeat the whole story just to hear the same reply. Where is customer service here? The representatives are just trained to listen to whatever the customer has to say and reply politely but not trained to take necessary action to get the problem addressed in the effective manner.

Also, the long waits that you have to be online until you get to speak to the representative in spite of it being such a useless effort is such an agony.

Finally, we had to speak to the VP of customer service for just a shift request. After which, things are moving in the proper channel. How efficient are these guys? Do we have to reach tot he VP level to get such simple work to be done? This could have been solved by the first point of contact itself. Very soon VP's will become the first point of contact I guess.

These service providers have totally manipulated the meaning of customer service much to the dismay of the customers.

It irritates you the most when you receive a prompt payment request. They are very efficient with that. You get 4 copies of monthly statements for the same month. You get repeated phone calls to remind even before the dead line. You get repeated messages till the deadline for payment in spite of you making a payment well before a dead line just to ensure they get a timely payment. When they can take so much efforts for this then why not give a better customer service to the customers who are their main lifeline man. If no customers then who will you be servicing?

Will someone teach them to be effective and also the real meaning of customer satisfaction?????

A.P.R.I.L.

April is a month which reminds me of unlimited joy. 2 months of holidays after the grueling exams. No books, full time play and the added benefit of a trip to some place. We get to meet cousins. No restriction on television and get to play all nice games like both indoor and outdoor.

Also, we have about 4 or 5 big mango trees in my house and April being the month where in you get those lovely yummy mangoes. We as children used to climb the trees to pluck those mangoes so that mom puts them in boxes filled with hay to ripe. We used to get payed with those yummy green mangoes. The taste of those green mangoes with chilli and salt is so yummy that it still gets my mouth water even after years. Every day it was our duty to open the box and see if there are any ripe mangoes and aerate the mangoes. We would just wait when the mango turns yellow.. :)

Eating those ripe mangoes itself was fun. We would be handed each one and we press and roll them between the palms and then remove a small portion of the skin and then eat the pulp...

We used to have competition that who eats the mango without a drop of pulp falling down would win. :)

We used to fight for the delicious sweet mango jam that mom makes. Slurp! slurp! slurp!

Another big reason for me to love April is those beautiful white jasmine flowers with a lovely fragrance. I somehow love adorning jasmine flowers on my hair. :) The fragrance will just make you feel so relaxed and happy. Sporting flowers is not a easy task a whole lot of process goes into it. We need to pluck the jasmine buds the previous evening. Differentiating between the buds which would bloom the next morning itself is a big technique to be mastered. :) Then make a jasmine strand out of the same.

Earlier my mother used to tie those buds with the dried pseudo stem. We used to dip the layer of stem in water and make thin parts of it much like a thread. The art of making a jasmine strand it a beauty by itself. In recent days where we find no time for anything mom conveniently uses thread to make a jasmine strand.

Can you see the dried portion in the picture below. It is from that we used to make the threads to make a jasmine strand. So many years out of school I have forgotten all botanical nomenclatures. :((((((((

Coming back to the process, after making a strand place it in a wet cloth overnight. The next morning it would be in a stage where it is half blossomed. It would be a visual treat to see that. Just fasten it on your hair with a clip and you get the traditional look instantly. :) It is a very common sight in South India. They even buy flowers when we go to someone's house or give flowers if someone comes to our house.

In the month of April and May, my house is filled with jasmine fragrance and not a day you can see me without those flowers. :) Unfortunately, living in the North, I hardly get a glimpse of the flower. :(

Attach Attachments

How many times I would have sent a mail detailing everything about the attachment and finally end up forgetting to attach it. Right from the time I was a software engineer with a top MNC I have been a prey for this mistake [though not unreasonably often.. :)]

And today.. Wrote a mail in detail and hit the SEND button. There pops a dialog box. Being so used to it my first reaction was to check the email id... Man its correct...

Checked the subject line.. I have filled it too.. I have typed a big mail so the body of the letter exists..

Then why do I have a dialog box????

I gathered the efforts to read the micro sized alphabets. It read: Your mail reads "Please find the attachment along with the mail" and there is no document attached. Do you still wish to send?

I'm zapped. Man this is super cool. I'm not going to miss any attachments anymore.. and immediately send an apology mail with the document attached. :)

Bless the Google team.

Pat on my back!!!

Birthdays.... The very thought fills me with happiness, excitement, presents, wishes and new dresses. Birthdays have always been a day filled with surprises and excitement for me. :) I have no doubts that everyone feels the same.

I was more than happy when I heard that excited voice of my friend, when I wished her for her birthday today. She was in such an elated state that I remembered her birthday. I'm sure she would have least expected my call today. We went to the same school 10 years back and since then it had been just one or two calls a year.. Time had its spell on us.. :)

I would also be very happy when someone remembers my birthday and wish me. I would always remember my friends birthday and make sure I give them a call early morning. My friends used to tell me that my call is always their first call.

As we speak of birthdays my mind is flooded with memories.. When I used to be in the primary school, they used to announce the names of the children who celebrate their birthday, in the assembly. This used to happen on a daily basis. The child would be called to come to the stage and everyone in the school used to sing the birthday song. Man what a moment it would be when you get to showcase your new birthday dress and also when everyone sings for you. Then you distribute chocolates in your class, then for teachers and friends...

My mom once worked as a teacher and everyday we used to search for chocolates or toffees in her bag. This was one added advantage we enjoyed whilst she worked in a school.

As we progressed in to the high school it became a little different where in you used to get gifts from friends and once into college all cake cutting and posing with a cake smeared face was a ritual to be followed.

One thing which I used to hate in the birthday celebrations was the Birthday bumps. Of course it was done only to the boys in my class. I used to be scared that they dont injure the birthday boy by kicking him hard.

My birthdays usually starts with hugs and kisses from family and special food, gifts, non stop phone calls starting right from 12 in the night that continues till the fag end of the day...

I make sure I call my friends for their birthdays irrespective of I call them often or not.I was so glad that I made my friends birthday special by giving her a very very surprised call. Pat on my back!!!!!