Cuss and stammer for service

I believe some Jamaican business entities operate as if they think customer service is actually supposed to be 'cuss stammer' service.

So people who are doing business with these companies have to literally 'gwaan bad' and cuss and stammer, before 'dem sorry fi yu' and offer any semblance of service.

Sadly, this attitude that begs the cuss and stammer response is manifested in many of our government agencies and private sector institutions.

And, as anybody who knows me know, I can be quite adept at both the cussing and the stammering in demand of my service, especially when I'm spending my hard earned money.

Thankfully, I am on a path of change now so I have actually resolved to put my old cussing ways firmly behind me, but the stammer part, well that's part of my DNA.

SHARED VIEWS

Well, apparently, there are many people who agree with my view because I shared that thought with friends on my Facebook page, and the post got a whole heap a likes and a trailer load of supportive comments.

So, what you say? You want to comment too? How is the customer service experience in Jamaica for you? It's generally dark and dismal, nuh true?

To be fair though, as with everything else, there are exceptions. And from my personal experience, two of the encouraging exceptions are National Commercial Bank [NCB] and National Housing Trust [NHT].

What say you? I don't know about anybody else, but my interactions with NCB have always been nothing short of positive and fulfilling.

Sometimes I have to wonder if it's because maybe I resemble Lee Chin.

With NHT, the trust has a solid reputation as an exemplary institution when it comes to treating clients with care, compassion, and respect.

In fact, the folks at NHT don't even call that department customer service. They call it customer care. And for good reason, because they seem to sincerely care.

I recently had the occasion to attend one of several events being hosted around the island in celebration of NHT's 40th anniversary, and in addition to the impressive entertainment delivered, I was very impressed with the genuine expressions of appreciation from satisfied customers who testified to their positive experiences in dealing with the trust.

People from all walks of life share genuine accounts of the fact that the customer care staff of NHT makes every customer feel welcomed and respected.

So, if these two companies can get it right, what is wrong with the others? Why do some of the security and reception staff in other places have to be so sour-faced and grumpy?

Why do they have to talk to customers as if they're addressing an unwelcome visitor, who just rudely walked into their bedroom and interrupted them in the middle of coitus?

Why can't they borrow a leaf from the NCB and NHT books? Yeah, man! I have to big up those two companies that never ever tempt me to cuss or stammer.

In fact, every visit to NCB or NHT feels like customer appreciation day to me. Although, talking about customer appreciation, I have to agree with comedian Leighton Smith who insists that companies should stop serving drinks, cake and, sandwiches for customer appreciation events, and instead give out samples of their products.

Imagine that eeh! Imagine if for customer appreciation, gas stations gave out tank full of gas! And NCB could give away money, and NHT give out free house! What you think?

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