EQ Trained Frontliners

An article entitled "Emotional intelligence on the front line" by McKinsey is so refreshing. The article highlighted the cause of poor customer service by front line employees. The cause is not easily comprehended by businesses because emotional intelligence is not a common human resource issue. Emotional intelligence does not have a place in workplace. Emotions and work do not mix (as claimed by most businesses).

Below is an interesting finding from McKinsey.

"Although companies are investing record amounts of money in traditional loyalty programs, in customer-relationship-management (CRM) technology, and in general service-quality improvements, most of these initiatives end in disappointment. According to Forrester research, only 10 percent of business and IT executives surveyed strongly agreed that business results anticipated from implementing CRM were met or exceeded."

The finding highlighted new technologies or processes cannot make a customer satisfied or loyal. People plays a critical role in improving service quality or rather, delivering 1st class customer service. Have you ever felt satisfied or happy dealing with a company's latest technology or 'streamlined' policy or processes? I have not. I derive pure joy (and loyalty) when a customer service personnel treat me well and with respect.

Also, can we automatically assume employees know how to handle an angry or unhappy customer? Chances are most businesses think their employees know. If not, businesses will be investing millions in technology, processes AND people! Probably, a formal training in emotional intelligence may do the trick. In turning a casual customer to a loyal customer. Then, you and I will not experience a coin throwing incident.

You surprised me, Litrak

I took a few seconds to be convinced that the male voice at the other end of the line is a Litrak’s customer service officer. I emailed Litrak the day earlier about the ‘coin throwing’ incident. Amazingly, I got a call from Litrak the following day. Though Litrak’s customer service by toll operators is third class or rather, downright rude, I must say Litrak’s service recovery is first class. What made it first class was the customer service officer obtained all the facts from me politely. Then, profusely apologise for that rude treatment by the toll operator. I told him, “You don’t need to because it is not you.” He replied, “I'm apologizing on behalf of Litrak”. I was at awed!

Rarely do companies apologise unless it is Starbucks or Ritz Carlton. The most common reaction is to build up a wall of defense or give lame excuses. Worst of all is to simply ignore the complaint and complainant (regular toll paying motorists).

By emphasizing on service recovery, Litrak is building loyal customers for life. Importantly, it may even reduce the complaints or public protests during the next toll hike.

Well done, Litrak. Keep up the world class service recovery.

Toll phobia

I developed a fear recently. I am in fear when I approach a highway toll. Being in Malaysia, it is difficult to avoid a toll each time I drive. The non-toll roads are ‘designed’ to be so inconvenient or dangerous that you just don’t mind being insulted by the toll operator. I had that experience recently with a Litrak toll operator.

Since the increase of the toll rate by 60% lately, I had to give more coins instead of the usual RM1.00 note. As I was approaching the toll booth one lovely Friday evening, I searched frantically for the additional 60 cents. I stopped to pass the RM1.60 worth of coins to the toll operator. As I was about to drive off, I heard a ‘tuk’ sound. I stepped on the brakes instantaneously to check the cause of the sound. Then it dawn upon me that the toll operator threw a coin at me. The coin hit my car. I turned my head and asked whether she threw the coin at me. She replied sarcastically, “I got extra coins”. I realized that she threw a 1 cent coin because she didn’t want to accept the five 1 cent coins. I kept my cool and asked for her name. She just pointed at the signage with her name on it. I jotted her name and drove off to lodge a complaint at the Litrak office. Sadly, the ‘complaint office’ closed at 5pm.

It has been 3 weeks since the incident. I thought it is more convenient to ‘complain’ through a blog because a blog is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. In the meantime, I need help to overcome my new found phobia. Any good therapist out there?

Malaysia a Land of Smile?

Malaysians have been asked by Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Donald Lim to play their role in welcoming the world to the country and help promote Visit Malaysia 2007. Another interesting statement by State Tourism Hospitality Committee chairman Cheang Chee Gooi caught my eye. He said the state would not tolerate front line people in the industry who were discourteous to tourists. “We expect these people to be courteous, friendly and helpful,” he said. This directive from the State Government clearly shows Malaysian front liners are not naturally courteous, friendly and helpful. Hence, you need to be ordered by a goverment minister. These acts become part of the job requirements instead of part of our way of life. I think every Malaysian accepted the fact the customer service in Malaysia is 3rd class. (My 1st hand experience was MAS, Litrak and PLUS highways). Malaysia is not a land of smiles. The title belongs to Thailand.

Malaysia’s tagline to tourists is "Truly Asia". Sometimes, I wonder whether what Malaysia offers is truly Asia. As I think hard enough, I found several. In general, Asians don’t smile to strangers (except Thais), public toilets are dirty (except Singapore), taxis drivers con tourists (except Singapore), locals are courteous only to tourists (except tourists from 3rd world countries). I may be accused of being unpatriotic if I highlight only the other (ugly) side of Malaysia. Well, like all sales pitch, if the salesman only tells you all the positive things, you naturally doubt him, right? For the positive side of Malaysia, you can visit Tourism Malaysia's website. For example, the main attraction of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign is the ‘Eye on Malaysia’, a giant ferris wheel. It is built at the cost of RM30 million (complement of the tax payers again) and it will cost an adult RM15 and a child RM8 for a 12 minutes ride.

See you at the ‘Eye on Malaysia’.

Enough is Enough!

All these years, I accepted the fact that majority of Malaysian companies provide bad or rather, third class customer service (I prefer not to use the word 'bad'. The word is relative in nature and is determined by one's expectation of the kind of service to be received). Two recent encounters made me say to myself, "Enough is enough! Treat us well because we are paying customers!" These two companies crossed the line! It crossed my personal threshold of acceptable level of customer service. I'm sure other people have a higher tolerance level. (What is your level?) The two companies are the Malaysian toll operators, PLUS (www.plus.com.my) and Litrak (www.litrak.com.my). Have you expected the toll operator to smile, keep eye contact or say thank you? Not me. Yet these companies think that it is what the daily toll paying drivers, like us, desire. What we want or rather, what I want is to be treated with respect. But no. A simple and costless task seems beyond their reach.

In a recent encounter, the toll operator of Litrak voiced her displeasure loudly when coins dropped from my hands during the exchange. In the second encounter, the toll operator of PLUS refused to accept a soiled one Ringgit note (due to wear & tear). I said I didn’t have any other notes. Moreover, it is a legal tender. (Am I being ignorant of what is legal tender? Any Bank Negara Malaysia officers reading this?). Ironically, the soiled RM1 note was given to me as change by a toll operator of Litrak when I was going to work in Cyberjaya the same morning. The PLUS toll operator crossed the line when she threatened me by saying she will record my car's number plate. (What would you do if you walk into a shop and the salesperson threatened you for some reasons? You walk out and promise never to return). Well, in the case of highway tolls in Malaysia, we don’t have much choice. Either take a longer, pothole laden and 'manipulated traffic light' route or the highway toll. So, as daily consumers of toll roads, you are suppose to accept the sad fact that if you want to use the highway, be prepared to queue for several minutes for your turn to pay up, then pray hard that the toll operator won't threaten you.

P/S, To the Management of PLUS & Litrak, are you willing to take up the challenge and rise to the occasion. Can you provide Malaysians, the daily toll paying drivers, world class service? Boleh tak?