Do as I say, don't do as I do...

I stumbled on this article a couple months back on Newhouse while reading one of Lilek's columns.

I wish more people would do what the article suggests, and let management know when they get good service somewhere. I say for selfish reasons - I'm a helpdesk technician, someone who deals with customers on a regular basis. While most of the people I talk to are happier and better off when they get off the phone then when they started, it is fairly rare that people contact those above me to say thanks. On the other hand, when someone doesn't like the answer they get - even when it's technologically impossible, against policy, or the result of every possible thing going wrong that could have on a given day - they often let their dissatisfaction known. And frequently, by then managment has forgoten the details, like that the reason you couldn't restore their file was because the backup software restores files back to their home directory, and the server that stores their home directories is down, and just tells you not to tell people you won't restore their files. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

I can't say I practice what I preach, though - I don't think I've ever written a letter complementing good service - although I don't think I've complained about bad service either. I have found, however, that being nice to people in service professions, no matter if they are on the phone or in person, will often result in better service and a more pleasant experience for everyone. And being nice to the people who don't usually get noticed - the food service worker or the janitor - will often help you in the long run.

So the next time you get off the phone with tech support and think "wow, that person did a great job", consider shooting an email or phone call (I prefer email, since it gives a record) to their manager. And the next time they give you an answer you don't like, think about if it is something they really could have or should have done before you complain. And I'll try to do the same for the other service people I encounter.

And no, I'm not saying that there aren't people out their in service professions who aren't jerks - and there are many, myself included, who have been jerks at some point in time.