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Top-level
 I had this realization when I was in an American airport. American customer support systems suck. They’re disorganized, and much more work than they’re worth. But American customer support representatives? The best in the world. You almost want to forgive Americans’ poor systems since their reps are first class. Almost—but there’s a caveat. The poor reps have to deal with the terrible systems, and the systems owe them a clear debt. 14 comments
@atomicpoet the "terrible systems" didn't will themselves into existence. they were designed by humans in (probably) Ithaca @atomicpoet I think part of the problem is a chicken-and-egg situation. Shitty systems, good customer service that compensates for the shitty systems, means no need to fix the shitty systems. @atomicpoet I do wonder if the inability to perceive the impact of sub-optimal (being polite here) systems and structures is a human trait or more specifically a western cultural trait  @atomicpoet This is very true. Whenever we visit the, states we notice how customer service reps accross the board are superior. I think they need systems that authorize them to make decisions for a better experience. Example: first trip to Disneyland a rep helped my partner get over anxiety about a ride, identified it was her first time in the park and gifted the entire family fast passes. That rep was empowered and it enhanced our experience.  @atomicpoet Definitely didn't expect the bad systems thing - which countries had the best systems, in your experience? @liztai Japan and South Korea have the best customer support systems that I’ve encountered. @atomicpoet Oh yes, they do have that rep for service! We even consider their electronics as high quality  @atomicpoet I think about this constantly. We discipline our workforce into servility by making them desperate with brutal management practices, and then limit them to policies/options offered by a computer to make sure that customer satisfaction is their problem and doesn't affect the bottom line. "A computer can never be held accountable, therefore a computer must never make a management decision..." was outdated the moment a capitalist took the premise literally. |
Gregory's Server
@atomicpoet I just feel sympathy for them, for some of the people they have to deal with. Sure, _most_ are fine, but there are some real assholes out there.