Remember, loyal customers are important

<p>I wish that the only way to remind a business that customer retention is important wasn't via social media. But alas, it has proven time again that that is the only way they stand up and listen!</p> <p> </p> <p>I've been a Vodacom customer since 1997. I still have the same account and the same number. I also work in marketing so am very aware that I would be deemed a loyal customer. I also know that customer acquistion is far more difficult and costly than customer retention. It is in the interest of any business to hold onto their loyal customers.</p> <p> </p> <p>I also know that well-trained customer service staff is critical to acquiring and retaining customers. So why is so little money spent on having good customer service? In a service business?</p> <p> </p> <p>My story: Unexpectedly my phone was blocked in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon. As a business person and mother, this is a rather unfortunate position to find oneself in.</p> <p> </p> <p>Hours and 5 calls later to Vodacom's free customer service line, I dealt with a bunch of the most surly, apathetic, unknowledgeable customer service staff who were not able to help me either with any reason as to why my phone was switched off or what could be done to switch it back on again. At 4:45pm the last consultant told me the only way to have my situation remedied was to go into a Vodacom store. This coming from a cellphone service provider? We can't help you over the phone?</p> <p> </p> <p>As it so happens, juggling work and motherhood, getting to a Vodacom store wasn't that easy so another day passed with no phone access.</p> <p> </p> <p>Eventually, nearly 48 hours later I managed to arrange my life around getting to a Vodacom store (let's face it, these are not on every street corner...). So what did the customer service staff member in the store do? He phoned the free customer service line. </p> <p> </p> <p>Fortunatley he was knowledgeable enough to know what to request from the semi-competent service staff member on the other side of the phone. </p> <p> </p> <p>So what is the problem? Best explanation - a non-prognosible glitch. </p> <p> </p> <p>I don't know whether I'm more irritated that your system switched my phone off after consistent use and payment for nearly twenty years or with the unbelievably poor competence levels of your customer service staff. Roger at the V&A Waterfront is your only redeeming feature at the moment. My remedy, go to the next cellphone service provider in the store next year and bid farewell to a nearly twenty-year relationship with Vodacom.</p> <p> </p> <p>They welcome a new customer with open arms. </p> <p> </p>