A Customer Service Lesson from Verizon Wireless

Earlier in the week, I wrote about how my house painters dropped the ball with their customer relations.

Today, I've got a short story about the opposite effect which was achieved by one single person at a humongous corporation.

I switched mobile phone providers because my contract was up and I wanted a new phone/pda-type thing. For months I'd been calling my provider, Verizon, to see if I could get a new phone. They kept telling me that my contract was up in June, so I had to wait until then to get the new phone (for discounts). The people in their store said my contract was up in June, the people in their Radio Shack stores said the same thing, and their phone reps repeated the story. I was convinced. My contract was up in June.

Except it wasn't. It was up in August. So when I switched to T-Mobile in June (because I love the Sidekick II) I got dinged with a $175 early cancellation charge by Verizon. No warning, no nothing. Just "adios, don't let the door hit you on the way out, and how bout kicking us another $175."

So I've been dealing with Verizon people on the phone, getting the right addresses and contact info to state my case. They had me write to corporate, then to another address. I still don't know how it's going to work out, but I'm not going to pay the $175. Maybe I'll pay something less than that, but not the whole enchilada. In any event, I was starting to form an attitude about Verizon Wireless.

That all changed, with one brief encounter, however. The last person I talked to at Verizon was stunning. I've never come across such a person in a corporate customer service setting. Usually you have to deal with some deadbeat who's giving you a hard time or giving you the run-around. This woman was courteous, helpful and empathetic. Unreal. I thought I was dreaming.

The last thing she said to me made me realize that somebody in customer service is doing something right at Verizon. Or.. she's just a diamond in the rough. In either case, she said, "We wish we could have kept your business, and I apologize for this mix-up, but we'll do our best to set it straight and let you go gracefully." My jaw hit the floor. Class, literacy and some recognition that both of us were working toward an equitable solution. I was expecting to get jilted at every turn during this process, but this particular encounter made everything seem like it might work out ok. We'll see.

In any event, the lesson is clear. One person made a difference in how I feel about that company. Right now, I think they're going to treat me fairly. Verizon will get cooperation and a spirit of understanding from me in future dealings (wherever they may lead). Mainly it's because they didn't stick it to me with the rudeness and stonewalling that I expect from large consumer corporations. I was heading down the path of disillusionment and animosity, but one person brought me back and adjusted my attitude ever so skillfully.

In my opinion, every company needs to cultivate employees like this. eBay sellers, small businesses, individual entrepreneurs. Heck, I need to pay more attention to the way I handle disputes in my own business. It's so easy to "throw down" and take a stand, but it's rarely productive. With just a few turns of a phrase, like "let you go gracefully," you can turn bad word of mouth into someone who sings your praises -- even if they're no longer a customer!

Think about how this post might have read if the customer service rep had said, "Screw you. You're hosed."

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