Sometimes It’s Better To Cut Your Losses

I am sure many of you have heard about the recent customer service debacle involving Comcast over the past week. In case you aren’t familiar with what happened, a customer called into their service center attempting to cancel his service after almost a decade. He was transferred to a customer retention department and, unfortunately, was connected with a person who did the exact opposite. The customer’s patience during this call is amazing. The Comcast representative hounds him for almost 18 minutes (only 8 of which were recorded) repeatedly asking the same questions in his efforts to either keep the customer or understand why the customer was leaving. The customer eventually succeeded in getting his services cancelled, while the Comcast employee succeeded in doing more harm to his company than good. You see, this customer recorded the conversation and posted it online. Since July 14, over 5 million people have listened to this recording. Countless articles have also been written during that time period.

I’m fairly certain that you’ve all come across a dissatisfied customer or two. Every so often, we all meet a customer (or client) that is not going to be happy, no matter what we do to handle the situation. I understand that the Comcast representative was simply doing his job. He was persistent and obviously passionate about his company. My impression was that he literally could not understand why this customer would want to leave. He wanted that explained to him and the customer wasn’t having it. He politely declined to answer that question multiple times.

The customer’s perspective is quite the opposite. He and his wife had decided to switch to a different provider for reasons he chooses not to disclose. He simply called in to cancel their service. On the surface, it doesn’t seem like they had incredibly bad service during the 10 years they were with Comcast. At one point, the call center rep even asked him what he would do when he wasn’t happy with his new provider. To which the customer replied that he would call them back and restart their service.

Through the actions of this call center rep, and a customer with a recorder at hand, over 5 million people have now listened to this call. While it’s hard to believe that this is a typical experience, it only takes one extraordinary experience to make a huge difference. If that experience is good, wonderful things happen. If that experience is poor, there is always the chance that our always-connected world makes your business a celebrity – but not in the way you want to be known.

Great companies realize that great experiences can create more business for them. They also know when it’s time to say goodbye to a customer who wants to leave. Providing a great customer experience is absolutely important to customer retention and loyalty. Smart business people also realize that providing a great customer experience for someone who doesn’t want to do business with you anymore can be just as important. That last impression can be vital.

How you say goodbye is just as important as how you say hello.

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Comment by steven chessin on July 26, 2014 at 3:06pm: Automotive customer retention is not as black-and-white as cable service

"But Sir, the factory lease forgiveness program is your only lifeboat !" You are 30k over the miles, bad carfax, and need a two-grand engine repair ! "The customer responds by saying. "You are just trying to sell me a new car." It is like the joke heard at every church about the preacher who won't accept any assistance before the flood sweeps him away. When he gets to heaven God tells him how he sent his angels and he turned them all away. So yes --- you can TRY to help customers - but they have to want to be helped.

Comment by Jay Prassel on July 26, 2014 at 2:33pm: I had a similar experience about a month ago when I was trying to sign up for a TV service, but it wasn't Comcast.

I knew exactly what "package" I wanted and tried to order new service.

Rep: Have you had Direct TV before?
Me:I want the Xtra package, DVR, in the family room, HD receivers in the Master Bedroom and my office.

Rep: What service did you have and why are you cancelling them?
Me: When can I get it installed?

Rep: Do you have a TV provider currently?
Me: No, when get I get it installed?

Rep: How are you watching TV now?
Me: Listen to this....."Click"

I called back and it was a similar conversation....

Rep: Why did you pick the Xtra package?
Me: Can I just get a date for installation?

Rep: We have other packages on sale now, would you like me to explain them?
Me: No thank you. This one has everything that is important to my wife (Orah, Bravo, Lifetime) and I get the NFL Package.

Rep: Are you sure you wouldn't like some more movie channels
Me: "Click"

Seriously, I gave up for the day and called the next day. The nice lady commented that I had called in yesterday; four times. I explained my frustration and warned her that it would happen again. I know what I want and that's it. I read everything on the website and was ready to move on getting an installation date.

While I can understand some of the questioning, it still was a painful ordeal.

Lesson to be learned? Listen to your customers and be aware if you start frustrating them.

Comment by Sharon Hill on July 26, 2014 at 12:34pm: This is SO not a Comcast-only experience. When I try to cancel via a company site and it says I must call to do so I know i'm going to be headed to a retention specialist. I first email - nope, not calling. don't have time. This is my notification I'm cancelling. you won't be paid further.So, confirm I'm cancelled. They argue a bit but ultimately they cancel it nine times out of ten. My alternative, if I MUST make the call is to respond to every comment or question presented by the rep with, "Have you cancelled it yet?" As in, "May I ask why you're cancelling?" Me - Have you cancelled it yet?" Rep - I first was wondering why you want to cancel." Me - "Have you cancelled it yet?' After 3 or 4 times of this they go ahead and cancel. I frankly feel sorry for the reps who are ordered to do this, and know that their QA department is either randomly or continually recording and their jobs are in jeopardy if they don't proceed as instructed. The folks responsible for the decisions on approach need to train these folks more extensively on consultative, personable customer service, and give them more flexibility to veer off the "pitch" when and if the reps prove themselves savvy enough to make the smart decisions about doing so.A side point about this whole story, however, is that it made the rounds with a serious lack of confirmation and verification. It's probably true, but the originating story wasn't really proof.