What's the Acceptable Wait Time for Customer Service?

[a64pilot]

I just went through a three week bottom job and had the shaft shortened. It was there a full week before I got a call saying they couldn't pull the prop.

Panama City Fl $85 an hour

[Matt Johnson]

I hate companies that have email, but respond wanting you to call them. I want everything in writing and much prefer to be able to email, answer questions, or look at the response on my terms at my convenience.

Excellent service is answering my questions within a few hours. Good is by the next day.

Matt

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Capt Robert

Funny you should post this, Third Day. I signed a work order for AC/DC work on my Catalina at Green Cove Springs Marina May 24, 2016. I've heard every lame-brained excuse why the marine tech hasn't been able to begin this work.



I'm so frustrated that I want to put her in the water and get towed to somewhere that knows what customer service is. Argggggg!

2016? Yeah I would have left last year, towed by dinghy if I had to.

[Henk Koornstra]

Hi Rich, you have always provided Excellent service, but to place it into perspective:
Email send during the day:
Initial Enquiry
A) 4 hours
B) Same day
C) 2-3 days
D) 4-5 business days
E) Next week

Purchased Product
A) 1 hour
B) 2 hours
C)24 hours
D) 48 +
E) 5 business days

For an email sent at night, the clock starts ticking the next morning at the start of the workday.

[daletournier]

One of the reasons I hopped out of business is that modern expectations are huge, in business you need to sprint, (depending on the degree of success you want) its just the way it is, the market dosent care what the reasons for poor performance are they only care about the result.

The problem with sprinting is you can only sprint so long regardless of whether this suits or not. Its not a right or wrong thing, it just is.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[skipmac]

Hi Rich,

An interesting and not a simple question in the context of the current, very complex markets. With strong competition and a large percentage of buyers focused very strongly on price but wanting quality at the same time how do you compete, stay cost competitive and still provide service? For the big corporations that usually means outsourcing tech support overseas with mixed results.

Very roughly I think many/most technical products like marine and consumer electronics or even refrigeration can be lumped into three categories:

1. the cheapest, you get what you pay for and don't expect support.
2. good quality at a price so again no support, little support or support hidden behind several layers of voice mail and untrained staff
3. good quality at a higher price but with help when you need it.

For myself I may knowingly choose a product from any of those groups, accepting the pros and cons depending on the product and how critical its function, the overall cost and how difficult to install and use.

I think my answers and expectations are similar to most of those commenting. In general, don't expect after hours support and give no minus points for that but a big plus if it's there. Also my experience with fill in the online form for support and wait for a reply has been about 80% terrible. So bad that I'm usually surprised to get a reply from any of these at all. Have decided that companies use these forms to distract customers and keep them from calling up and using valuable company time.

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Two situations to consider:

1. You are contacting a Marine Vendor for an initial outreach to get some technical details on their product to decide if you want to make a purchase

A) Above and Beyond. Immediate access by phone to product and technical information.
B) Excellent. Call back same day or email back same day.
C) Good...nothing special but acceptable Few days for an answer.
D) Poor Weeks or never.
E) Unacceptable...I won't do business with a company like that.Seel D) Poor.


2. You have already purchased from the Maine Vendor and are now trying to get some technical assistance with the product. The answer here I think will depend on the value of the product. My support expectations for a $50-$100 product will be much lower than for $1000 or more product. I'll base my opinions here on the high end.

A) Above and Beyond Call and speak to a tech with max hold 5 minutes. Email reply back in 15-30 minutes
B) Excellent Call and hold 30 minutes or so. Email reply same day.
C) Good...nothing special but acceptable Call and long hold or leave message for call back later the same day or first thing the next day.
D) Poor 1-2 Days
E) Unacceptable...I won't do business with a company like that. Several days or a week

[RicknSue]

Originally Posted by daletournier

One of the reasons I hopped out of business is that modern expectations are huge, in business you need to sprint, (depending on the degree of success you want) its just the way it is, the market dosent care what the reasons for poor performance are they only care about the result.

The problem with sprinting is you can only sprint so long regardless of whether this suits or not. Its not a right or wrong thing, it just is.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

This !!! Not just the markets, peoples expectations are rising to a level that will become counterproductivive IMO. I have worked my whole life in the automotive field , and the rise of people's expectations drive great people out of the business everyday. We have one of the nicest facilities in the country, dealing with hi-line clients, and kill ourselves ( all my people) to go 'above and beyond' in fact it is our companies tag line , yet I see almost daily clients just straight abusing my team members.
What I mean by counterproductive is what happens when the really good client focused people ( that can also produce , otherwise the business folds) just say screw it and walk away ? There is a huge technician crunch here already because of market conditions, and I've always wondered who will fix the cars? Soon the experience may become WAY worse , and then everyone will look at each other and wonder why.
I get customer service and get where you are coming from rich , and marine is certainly different , but it's a slippery slope!

[thruska]

When i was in customer circus, it was IMMEDIATELY !!
Now its maybe you will get a reply iif your lucky!

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by daletournier

One of the reasons I hopped out of business is that modern expectations are huge, in business you need to sprint, (depending on the degree of success you want) its just the way it is, the market dosent care what the reasons for poor performance are they only care about the result.

The problem with sprinting is you can only sprint so long regardless of whether this suits or not. Its not a right or wrong thing, it just is.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

This is not a new issue. Responsive businesses always rose to the top but 30yrs ago, a written request could take a week but company with poor service could blame it on the post office. A call might get a busy signal so people assumed they would have to try again.

In the modern world with email taking seconds, online chat & voice mail, poor service is exposed by technology.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by RicknSue

This !!! Not just the markets, peoples expectations are rising to a level that will become counterproductivive IMO. I have worked my whole life in the automotive field , and the rise of people's expectations drive great people out of the business everyday. We have one of the nicest facilities in the country, dealing with hi-line clients, and kill ourselves ( all my people) to go 'above and beyond' in fact it is our companies tag line , yet I see almost daily clients just straight abusing my team members.
What I mean by counterproductive is what happens when the really good client focused people ( that can also produce , otherwise the business folds) just say screw it and walk away ? There is a huge technician crunch here already because of market conditions, and I've always wondered who will fix the cars? Soon the experience may become WAY worse , and then everyone will look at each other and wonder why.
I get customer service and get where you are coming from rich , and marine is certainly different , but it's a slippery slope!

So true.

Could the wages paid to the guys who actually do the work have anything to do with it?

[thruska]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

So true.

Could the wages paid to the guys who actually do the work have anything to do with it?

Agreed, im guessing the previous tobe in a large dealership environment., ???
Just guessing , is new technology working for you ?
Im saying customer service is largyreplaced by lip servce., which is unacceptable. Period !

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

...on my terms at my convenience.

This is really the essence of excellent customer service. Realizing that, as much as you possibly can, you do business at the customer's convenience, not your own.