Listening

Listening; Listening, my 7 minute “nightmare”. In 7 minutes, how does one even have enough time to respond, let alone listen, interact and end a call with confidence, satisfaction or even a sale' For me, it’s a daily fight. I watch as my time clock increases second by second. How do I get this customer off the line in “time”! No longer do I look forward to the kind words of long time subscribers. Now I think it’s only how quickly my lunch break will arrive. My mind is in a lock; I was always trained to save the business, spend as much time as you need to save that revenue and reassure the customer that Comcast is the preferred choice of service. The economy is dwindling, TV revenue is down; Comcast though still maintains a solid outlook and impressive financials for the upcoming fiscal year, but somehow, they feel the most costly event, is time spent on the phone. I can’t imagine why there would not be enough savings in a corporate wide 2% cut back in benefits to sustain the financial lively hood of customer service. The customer service role of metrics issued has changed by “milestones”. The role of customer service I play is simple, yet complex. Listening entails the primary component and objective. The Front Lines, the emphasis of our daily role is named. I present the very first impression to the customer. By the end of each call, it will literally entail the customers ultimate “Taste” of worthy service and the need to continue business with Comcast, my current employer. Listening in the role of customer service at Comcast is not only a skill of specialty, but an individual degree of difficulty. Each customer is in need of some type of special needs or attention. It could be as simple as educating the customer on the breakdown of billing and charges or it could call for a need of assistance from other co-workers or the need of supervisory support. The heightened call of distress is of great concern as I have to continue to “Battle against the Clock.” Comcast has been part of my life for almost 10 years. No longer does the long, hard years of employment mean advancement and rewarding investment, but just how much can be saved or in my case retained at the end of the day; it’s all about the good old “Dollar”. The daily task; It’s my responsibility to show that I’m skilled in a fast paced environment and that I will Reinforce the customer experience as I listen proactively to assist each customer with not only how our services benefit their home, but to always know my customer has the right to speak as they choose. The interaction could be friendly, helpful and sincere, but it could take a “Monstrous” turn within seconds; I must urgently respond to their wants, needs and sometimes a demand beyond my capabilities. The entitlement of a customer’s needs, it’s absolutely ridiculous…What has happened to the principle and practicality of running a household on a budget. Today’s society has turned selfish, the new generation is all about demand, demand; more for less, but how much more' The economy has affected not only the people, but the businesses. I just finished a call with a customer entailing; your competitor will cut the cost in half; point of interest, the customer no longer has a job and feels they are entitled to not give up any of their entertainments and extra’s at home, they have worked hard enough. On a bi-weekly basis that I see my hard earned dollars flow into the bank account; this is the only remaining part that is appreciated. To strain your employees to the point of how quickly you are to move on to the next customer in line, is not the pride of customer service; whatever happened to the customer coming first' My role still guides me to listen proactively to up sell, but to assure my customer I am here for them. I feel no longer that I can provide a kind and rewarding experience for my customers, but only a rushed and inconsistent process; I must keep at a satisfactory experience for both my customer and to the metric of keeping my job.