Since the advent of mobile phones, these days one seems to receive a fair amount of unsolicited calls selling all sorts of stuff from hotel membership to credit cards. Recently, I received calls from two banks from which I had been their credit card customer. Both cards I cancelled due to poor customer service. I relate the conversations that ensue and you be the judge who, if you are the employer, you would employ and be your most valued employee.
Call 1
Telemarketer | Good afternoon, Mr Cheong? |
Cheong | Yes… |
Telemarketer | I’m calling from HK Bank. My name is Angela. |
Cheong | Yes. What is it regarding? |
Telemarketer | As our Premium Account Holder, we would to offer you our privilege Platinum Credit Card |
Cheong | You must be kidding. I just cancelled your Classic Card about 3 months ago. Your card service is so bad! Your customer service is so inefficient. When I made a complaint, they said they will look into it but even after 3 complaints, nothing got done. |
Telemarketer | Mr Cheong, this is different. It is a privilege card. We would like to offer you this card. |
Cheong | I’ve been your Credit Card Holder for more than 10 years. Your bank could not even resolve a minor problem and now you want to offer me another card? It must be a joke! |
Telemarketer | Yes, we would still like to offer you this card. |
Cheong | I doubt I would like another card from your bank. |
Telemarketer | It’s ok, then. Thank you, sir. |
Call 2
Telemarketer | Good afternoon sir. Are you Mr Cheong? |
Cheong | Yes, what is it regarding? |
Telemarketer | My name is Ani. I’m calling from Sity Bank. We would like to offer you a Sity Bank Platinum Credit Card. From our records, we noticed that you were once our card holder. |
Cheong | I cancelled your card about 6 months ago. I got fed-up with your bank. Your customer service is bad. |
Telemarketer | What happened, sir? |
Cheong | Your bank charged me an insurance premium for insuring the amount in the statement, a service which I did not request for. I called almost every month when I get the statement. Your customer service people promised to resolve the problem but nothing was done. After the third month I just called to cancel the card. |
Telemarketer | I’m sorry to hear about this problem sir but do give us another chance to prove that that was just an isolated incident. Let us offer you this Platinum Card and if our service is again not up to your expectation, I’ll personally help you to cancel it. I’m very sure this would not happen again. |
Cheong | I doubt your customer service can improve. I’ve got more than enough cards. |
Telemarketer | Sir, do accept our offer. This is a Platinum Card and will give you much more benefits and privileges than your previous Classic Card. We’ll waive the joining fee and also the subscription for the first year. You’ll not regret it. I’ll personally resolve any problems you may have. Just call this number. We’re sorry for what happened previously. |
Cheong | Ok. I’ll think about it. |
I’ll call you again tomorrow, sir. Will that be ok? Once again sir, we’re sorry for what happened previously. Please give us another chance | |
Telemarketer | Ok. |
Cheong | Thank you sir and have a good day. |
To the telemarketer of Call 1, she is just doing a job. She does not try to get the customer to be on her side by displaying empathy for the customer’s previous predicament. There is no emotion in her selling pitch. The customer unconsciously feels not only her coldness but also, by extension, that of her employer and responds accordingly.
This is exactly the opposite in the method employed by the telemarketer of Call 2. Obviously, it may be wrong for me to call it a “method”. Based on the balance of probability, the empathy displayed by telemarketer of Call 2 may be genuine as it is not easy to fake an emotion in a fast on-going conversation. Even though it is done in the course of her selling pitch, the fact that she mentioned she is apologetic over the previous incident would immediately cause an outraged and annoyed customer to balk and cool down.
The second tactic she employed is not to do a hard sell but to suggest that the customer gives another chance to her and by extension also to her employer. Although it is just a simple phrase, “give us another chance” is an effective approach that appeals to the customer’s sense of choice and control. This speaks volume of her commitment and of her confidence in her employer.
I need not elaborate further whose card I agreed to try again!
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