Relationship over Technology Wins Every Time
We are in the midst of a true epidemic and we don’t even know it. We are losing the ability of communication. In the days of email / instant messaging / faxing / twitter / social networks – true communication has gone downhill and is killing us and we don’t even know it.
I went to school for Communications only because I truly like reading people. I like to try and understand what people are ‘really’ saying behind the fake smile. I’m a people watcher and absolutely detest fake people hence the communication education.
What’s funny though is that though I have that I don’t use it 75% of the time because I’m behind a computer working. How do you read someones expressions and intents in an email (unless its all in caps of course)? We’ve all made the mistake of ‘reading’ into an email or IM. I’m guilty of it nonetheless and have apologized to that person after a few hours re-reading it and seeing how I misinterpreted it.
This type of problem is not at a local/national – its a worldwide issue. I’ve done online chats with websites for trouble shooting something or just reaching out to their customer service only to find that they don’t understand simple English. Eh, it happens – right?
Yet, if we call customer service with a good attitude, “Hi, I just wanted to ask about a possible over charge on my account – can you take a look at it and let me know?” In comparison to, “Hi, yeah it looks like you over charged my account – take it off!”
See the difference? In a world where we automatically assume that someone is trying to get one over us if we fail to release that there are clerical errors and sometimes a computer glitches. So if we go into a true open communication with no ill intent then it works out for the best. I know personally I’ve done this several times and 7/10x’s it works the other times I just ask to talk to their supervisor. A couple times I’ve even asked to the supervisors supervisor to get clarification. Always with a good attitude.
What do you think? Has this happened to you – called / emailed / online chatted with customer support/service only to find they are all handled completly different?
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