Unfortunately, I'm in sales
I’ve recently received two calls from an unknown number. I know these are often sales calls. When I check my call history, they’re usually from a newspaper or a credit card company. The phone rings again, and when I see the unknown number, I hesitate. Maybe something has happened to my parents or my daughter. “Hospital,” flashes through my mind. So I answer.
“With Nienke Bloem.”
“Good morning. This is Carola from the credit card company. Am I speaking with Mr. Bloem?”
“No,” I say, slightly surprised. Can’t she tell that I’m a woman?
“Oh, maybe I should talk to you then,” she continues.
“Yes, I’m the credit card holder. And while we’re on the subject: for as long as I’ve been a customer, I’ve been registered as Mr. Bloem. Could you correct that for me?”
“Unfortunately, I’m in Sales. You’ll need to speak with my colleagues in Customer Service.”
The conversation is going in the wrong direction, so I ask if she could perhaps transfer my call. “This is annoying me, especially since you always address me as ‘Dear Mr. Bloem’ in your newsletters.”
“No, I can’t transfer your call. You’ll have to call yourself to get that sorted out. But since I have you on the line, how did you arrange your travel insurance?”
A sigh escapes me, and I say, “That’s perfectly arranged. Do you have your colleagues’ phone numbers for me? Then I’ll give them a call myself.”
“No, I don’t have it, but you can find the number on our website.”
“All right, I'm going to hang up now so I can check the website.”
“Have a nice day, Ms. Bloem!” and she ends the call.
Sigh… A deep sigh. Unfortunately, I’ve already called her coworkers twice and posted a tweet about it. I am and will always be “Mr. Bloem” to this company.
What bothers me most about this conversation is the phrase “Unfortunately, I’m from Sales.” Why is it that the silo you’re stuck in also serves as an excuse not to help me as a customer? It’s fine that you’re calling me to sell something. But then make sure you give your employees the ability to resolve other issues as well. Do they also use “Unfortunately, I’m from a different department” in your organization? If so, you know what you need to do to prevent these kinds of (unnecessary!) frustrations among your customers. Otherwise, I might just write another piece about it.
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on February 28, 2018
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Nienke Bloem is often referred to as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She is a global CX thought leader, educator, and keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She runs a speaking practice, a CX game company, and a training business; she lives and breathes Customer Experience and is the author of two books on CX.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for the CCXP, and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and achieve immediate results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she has been hosting a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helping leaders enhance their leadership skills and deliver an engaging CX story, including a solid CX strategy. In addition, she is a modern-day pilgrim and has drawn parallels between her journey and leading customer-centric transformations.
With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the language of business. Her keynote speeches and training programs on customer experience are inspiring and practical. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA, and her mission is to make customer experience work and help you achieve business results.
