System

For a customer experience workshop I'm leading, I designed some materials and had them printed. When I received the envelope with the printed materials, 75% of the order was missing.

Fortunately, I placed my order well in advance and didn’t need the materials right away. I won’t be able to call during business hours because I’ll be participating in the annual scavenger hunt that day. To paint a complete picture for those who think in visuals: I’ll be dressed as an Oranje fan.

So I sent a message to this printing giant. I included exactly the information I thought the customer service representative would need: the order number, the item that was delivered—my document titled“Handout,” exactlyas it appears in the confirmation email—and the fact that the other three items were missing.

Dressed entirely in orange, I'm walking through town. I check my email and read:

"Dear [Name],

We're sorry to hear that there was a problem with the delivery of your order. So you received the handout, but the loose-leaf item and the stickers are missing? Once we have a clear understanding of the situation, we can look into a suitable solution.

Sincerely,

"Madelon"

Um, yeah. This is a case of copy-pasting without reading carefully. Because I already mentioned that only the handout was provided. And apparently, it’s too much trouble to address me by name. Not recognized, and certainly not acknowledged. I quickly reply that this is indeed correct. Only to receive the following email in response:

"Dear [Name],

"All right, I've entered it into the system for you."

Huh?! So what now? What a sloppy, meaningless email—and it even has a typo. I’m sure she entered it into the system, but what does that mean for me? For the business owner who needs these materials to teach CX classes?

So this is where things often go wrong. It’s probably crystal clear to Madelon, but to me—the customer—it’s unclear right now. Has my order been sent to the printer? Will I receive my materials? And when? I send a quick message via chat, to which a colleague kindly replies that the materials are being printed.

The fox hunt was awesome. With the orange face paint freshly washed off, we’re sitting here reminiscing over drinks on Friday afternoon. Then, at 6:41 p.m., I receive the icing-on-the-cake email.

“Dear Sir or Madam,

Unfortunately, due to high volume, we were unable to ship your order today.

By: System’

What?! This system is broken! Just like so many other systems. As a customer, I’m really fed up with it. It reminds me of a Little Britain sketch, which I’ll translate for you for free: “The system says NO.”

That's it: the customer says NO. I'm going to look for another printer.

 

This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on May 2, 2023

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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.