December 24, 2021 –
There are many instances of a service disconnect in the supply chain. It’s not just fast-food restaurants and auto dealerships. This disconnect includes professional firms, churches, car dealerships, to name a few.
Businesses know that they stand to lose the sale at each customer contact point if the client isn’t delighted. Often someone involved with the service experience sabotages the company’s plan. Organizations invest millions of dollars each year in advertising and PR only to be sabotaged by people at sales contact.
A couple of friends, Pamela and Todd relate this story. They arrived for the closing of a building they owned. They were to meet an employee of the closing firm, whom they had spoken to several times over the phone. She had given them the time and date of the closing.
The couple arrived at 8:30 A.M. as instructed. Entering the office, Pamela and Todd discovered no one at the receptionist’s desk. No employee was evident. After several callouts, “Hello, anyone home?” a woman came out of the back and asked them (curtly), “what do you want?”
The couple introduced themselves and waited for the woman to say her name or, at least to shake hands. Neither action happened. Pamela said, “We are here—as instructed by your company— to close our building.” The woman answered with, “O yeah, you’re buying a building.” “No,” Pamela said, “we are selling our building.”
“We’ve been dealing with Jane, is she in?” “Yeah, but she is too busy checking her emails to come out for the signing. I’ll handle this. No worry.” Then she disappeared. After 8 minutes, the employee returned with the paperwork.
She ushered the couple into a room to sign the papers. Because the lady had not introduced herself, Pamela finally introduced herself and offered her hand to the woman. The woman replied, “Yes, I know I made a copy of your id (is this sarcastic or what?)” Then. Pamela asked her for her name. At this point, it dawned on her that the couple standing in front of her had no idea of who she was.
After handing the documents to Pamela and Todd, she instructed the couple to sign “here, here, here, and here.” They signed four times. The woman said nothing, took the forms and disappeared down the hall.
Ten minutes went by, and no one came out. Even the receptionists never appeared. Pamela and Todd got up and started toward the door when they noticed a plaque on the wall. It read, “2017 Real Estate Title Closing Center of The Year.”
You’ll pardon me for saying so, but I am glad I don’t have to deal with the runner’s up.