Since when does a client break your heart?

Craig Williams, NT Operations Manager at Southern Cross Protection, on what led to his heartfelt paradigm shift in customer service.

Almost 10 years ago when I started in this business, I came across one of “those” clients.

She literally didn’t like us one bit and whenever she rang, I knew it was her because I could hear her yelling even before I got the phone to my ear.

Man, we had some tussles!

Her problem was that she had gotten very lousy service in the past so she would not listen to us at all- we were at rock bottom.

Over the next five years, I made it my goal to give her the customer service she expected-and should have gotten in the first place-in order to turn her around.

I wasn’t exactly sure if I had succeeded, but during a visit by my boss, he asked me to make some appointments and to pick a “prickly customer”. Did I have the person for him!

When we went to the meeting, sat down and the boss asked how things had been going, I braced myself for the worst to happen.

Then she said “We have had ups and downs, and I have done some yelling which I feel I should apologise for. Craig has always listened and found answers to my issues without any feeling of it being done under duress. I almost feel like I am ringing Lifeline when I call because no matter how much I poked, he never bit back.”

I was stunned. Shocked. The boss thought it was a set up. I will never forget her words that day and I still share the story with my staff when we discuss customer service.

A further five years on and she has been a great customer, and nothing is ever a fuss.

I spoke with her on the phone today and she told me she was retiring. I asked her what her plans were for retirement and she went a bit quiet.

She then told me she was dying.

I wasn’t sure how to react so I started to say the usual things. She stopped me and said that she was at peace with it and has had a pretty good life.