3 reasons people hate member service

Social media came on the scene around 20 years ago and it changed the world forever. That’s especially true with members and the way they deal with having a bad experience. It used to be that “Karen” would just walk right up and ask to speak to a manager (that of course still happens), but now they can use their Facebook and Instagram accounts to blast their complaints out to anyone who will listen.

So, what can you do about it? Honestly, there’s not a whole lot you can do if someone decides they want to vent their frustrations to all 127 of their Facebook friends, but you can try to stop those frustrations before they start. One place you can begin to look is your member service department. Here are three reasons people hate member service…

They feel like they’re having to wait forever: Obviously call volume can be a lot busier at certain times of day, but if a member doesn’t feel like you’re prioritizing their problem, you may see their loyalty start to slip away. If you’re understaffed or just unusually swamped, it’s okay, but make sure to keep callers informed so they can prepare themselves to wait.

They feel like nobody wants to help: When you have a problem and you’re trying to get help solving it over the phone, it really stinks to be passed around. We’ve all seen Home Alone. When Kevin’s mom tries to call their local police department from Paris, her call gets passed around like a White Elephant gift. Playing hot potato with a member’s concerns won’t make anyone feel like a priority. Think about a time this has happened to you. It gets really frustrating when you’re telling your story for the third time.

They feel like you’re not prepared: People who call you for help actually need help. If a member doesn’t feel like you’re ready to go to battle for them when it comes to fixing their problems, they’re not going to feel very supported. That kind of defeats the purpose of a member support line.