COVID may have killed the idea of customer service speed. Just getting someone to answer is a major challenge.

Yet, companies still track metrics for speed. Like how long it takes for a representative to pick up a call or the time it takes for a webpage to load. Reducing the speed for both is a good goal.

But can customer service be too speedy? The following are examples of when speed kills the customer service experience.

Customer Service Speed

As a caregiver for my 100-year-old mother, I get a unique perspective on how much the world has changed. Few areas demonstrate that better than technology. 

Below are a few of the advances in my mom’s lifetime (so far).

• The modern refrigerator, television, jet engine, radar, color TV, computers, personal computers
• Digital cameras, internet, portable music, cell phones, smartphones, artificial intelligence (AI)

We forget what life was like without these technological marvels. However, with speed comes loss.

1. Speedy Solutions

Imagine you’re in a speeding car. You hurl yourself down the road. Scenery races by outside your window. Your eyes focus on the road ahead.

• You never notice the other person in your car.
• Their knuckles whitened with fear
• As they hang on to the chicken strap.

You are so focused on reaching your destination, you forget the person who is along for the ride.

That person could be your customer. Never happen? Picture the following.

• Client Carol calls with a problem.
• She’d like to explain it to you.
• But you cut her off with a list of solutions.

Even if your solution is the right solution, your customer may feel left behind.

• Maybe she had other questions.
• She may find your speedy response rude.
• There’s a good chance she stopped listening once you cut her off – kind of like road rage.

Slow down and listen.

2. Rush Delivery

Remember the days when Amazon deliveries worked to perfection? Fast delivery became the standard and other companies rushed to catch up.

So, rushed deliveries are a good thing, right? Not necessarily.

Rushing delivery quickly become negative when the product or service is not all it’s cracked up to be.

• How many times have you updated a plugin or upgrade only to have an explosion of problems?
• Shortly after rollout, you’re forced to install a revised version.

Do you remember these product disasters?

• Fitbit Force tracking device that caused so many skin problems it resulted in a class action lawsuit
• The Ford Pinto that burst into flames when hit from behind
• The New Coke that left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth

 Slow down to deliver quality.

3. Speedy Tools

Picture your last customer service interaction. Did it go something like the following?

 (Short video featuring Sherry, followed by bulleted text from your perspective)

• You go to the product’s website.
• There you see your customer service options – call, chat, email.
• You want immediate answers, so you call.
• Then you get the dreaded phone tree automation.
• After yelling, “Representative,” over and over, you may give up in frustration.

Did you know the phone tree is older than the web? If you’re like me, I’d like to force the inventor to live life trapped in an endless phone tree maze.

 Intended to speed results and increase productivity, many phone tree designs only infuriate customers.

The chat option may have similar results. I am not adverse to using chat. But what drives me nuts is when it is obvious the representative is responding to multiple users at the same time.

• You type in your issue.
• After two minutes or more, the representative greets you and asks how they can help (even though you already typed in the problem).
• You repeat the problem then wait…and wait…and wait some more.
• You type, Hello???

We’ve already seen the downside of relying solely on artificial intelligence (AI) tools. There’s a reason we call them tools.

Steve Jobs summed up the problem nicely.

Slow down and manage tools to support customers.

Up to Speed

Imagine the world if we were a tad more patient.

• Traffic accidents would decrease.
• We’d notice those around us.
• Stress levels would plummet.

Know when to slow down and when speed kills the customer service experience.

1. Listen.
2. Deliver quality.
3. Use tools wisely.

What examples do you have when customer service speed delivered less than stellar results? Leave your thoughts in Comments.

Note: This post originally published on August 18, 2014. This July 30, 2023 version updates it.

Credit: Bigstock Photo
Credit: Canva

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