By Scott Tibbs, February 27, 2014
If you make a business decision that will cause your customers an inconvenience, is it better to be forthright about why you made the decision (namely, that this is best for the company) or is it better to lie to your customers and claim that reducing services will improve customer service?
Last week, I went to a local business only to find out that the service I needed was no longer offered, but that it was offered at the other location on the opposite side of the city. (I am intentionally being vague because the point is more important than shaming the business.) The paper I was handed explained that the change was made to improve customer service. This was a flagrant and shameful lie.
I understand that the business may have needed to make the change in order to improve internal efficiency. I understand that having each location specialize in specific services is likely helpful to the operations at both locations. But to claim that completely eliminating an important service that thousands of people use annually was done to "improve customer service" is simply laughable in how obviously false it is.
While I am unhappy with the loss of service, I am far more unhappy with being treated like some sort of mindless sheep who will buy whatever spin the business throws my way. Honestly, how stupid do you think I am? Do you actually think I am so gullible as to believe your obviously dishonest reasoning for the change?
Sometimes changes need to be made, but it is never smart to lie to your customers.
