By: Ariana Soofi & Kristin Chandler
Have you ever had an issue with a company, called their customer service line and waited for an obscene amount of time? That could be because your “customer number” is really low and you are not considered a priority to the company. Through customer tracking and profiles, companies are able to identify their frequent customers and distinguish them from ones who make a lot of returns or are new customers. They will then use this information to prioritize who they help first with their customer service because they know who spends the most money at their stores.
Many companies utilize this scoring technology to rate their customers. Chances are if you have a cell phone, bank account, or even just online shop, it’s very likely that you have at least one of these scores. Cell phone services let high-rated customers speak to their best agents. Credit card companies often use this information to determine what they offer their customers who want to cancel their cards. These are just a few examples of how these scores can affect your experience with a company.
Now the question is, is this really fair? Well, the way companies see it, the more profit you can generate for them, the more effort they are willing to put into you and the better service you will get. According to many businesses, these scores give them a better understanding of their customers and their consumer habits. This is an old tactic that companies have been using for hundreds of years. For example, back in the day, small shopkeepers would always build relationships with their most frequent customers and were even more likely to offer them better deals and discounts over customers that they were not as familiar with.
The same idea is being used nowadays, except now businesses have access to new technologies that enhance this process. The more you engage with a company, the more a company will try to build a relationship with you.
Questions:
- Did you know that you had a “secret score” with companies?
- Have you ever had a notable experience (good or bad) with a business? Was it a business that you were a frequent customer at?
- Does this information encourage or discourage you to change your consumer shopping habits? Why or why not?
References:
I knew that I had a secret score with companies because having worked in retail and being a marketing major, it's a trend that I've been exposed to for years now.
ReplyDeleteIt's helped me have good experience at retail stores I visit frequently because I always have rewards and coupons at my disposal to use, ensuring that I always save a little money whenever I go in.
CRM systems are designed to help companies appropriately give great customer experiences. Without this information, a company cannot accurately dedicate resources to those customers that deserve it, so it does not discourage my shopping habits in any way because it ensures that I will be treated with higher importance when I am deserving of it. You get out of life what you put into it, so people that put in more energy to certain companies should be acknowledged for that.
1. Yes, I did know we had a secret score. It is interesting to see how much data companies keep on us.
ReplyDelete2. Yes I have had various experiences with customer service at companies I frequent. I usually access the customer service line if I have had a bad experience and need help resolving an issue or have a complaint
3. This doesn't make me want to change my shopping habits because its what I am used to and like to do. However this information makes me more aware of what is happening and how I am being tracked.
I helped write this blog is Ariana
this is Kristin Chandler
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