Dear Employee, let’s check your customer service knowledge

I bought this new grill recently. I love the grill. I feel like the king when standing in front of it! It’s a guy thing. (Although some women I know have been arguing the guy thing with me).

The grill has one small problem. Okay, it’s not exactly a small problem.

Enjoy the customer service test that follows. It is based on a recent experience.

Customer calls manufacturer to share with you that the handle on this grill cover/lid gets burning hot. You:

1. Tell them to use an oven mitt to open the cover
2. Check to see if there is a recall or defect regarding this product
3. Tell the customer there is nothing noted about this product
4. Take the customers name and information

(if you chose 2,3 or 4 you are wrong)

Customer asks you if there is a plastic/rubber part he can buy; one that wraps around the handle like on your other models. You:

1. Seem less than enthused with the customer concern
2. Inform customer there are no listed defects on the model the customer owns
3. Again tell the customer to use the oven mitt
4.  Quickly try to get customer off of phone

(if you chose #1 you are correct)

Customer nicely suggests you take this matter seriously as some frivolous lawsuit is just waiting to happen. Customer tells you he is actually trying to help you, the company, avoid legal problems. You:

1. Tell the customer there are no listed defects on this model
2. Tell the customer to use an oven mitt
3. Tell the customer there are no complaints logged
4. Take the 5th

(I assume you’re getting smarter and chose #4)

Customer asks to speak to a supervisor. You:

1. Put the customer on hold come back and tell the customer the supervisor is too busy to come to the phone.
2. Listen to the customer ask you ”Is this how you are trained to handle customer complaints/inquiries/suggestions? Is the canned answer in the manual to go get an oven mitt?”

(You are correct if you chose both. If you did not choose both you are wrong.)

Customer asks to speak to the legal department. You:

1. Tell the customer no one is available.
2. Stop offering the oven mitt as a solution

(Again, correct only if you chose both)

Customer tells you he will hang up, call the main number, and ask for the CEO’s office. You:

1. Panic and now offer to take the customers information and have someone get back to you
2. Listen to a click as the frustrated customer hangs up and follows through

(I hope you chose #2)

The CEO is not available. (He and the legal department are probably over at Weber HQ.) You are now “The Manager” given the call. You:

1. Apologize for the treatment the customer just received
2. See the potential seriousness of the matter and take the customer’s information
3. Offer to reimburse the customer for any solution he comes up with

(Yes, it takes a manager to clean up the mess and understand that poorly trained employees kill business)

Bonus questions:

• Did it really take the time of a manager to come up with the right solution?
• Wouldn’t their time be better spent implementing quality employee training experiences?

So how did you do? Are you ready to be a Customer Service Rep?

On another note…………………..

Dear Brinkmann,

Perhaps you should include oven mitts with each purchase. No only might it save you gazillions in lawsuits it would also be a really nice touch.

Signed,
Customer who purchased their first (and possibly last) Brinkmann product