Customer Service: Well, I Would Have Helped You

What Exactly Does This Mean?

I was doing some food shopping (my favorite thing, right after driving bamboo shoots under my fingernails) and this employee's T-shirt popped up in front of the All Things Workplace iPhone camera.

My immediate thought: "Somehow I, the customer, screwed up. Had I been a good customer I would have sought her out. But alas, there's nothing I can do about it now."

I wonder how many customer service/marketing/executive geniuses sat around a conference table high-fiving each other for creating this?

If they had just asked, I would have written one for them. Something like, "Hi, I'm here to help you."

Oh; and it would go on the front of the shirt.

Comments

[Lluc Potrony]

There are too many marketing people with too few ideas. They say selling something it's the same for any kind of product --if you apply the marketing techniques correctly.

[Alexandra Levit]

Why not stick with the proven "I'm here to help." Sounds like they were overthinking it, and you're absolutely right, Steve. It doesn't work.

Kind Regards,

Alexandra Levit
Author, How'd You Score That Gig?
Blogger, Water Cooler Wisdom
http://www.alexandralevit.com

[Steve Roesler]

Alexandra,

They needed some Water Cooler Wisdom.

[Wally Bock]

Love it. Reminds me of the old Wal-Mart vests that said, "May I help you?" It was a great sentiment, but it was on the back of the vest, so you mostly saw it when the employee was walking away.

On the plus side, I was working with a client in southern Missouri some years ago when he stopped off at a funky old-style hardware store on an errand. The workers had aprons that said, "I'm here to help you and I know where everything is."

[Steve Roesler]

Wally,

Perhaps the "Show Me" folks should be called in to evaluate all marketing messages.

[Lynn M]

I think there is an increasing tendency these day to say something "clever" -- but when some people try this they miss the mark. It really is a mildly insulting statement. Makes me feel like, "Well why didn't you help me then?" It's like taking credit after the fact. "You should have called me" a friend says after you tell her about a problem you were had. She gets points for saying she would have helped you, even though she didn't actually have to do anything. Yet the question lingers....would she really have helped at all? You'll never know.

[Carpii Lane]

I have work in customer service on and off for almost 25 years, this makes me sick to my stomach. I wonder myself if those marketers had a bet to see if they could get the employees to actually wear the shirts.