The Customer Service Blues

A few weeks ago, I wrote about an unfortunate incident in my home: The ceiling, weakened over time by rain and wind, literally came crashing down during a storm. Another unfortunate thing has also occurred: the lack of response from my insurance company.

Even though I spoke with the insurance agent the day after the storm, it was another eight days before an insurance adjustor came to inspect the damage. And that was nine days ago. Still no response from the insurance company despite repeated phone calls.

I understand these things take time. But while they’re pushing reports around, I’m left with a gaping hole in my ceiling. And this is Arizona. In the SUMMER. Needless to say, when the premium comes up in September, I’ll be shopping around.

While I doubt the insurance company will truly miss my annual premium, if there are more customers like me—and I’m sure there are—they could stand to lose thousands due to poor customer service.

Are tenants walking out your door because of poor customer service? When a tenant has a problem, are you attentive, concerned and willing to solve the problem? Or you do duck the customer, hoping the issue will resolve itself?

Yes, there are “problem” tenants—ones who can never be satisfied. But there are also good tenants who just need a few extra days to pay the bill; have a complaint about a neighboring tenant; or need someone to chat with. And customer service goes beyond solving tenant problems. Check out this article from the ISS archives for innovative ways to take your customer service to a new level.

Like my insurance company, you may not miss a customer here and there. But poor customer service will ultimately drive renters away. Can you afford to lose them?

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