Customer Service in Buenos Aires

[steveinbsas]

If you want to be able to get a refund with no questions asked just shop at EASY...and I've had great cusromer service with Claro!

 

[Davidglen77]

The underlying problem here is well, NO CONSEQUENCES for bad behavior, or poor customer service. When I started working after college, my first job was at a bank, I went thorough a 6 month rotation program where I did 2 weeks in every postion in the bank, started as teller, then head teller, then customer service desk, loan processor, loan officer, etc, etc. We had a company wide team of "mystery shoppers" who were company quality control officers posing as customers. They were so good at acting like difficult and demanding customers, it was really hard to detect them. Any bank employee who got "mystery shopped" was automatically called into their manager's office at the end of the day to inform them that they were "mystery shopped" and what their score was. If you got low scores during 3 "mystery shop" episodes, you were automatically fired, for each positive result you were given an award plus $300 dollars. So generally every teller and customer service agent was nice, because they knew it would mean their job and no $300 which at the time for a teller was a week's pay (early 1991). Here in Argentina if you tried to discipline an employee, can you imagine the result to the company? They would be called "burgués" "exploiters" and the union would call a strike. That is why companies don't do anything to bad employees, they pretty much call the shots and run the company and act however they want, since there is no incentive not to. Plain and simple.

 

[el_expatriado]

The best way to get good customer service in Argentina is to avoid dealing with people. I try to use the automatic options or self-service options whenever possible. Waiters are probably the only service providers I can't avoid on a regular basis.

My main problem is that I like to eat and be done a lot faster than most Argentines. After awhile you learn some tricks and you can actually train most waiters (even Argentine ones) to move quicker.

 

[ElQueso]

I know you all are trying to keep things positive, but I honestly can't believe I'm reading this....customer service in Argentina, getting better? really?

Do you all dine out? The waiters take forever to approach your table, then take forever to bring you your drink, and so on and so forth. Fibertel took me two weeks to get an appointment, then when I had issues it took them another two weeks to come out. Cashiers bitch about making change for a 100 peso note. Ever flown Aerolineas Argentinas? Had any delays with them? Like EVERY damn time I flew with them. The list goes on and on...

You all are absolutely nuts if you think things are changing because of one experience.

Read the positive posts a little more carefully. We were talking about big companies improving their customer service. I specifically mentioned a huge company DirecTV. Not waiters in restaurants, store attendants, etc.

No one said anything about a miracle coming about in Argentina. And no one mentioned specifically AA, being a government-run mess.

In fact, I think the phrase "baby steps" was used...but again, related to some big companies.

 

[garygrunson]

I do think that customer service is getting better in some places. One I noticed recently is at the Swiss Medical clinics and offices. They are nicer and they have a sign to "Tell them if your experience was less than perfect" and forms to submit about customer experience. While I have been pretty happy with the service at Swiss Medical in general, it is nice that they are trying to improve.

I have seen these customer survey card more often in BA than the past.

Not saying that this is the rule could be just the exception. But maybe the bigger companies are getting the idea.

 

[Gringoboy]

I'm surprised to hear about your experience with Fibertel. In six years that I've been using them in various locations in BA, they've never let us down.At least when you call them, you talk to a human. But then that's just my experience.
Telefonica, Telecom and Arnet on the other hand get me pulling my hair out. They simply couldn't give a damn.
What this country needs is more open competition, particularly in the utilities sector.

 

[arlean]

First off, I have noticed customer service slipping in the US. In my old area it sure isn't what it used to be.

But I agree about Argentina. An Argentine friend who has lived in the US for the last 10 years explained that the Argentina thought pattern is just not the same as the US. He said they don't think in terms of the future, keeping you as a customer. They only think what can they get from you right now. That's all that matters.

In the US people understand that if you provide good customer service, that person is likely to spend thousands of dollars with you in the future, whereas if the customer is unhappy, that's the end of it. They will spend their money elsewhere! Therefore the term: the customer is always right.

What I see here is a wonderful opportunity for the skilled entrepreneur with the north american work ethic who values the customer and behaves accordingly. What do you think?