Gulf offers 'bad' customer service - 56% poll

CUSTOMER CARE: Good service will become more important as the economic crisis bites. (Getty Images)

Bad customer service prevails across the Gulf and companies should invest in proper training for their staff, according to more than half of those responding to an online poll.

The survey by Arabian Business asked responders to rate the level of customer service they experienced in the region.

The majority at 56.6 percent said they found the level of customer care to be "bad" and that staff needed more training.

Just two percent rated the service as world class, while 14.6 percent said it was good and merely lacked the “finishing touches".    

A further 26.8 percent said customer care was patchy, to the extent that it could be used to distinguish between companies.

The poll was conducted after retail experts revealed that customer care would force itself to the top of the agenda as businesses tried to retain customers, and fought for new ones, in a bid to survive the global economic crisis.

Inadequate training, a transient workforce and cultural differences are some of the reasons cited for the deteriorating level of customer service in the Gulf.

“I can understand if people are upset because generally, the levels of customer service here are pretty bad,” said Naeem Ghafoor, chief executive of retail consultancy Skyline Retail Services.

Some sales staff were educated to degree level in their home countries and have gone into retail simply to make ends meet, and sometimes become disillusioned when they realize the true cost of living in the Gulf, Ghafoor added.

However, the consumer slowdown could be good news for frustrated shoppers as companies would be forced to work harder to attract business, he said.

“When times are good, nobody complains because everybody is making money. But when times get tough and you have to go out of your way to make a sale...this is the time when you really know how good your staff are.”

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READERS' COMMENTS

Customer service
Posted by Mindscape, Dubai, India on Thursday 5 February 2009 at 11:07 UAE time


A great man once said 'Customer service is not a department, it is an attitude'. Now see what we have landed ourselves into. People getting fired, businesses closing, projects being put on hold, this is a very expensive way of learning.

RUDE SALEMAN
Posted by SCHUBERT on Wednesday 4 February 2009 at 15:45 UAE time


THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE WELL TRAINED FROM TIME TO TIME. SOME OF THE TOOL FREE NUMBERS REMAIN UNATTENDED EVEN IF YOU CALL THE TOOL FREE NUMER MORE THEN DOZEN TIMES.

Bad service
Posted by Gail Clough, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 4 February 2009 at 13:30 UAE time


I bought a bag from Massimo Dutti. Twice it broke. Twice I took it back.
The manager would only repair it and refused to change it claiming that goods cannot be classified as faulty if only one piece has been returned broeken to the shop.
Have you ever heard anything so insane in your life.

Customer "Care"
Posted by Daveindubai on Wednesday 4 February 2009 at 11:09 UAE time


Generally I find that there is a great deal of attention paid to you prior to handing over the dhs's to purchase the item BUT once your money has been pocketed woe beitide anyone who expects after service care.

Don't get me wrong - I will happily tout Al Masooud Motors as having been very good both pre and post my vehicel purchase.

And HSBC's Status Account offers great perks and my Account Manager is fantastic to deal with - although seeing horrendous queues at the bank for normal account holders I don't think they would have the same story to tell.

Apart from these stand outs thats all I can remember. Generally other organisation's customer service jumps out if they just do what they promised e.g. Showtime installed my service when they said they would and called to see if I was happy. My friends and I were STUNNED that a company agreed to supply a service and actually did this ontime.

I raved about them until a friend pointed out that they did what they were supposed to - great customer service is not someone turning up when they are scheduled and doing their job.

The key point is that because most other customer service is so appalling - e.g. Etisalat Directory Information service just hang up on you if they can't help - any company who simply follows through on a commitment is considered to be stellar.

How often have you said to yourself that all you want to do is give this service provider or supplier MONEY so why do I have to almost walk across broken glass to do this? Just so they can take my money and then probably never check into to see if I am happy ever again?

It's disappointing that average and basic customer service becomes the pinnacle to which many local companies aim - we are not a 3rd world country and should be looking at examples of customer service in Australia and the UK to see how a customer (someone who gives you money) should be treated.

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