July 15, 5:27 pm
“We can’t help you - you’re dead.”
While standing in line at the bank today, I listened as an elderly gentleman shared an incredible story of HORRIFIC customer service.
Seems he got a telemarketing phone call offering him life insurance. According to the gentleman, the telephone solicitor went on for ten minutes, explaining how she could save him money on his life insurance. (Yes, TEN MINUTES of talking!!!)
And AFTER the ten minutes of talking, the sales person finally asks “By the way, how old are you?”
The man gave his age.
The woman replied “Oh, we can’t help you — you’re dead.”
Shocked, the man replied “How can that be? I’m talking with you.”
The woman replied “According to our charts, statistically you’re already dead. We can’t sell you any life insurance.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I think a wee bit of customer service training would provide the telemarketer a better response than “We can’t help you — you’re dead” to people who are too old to qualify for their service. Don’t you?
Filed in Opinion, Training, Selling, Customer Service

Discussion
What do you think? Leave a comment. Alternatively, write a post on your own weblog; this blog accepts trackbacks.
Leave a Reply