1
00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,800
Speaker 1: Choice of put out some research showing that three out

2
00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:09,000
Speaker 1: of four of us as consumers have experienced poor customer services.

3
00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:13,039
Speaker 1: Thattle comers are surprised to absolutely no one six thousand

4
00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:18,160
Speaker 1: Choice supporters responding to this survey revealing many businesses giving

5
00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,760
Speaker 1: consumers you and me the run around, Andy Kelly from Choice,

6
00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:25,200
Speaker 1: that's a high percentage, Andy, good morning.

7
00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,319
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it was pretty shocking. But yeah, as you said,

8
00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,559
Speaker 2: would be expected to many people. And yeah, I mean

9
00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,040
Speaker 2: it's clear that far too many business businesses are giving

10
00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:39,640
Speaker 2: consumers are running run around and putting up barriers that

11
00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,519
Speaker 2: prevent people getting the support that they need. And yeah,

12
00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:44,760
Speaker 2: pretty pretty shocking as well, that eighty five percent of

13
00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,360
Speaker 2: people think that customer service is getting.

14
00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:49,879
Speaker 1: Worth Yeah, that's not good. What does poor service look like?

15
00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,519
Speaker 1: What are people saying it is?

16
00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:55,400
Speaker 2: Yeah, So of the key problems that people told us about,

17
00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,240
Speaker 2: about half that they were kept waiting fast as long

18
00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:01,880
Speaker 2: when they're trying to unpacked a business by the phone.

19
00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,160
Speaker 2: Forty three percent of people said the service they received

20
00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,680
Speaker 2: hadn't actually solved the issue that they were calling about

21
00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:10,000
Speaker 2: or the problem that they were trying to solve. And

22
00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,000
Speaker 2: for thirty one percent of people it wasn't easy to

23
00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,559
Speaker 2: even find a way to contact the business at all.

24
00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,080
Speaker 1: Do you think we're grumpier though, than we might have

25
00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:21,520
Speaker 1: been if this survey was done, say ten years ago,

26
00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:26,280
Speaker 1: that our expectations have changed that we're through I don't know.

27
00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,200
Speaker 1: Five g as an example, were used to instant gratification.

28
00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:33,400
Speaker 1: Our demands met immediately over here and takes longer over there,

29
00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:34,759
Speaker 1: So therefore we complain about it.

30
00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,200
Speaker 2: I mean it's possible. I mean it's also possible that

31
00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,840
Speaker 2: the experience that consumers are receiving from businesses has has

32
00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,080
Speaker 2: changed in deteriorated over time. And I mean we've had

33
00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,000
Speaker 2: the likes of Uber and Amazon really kind of changing

34
00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,559
Speaker 2: this space in a way that they provide customer service

35
00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,800
Speaker 2: to people. And Uber's kind of a perfect example in

36
00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,800
Speaker 2: that they make it really hard to find a way

37
00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,880
Speaker 2: to that called them. In fact, their contact details they're

38
00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:06,960
Speaker 2: hidden in the FAQ section on their website. Anyone ever

39
00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:10,440
Speaker 2: needs it, but there it is all right.

40
00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,400
Speaker 1: So I suppose too. If you think of department stores,

41
00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,520
Speaker 1: they have changed. There are a fewer staff, and trying

42
00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,320
Speaker 1: to find a counter that's open with somebody there is

43
00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,640
Speaker 1: not like it was in the old days. So you know,

44
00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:26,120
Speaker 1: you do wait longer, certainly in the department store, just

45
00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,120
Speaker 1: to get served because there seems to be as far

46
00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,160
Speaker 1: as on the floor goes staff non existent.

47
00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,120
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, and it's usually the case that businesses

48
00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,920
Speaker 2: invest a bit more resources or significantly more resources in

49
00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,440
Speaker 2: trying to sell you the products or service in the

50
00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,960
Speaker 2: first place. But what really came through in this survey

51
00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,560
Speaker 2: was the post sales experience was really poor for people,

52
00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,600
Speaker 2: and that looks like making it really hard to cancel

53
00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:56,240
Speaker 2: a service but you no longer want. We had a

54
00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,560
Speaker 2: lot of people tell us about the struggles being kind

55
00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,480
Speaker 2: of to use chat bots and speak to online chat

56
00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,720
Speaker 2: services to cancel a service, or finding it really difficult

57
00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,560
Speaker 2: to find a way to do it. And instead of

58
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,680
Speaker 2: the customer service agent action in that request, they hit

59
00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,240
Speaker 2: with a bunch of objection handling and you know, what

60
00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,840
Speaker 2: can we do to make you make you say, which

61
00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,000
Speaker 2: you know isn't want customers want to hear. They just

62
00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:21,480
Speaker 2: want their issue solved quickly.

63
00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,840
Speaker 1: Yes, well that's it, that's what we all want to

64
00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,200
Speaker 1: I'm sure. So what can businesses do then to improve

65
00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,079
Speaker 1: I'm sure they have a look at this, But is

66
00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,080
Speaker 1: profit the overriding factor and consumers will put up I

67
00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,320
Speaker 1: suppose there might be some of the attitudes out there.

68
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,920
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I mean, you know, businesses can do can

69
00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,600
Speaker 2: do a lot of things to ensure that they're adequately

70
00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,320
Speaker 2: resourcing their their customer service departments, but legally there isn't

71
00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,000
Speaker 2: much forcing them to do this kind of thing, and

72
00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,040
Speaker 2: there isn't much to stop them deliberately putting up barriers

73
00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,120
Speaker 2: in the way of customers seeking support and trying to

74
00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,280
Speaker 2: enforce their rights, to you know, to turpey from from

75
00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,000
Speaker 2: actually enforcing their rights. So that's why we're calling on

76
00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,960
Speaker 2: the government to pass two fairness laws that would actually

77
00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:09,720
Speaker 2: make a whole range of un business practices and some

78
00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:11,920
Speaker 2: of the ones that we've talked about today illegal.

79
00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,920
Speaker 1: Yes, so around getting problems solved, But under the consumer law,

80
00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:17,680
Speaker 1: they've got that obligation anyway, don't they.

81
00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:23,200
Speaker 2: So there's no overarching obligation in relation to making sure

82
00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:25,880
Speaker 2: you're providing good customer service or anything like that. There

83
00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:30,720
Speaker 2: are some industry codes various obligations, but they don't cover

84
00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:33,479
Speaker 2: all industries, that don't cover all businesses, and they vary

85
00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,520
Speaker 2: in how vague they are and how easier they are

86
00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:41,800
Speaker 2: to enforce. So in overarching law that would ensure businesses

87
00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,360
Speaker 2: can't give consumers to run around, is really the answer.

88
00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, although you know, as a consumer, I can think

89
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,400
Speaker 1: of a number of businesses I'll never set foot in

90
00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,839
Speaker 1: again because of what I thought was really shoddy service

91
00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,000
Speaker 1: or products. So I never going to visit them again.

92
00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:58,200
Speaker 1: And that's the way to deal with it.

93
00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:02,000
Speaker 2: Isn't it. Yes, I mean, most most consumers will will

94
00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,120
Speaker 2: vote with their feet. But unfortunately, particularly when we when

95
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,680
Speaker 2: we think about essential services, those things like telcodes, insurance,

96
00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,520
Speaker 2: you're banking, you've only really got a few options unfortunately.

97
00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,160
Speaker 2: I mean, as you know, Australia has highly concentrated markets,

98
00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,440
Speaker 2: so you've really only got a few options people are

99
00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,400
Speaker 2: time for as well. So unfortunately a lot of people

100
00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,320
Speaker 2: will will just put up with this kind of thing.

101
00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,000
Speaker 2: And one person told us about the experience with an

102
00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,600
Speaker 2: insurance company where they had a minor accident and they

103
00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,039
Speaker 2: spent a period of three weeks just trying to get

104
00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,480
Speaker 2: through calling at different times of the day, always getting

105
00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,839
Speaker 2: the message of really that is so infuriating. They're receiving

106
00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,800
Speaker 2: an unusual amount of calls. But when you're constantly getting

107
00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:47,520
Speaker 2: that message surely that's an unusual amount of call.

108
00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:49,480
Speaker 1: H's exactly, that's right.

109
00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,279
Speaker 2: And yeah, it took three weeks to actually even get through,

110
00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,280
Speaker 2: and that person was left feeling that the next time

111
00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,520
Speaker 2: they have a minor accent, they probably won't even make

112
00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,920
Speaker 2: a claim because it was the process was so hard

113
00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,320
Speaker 2: they were just fixed it themselves. And so you're paying

114
00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,280
Speaker 2: for a service that is really really difficult to use.

115
00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,640
Speaker 1: Yeah, well, all change insurance companies. I mean again, that's

116
00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:13,360
Speaker 1: what you'd well, I would absolutely yeah next time around. Yeah,

117
00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,720
Speaker 1: but there it is, all right, interesting, Thank you Andy

118
00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:19,320
Speaker 1: for your time this morning. Andy Kelly from Choice. Poor

119
00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,960
Speaker 1: customer service. So it's not just you know, in a

120
00:06:22,040 --> 00:06:27,800
Speaker 1: department store or whatever. It's with banks, with telcos, with everything.

121
00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:33,640
Speaker 1: But you do get that our lines are busy with

122
00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,400
Speaker 1: an extraordinary number of calls. That's a cop out, isn't it.

123
00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,480
Speaker 1: That's the biggest excuse of all time when you get

124
00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,480
Speaker 1: that message down the phone. And I love if you've

125
00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:45,279
Speaker 1: got a number and just dialing the extension to that.

126
00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:48,000
Speaker 1: So if the number ends in you know, for instance,

127
00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,640
Speaker 1: double one, double one, and you figure out that maybe

128
00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,280
Speaker 1: if I dial whatever the prefix is and one two, three, four,

129
00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,040
Speaker 1: you end up at somebody's extension and then say, oh,

130
00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,279
Speaker 1: is this not the Alame's department or whatever it is

131
00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,640
Speaker 1: you're calling for. Can you put me through please? That

132
00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:07,040
Speaker 1: seems to be a quicker way sometimes, so try that