FREE Articles for Your Publication (Use the Back button to return to article list.)

Communicate Change

by June Van Klaveren

The ad claimed that with the new DVR service from our local cable TV company, you could record TV programs and immediately play them back without tapes! Plus you could pause live TV and start the show where you paused it. And the price was better than other systems that would require new equipment to be installed on the roof. So, because we already subscribed to cable TV and internet service, it was logical to subscribe to the DVR system through the cable company.

A call in September resulted in our being put on a waiting list because the DVRs were on back order. October rolled around and still no DVR. Another call resulted in the customer service rep telling me I never was on a list but they would add me to the top of the list. 

In January, I was determined to get the cable company to take my dollars for the DVR service. The rep told me that they abandoned the waiting list and the DVRs aren't available.

Then a call to the corporate office of the cable company resulted in being transferred to the "Corporate Escalation" department. The lady who called me back, obviously skilled at diffusing angry customers, explained that they have discontinued the service and are not taking any more orders for the DVR service. I was still disappointed, but at least, I knew the situation.

What could the company have done? COMMUNICATE the fact that they'd discontinued the service to those on the "waiting list," removed the ad on their web site and removed their advertising of the service.

The question: have you made changes to your service that you have failed to communicate to your customers? Even the smallest change is more accepted if the customer understands what's happened!

Think on it!

June Van Klaveren, owner of Compelling Communications, helps her clients attract and keep customers. To contact her, call 800-779-0067 or email june@compelcom.com

All of these free articles for reprint may be freely published in any e-zine, newsletter, newspaper, magazine, website, etc. as long as my name and bio remain in tact. Please send me a link when you run my work. Just be sure to NOT edit them in any way and to always INCLUDE the credit line at the bottom. Copyright laws apply!