Rudeness

December 29, 2005

Study says that 58% of customers will take their business elsewhere because of a rudeness, even if it costs them more money to do so...

December 29, 2005

In a survey of 1281 business professionals across the United States... The findings are reported below with the percentage of respondents replying. Numbers add up to more than 100% due to respondents providing multiple answers.

Is rudeness in business:

increasing -- 80%

decreasing -- 11%

same -- 09%

The most rude behaviors reported by respondents are:

Telephone rudeness -- 62%

Long, abrupt holds -- 27%

Unreturned phone calls -- 24%

Voice mail mazes -- 11%

Indifference, inattentiveness, "don't care" attitude of employees -- 39%

Ignoring customers and conducting private conversations in person or over the phone while others are waiting -- 36%

Time abuses such as long waits, long lines, employee lateness to work, slow response -- 34%

Interruptions, cutting off conversation or dismissing discussion -- 22%

Abrupt voice tone and rude language -- 19.5%

Lack of appreciation for employees or customers, no "thank you's" -- 8%

What is your response to rude behavior?

Take business elsewhere even if out of way or higher price -- 58%

Write letter or document -- 42%

Talk to supervisor or manager -- 25%

Ignore it either because don't want to confront or consider people have bad days -- 21%

What are the behaviors you most admire, appreciate, and respect?

Friendly, quick greeting -- 60%

Helpful, even if not your job -- 39%

Appreciation of customer, coworkers, employees -- 38%

Honesty, integrity, sincerity -- 22%

Promptness, fast service, short waits -- 21%

Follow-up with letters or calls, honor commitments -- 21%

Respect of ideas and opinions -- 17%

What is your response to these behaviors?

Go out of way to conduct business -- 42%

Work harder at job -- 31%

More loyal as customer and employee -- 25%

Refer others -- 18%

December 29, 2005

Rude behavior ruins business. The costs to correct rude behavior are minor compared to the exponential benefits. If companies scrutinize how their phones are handled, how alert, interested, and attentive employees are to customers, how they show appreciation to customers and employees, and how quickly they respond to honor people's time, they will have solved many of their problems. They will plug the leaks that drain a company of its performance and profits.

December 29, 2005

Here's the kicker...

This survey was conducted in 1999. Do you think things have gotten any better since then? Or to focus the question even more... Do you think things have gotten better since then in your company?

TintDude · December 29, 2005

So these BMW driving, "it's my baby" customers can walk all over me, and I gotta kiss their ass? Sorry. I'm polite to those who are polite to me, when some jagoff comes in and starts telling me how to do my job, well, there's the door, don't let it hit you on the way out.

blade · December 29, 2005

if customers expect me to be polite then it's only normal for me to expect them to be polite too. if they come in with an attitude they can expect an attitude right back. they come in in a positive mood they'll get one in return. I'm not kizzin' anyone's azz :dunno