| A case study of a dysfunctional customer service | | | | person who controls the thermostat that needs |
| environment is happening in Canada right now. | | | | to step up. |
| The TTC - Toronto Transit Commission - is the | | | | The bottom line is that customer service begins |
| organization that provides Toronto's public | | | | with accountability, and nothing can or will change |
| transportation - buses, subways, etc. They've | | | | until individuals are willing to accept their roles. TTC |
| been under fire recently for their customer | | | | Riders are the transit workers' customers |
| service levels, and the public have begun to fight | | | | (including the thirteen-year-olds). Transit workers |
| back by publishing photographs and videos of their | | | | need to accept the responsibilities that come with |
| experiences. | | | | that. Similarly, the transit workers are the TTC |
| Rather than having the courage to take | | | | leadership's customers, and the leadership must |
| responsibility, however, and begin the process of | | | | be accountable for their level of satisfaction and |
| fixing things, both the management and union | | | | performance. It all begins with attitude. |
| have taken to the finger-pointing game. The union | | | | I tried to do a rough head-count the other day of |
| president, Bob Kinnear, was quoted as saying: | | | | how many people our company has seen in our |
| "We've got 13 and 14-year-olds that feel that | | | | customer service training programs over 20 |
| they have an entitlement to film our operators in | | | | years, and it came out to about a half-million |
| the performance of their duties, and that's not | | | | people. I've come to categorize them into three |
| acceptable." The management has decided to lay | | | | very broad categories. The first (and largest) |
| most of the blame straight on the backs of the | | | | group are those who are interested in delivering |
| front line, with TTC GM Gary Webster saying, | | | | great customer service, and are willing to try new |
| "We've allowed ourselves to shift to an | | | | things and develop new skills. The second are the |
| environment that is unacceptable. All of us have | | | | incredibly keen superstars who don't want to be |
| to accept responsibility for allowing this to happen, | | | | just good - they want to be the best. They're |
| me included." | | | | the most fun to work with. The third, and |
| Both men have missed the point by a wide | | | | fortunately the smallest group, are the ones who |
| margin. | | | | already believe that they are doing fine, and that |
| Bob Kinnear has forgotten that those | | | | there is no point in trying to improve. |
| thirteen-year-olds are TTC customers, and yes, | | | | The difference between the first two groups and |
| Bob, like it or not, employees are accountable to | | | | the third is profound, and the area where we see |
| their customers. Full stop. Period. End of | | | | the greatest division is in accountability. People in |
| conversation. Scolding the public for identifying | | | | the first two groups are willing to accept, to |
| poor performance is like blaming someone who's | | | | varying degrees, their contributions to customer |
| been mugged for the mugging. You can't blame | | | | service problems that arise. They are willing to be |
| the victim. | | | | critical of their own performance, and take steps |
| Gary Webster has forgotten that the | | | | to improve. The third group wants to blame the |
| responsibility for an unacceptable environment | | | | customers for their issues. They are absolutely |
| doesn't include him, it rests solely with him. The | | | | unwilling to take any responsibility for their own |
| quality of working attitudes and environments are | | | | actions. It's actually quite scary to hear them, |
| a direct reflection of leadership. Every single time. | | | | when they start on their rants about how horrible |
| Blaming employees for a systemic attitude issue | | | | their customers are. |
| is like blaming cold people for shivering. It's the | | | | |