Bloopers 'n' Blunders

The Human Touch

We had an upcoming appointment at a local dermatology clinic, and a couple of days beforehand, we were surprised not to receive the typical reminder that most physician offices send confirming the date, time, and location. I called the office and got the most automated attendant ever! I went through the options and finally selected "scheduling," which led to another round of options. Selecting one of those led me to a lengthy message stating that they didn't answer any calls for any reason and that we could leave a message and expect a response (with no timeframe offered). I left a message asking for confirmation of our upcoming appointment. The next day I got a call from the clinic, but the person who introduced herself was immediately cut off. I waited a while, assuming she would call back, and when she didn't, I went through the same process again, leaving another message. I never heard back, so we went to the appointment, assuming that it was confirmed or they would have notified me otherwise. No surprise—there was no appointment.

Customer Service Opportunity
If you want to attract and keep customers, make it easy for them to get in touch with you and speak to a human! While automated phone systems may reduce overhead, they may also be reducing your clientele. Select your options carefully.

K. I.—Utah

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