"Customer service"

A quick note to point out how lacking in charm and manners I have found some reception staff to be at Mulberry Practice in my first two visits. They are not welcoming the arrival of the customer, judging from the body language displayed. This follows a pattern I have previously experienced in far too many Doctors’ surgeries.

Following the opening exchanges, presenting one’s enquiry, it is then typically necessary to think ahead over all potential avenues of the discussion with a view to in the fullest detail clarifying of one’s requirements with some determination, even strong insistence; any slip of the mind or tongue will not be met with a focus on the customer’s needs – one might leave accidentally forgetting to secure some basic but vital aspect of the service, even such as a dated future appointment. It would seem they are not interested in the customer. 

One only choses a local service for convenience. I do wonder whether some Practices will simply lose customers decisively and deservedly or whether businesses will be able to sit back with aspects of poor customer service – certainly in communication skills – relying on low self-esteem and/or high toleration amongst customers and/or insufficient competition from other local providers.