Here is a reflection on what creates higher expectations in customers.
I was out for dinner with my family. They had that nice app for ordering but it didn’t work, so I had to order at the counter instead.
– And then you enter the total amount first,” said the woman behind the counter.
In her words, she meant that I could add a tip to the amount, because otherwise it would already be there in plain sight, so I just have to swipe the card. But now she suggested that I give a tip. A tip for a service I did not receive.
That’s backwards, because I don’t know how good the service is that she wants me to reward before it has happened.
Now I pay the full amount before I get the food. It has become more common with these apps that the payment comes first.
Thought about this. This places higher expectations on the level of service to live up to, already at the point of payment.
Higher expectations in welfare
This is also the case in our welfare system. We have already paid through taxes for a service we have not yet received. This, I think, adds to the disappointment when the delivery is not as expected. Because I already paid, I feel that I can’t influence the transaction in any way, because the money is already deducted from my salary and I can’t “negotiate” by saying that I think the service is not in line with the desired price and then maybe pay a little less.
We can argue that the public sector is not a market per se, but it still makes no difference. Because when a person is disappointed with the service, they are disappointed anyway. The “fall” is greater when you pay in advance. It is inevitable that the customer has higher expectations on the service that is provided.
We need to take this to heart when we work in the public sector, for example. We should look at the customer’s wants and needs and make sure that we live up to their expectations. We have an extra responsibility, so to speak, to provide an excellent service to those we serve, whatever we happen to call them.
Greetings,
Matts
