Car park disclaimers and customer service

Today, we are talking customer service and we are asking whether or not customer car park disclaimers are really necessary and if they are, what effect do they have on customer service?

Disclaimers in general are necessary, and so if a car park has one, there is nothing wrong with it. However, shouldn’t the car park disclaimer be protective of all, including the main reason for the existence of that company the customer? Can we say the sort of disclaimers we see at the various car parks are in the interest of the customer?

The question I ask myself any time I see these disclaimers is: “Why shouldn’t institutions be responsible for customers’ cars and their contents when the customer solely comes there to pay their salaries/wages and allowances?” Are they saying, for instance, that if a customer has a TV set/fridge/goat in his car and he goes to a bank/hotel/restaurant, among other places, to transact business, he should carry the item along? Or that customers cannot do business with them, if they have cars? If that’s not what the disclaimers mean, then what is the customer supposed to do?

Customer’s importance

Again I ask, is the customer not supposed to be the most important component of business? Can there be business without the customer?

If there is no business without the Customer, then the Customer is the BUSINESS. The assets of a company on their own do not generate any income. Your business is what brings you that income so, again, the customer is your business and in fact the boss.

Don’t they also deserve a special and well-protected car park like your managers have?

Again, why do you have security guards at these car parks?Why are they there? Who and what are they protecting and/or preventing? Please don’t tell me they are there to ensure customers park properly because that would be the most ridiculous reason and the most wasteful decision ever made in the history of business. To hire “trained security guards” to direct cars to park properly; Wow! – What a shock! Anybody can do that job.

If the guards are to protect lives and properties, as well as direct parking, then they should do their jobs in its entirety. I know someone may be thinking by now, so what if there are no disclaimers and customers come claiming stuff they did not have in their cars? My answer is simple, companies can have disclaimers, if they must, but they must ensure the client’s interest is captured in the disclaimer.

How about this?

Can companies consider the following disclaimer:

“You are kindly advised to declare all properties or valuables in your car at the security check point before proceeding to transact business with us. Please ensure all valuables are duly recorded and a copy of the record sheet is given to you for reference purposes. Management cannot be held accountable for the loss/damage to any undeclared car and its content. Please be assured that your car and its declared content are in safe hands. Thank You.”

It may be long but it serves everyone. The responsibility is still on the customer to declare but it also assures the customer that his/her interest is protected. Aside from this “all interests considered disclaimer”, can companies also consider insuring their customer car parks against theft/fire and any other event or at least provide fire extinguishers at their car parks?

Can they also ensure their security personnel do their core work that is protect lives and property? If companies cannot trust these guards to protect the properties of clients then they can’t trust them to protect their companies and properties. Don’t worry about who will pay for the customer car park insurance; the extinguishers and the vigilance of the security guards, the customer will…just as he pays salaries and everything else.

The customer is the sole reason for the existence of any profit making/seeking venture and is the most important component in every business. He/she must, therefore, receive the very best of care. The present disclaimers we see at customer car parks are a total affront to excellent customer service. Customer service is simple, just do unto others as you would have them do unto you!

Those found at commercial car parks are an insult to clients.

For companies, which have not provided parking spaces for their clients, they are skating on very thin ice. My humble thoughts! Feel free to debate.