What ever happened to good customer service?

[ADbassman]

This has been bugging me recently, but everywhere I go it seems like I have to fight for service. Walgreens, the car dealership, restaurants, whatever, it's always the same story. I expect a certain level of professionalism and service when I buy something.

Most everywhere I go customer service reps offer me some kind of attitude or they are just plain lazy. I've noticed it even more since I moved to California from Missouri. I don't remember it being this bad back home. I remember when I worked in the service industry I busted my butt trying to get stuff done. I just don't see the same level of work ethic or any sense of urgency. Am I the only who sees a problem?

[superbassman2000]

possibly, but I also don't think the customers are all that innocent either.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

possibly, but I also don't think the customers are all that innocent either.

I have to agree. I think customers have become less pleasant to deal with in recent years, too.

[jonathan_matos5]

i used to work in customer service, sort of still am (sales). in many ways the customer service people are unable to help due to budgeting or bureaucracy. the rule for customer service has switched from "the customer is always right" to "if the customer doesn't like it they can go somewhere else"(see also "bite me")

honestly in many cases the customer screwed up and wouldn't have needed customer service if they were paying attention to what they were doing in the first place. (reading contracts or getting the right product)

on both sides of the argument there is an idiot in customer service and the main problem is nobody wants to admit it is them.

[naetog]

I know what you mean.

A lot of people seem bothered by the fact that they work in an industry where they are paid to help people. Don't like it? Get another job!

I manage a restaurant. As a result, I have to help people despite their over/under medicated ramblings, confusion, ignorance, etc. etc. People come back because the food is good, but mostly because our staff is willing to do what it takes to make people happy. Those that don't play the game either leave or are sent packing.

Am I rude? Never.
Do I complain? All the time.
Are people reasonable? 80% of the time.
Is it entertaining? Very much so.

The customer is not always right. Sometimes they just need to be educated.

[ADbassman]

Agreed on all points, though I have this directed more at point of sale customer service issues, more than talking to call center or a help line. That's another can of worms.

[Simo98]

There is plenty of good customer service still out there. However customer service is a service, and as such generally demands a payment. These days in a majority of industries the demand (and willingness to pay) for good customer service seems to be low, and the supply follows suit.

[Munjibunga]

I patronize places with good customer service. You have to look for it, but it's out there. Places that suck, I tell them they suck (in so many words), and don't go back. That's consumerism.

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I patronize places with good customer service. You have to look for it, but it's out there. Places that suck, I tell them they suck (in so many words), and don't go back. That's consumerism.

Which works, when (and if) you have an alternative to choose from...

[PSPookie]

Originally Posted by ADbassman

This has been bugging me recently, but everywhere I go it seems like I have to fight for service. Walgreens, the car dealership, restaurants, whatever, it's always the same story. I expect a certain level of professionalism and service when I buy something.

Most everywhere I go customer service reps offer me some kind of attitude or they are just plain lazy. I've noticed it even more since I moved to California from Missouri. I don't remember it being this bad back home. I remember when I worked in the service industry I busted my butt trying to get stuff done. I just don't see the same level of work ethic or any sense of urgency. Am I the only who sees a problem?

IMO/IME the bolded part is a significant part of the problem. People's concept of politeness and customer service in CA is significantly different from that found in the Southeast.

[DwaynieAD]

its the customers just as much if not more than its the customer service people

example

just recently i was in target and the woman at the customer service desk was trying to explain that she needed to issue a dollar refund onto the womans debit card and then give her the rest of the refund back as cash. in pretty much those exact words. the woman began yelling at her saying that she was not accepting 1 dollar as a refund because she payed more for the item than that, the customer service woman explained several more times that she would be getting the full amount back just that a one dollar refund would be put on her debit card, the woman argued every time

i tuned out due to stupidity overload, so i'm not sure how this ended up being resolved.

[Dirk Diggler]

The problem is most companies look at customer service as a cost center not a liability. It's from the top down.
Dirk

[powderfinger]

Heres the way I see it..

Customer Service jobs used to be great for younger people, possibly working through school even. Problem is, since jobs have become more scarce in America (due to outsourcing and deindustrialization, namely), more adults, many with college degrees are having to take this customer service jobs, just to make ends meet.

And firsthand, these jobs barely allow you to make ends meet. I can also tell you that customer service reps generally are treated with little respect. Call centers are not exactly known for the way they treat their employees either. Many call centers are very strict, and do not even treat their employees as individuals... just as dispoable labor.

Compound this with the fact that most customers these days are extremely demanding, obnoxious, ignorant, mean,rude, and often have the entitlement mentality, this is a recipe for disaster.

Basically, customer service reps dont wanna be there, but have to to survice, and customers are just rude as hell. Bad combo.

[Popbumper]

You can color this question with the overall premise that society in general has a greater propensity towards bad behavior, impatience, laziness, and self importance. We now live in the "me" generation, where the greater attitude towards self-serving far outweighs any inclination towards "community effort" or partnership.

In short, it's "hey I could give a >bleep< about who you are/what you need" because my own interests are more significant.

Chris

[TheVoiceless]

If customer service is what you are looking for, buy your music equipment from Sweetwater .com

Best customer service IMO.

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by DwaynieAD

its the customers just as much if not more than its the customer service people

example

just recently i was in target and the woman at the customer service desk was trying to explain that she needed to issue a dollar refund onto the womans debit card and then give her the rest of the refund back as cash. in pretty much those exact words. the woman began yelling at her saying that she was not accepting 1 dollar as a refund because she payed more for the item than that, the customer service woman explained several more times that she would be getting the full amount back just that a one dollar refund would be put on her debit card, the woman argued every time

i tuned out due to stupidity overload, so i'm not sure how this ended up being resolved.

she probably had to refund it that way because that's how she paid for it...IME most places give you your money back in the same way you paid for it. I would hope the CS lady pointed that out on the receipt to her.

[baalroo]

minimum wage = minimum effort

Why would you expect someone who is being paid as little as possible to do anything other than work as little as possible. You get what you pay for and in America we have decided that saving $.75 on a can of beans is more important than paying the guy stocking the beans an actual livable wage.

[macaroni tony]

Originally Posted by baalroo

minimum wage = minimum effort

Why would you expect someone who is being paid as little as possible to do anything other than work as little as possible. You get what you pay for and in America we have decided that saving $.75 on a can of beans is more important than paying the guy stocking the beans an actual livable wage.

Certainly a large part of the problem.

The largest part, IMHO, are idiotic customers

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by macaroni tony

The largest part, IMHO, are idiotic customers

I agree. I was out to lunch with my wife last week at a place that offered a pizza buffet during lunch. It was about $9. So in my mind, I wouldn't expect much more than some warm pizza on the counter at that price point. But I watched people approach the buffet line and start complaining about the lack of selection, how they wanted their favorite pizza out there, how the line was too long, why didn't they have this, why wasn't that available, how come the pizza wasn't fresh, on and on.

-Mike

[El Beardo]

Originally Posted by DwaynieAD

its the customers just as much if not more than its the customer service people

It doesn't matter if the customers are dumb, irate or impolite. Customer service people are paid to serve customers. That's their job. If they can't do that they should seek another job/career.