Where Did Customer Service Go?

Published by Laurie on Tagged Just Wrong, Society, Life

I can’t recall exactly when the downward trend began, but it seems that true customer service is well on its way to becoming extinct.  Maybe it started with the advent of the scanning technology, or perhaps it’s outsourcing.  I’m not sure, but recently I have noticed that receiving quality, competent customer service anywhere has become increasingly difficult.  Instead of expecting to be treated as a valued customer, I find myself surprised and even thankful when I am.

Companies now market customer service like an added bonus.  “Come to the Red Store, where the Customer is King”.  What…as opposed to the Black Store and the Blue Store where the customer is a nuisance that is merely tolerated?  Hey, reality check; of course we’re king!  We should be! We are the customer!  Without us, there would be no Red Store, Black Store or any Store.  You wouldn’t exist without customers!  Sheesh!

It has become a normal occurrence to proceed to the check-out line at the grocery store, or the discount stores and become a sounding board as the cashier proceeds to complain.  “I hope they don’t think I’m working past 4:00, because I’m not, I’m leaving, they better get someone over here” or “I’m not taking any more people at my register, I was supposed to be on break 10 minutes ago”  and the best yet,  “Do you know how much this was?  There’s no price on here and it won’t scan”  followed by the huff, the puff, an evil eye, then the expectant stare, waiting for you (the customer) to provide them with the necessary information. 

Reach out and smack someone 

Then there is the telephone customer service.  If you happen to be lucky enough to reach a human being after pressing countless prompts, repeating several key phrases on the voice recognition, and waiting for what seems like an eternity on hold, listening to a recording every 3 minutes assuring you that your call is important and apologizing for your wait, you are finally greeted by a customer service representative.
 “How can I help you?”  And for a brief moment you actually believe you are well on your way to actually being helped.  
“I have a question about my bill” 
“Account number”?
“12345678” 
“Ma’am, that account doesn’t come up on my computer.  You said 12345678, right”? 
“Yes”
“Sorry, my computer is slow.  OK, Jane Smythe”? 
“Actually, it’s Jane Smith” 
“Mrs. Smythe, what was your question” 
“I have a charge for services on my bill that I didn’t order”
“Well, the computer says you ordered it on August 15th”  
“But I didn’t” 
“Well, the computer says you did” 
“The computer must be wrong, I didn’t” 
(followed by some angry tapping on the computer keyboard, a few huffs and puffs) then the inevitable,  “I’m gonna put you on hold”
…click….Muzak…….

They don’t even bother to ask if they can put you on hold, they rarely even wait for a response.  Before you know it, you’re on hold, wondering what obscenities are being tossed around at the call center about pain-in-the-ass-customer-account #12345678.

And when did the computer become the customer’s nemesis?  If you’re not “in” with the almighty computer you’re screwed, but what about the other computer?  Remember, the one between the ears of human beings?  It’s called the brain.  Why can’t they use that computer. That’s the one that is actually getting paid to provide service.  Instead it’s being used for transmitting  irritation and annoyance at the customer.

After 20 minutes on hold, (that’s about 7 of the “your call is important to us” recordings) she finally comes back. 
“Mrs. Smith”? 
“Yes” (ooh, she said the name right, and she sounds much more pleasant, now we’re getting somewhere) 
“I’m going to transfer you to our accounting department”
…click….Muzak…. 
Oh, that wench!  No wonder she was happy, she passed the buck.   I’m better off staying on hold.  The “your call is important to us” recording is way more pleasant than the actual customer service.

I think part of the problem is that the focus has somehow shifted to the initial sale, the commission.  Your best bet to get people to be nice to you is if they get a commission for doing so.  But even that isn’t always a sure bet.  Once I took my daughter into a new hair salon, with a sign Walk-ins Welcome.  The receptionist was nice enough, she looked at the schedule and said someone will be right with us.  She proceeded to walk over to a stylist that was sitting on her chair, and said, “Sue, you have a customer” to which Sue replied.  “Oh, I just sat down, and her hair is too long, I don’t like doing long hair, give her to someone else.”  The receptionist turned to ask us if we would like to wait, to which we declined and headed out the door.  Needless to say, I saved myself from ever becoming a customer of that establishment. 

What really irritates me about all of this is that mediocrity is becoming the norm and quality service is becoming the exception.   I have had plenty of jobs in my lifetime, and since I was a teenager, my employers, my parents, everyone always told me,  no matter what, the customer is always right.  You don’t argue with them, you don’t make them feel as if they are a pain in the butt.  You give them service with a smile, that’s your job.  That’s what you’re paid for!  

It’s all upside down.  When did the bar get lowered?  There once was a time when customer service was a priority.  Seriously, I’m not lying. When companies valued there customers even after they became customers, even after they paid for the product.  Customers were valued and so were quality customer service representatives. Now, it seems the customer has become the nuisance. “Oh, those pesky customers.  I wish they would just leave us alone”, that is the general vibe that one gets these days.  How has this become acceptable? How did we let this happen?   Ten years ago, if incompetent and rude experiences were encountered, people would have reacted with shock and surprise, now it doesn’t even raise an eyebrow.  Today, when a positive customer service experience, competent and courteous, is encountered, the reaction is the same, shock and surprise.  Things have definitely changed.

So to the rude and disrespectful customer service representatives, I’m really sorry if you don’t like your job, and I’m really sorry if you don’t particularly like people, and I’m really sorry your computer doesn’t agree with me, and I’m so sorry you didn’t get your break yet, and I’m sorry…..Wait a minute.  Why am I sorry?   I’m the CUSTOMER!  You should be sorry that you can’t help ME!  The CUSTOMER, remember?

But more importantly to all of the courteous, competent, and professional customer service representatives out there, and I know you’re out there…thank you.  Thank you for doing your job with integrity and professionalism, and if your employer doesn’t fully appreciate the job you do, we the customers appreciate you very much, and that’s all that matters.  After all, we are the king.

Stumble it!

September 7th, 2007