Where Has Customer Service Gone?

Yesterday was a frustrating day for me. First, let me back track. I am a red-head. A pet-peeve I have had my whole life is that people assume that the "old wife's tale" about red-head's having short tempers is true. I hate how people just assume that I have a short-temper. I feel that I am pretty even keel and it takes a lot to get me "mad." Yes, I am easy to read when I am frustrated and/or annoyed... but I seldom get "angry." However, over the past few years I have noticed that my patience has been decreasing, almost exponentially. It doesn't take as much for me to now become "very annoyed," or "very frustrated." ... and those involved know it because I am not afraid to tell them. Well, yesterday, I had several, consecutive, "frustrating" moments.

As I was trying to settle down and return my blood pressure to within normal limits, I started processing and trying to understand what my "triggers" are for my new awareness of my short fuse. Without much thought, I knew that poor customer service was the answer. In each of my lunch hour errands, the following mistakes were made by the attendant when I encountered a problem.

First, my rewards card for a $0.10 fuel discount wouldn't work. Now, please keep in mind this was not the first time this had happened; rather it was at least the 5th time, if not more. I had gone out of my way to go to this gas station and claim my fuel reward. Furthermore, I am a loyal grocery shopper at this store so I can earn my fuel discount. Well, I was *very frustrated* when it wouldn't work AGAIN. So, I went up to the attendant to discuss the problem. I started out with the statement that I having problems with my rewards card and I was very frustrated because I have had this problem several times before. The attendant (who was older than me, not an immature teen) proceeded to tell me: 1) that there could not be a problem with my card because no one else was having problems; and 2) that there was nothing that he could do.

What!?! So, am I imagining the problem with my card? Am I making this up just for fun and I have nothing better to do with my time? I don't think so, my card really and truly doesn't work. So, I try to reexplain my problem... and surprise, surprise... I got the same response. He just kept standing there saying there was nothing he could do. I finally asked to talk to a manager, there wasn't anything he could do about that either. He was the only one there. I finally asked for a 1-800-customer service number for the rewards card, and he handed it to me reluctantly. As I headed back to my car, I realized you needed the store number to file a report, and so I had to turn around and go back to the attendant and ask for the store number. You would've thought that I asked him if I could pull his teeth instead.

Anyways, I called the 1-800 number I received and by the end of my conversation, I was once again a very satisfied customer. The customer service rep on the other end of the line was a very good listener, took me seriously, verified that I was having a problem with my card, AND he returned my two other fuel discounts that I had lost previously because the card was not working correctly. I also relayed the information that I was frustrated with the customer service at the fuel station, he thanked me for that information and said that an e-mail would be sent to the local supervisor.

I have come to the conclusion that customer service is a dying art and a thing of the past. I heard somewhere that there really is no need for customer service in our society anymore because convenience and cost-savings is more important to the consumer. To be honest, that is exactly why I was there... cost-savings. I had actually not fueled up there for over a month because I was so frustrated with the repeated problems with my card... but after time, I returned because to be it was worth the discount per gallon. That consumers are still going to continue to shop, eat, and receive services at the same places out of convenience and price; not out of loyalty. Now, this does pose a dilemma to consumers like myself... I am a very loyal customer to certain places and I don't mind spending a little extra for service and quality. However, when I am disappointed in the service received, it becomes even more frustration when it is pointed out that "you" are the problem.

That leads me to my second problem while running lunch-hour errands yesterday. I was in the self-check out lane... this was after my encounter with the fuel attendant, therefore I had intentionally chosen the self-checkout land because I didn't want to deal with anymore people. Anyways, the item I had rang-up wrong. I did not get the sale price. So, I had to call the attendant over (also older than me), and she started fidgeting with the touch screen, then cancelled my whole order, and then proceeded to tell me it was my fault because I did not give her the correct information about the problem. At this time, I just dropped my head and buried my face in my hands. I really had never done this in public before. This attendant kept trying to explain that I was the one in the wrong... I just looked at her, and said very calmly, "It doesn't matter. Let's just get it fixed." At that time, she stopped talking and a very long ~10 minutes later, I was walking out of the store initiating my Yoga breathing to relax myself for the second time in 30-minutes, while dealing with lunch-time traffic on Main Street. Ugh!

Finally, my last example. I called the state licensing board with a question about my professional license renewal. I was told that they are not there to answer questions about my license, but just process applications. This was confusing because I had called the number listed under "Questions? Please contact us at..." I was told that I need to read the "Board Rules" myself and answer my own questions. It was then that I could feel my blood pressure starting to increase. When I asked where I could find the Board Rules... because I was looking at a web site that had at least 6-links to various documents from the legislature... I received the response, "YOU are a professional license holder and YOU don't know where your board rules are at?" Ohhh... NOW, I was mad! I responded to her that I wanted to make sure that I was reading the same document that she was referencing to me because I was looking at 6-different documents at that time on-line. I told her that I was offended by her response because I am a very informed, very involved, and very educated license holder within my professional community. I concluded by asking for her name, her supervisor's name, and an apology. She reluctantly gave me all of the above.

So, with everything happening back-to-back... I have decided that poor customer service is truly a trigger for my temper. The following phrases spontaneously light the short fuse:

1) "There is nothing I can do... " At the least, you could try apologizing?
2) "The computer says..." Really, can you not think for yourself but can only repeat what the computer is telling you? *Very* very sad...
3) Please DO NOT tell me, the customer, that it is my fault and I am the one in the wrong.
4) Please DO NOT try to explain to me that the problem I am reporting is not a "real" problem.
5) Please DO NOT make excuses for your poor service and why you cannot meet my needs. Please DO NOT explain to me how busy you are and why you can't do something.
6) Please DO NOT treat me like I am just the usual, impatient, and uniformed member of society that just gets mad because I didn't get my way. Please listen to me and you will see that I have a valid and justified concern.

Finally, that is what most people want... just to be listened to and to be heard. They want the comfort and satisfaction knowing that some effort is being put forward to fix the problem. But now my problem is, if customer service is truly a thing of the past... then what am I going to do to improve my patience? I guess it is more yoga breathing, yoga practice, and yoga mediatation for me!