Recently Jill posted a few of her pet peeves. One of them mentioned a serious problem with customer service these days. I have to agree strongly with what she posted. In the last couple of weeks I have been reminded over and over again about how customer service has gone to the dogs. The kids that work in retail just don't seem to understand the importance of treating customers with respect. I'm not even talking about going beyond the call of duty but just plain respect. Yesterday hubby and I were told "we're only human" when we complained about the length of time it was taking for our order to be processed. Firstly we had been told 40 minutes (on Saturday) then another 20 minutes, then after returning to the store THE NEXT DAY the order was still not ready. The clerk didn't seem to understand that we would have been fine with an honest "it'll take 2 hours" rather than leading us to believe it would only take 40 minutes. Well after calling the head office and speaking with the district manager we will be receiving a refund for a portion of our order and the clerk is being reprimanded. (I am now on a mission).
The other instance that comes to mind is my experience picking up drugs from the pharmacy. I went to get my refill and inadvertantly left it behind after paying for several other items. When i went to pick up the paid drugs I told the manager that nobody had bothered to call me to inform me I had forgotten my prescription. Lucky for me i hadn't needed it immediately or second trip to the store (which is quite far from home) would have been neccessary in one day. I understand that things get left behind all the time but I should have been called. The manager didn't even bother to apologize for the error nor did she even appear sorry, all she said was she would inform the pharmacist of what happened-What good does that do?
I have worked in customer service and client relations for many years and know how important it is to treat customers well. Without satified clients many of these stores would be closed down and these clerks would be out of jobs.
The problem seems to be partialy due to so many youth who grew up in the "me" generation. They were handed everything they ever needed or wanted, they were led to believe the world revolved around them and now they are displaying this attitude while sabatoging their futures. When they get into "real life jobs" they will be shocked to discover the world is full of sacrafices and things don't always go the way they want!
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I TOTALLY sympathize Dina! What's more, it's hard to even find people to help you nowadays, and when you do, it's like you're bothering them. I don't have enough fingers on my hands to count the number of times I've waited at a counter while the employees behind continue their conversation before I have to interject "excuse me!"
ReplyDeleteI think you've hit something on that whole issue of "entitlement". I don't know if you've seen the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" - the real person behind that movie was interviewed on "The Hour" (one of my fave shows when I can stay awake). He said his kids feel this too, especially since they grew up quite wealthy due to his success - very different from the "hunger for success" he felt when he was young. He said, and I quote: "It's time we start taking some of that shit BACK". I found that extremely profound!
so true Karen. I would NEVER continue a conversation while a customer was waiting for service but i have seen many of the younger employees doing this. Also they seem annoyed and bother that the customer is there-where do they think their wage is coming from?
ReplyDeleteI like that quote and I agee with him! Parents need to teach their kids about earning money and how to be responsible with it-mine certainly taught me that- and I started buying my own EVERYTHING as soon as i starting working at 15!! If i needed more shampoo or more hairspray I went out and got it- i would have never expected my parents to get those things for me since i was working and earning my own money.
Great post, Dina! Karen, I think you've hit the nail on its head with your comment (about "entitlement")!
ReplyDeletePS. I still haven't seen "The Pursuit of Happyness"!!! I've been meaning to though!