Customer Minus Service

Is it just me or have you noticed that customer service isn't what it used to be. When you go to a doctor you hope to get out with your self-esteem and a correct bill. (" Ma'am, you can undress in the rest room. We only have small gowns left but put it on and try to tie it in the back and then walk down the hall - past the waiting room -to the last door on the right".) Does anyone really want to see my posterior parts while they are reading "Natural Health" in the waiting room? I don't even get undressed in front of my dog to save him from eye trauma!

Going to a restaurant is even worse. I've been with people who don't want to cause a scene so will timidly say "Ahhh, I ordered salmon steak with a salad and you gave me a cheeseburger with onion rings. But that's OK." They give me a fish-face look if I try to get them to send it back. And if I complain about my order, I'm told that "Our friendship is getting strained by your behavior". My behavior? All I want is the food I ordered and the bill for my own food.

Even the post office falls short in this category. I don't mind that I have to place my mailbox next to the road since it is a short walk up my driveway to fetch the mail. But when I get a package, my mail carrier pulls into my driveway and beeps for me to come to the truck and retrieve it. It's about a 40 foot walk from my door to the mail truck. I don't want to cause a fuss because - well they have my mail and I never know when I might have a big, unexpected check coming.

We are so used to poor customer service that when someone does what they are supposed to do, we almost cry with gratitude and ask for their supervisor's name so we can send a letter of appreciation.

I recently had a malfunctioning electric composter. I emailed the company. They sent me a free postage label to mail it back and within 2 weeks, it was returned in working order. At first I thought I was being punked but when no one appeared with cameras, I realized that this was good customer service. I, of course, wrote an email to the company praising them for their fine work.

Some companies now have cards that customers can fill out when an employee does something "exceptional". I've been trying to think about what I would write on a card to describe exceptional service.

"Jane didn't glare at me as she usually does when I asked for a coffee re-fill."

"This time Rick didn't say, when I asked that my passport picture be taken again, 'lady, that's what you look like'".

I'm perfectly willing to call good customer service "exceptional" if it means that I get my next package delivered to my front porch - whatever works!