Customer Service

This morning on my way to work I stopped to fill up my tank, and I noticed for the umpteenth time that approximately half the pumps at the gas station were out of order. And I started to think about how the quality of service in general continues to decline in many industries, and how pissed off I am about it, and what I intend to do about it.

The gas station scenario is a common one for me; either the pumps are down or the receipt printer is out of paper or the credit card reader is malfunctioning or there's no fluid to clean your windshield with. Remember when the attendants used to come out and clean your windshield for you? Now they can't even be bothered to fill up the fucking bucket a couple of times a day. And yet the prices still continue to creep up, including the extra fees they tack on for using a credit card, which many people don't even realize they're paying.

Gas stations are merely one example, but I think they're a reasonable indicator of the decline in customer service at large. And the fact is, we do not have to put up with this. There are many entities out there competing for our money, and starting today I'm going to be a lot more vigilant about where and how I spend mine. These are some of the things that are important to me:

• I expect a business to be neat and tidy, well stocked, and fully functioning when I arrive. Any place of business that does not consistently meet this standard will never get my business again. I can overlook a rare occurrence, but if every other time I show up I can't get what I need or the place is a disorganized mess, it's over. If it means going out of my way or paying slightly more somewhere else, I'm prepared to do so. 

• Poor customer service will not be tolerated, ever. I don't care how good the food is at a restaurant, how cute the clothes are, or how low the airfare is, if I'm treated poorly I will never patronise that business again. I expect salespeople and servers to be courteous, to do their utmost to make me happy if there's a problem, and to thank me for my business. I expect returns to be made under reasonable circumstances and not to be unfairly charged for things that are not my fault.

• I expect people to be knowledgeable about the things they sell or the services they offer. If I hop into a cab, I expect the driver to know how to get to my destination without me having to explain it in detail, or they're not getting a tip. If I'm shopping for wine, I expect the merchant to be able to give me some recommendations based on my tastes, or else I'll shop somewhere else. 

• If I feel I've been treated unfairly I resolve to write to the company or contact a manager and at the very least communicate my dissatisfaction. I have let far too many things slide in the past and have not taken companies to task when I really should have. Hardly anyone ever takes the time to really follow up on a complaint, but it can make a huge difference if the right person hears your message. Someday I should tell you the story of the shameful way my financial institution treated me when I had my wallet stolen in Rome; I still kick myself for not writing that letter as soon as I got back. The bitch blamed ME for getting pickpocketed, if you can believe it.

• Wherever possible I want to try to deal with smaller, independent businesses where the customer still has influence. With our Etsy shop, Mark and I work really hard to make sure each and every person is taken care of, and I want to do business with other like-minded people. And sure, just because a business is large doesn't mean they don't care about the customer, but I think among smaller businesses you're more likely to find a level of commitment to customer satisfaction that can be difficult to maintain as a business grows. From here on out the smaller boutiques, the sellers on Etsy, and of course the businesses that have treated me well in the past will be my first stop when I'm shopping for something.

What are your thoughts about the quality of customer service in general? Have you ever written to a company with a complaint, and what was the outcome? What have you put up with that you wish you hadn't? In what other ways can we take a stand and demand more for our money?

Today's outfit:
Dress: thrifted
Skirt: unknown
Belt: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Camper