Weekly Rant

CBC RadioNoon’s Cross Talk had an interesting segment on Tuesday – customer service - or lack thereof. If there’s anything that drives me nuts, it’s shitty customer service.

Now I do empathise with service staff workers especially waiters, waitresses and sales people who bare the brunt of an increasingly impatient I-want-it-yesterday group of people. You know ‘em, always in a hurry with the attention span of ah. …ah…what was I sayin? Oh yeah, the hurry up crowd that - I must admit - includes me. There’s no excuse for rude customers. Lord knows we’re not always right.

But for the love of Jesus, why can’t I get a real person when I dial a 1-800 number? Seriously, is that too much to ask? And banks have to be the worst – right behind Rogers. That smug voice. You know it - the one that can’t understand a Newfoundland accent, puts you on hold or makes you press numbers ‘til your fingers go numb. So we talk fast. Bite us.

And if I hear “if you know the extension of the person you’re calling enter it now” one more time, I’ll go through the phone. If I knew the extension, I’d call him!

But back to the banks. Yes, those precious jewels of human indignity. What’s more galling than their shitty service is the fact that we have to pay to be treated like shit. Only in Canada you say. (If the banks get anymore Canadian, they'll soon be American.)

But I’d be remiss, if I didn’t mention those “customer service representatives” who

a) talk incessantly with a co-worker about last night downtown and make us wait for our double double (bastards)

b) point to the back of the Wal-Mart when you ask where they keep the golf tees

c) laugh out loud when you ask if it will be delivered by Friday or those who

d) stare at you blankly when you ask if they have another size in stock

Ah, yes. The epitome of the incompetent. The embodiment of the ineffective. The personification of the powerless.

And the reason why so many of us are so pissed off. Especially at Rogers.