Customer Service? Sometimes It's Pointless.

This is an update to a post I did several years ago. But, as they say, the more things change; the more things stay the same.

This past week I had an ugly customer service experience with a local propane supplier. I won’t mention any names, save to say its name rhymes with Hirving. Being told, by the customer service rep no less, that it was “pointless to call me” about customer service is not a great selling point. But what do I know.

I do empathize with service staff workers especially waiters, waitresses and sales people who bear 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 flea. (Assuming fleas have short attention spans). Now 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 (insert any cell phone provider here). Those smug voices. You know ‘em. The ones that can’t understand a Newfoundland accent and put you on hold, making you press numbers until your fingers go numb. So we talk with accents. 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. Aaaargh!

But back to the banks - 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. "You're richer than you think" my ass. No thanks to you.

And 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 making us wait for our double doubles

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

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 pissed off. Especially at banks.

And propane suppliers.