Poor Customer Service: Don't Tolerate It!

Is it a sign of the times, cultural differences or merely poor customer service? It's quite possibly a combination of all factors, but regardless of the reason it can be quite annoying. Try placing an order at the drive-thru window at your local Mc Donald's and when the order is repeated you blankly stare at the speaker, confused as you try understand what was just said and while you ponder saying "huh", the voice impatiently commands "Drive forward please". Puzzled you obey asking your passenger if they understood what was said; your passenger looks at you a bit dazed and replies, "Something about window 19?" Obviously that can't be correct as there isn't a window 19.

As you approach the window to pay with your money in hand, you are startled at how quickly the bill is whisked from your hand. "Did I miss the hello", you think as you wait. They return with your change, which is a neat pile that they place in your hand; a receipt, some bills and the coins on top. "Okay this is my change, but how much was my order?", you think to yourself as you look at the receipt and finally your question is answered; the total was $5.19. Thinking back to my days of food service, I believe that "change" was something we counted back to our customers.

Now you drive forward to the second window to receive your food. This person opens the window and eagerly stretches their arms out of the window with a drink in one hand and the folded bag in the other. As you take possession of these items the server quickly turns away and begins doing something else. You over hear a foreign language, but can't quite make out or understand what is being said.

This all seems so cold and impersonal which sends your mind reeling and you begin to question if you were thanked for your patronage, or even asked if you wanted ketchup. Looking into the bag before driving off you notice the missing ketchup, you glance back through the window hopeful that you will be acknowledged. Patiently you wait; a minute or so later they return to the window with their hands full, ready to shove another order out. They see that you haven't left and now they look at you puzzled. "You didn't put any ketchup in the bag", you say as you extend the open bag hoping they will drop a few packets in there so you can go about your business. Instead, "I didn't know you wanted it" is the response.

At this point, the sheer irritation of the whole experience has left you some what jaded as you respond with, "You didn't ask me if I wanted any either. You just threw the bag at me, turned around and started a conversation with someone else." Five ketchup packets are dropped in the bag and said not a word is said, no apology offered-nothing.

What ever happened to "customer service"? What happened to the whole experience of leaving a consumer with a positive lasting experience, making your business one that is frequented not just for the convenience and the value, but for the treatment of its patrons? I realize that we live in a world with a diverse blend of cultures with many differences, where perhaps rude and unfriendly to me is acceptable to others. I wish I understood and had all of the answers.

What I can tell you from my perspective and possessing an extensive background in a highly competitive customer service industry is, regardless of where you work, be it food service, retail, banking or medical, the customer is the reason you have a job. And without us, you wouldn't be employed. Remember the biblical phrase "Do unto others as you would have done unto you"? How about "Treat others as you want to be treated"? What happened to that mentality? Is it the cultural differences that segregate us? Regardless of the reasons, I can guarantee you that unless we stand up; speak up for and against what we believe in, the exception becomes the rule. Respect is not always given, in some cases it must be insisted upon.

The problem today in society is--most people don't have the time with their busy schedules to address levels of rudeness or deficiencies in the service we receive. Instead of addressing it, we brush it off and chalk it up to the times. Stop! As long as you allow poor service to go by the wayside, it will continue. If want to see change, you must be willing to take those extra five minutes to address it. It's possible you don't have the time at that given moment to park your car and walk into the restaurant, asking to speak to the shift manager, but do yourself a favor and make the effort to initiate a phone call to the franchise office or the restaurant directly.

Stop accepting sub-standard service to be the "norm". Let your voice be heard. Without consumer feedback, the companies, organizations and industries we support cannot accurately measure their success or performance and the exception becomes the rule. Think about it, if there were no consequences to our actions, and no accountability for the way we treat our customers, how many people would go the extra mile to ensure you have a positive experience?

Take the time to provide feedback to service providers and remember one call may not change every situation, but collectively we can all make a difference.