The Problem with Customer Service Today

Maybe I am old fashioned. Maybe I am expecting too much. But, something is wrong with customer service these days. When I was younger and working my first set of jobs, I was always told, the customer is right. If there is a serious problem, put the manager on.

Seems like another lifetime. Nowadays, I call up companies and I first have to navigate my way through the voice mail system. Let's face it, it was not created to make it easier for the customer, no, it was a way to frustrate the customer to a point that she forgets the reason she called in the first place.

Once you finally get a "real person," it doesn't get better. These agents are given a script to go through when a person calls. If you deviate from this, there is a real problem. I have gone in circles with the agent "devoted to customer service," who refuses to just let me speak to the manager. It seems like, contrary to the instructions I was given, the manager is only to be disturbed when there is no other choice.

But wait, there is more. There is nothing that annoys me more when my telephone rings (during a busy time such as when we sit down for dinner of course) and there is a recorded voice on the phone asking me to hold on for an important message. If it's so important a live person could tell it to me. I have even picked up a phone, and a live person says, "hold for an important message," and proceeds to transfer me to a recorded part of the call.

Are people so uncaring about treatment to just accept this treatment? Apparently so, because it appears as if many more stores or companies are running their services this way. They have forgotten the meaning of the term customer service. And, as a customer, it is very frustrating.

I truly do not understand the mindset making these rules. I look around during an economy where stores are closing and there is a lot of competition. I would think that companies would fight to keep their customers. Or bring their customers to them.

A perfect example is an experience I had with Sahara Sams, a brand new water park in New Jersey. When I first found them online, they offered a family membership, which came with incentives and rewards. Some of these, listed directly on the web site were a separate member line to get into the park, no waiting once inside for members, and, because you were joining sight unseen, a 30-day money back guarantee. So, we joined.

On their public opening day, we drove over two hours and went to the park. There was one long line waiting to get inside. After waiting over a half-hour, I asked one of the workers for a manager. Of course, I didn't get to see one at that point. I was told I could tell them. I asked about the "member line to get into the park," and was told there was none. When told that it offered one on the web site, we were rudely told she had something else to do, and what did we expect it was opening day.

Even given that treatment, I waited another half-hour to get in, to be put on another line (again no separate line for the valued member) to be put into the system and allowed in. After asking one of the workers to get me a manager (who proceeded to walk to another customer online and join in a conversation), I started to get a little louder. What seemed like a worker took me to the side, and after telling me how amazingly rude I was because it's their first day he signed us up and sent us in. Sort of...

He didn't do it the correct way. We were supposed to get a bracelet that allows us to access the lockers and put money on the electronic bracelet, etc. When finally finding out what the problem was, we were told to go back online. That was NOT happening. We got the bracelets set up, we had quite a few other encounters and rude treatment and my family and I had enough. I walked up to the man who checked us in. Turns out, he was the owner. When I asked for my money back he said, "it's not our policy to give refunds. But, we were ready for that. We had seen their idea of customer service. We had a screen shot (courtesy of my husband's blackberry) of the part of their web site that promises it. So, we showed it to him, quite clearly asking him if it was a false statement. He grunted and gave us our money back, stating loudly how he knew we were trouble the moment he laid eyes on us.

An addendum to the story is that we went to check the web site a few weeks ago. He took down the promises. There is no longer any promise for a separate line for members nor is there a money back guarantee. So, that was their opinion of their customers, just don't offer them anything.

I assume his thought is that because there are so few indoor water parks (maybe one) that people will overlook that treatment. And, I find it very sad that he is probably right.

We as a public allow this situation to happen. We are paying for a service. It is not our job to make it easy for them, but rather they have the mission to make us happy. But, if we allow them to act this way, we are just getting the treatment we deserve. It needs to stop now. We need to demand to be treated properly, that is the only way we can hope to start rectifying the situation.

Anybody else have such encounters? I would love to hear about them.