customer service

I’ve run into multiple bad examples within a scant 24 hours. I’m shaking my head, wondering how any of these people keep their jobs, let alone run companies.

First up…I applied for a job yesterday….in person. Now I realize that’s waaaay too up close and personal and human for a lot of folks these days. They’d rather run you through their computer and assign you a numeric score. These same people wonder why the employees they ultimately hire aren’t warm and fuzzy and a good ‘cultural’ fit.

It went like this….

“Is M*** in?”
“No.” No explanation, just NO.
“Will you see that he gets this?”
I hand the woman at the desk an envelope with my resume and business card enclosed. She eyes it suspiciously.
“Is this about employment?”
“Yes.”
“We’re not allowed to take paper.”
“HUH?”
“It’s a new rule.” Oh good, a Rules Person.
“Oh Really? I’m a CPA, and I’ve never heard of that rule.”
“It’s new; it all has to be on computer now.”
“Federal or state rule?”
“I don’t know. It’s new.”

She says she’ll give it to him, did I apply on line (yes), and oh by the way, my dropping in would not go well with him either.
I didn’t even get to explain that the purpose of my visit was twofold, that I might possibly want to relocate a certain piece of equipment to their facility. That pathetic excuse for a customer service representative cost them a potential $500+ a month client.

Next up, a new café/restaurant in town. I call to order carry out for tomorrow. The girl-child on the phone is just not sure I can do that.
“Huh?”
Well, they never know what they’re going to have from day to day on the menu, and what they have posted on their website is not always accurate.
“Do you have chicken salad?”
“Yes.”
“OK, do you have the turkey Swiss avocado sandwich?”
“Well yes, but it’s not on the same bread.” Oh Good Lord. As if I care.
“Any sides?”
“Yes we have pasta salad.”’
“Great. Let me order one of each of those for pickup tomorrow.”
“Ohhhhh. OK.”

So tomorrow, meaning today, comes.

I go to same said café.
There’s a man-child working the counter and I’m not sure he’s even going to speak to me at first. It’s not like he’s busy. There are no customers at all.
Yes, he has my order all ready. Well that’s nice. I’m wondering when, if ever, he’s going to get it out of the cooler. He’s way more interested in fussing with the espresso machine.
I ask about the artists’ studio spaces they have for rent there. He has no idea about them. Nothing. Not how many, not what they cost per month. He does get the brilliant idea, finally, to write down the shop owner’s name and email address.

Two hours later, someone from Employment Yokels calls and leaves a message. The reason they don’t take paper job applications is to do with affirmative action, and I should apply on line and attach my resume there.
Again, HUH?
What about the folks who don’t have computer access? How, please tell me, does this procedure, in the name of affirmative action, benefit them?

And of course, grand finale of the day, there’s always the jackass who never returns calls or emails. When did “I’ll call you” not mean exactly that?

I give up. I was raised better than this.
When did common sense, respect, and customer service disappear?