Customer Service - Rant

C310_pilot

C310_pilot

Well-Known Member
What is it w/ customer service these days? Has anyone else had trouble with this lately?
I'm trying to plan a wedding with my fiance and we can't get people to call us back. It seems as if no one wants to take $5K here or $5K there. And now it seems to be bleeding over into other faucets of my life.

I've contacted 3 flight schools regarding CFI programs and have gotten no calls back. Here I am trying to make a decision as to who/what is the best program, and quite frankly- there is no choice when no one will return your calls. It's ridiculous that here I am ready & willing to spend $7K and everyone is too busy to return calls and take my money!

Not only has customer service gone to h*ll in this industry, but I'm learning it's happening everywhere!
 
I think part of the problem is that up in your neck of the woods there are so many people that are ready to pony up and drop cash right away that if you are just looking they can care less about you.

There is just so much overpopulation up there that they don't have to have good customer service because they know people will pay anyway, and if they dont, there are 5 people in line that will.
 
Not only customer service skills but we've lost our social skills as a nation. The Golden Rule is definitely one that's not applied much anymore.

I will sometime observe customers while standing in line at a convenience store register. They will collect their change/receipt and then leave without ever acknowledging the cashier...not a thank you...have a nice day...cya...nothing. Just turn and go.

Same with the cashier tho...whether its at the mall or a restaurant...why am I the only one saying hello and thank you to the establishment? Shouldn't they thank me as well?

I always try to clean up my hotel room a bit before I leave. I just don't think it's right that someone should have to clean up after my mess. My little way of being a good neighbor, I suppose, and an attempt to preserve the dignity of those I come in contact with.

I feel your pain...and grimmace at how poor, in general, we treat each other.
 
I'm not sure it's even a regional thing, but rather something that seems to be affecting the entire country. We keep encountering it everywhere! So sad, and quite frankly- so inexcusable... AZ, TX, FL... you name it.
 
I never realized how poor service is in America until I visited China and South Korea last winter break. Over there , the restaurants would have girls standing outside in uniform greeting and bowing to all the customers as they enter and leave. The waiter and waitresses would ask how we are doing this evening. This wasn't in some high end restaurant tourist attraction district either. They seem to work to please and value quality.

In America there is the individualistic approach to life. The community group isn't emphasized too much as opposed to those of other countries. We're too caught up with ourselves and only ourselves so some of us would shrug each other off. I think that's why social skills and common politeness is lacking. For people who aren't outgoing this is even a bigger problem. Factor in the spoiled kids who think they deserve everything.
 
B767Driver said:
Not only customer service skills but we've lost our social skills as a nation. The Golden Rule is definitely one that's not applied much anymore.

I will sometime observe customers while standing in line at a convenience store register. They will collect their change/receipt and then leave without ever acknowledging the cashier...not a thank you...have a nice day...cya...nothing. Just turn and go.

Same with the cashier tho...whether its at the mall or a restaurant...why am I the only one saying hello and thank you to the establishment? Shouldn't they thank me as well?

I always try to clean up my hotel room a bit before I leave. I just don't think it's right that someone should have to clean up after my mess. My little way of being a good neighbor, I suppose, and an attempt to preserve the dignity of those I come in contact with.

I feel your pain...and grimmace at how poor, in general, we treat each other.
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I agree!

Funny thing: My cousins mom (second aunt or whatever you call cousin by marriage's mom) always cleans the room fully! Makes the beds, picks up stuff etc!
 
I contacted a flight school here at KBCT both my phone and email. They never called me back and about a month later sent me a short email apologizing for not having emailed me back due to the hurricane. However, I emailed them 3 weeks after the hurricane, so it took another month for them to answer me. I contacted a flight school at KLNA and they intructor there emailed me the same week, not only that but he has emailed me even when I haven't emailed him to find out how thins are going. Bussines or not, I also expect to be treated well when there is lots of money involved.

As for the treatment of customers, I have learned that is depends mostly on the mood of the employee. If I'm in a good mood I'll ask any customer I pass by if they need help and do my best. But if an earlier customer pissed me off or something else did, usually I'll wait for a customer to ask for assitance before I talk to them.

I consider a "thank you" as my dismissal. If a customer doesn't say "thank you" I just stand there until they do so. It always works.
 
As far as the flight schools not calling you guys back, that lies squarely on the owners of the school. These flight schools should hire someone who specifically works the desk and does all this stuff. I think too many of these schools rely on the CFIs to stand around all day between lessons answering phones and working the desk. Nothing like getting someone to do a job for free even if they are doing a half-a$$ job of it.

As a CFI, my view is that I am there to teach people how to fly and what to learn to make them a better pilot. If I want to sit behind a desk I will go to an office that pays well to sit behind that desk.
 
I gotta say I work in an industry that requires you to deal with customers daily. I've been in it for almost 10 yrs (reparing imaging equipment) and everytime I show up at an account I am ripped from head to toe about how I didnt get there fast enough or if I have to order a part OVERNIGHT they have a fit and tell me how bad I suck and my company sucks that we dont have the exact part they need. Hearing this B.S. everyday really takes a toll on your attitude about customer service. Here is a perfect example I go to company A to fix a machine and guess what the manager of that company is just waiting to chew me when I get there because I WAS TOO EARLY??? WTF??? He begins to tell me that he is the customer and why do I come to fix his equipment on his time. I begin to tell him sir our hours are 8-5 M-F and we dont work after hours unless you want to pay more. I think that ticked him off even more but it's the truth and I said it in a nice calm way and kept my cool. I got to thinking and realized this guy has given me a bad taste about his company and therefore I will choose not to ever buy anything from him and tell everybody i know DONT BUY FROM OFFICEMAX!
You can watch these people wait on customers in there own store and treat them royally but when they call me to fix a problem for them I am treated like s***. Explain that to me.. Could I be a potential customer?? Not anymore...
 
Timbuff10 said:
As a CFI, my view is that I am there to teach people how to fly and what to learn to make them a better pilot. If I want to sit behind a desk I will go to an office that pays well to sit behind that desk.
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True, but in life that is not how things work. If you answer a phone you are responsible for that call. If you can't take that responsibility how I am suppose to trust you with a jet and passangers? We as employees are representatives of our company and industry for that matter- be it a truck driver, custodian, cfi. Imagine going into Target and asking someone where the batteries are. The response you get is 'its not my job, I don't know. I sweep the floors.' The appropriate answer (or something I would like to hear) would be 'I am not sure but let me find someone that knows.' Pilots and crew members represent their airline. They are the main interaction the public has with this industry. Its IS our responsibility - job discription, to ensure that they, the passengers have been cared for to the best of our ability.

I am having visions of that movie where the airline attendant is being a royal b@tch. Meet the Parents?

I visited a local flight school who was more than happy to take my money for a cfi rating but had their only complex aircraft for sale. I asked them what if it is sold during my training and they looked at me and shrugged their shoulders with a dumbfounded look on their face. NICE! Guess I won't be going there!
 
Over the years I've really come to enjoy the writings of John Wooden...legendary UCLA basketball coach...now in his late 90's. "My Personal Best", "Leadership", "Reflections of life on and off the Court" and "One on One", are all very good reads.

As wildly successful as this man was in his professional life...it doesn't hold a candle to how successful and balanced this man was in his personal life. If you need some perspective on what life is all about...I can't give a higher recommendation than John Wooden.
 
Yes, coustomer service is at an all time low. I go in sit down resturaunts now, and half the waiters are very rude. For example I order my steak rare--nice n blody--and the waitress makes a disgusted face. I can understand some resuraunts being worried about serving rare meat, but for the waitress to make a face like that just offends me. Also when she teases that I like it rare, thinking it is all fun and games, "Rare! Ewww! That makes me so sick!" I'd like to say, "You're not eating it are you?" But I don't. I remember ordering it rare and getting it well done--I would have understood medium if they feared serving it rare, although they should tell me before they do. But they served it well done. I ate it but if I pay 14 dollars for a meal, it had better be how I order it or at least apoloigise if you overcook it. And the cook at this resturaunt is just as rude. He'll come out and ask, "How is it?" and then stare at you as you eat. People seem unconfortable when he does this, myself included. Anotehr restuaraunt I went into (a sit dowN) actually said, "What do you want?" in a rude, nasty tone. Or somtimes they would say, "Can I help you?" I just find it kind of obvious what I want--a table. Ask to seat me!!! I guess that is what happens when "trailer camp tornado bait white trash" has their own place of service.

But then again I have been on the other side of the coin and it can be hard to be in service. I remember some woman telling me how much she wanted to kill Mexicans for allegedly tearing up her truck. Here is the worst example

A kid comes in and buys somthing. He gives me a five. He also gives me a twenty and asks for change.

Me: I'm sorry, it is against our policy to do that.
Him: Okay.
(he leaves and his dad comes in and raises hell)
My manager: What seems to be the problem sir?
the Dad: You're damn employee here would not give my son change for a twenty!
My manager: I'm sorry sir, he was following company policy.
The coustomer: I'm a GD (he used the word) paying coustomer! I deserve what I ask for!
My manager: Listen sir, you can call our district office and complain. They will tell you the same. I have the number right here. Now get out of here and don't come back.

There's my rant.
 
At least your manager stood up for you! There is nothing worse then a manager that cuts you off at the knees in front of a customer....
 
Theotokos said:
Yes, coustomer service is at an all time low. I go in sit down resturaunts now, and half the waiters are very rude. For example I order my steak rare--nice n blody--and the waitress makes a disgusted face. I can understand some resuraunts being worried about serving rare meat, but for the waitress to make a face like that just offends me. Also when she teases that I like it rare, thinking it is all fun and games, "Rare! Ewww! That makes me so sick!" I'd like to say, "You're not eating it are you?" But I don't. I remember ordering it rare and getting it well done--I would have understood medium if they feared serving it rare, although they should tell me before they do. But they served it well done. I ate it but if I pay 14 dollars for a meal, it had better be how I order it or at least apoloigise if you overcook it. And the cook at this resturaunt is just as rude. He'll come out and ask, "How is it?" and then stare at you as you eat. People seem unconfortable when he does this, myself included. Anotehr restuaraunt I went into (a sit dowN) actually said, "What do you want?" in a rude, nasty tone. Or somtimes they would say, "Can I help you?" I just find it kind of obvious what I want--a table. Ask to seat me!!! I guess that is what happens when "trailer camp tornado bait white trash" has their own place of service.

But then again I have been on the other side of the coin and it can be hard to be in service. I remember some woman telling me how much she wanted to kill Mexicans for allegedly tearing up her truck. Here is the worst example

A kid comes in and buys somthing. He gives me a five. He also gives me a twenty and asks for change.

Me: I'm sorry, it is against our policy to do that.
Him: Okay.
(he leaves and his dad comes in and raises hell)
My manager: What seems to be the problem sir?
the Dad: You're damn employee here would not give my son change for a twenty!
My manager: I'm sorry sir, he was following company policy.
The coustomer: I'm a GD (he used the word) paying coustomer! I deserve what I ask for!
My manager: Listen sir, you can call our district office and complain. They will tell you the same. I have the number right here. Now get out of here and don't come back.

There's my rant.
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I can understand it's policy, but honestly it comes a point that store policy is not for better interest for anyone.

Personally, me, i would of given the kid change for the 20.

He is contributing business to your establishment, and it costs nothing of you, i say do it.
 
Bigey said:
I can understand it's policy, but honestly it comes a point that store policy is not for better interest for anyone.

Personally, me, i would of given the kid change for the 20.

He is contributing business to your establishment, and it costs nothing of you, i say do it.
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Yes, but I could have gotten in trouble--they reason for it is so the cashier does not take a chance of miscounting. Let them walk their trailer camp tornado bait white trash arses down to the gas station. They give change there.
 
Bigey said:
I can understand it's policy, but honestly it comes a point that store policy is not for better interest for anyone.

Personally, me, i would of given the kid change for the 20.

He is contributing business to your establishment, and it costs nothing of you, i say do it.
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He probably was protecting his company (although it was rude). Because seriously, I've been in some areas, gotten a $20 that looks perfectly fine as change, and then it literally breaks in half and then into threads. I check my high demonination bills a bit more thoroughly now but point being, if you have a counterfit, (wheter you knew it or not), the bank keeps it and dosn't give you anything in return, so your now out $20.

But on topic, customer service sucks. I'm usually always pleasent, but when you ring me up at the register, don't speak english, talk spanish to another cashier, and don't even attempt a fake smile. I am not a happy customer.
 
Bigey said:
I can understand it's policy, but honestly it comes a point that store policy is not for better interest for anyone.
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Ah, but there is a catch. They're called till grabbers. What they do is ask for change, and while the register drawer is open, they grab it and run. The policy anywhere is to let them get away with it, because it will cost the company more in liability if the employee or a bystander gets hurt, so they say, okay, that money's gone.

So, they get the money in the drawer and they get away with it.

Yes, it sucks that a few dishonest people ruin it for everyone, but in many places, you cannot pop the drawer unless you've got a cash transaction for this very reason.
 
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