Aye, I can relate to that. Back in the day when customer service officers actually picked up the phone not a machine, customer care actually meant that, manuals were actually useful, and companies actually bothered about you after you paid them.

Service standards range from excellent to downright awful these days. The experience of shopping should be just that: an experience. For someone who associates a purchase with the whole experience, sometimes it can put me off buying something if the service staff is rude, never mind aftersales care. Plus, the word service means to help. Very often it is overlooked.

Creating Passionate Users said it best:

It's been said that the secret to a good marriage is... don't change. In other words, be the person you were when you were merely dating. Don't stop paying attention. Don't stop being kind. Don't gain 50 pounds. Don't stop flirting. Stay passionate, stay sexy, stay caring. Answer their calls. Unfortunately, too many companies are all candle-lit dinners, fine wine, and "let's talk about you" until the deal is sealed. Once they have you (i.e. you became a paying customer), you realize you got a bait-and-switch relationship.

I think the problem is that companies have forgotten the golden rules of social responsibility and maintaining good relationships. It's all about the bottom line now. Service staff are underpaid and overworked. No wonder they have no incentive to be nice, particularly if there have been difficult customers in the house.

It's easy to cite it as a work ethic issue. Japanese and Taiwanese service staff are some of the best I have ever encountered. I cannot say for sure how much they are paid but it certainly is in their work ethic to be polite.

Can we say conclusively that it is an issue about poor working conditions? There is only one way that change can happen, as with all other changes. From top down. Management has to treat their service staff well, train them to treat us well, so that we have a good buying experience.

But until companies are willing to expend the resources to lead the way, we'll be better off buying selectively.

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