Rant Time

What has happened to customer service? Kristie just called and said that she spoke with a young kid for DirecTV.  Apparently, he has little to do – even though the customer service call is schedule for 4-8, so he was hoping to start early on moving the dish. However, he was a jerk to Kristie on the phone.  He insisted that we would have to pay $50 for the dish to be moved.  Apparently, we have waited too long to complain about the reception or some such thing.  He began grilling Kristie about the details of moving the dish, details which Kristie knows nothing about. "Well, I'd like to know if I have to move the dish 300 yards.  There would be a $50 fee for that," the kid said. Yeah.  We're going to have the dish moved the length of a football field!  Give me a break. I promptly called DirecTV to both inquire about the mythical $50 fee and to complain yet again about our service.  As I thought, there is no fee and the complaint has been noted. But the problem is that customer service is a thing of that past. Or at least that's how it seems to me. We were talking about this very same thing at lunch today when the local Dairy Queen refused to open early – though they have done for years on the last day of school – so early classes can go there for the final day of class.  Some were frustrated with the lack of customer service from the DQ.  One teacher even talked directly to the owner, who was still unwilling to open – and turn about dozens (if not more) of customers.  Finally, one of our gym teachers was able to convince the owner to open up. That brought on the discussion of the mostly teen run Pizza Hut and how lousy that service has become. Listening to all of this, I couldn't help but think of the Milenials piece from 60 Minutes I embedded on here.   Today's young workers (and realize I'm one of those who is always weary of saying "oh our society is going to hell in a hand basket" because I KNOW the older generation ALWAYS thinks this about the following generation, so I know I'm going against my beliefs here.  But I also realize that the older generation has ALWAYS complained about customer service of the younger generation) simply have too many jobs available.  The DirecTV kid could quit and find a job at McDonalds, Hugo's, Target, Kmart, Dairy Queen, or any other low level job. They feel little or no loyalty.  Plus, they are the center of their solar systems, not their jobs or their parents or anyone else.  Their interests come first.  That's why they text while they work, call in sick on their birthdays, assume that their jobs will adjust to their lives and needs. Of course that's a myth.  But that is the type of young person we have created. Doubt it? Just come here and see how many parents will either call or text their kids right during school!  I recall seeing one kid some years ago talking on his cell phone.  I walked over to him.  He handed it to me and said, "It's my dad."  I grabbed the phone and shut it off. Just come here and see how many parents excuse unexcused absences.  Or worse, think allowing their kids to leave early for work, shopping, or tanning appointments is a perfectly legit reason. Just come here and see how many allow their kids to sleep in when they get home late from a concert or athletic event. Just come here and see how little money a student appears to have; yet they have their iPod and cell phone in constant contact. Just come to the middle and elementary schools where you will see parents drop their kids off late despite the fact that the parent is late for work. Yes, we have created them.  Now, how can we fix them?