Comments on: Bad Service + Lack of Spending = Continued Economic Problems

By: Gail

Gail — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:36:53 +0000

I read an interesting book the other day on what businesses need to do in these financial times. One of the last things they should be doing is cutting customer service staff! So many other things that they need to fix first before they put people’s heads on the chopping block and thus continue the downward spiral for their company. To bad not enough business oweners have read the book.

By: Eric Tyson

Eric Tyson — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:22:46 +0000

Bottom line Jennifer is to only patronize businesses that offer good value and service and avoid the rest (and warn others about them).

By: Mike Pastore

Mike Pastore — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:18:04 +0000

Good or bad economy, bad customer service will always be there. No matter how big or small the company or the store is, there will be workers in it that are ill-mannered and do not handle their customers properly. I agree with what Iriekat said; that we who experienced or will experience bad customer service must complain to the manager or the owner of the store. In that way, he can correct the wrong doings of his employee and improve their dealings with customers.

By: iriekat

iriekat — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:19:09 +0000

I work in a corporate retail office, but I have also been a recipient of bad customer service in many retail stores. My plea to anyone who has that experience: COMPLAIN! It usually the people who dont complain who should! Get the address or name of the president or a senior manager of the company and call or write. I realize that we all have busy lives, but right now retailers have piles of resumes of people who WANT to work and WANT to give good customer service. Right now in many situations customer service is what is keeping retailers alive. We should know when we have failed you, but sometimes the machine that is big box makes mistakes. Complain!!! Its a buyers world right now. If everyone gives constructive criticism, we all benefit.

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:29:38 +0000

Hmmmmmm I am beginning to think that we will have fewer “stores” “banks” “car dealerships” fewer choices. And that Amazon and E-bay will see alot more business. We are becoming the faceless shoppers shopping in faceless stores. It will be hard to stop. I was in banking for years and years and I knew the minute the ATM card was invented the banks were sending a message to the public – don’t come in and see the operation, stay outside, get your money transaction and go. It is seeping throughout the US now. It is a good thing? Well the bottom line is better for some places, but I truly don’t feel that it is the American Way. I do support both Mom and Pop stores and Big Boxes – I also speak up in either giving compliments/or giving some grief the operation of the store. Have you seen the unmanned check out line in Home Depot and other stores – the end of employment for cashiers I am sure!!!!
I will not go into that line – I still like human contact when I am shopping! God help us all!!!!

By: justme

justme — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:23:23 +0000

even when the economey was not bad I never found it usful for these stores to have large staff, they just all stand around talking to each other
I keep hearing how stores cannot offer anything extra except great customer service ,every commercial tells me how great I will be treated,too bad nobody told the staff at the store to treat us better
poor mom and pops they are willing to do what ever it takes they have to and people know it

By: Shelly

Shelly — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:28:34 +0000

Customer Service was bad at a lot of places before the downturn, and now they are using the downturn as an excuse for bad customer service.

Let’s be honest here–those who have actual “face time” (or phone time as the case may be) with the customer are ALWAYS the lowest paid, least trained individuals in ANY company, whether they are waiting your table or answering your call in a phone bank. And, of course, a lot of companies are so uninterested in providing “good” customer service that they are outsourcing many of their services, adding a language barrier, which makes solving complex issues even more frustrating.

It is quite likely that the decreased focus on the customer FED the downturn, like pouring gasline on a fire. And now, these companies are using it as an excuse to continue doing things half-way. Absolutely shameful!

By: Monkey Mama

Monkey Mama — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:01:00 +0000

No kidding – customer service all around seems to be pretty terrible of late.

By: trevor

trevor — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:59:11 +0000

I have recently been on the receiving end of bad customer services, but they were very good and did try to make things better in the end and I did make money for free but after the bad customer service I wasn’t interested. It does leave a bad taste in your mouth.