Remember when CUSTOMER SERVICE was common

[DesertIguana]

Or remember when gas stations where service stations.
They would ask if you wanted to fill it up.
Check your oil and clean the windshield...

We would like real money...

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BFX

Recall going to Gas Station as kid in 1950, Attendant asked Ethel, or Regular, driver replied something like $3.00 Ethel that would buy 15 Gallons, or Fill its Up. While Gas was being pumped, Windshield was cleaned, Oil & Water Checked, and Tire Pressure Checked. These Service Station did Oil Changes, Minor Repair, sold Tires , Windshield Wiper, and were owned by local people who had connection with customers, and neighborhood.

During 1960's we had GAS WARS and Battle Ground was over CHEAP GAS, recall paying as little as 17CENT FOR GALLON. We carried Recycled Oil in our Turnks, because most Teens Cars were junker, and oil burners. Could buy Recycle Oil 5-10 Cents per quart in cans.

 

[ctr]

Thread title is awfully close to a racist dog whistle, especially as the post has nothing to do with phone support.

Huh?

 

[ctr]

It irritates me that most companies do their best to conceal their customer service contact number or email. Their websites force you into automated FAQs which are rarely any use, and it requires persistence and genuine creativity to find the right sequence of clicks to actually uncover a contact number.

Ironically banks are the best because they print their customer service number on your bank card and bank statements.

Amazon is infamous for this. When a live body is finally found they are off shore, extremely polite, and wholly ineffective in addressing the issue. The customer is left with an "assignment" of steps to complete. Ridiculous.

 

[Dogrescuer]

I worked at Hess for a while. Working the full serve we, pumped gas, cleaned windows and checked oil. All while wearing a white uniform. If we men came to work unshaven, we were handed a razor and a can of goop, and told to hurry up in the bathroom. I enjoyed working there.
Edit: I also enjoy a post with the majority of the words spelled correctly .

 

[musicman1951]

Thread title is awfully close to a racist dog whistle, especially as the post has nothing to do with phone support.

"Remember when CUSTOMER SERVICE was common" is racist?????

 

[Darth Scandalous]

"Remember when CUSTOMER SERVICE was common" is racist?????

Original thread title got changed.

 

[musicman1951]

Original thread title got changed.

Ah, please forgive my ignorance on that fact.

 

[Mr. Shavington]

Ah, please forgive my ignorance on that fact.

And the original title wasn’t in any way racist either, lest you worry about the OP’s character. And I’m one of these liberal types who sees racism everywhere. It was just misread and a misunderstanding.

 

[Dogrescuer]

I've learned a lot from being in a interracial marriage. One thing is that racism is alive and kicking.

 

[luvmysuper]

And the original title wasn’t in any way racist either, lest you worry about the OP’s character. And I’m one of these liberal types who sees racism everywhere. It was just misread and a misunderstanding.

I agree completely and thank you for your input. It is possible to see something offensive in almost anything someone says nowadays, whether it is actually there or not, or whether the speaker intended it as an affront or if it was just haphazard sentence assembly.

I've learned a lot from being in a interracial marriage. One thing is that racism is alive and kicking.

I can also attest that this is true.
But... It's not as rampant as some would like us to believe, in order to keep us screaming at each other instead of at the rich and powerful.

 

[ctr]

I agree completely and thank you for your input. It is possible to see something offensive in almost anything someone says nowadays, whether it is actually there or not, or whether the speaker intended it as an affront or if it was just haphazard sentence assembly.


I can also attest that this is true.
But... It's not as rampant as some would like us to believe, in order to keep us screaming at each other instead of at the rich and powerful.

The old adage is quite true, go looking for trouble and you shall surely find it.

 

[ctr]

Customer service hasn’t changed. For as far back as “customer service” was first coined there have always been instances of poor customer service. So to say “remember when….” Implies that customer service was better back in the day. That’s not true. You won’t get me to believe that. It’s the same. There has always been instances of terrible service. Always. The difference is now every Tom dick and harry has a means to express their displeasure to the masses, so millions of people can cry with them. Whereas umpteen years ago it was Betty telling Dorthy, Janice, and Roberta at their weekly tea party about the terrible store clerk that was rude to her while shopping for a new dress. And that’s where the story ended.

If you experience poor customer service by all means, tell folks about it. Tell whoever you want, however you want. But don’t imply that “back in the day” customer service was much better.

From someone who lived during those "back in the day" times my experience is that yes customer service was far superior. Rudeness in general was seldom experienced and was not tolerated. Correction was swift. So no, I cannot agree with your post.

 

[DesertIguana]

There are a hand full of companies I deal today for several reasons.

Staff that has product knowledge, price are competitive, they ship fast, and pack items I order so they arrive safe.

FedX back when they were mostly small packages by air, and guaranteed overnight deliver by 10:30 seldom failed to make on time delivery.

There tracking of any package was mind blowing. Recall one getting call from client with hot shipment. Shipment had not arrived on time.

Call FedX with tracking number to find out what happened to package.

Lady explained my city I shipped out was fogged in, FedX trucked page to Oakland, package would be delivered 20 minutes late.

Call client to advise about delay, he said he had package it was deliver at 10:45.

FedX was right.

 

[njpaddy]

Or remember when gas stations where service stations.
They would ask if you wanted to fill it up.
Check your oil and clean the windshield...

We would like real money...

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BFX

From the late 80s until late 99, I worked a second job as a shift leader evenings and week-ends at a Hess gas station. There was no self-serve. We wore uniforms, had to be clean shaven, clean windows and offer to check the oil. When Leon Hess died and my daytime job hours changed, I quit. I still prefer pumping my own gas, but NJ still bans self-serve.

 

[Dogrescuer]

From the late 80s until late 99, I worked a second job as a shift leader evenings and week-ends at a Hess gas station. There was no self-serve. We wore uniforms, had to be clean shaven, clean windows and offer to check the oil. When Leon Hess died and my daytime job hours changed, I quit. I still prefer pumping my own gas, but NJ still bans self-serve.

Me to, but I worked at the largest, busiest location on Ll.

 

[Mojo88]

If you are in a customer service position your life will be much more pleasant if you adopt an attitude of understanding. Many people calling for something like insurance or medical information are not familiar with the process. Listening and explaining are useful tools.
I was in sales for the majority of my working life and rude inside customer service caused more customers to walk away than you would ever believe. I witnessed an inside rep throw the phone down after a call and say: These stupid customers want everything. It was my customer and all he wanted was to add on to an order. I told her don’t worry I’ll pull the order and deliver it myself. She complained about everything and everybody. When I found out she was divorced I told a coworker: What a shock.

 

[Dogrescuer]

if you adopt an attitude of understanding.

Empathy, the world will be better for it

if you adopt an attitude of understanding.