Wednesday, September 21, 2022 – By: Jerry Nix | FreeWaveMaker, LLC
America used to be a place,
Where the customer was right.
It did not matter if they were wrong,
They were still the Hero in the spot light.
Now the corporations,
Are driven by the advertiser dollar.
Customers have become a commodity,
And it makes me want to holler.
Take Facebook, for example,
Who could care less about the user.
Because of the almighty advertiser money …
When it comes to the customer, Facebook is an abuser.
Google is another example;
Number one in the world for information.
Till you try to reach their helpdesk,
And find not one phone number for that station.
Even Walgreen’s, the pharmacy,
A brick-and-mortar store;
Can’t find room for good customer service,
While they rake in dollars galore
Or even the mighty Walmart,
Where they require self-checkout;
They could care less about the customer,
And of this I have no doubt.
Let’s not forget the streaming platforms,
Where TV shows are streamed advertisement free;
As long as the streamer, you and me,
Are willing to pay the monthly fee.
But even then, when something goes wrong
There’s no phone number for a technical assistant!
I guess that fee we pay,
Still makes them customer resistant
Oh, what happened to my America,
Where the customer used to be king;
Where disputes were settled quickly in favor of the consumer,
That’s no longer a thing.
Some may blame technology
For this non-customer-centric world we live in,
But to do that, in my opinion,
Is simply a mortal sin.
Technology should not control people
When it comes to excellent customer care.
When companies let technology replace what humans are meant to do;
All I can say is corporations, you’d better beware.
The consumers make you money
Buying things, you sell or make.
You should be taking care of them more,
And start now for heaven’s sake
You know Mr. Corporate CEO
We live in a cancel culture …
If you don’t start taking care of your customers
They may cancel you like a vulture!
Your paid millions of dollars
Just to help your company grow,
But if you make the American Consumer mad;
That growth might really slow.
Full-service gas stations went away
For a little self-serve “convenient” store.
That’s when the “slippery slope” began
That has caused lack of service to really soar.
It’s time that all American’s go back
To doing business with mom and pop.
If enough people will do this,
Perhaps this lack of service, by the too big to fail, will stop.
Oh, what happened to my America
Where the customer used to be king
Where disputes were settled quickly in favor of the consumer
I’m so sorry, that’s no longer a thing.
Jerry,
You were so correct I am absolutely fed up with a crappy service that we get anywhere or whatever we try to go to. Dan Hopkins a very close friend of mine committed suicide last week. I spent 11 minutes on the phone with 911 before anyone ever picked up the phone and when they did they hung up on me. The first words out of my mouth was my friend just committed suicide. The first words out of my mouth was I need help I need fire, police, ambulance. It took another 23 minutes for anyone to get there.
Dennis, first of all I am so sorry about your friend. It is so hard to hear that anyone committed suicide. It is even worse knowing that it took so long to get 911 on the line and an additional 23 minutes for first responders to arrive at the scene. I’m beginning to really believe that it cannot be technology that has destroyed customer service in America as much as it is lazy ass workers who are only there to put in their time. After all, we would not have a 911 service if it were not for technology. It has to be the lazy ass workers and we can blame that on the Department of Labor in America. There was a time in America when people were paid more by output than by hours worked. I, personally, worked on straight commission all my life and know I was paid by output and not hours worked. My dad, a factory worker, was once paid what was called “Piece Work” (i.e., a minimum wage than so much per part that he was able to manufacture). The more parts he made the more he was paid. My brother, in the late 90’s tried to pay his cleaning business employees similar to that … a minimum base wage then a bonus for the number of buildings or floors of buildings they were able to complete in an 8-hour shift. Because some employees made more than others he was turned into the Department of Labor and had to pay an hefty fine to keep from being shut down. There were times in this country when people in stores like Sears were paid a commission for clothes or appliances they sold rather than an hourly wage … but those darn days are gone thanks to the Department of Labor (and Labor Unions). Auto Mechanics were paid a commission on the total bill. The work was done better and faster since pay was deducted if the work was done wrong and the car had to come back to the shop. But again, the Department of Labor put a stop to that. America needs to get back to what it once was and pay people for what they do and not for just showing up. Thanks for reading my articles and for being a friend. Jerry Nix