In South Africa, getting "serviced" is common, it just seems that getting good service is the challenge. It is almost as if we have a "right to entitlement" attitude towards employment and that people do not realise that they are paid salaries to perform duties (one would imagine that the reason they go into a particular field is because they might have passion for it and feel that they can make a difference), so we are stuck with having to beg for good service and I feel as if I am fighting a loosing battle. I however am one of those people who is very passionate about what I do and believe that I do make a difference and when I found this website I was pleasantly surprised to find all of you who have obviously joined for exactly the same reason - to learn from best practices and hopefully have some sort of influence on someone elses success through sharing ideas and listening objectively. I am pleased to have joined.

Here in the USA, I've been working a second job that requires me to go into the stores of a world-wide retailer. While this retailer is not known for delivering "good" customer service, it is also not known for delivering "bad" service either. Let's say it simply lands somewhere in the middle. The bottom line pricing is what draws its customers.

To be honest, and given that I consider Customer Service to be my prime directive in life, I am shamed to admit that their lackluster handling of Customer Service has not deterred me from shopping there. The bottom line pricing draws me, too.

However, my forays into their environment now as a vendor (I often go into as many as 7 stores per working day), have caused me to focus on their CS delivery. And, in studying their environment from this new perspective, I am appalled at their total lack of customer focus. It has become obvious to me that there is no serious Customer Service training, and that they do not value the simple act of human kindness, even by placing greeters at the front doors (need I say more?). I am also appalled at my acceptance of their corporate values as I have continued to shop there.

Your assessment of The Entitlement Attitude is absolutely correct. We (and it seems that this is a global we) have become a world of Me, Me, Me, Me, and it is a very sad place to be.

And as long as there are idiots such as me, willing to still enter the doors and spend hard-earned pay in these environments, there will continue to be a deterioration of simple respect in human-to-human encounters.

Annem, your message has smacked me in the face, and I thank you for it. I demand the utmost in delivery of customer service from my primary work team, yet I have been a willing receiver of degradation, ineptitude, and often even scorn, just for the sake of saving a few pennies more.

My personal finances can and will no longer rule over my head and my heart. I need to once again walk the walk and talk the talk. After all, I am worth it, too!

We shall overcome, and we shall not lose the battle!

Best to you,
KSB

everything u said is not only true but factual. in third world countries, especially in place like Africa, pricing rules the day. people will shop in places where the price is cheaper even if they get slapped in the face by the employees. i guess it all comes down to self value which can only be understood by being exposed substantially. and thats where the problem lies, we are not really exposed to better treatments elsewhere and thus we have little or no option but shop where our pockets takes us. thats why am playing my own part in pursuing a career in Customer Service so as to enlighten people that they deserve to be treated with respect when they purchase a commodity or seek for a service with their hard earned money. once again thanx for your honest opinions.

Annem, Karen and Sajeem - reading your messages is like looking at myself in the mirror ! Everytime I encounter bad customer service I get really upset - not exactly at being at the receiving end of bad customer service - but at the opportunity these companies or employees have lost to make a difference to another individuals life.

I consider it a blessing to be in a position to make a (positive) difference to another persons life - it can be in a variety of ways - and delivering good customer service is one of them. There have been quite a few occassions when I have received really really bad customer service - and during these times, I ask for the supervisor or manager and try to tell them what their agents could have done better. I also did one more thing - I gave them the URL of this website and told them to spend some time going through it ! I might not be able to make a horse drink the water - but I sure can take the horse to it !

And it goes on... !