Rant- Yuppies and customer service (or lack thereof)

Rant Mode ON!

I truly want to be kinder and gentler, and I am impressed with the ability of today's "Yuppies" (young, up and coming executives).  EXCEPT, their knowledge of customer service.

Many my age or even close or retired want nothing to do with high tech items, particularly electronics, but for watching TV.

I have previously lectured that any customer expects four things- 1) Price; 2) Delivery; Quality; and Service. 

Price and delivery can be shopped for at Walmart, Sears, Penny's, Target, etc.  If a quality defect is found, the customer can return the item, stand in line at the service desk, and arrange replacement with not too much trouble.   Remote customer service must be searched out and, if a number or a site description is found, just you try to contact a person of ability to assist you in your attendant problem(s).  Virtually everybody I know has experienced the long telephone waits to obtain a real live person on the telephone through the "systems" that have replaced real live operators. 

Yeah, I am old and grouchy but I try to be the conservative Christian that I declare I am on the introductory remarks of this blog.  It becomes more difficult as I get older and grouchier.

I called Avis a few years ago.  The people there had no realization of Robert Townsend,  former Chairman of the Avis board in 1970, when he had his best selling book, Up the Organization" published.  In it he touted the telephone operator or receptionist, normally a capable and pleasantly acceptable looking person (female mostly).   I plagiarize that he said- You can spend five minutes with any of my vice-presidents, and you will know if they are qualified.  They could perform in a cubicle.   I would make the operator- receptionist area look like a turkish harem.
They must know where the people are and get the caller and the person on "live" ASAP!

In addition to my hard earned money spent on products, I have also spent many hours on the phone trying to reach a live person to help in a customer service problem.  I must say:  The Yuppies don't even care.  There are alternative services or products, but very few know the value of giving real live service to real live customers .  

Bring back the operator- receptionists and get the job done right!

Maybe it is the Secular Progressives versus the Traditionalists, Bill O'Reilly so aptly dilineates in his great 2006 book: "Culture Warriors".  I am on the side of traditionalists such as Townsend and O'Reilly! 

SamKat  aka Sam Kegley