Can good customer service ever come back?

[Anonymous]

Companies are still blaming being short staffed on the pandemic, and many of the employees they do have are terrible. Doesn’t this mean they need to pay more? Will there ever be good customer service again in my lifetime? I’m mid 40’s but feel a bit like Andy Rooney here. Can someone explain it to me like I’m five? What is the actual cause?

[Anonymous]

There are enough open essentially fungible jobs that cashiers no longer have to pretend they care

[Anonymous]

I don’t think it will. Most people working customer service jobs don’t feel they are being paid enough to care (and they’re right).

[Anonymous]

I love Andy Rooney. I miss him every Sunday.

[Anonymous]

If your last name isn’t on the door, you just aren’t going to care as much.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s the overall change in the country’s demographic which has influence over work ethic, plus younger generations with different priorities, plus an abundance of jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it will. Most people working customer service jobs don’t feel they are being paid enough to care (and they’re right).

There used to be that stupid belief that if you take a job you do it well. I guess not anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think it will. Most people working customer service jobs don’t feel they are being paid enough to care (and they’re right).

There used to be that stupid belief that if you take a job you do it well. I guess not anymore.

There used to be positive consequences to doing your job well.

[Anonymous]

Society has changed and has become more "flat". People who work service jobs to not want to kowtow to customers any longer. They want there to be more equality in relations.

[Anonymous]

No one cares and it starts at home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Society has changed and has become more "flat". People who work service jobs to not want to kowtow to customers any longer. They want there to be more equality in relations.

OP here - I’m not just talking about rudeness though (which I agree is an issue) but wait times have skyrocketed. Clearly the demand is there and the prices are there, so why can’t they pay enough for people to fill the roles? And before people tell me I should take the job, I actually do have a lower paid in-demand job (I am substitute teacher) and I do it well and will a good attitude.

[Anonymous]

Isn’t most of customer service outsourced to overseas call centers now? I don’t think anything will change,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Companies are still blaming being short staffed on the pandemic, and many of the employees they do have are terrible. Doesn’t this mean they need to pay more? Will there ever be good customer service again in my lifetime? I’m mid 40’s but feel a bit like Andy Rooney here. Can someone explain it to me like I’m five? What is the actual cause?

No. Outsourced to India and Philippines, where labor is dirt cheap. "The customer is always right," ended long ago. Today, customers, are ignored.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Companies are still blaming being short staffed on the pandemic, and many of the employees they do have are terrible. Doesn’t this mean they need to pay more? Will there ever be good customer service again in my lifetime? I’m mid 40’s but feel a bit like Andy Rooney here. Can someone explain it to me like I’m five? What is the actual cause?

No. Outsourced to India and Philippines, where labor is dirt cheap. "The customer is always right," ended long ago. Today, customers, are ignored.

OP here. What about in-person customer service jobs? Front desk staff, retail/cashiers, restaurant employees, etc. We've been going to the same car dealership for 15 years. We've bought 3 cars there, all of which have been exclusively serviced there. We've watched the service department go from "excellent" to "fine" to "I think we are going somewhere else next time." Just one of many examples.

[Anonymous]

To be honest, I’ve always felt like I get pretty good to excellent customer service, everywhere. There are rare exceptions where things are clearly going off the rails but in general everyone always seems to be working hard and trying to help me. So I think maybe it’s your perception.