What is going on? With the alleged downward economy, reported unemployment rates, etc, why don't people who do have jobs want to work at the jobs they hold?

Employees are on their personal cell phones, disregarding the customer in front of them far too often.

I paid for a load at the local big box, 2 people came out and decided to use a forklift. Along their way to get it, I have no idea where one went, and the other stopped to have a friendly chat with the cashier until another customer came along. Customer #2 got such good service, the forklift driver went to show her where something was. Meanwhile, there I stood at my truck.

I've had the cashier scanning my items and stop to have a discussion with another customer, or go show them something.. Again I stand.

When my coupon doesn't scan, they give it back like it's my problem. There is no effort to see they simply need to key in the price in for a free item.

An appointment at the doctor's translates into being over an hour behind the scheduled time while I listen to them chatting away about this weekend, that person, lunch, etc.

In any case, no one ever can simply say "I'm sorry". What have we degraded into that we don't respect customers and other people's time?

I guess they are so busy running behind in the morning, having to stop for coffee, balancing the cup, the phone, and the steering wheel that it takes them all day to wind down so they can do the reversal on the way home? Is it in the water? Why do we accept this?

dl

I completely agree with what you are saying. It seems "the customer is always right" only happens in rare cases.

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Were you rude to them? Even though I see incompetence at every level, it's hard to understand why they were rude to you and gave the next person extra special service. I often see customers who don't realize how they are talking to and acting towards clerks. I always go out of my way to use their name, ask how their day is going, and make polite positive small talk.

And just to be honest if you talk to clerks the way you've often expressed yourself on this website maybe you just don't realize how you come across to people.
I'm not saying this to be mean I hope you take heed. We often learn the most about ourselves from the people with whom we disagree.

I just can't imagine any other reason they would not treat you the same as the next customer. If they were rude to everyone I would chalk it up to another rude incompetent person or couple of people.
Just think about it and next time go out of your way to be extra nice even if they are rude. My Mom always said "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" it's true.

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I'm always amazed when I return a call to someone and they thank me for calling them back---1) that's my job, 2) that's the only "right" thing to do! Do people actually not return calls!??

I "make" people be nice in some cases. I'm so syrupy sweet they don't have a choice but respond in kind!

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

It's the reason I don't shop at big box stores. I haven't been to Lowe's or Home Depot in years. The stores I do shop at bring large items out to my car without me having to ask. They also say, "I'll be right with you", "Can I help you?", and "Thank you."

As for the doctor's office, unless it's the doctor you hear chattering, blame the doctor, not the receptionists. If I heard my doctor yapping while I waited for over an hour, I'd find a new doctor.

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If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition, and then admit that we just don't want to do it.

- Stephen Colbert.

ITA......and sadly, I think it is a reflection of many people in our society. People just don't give a crap (collectively, not EVERY person, of course). I think many are self-centered. I see this at school quite often. Papers will go home that need to be signed.....they'll come back unsigned, if they even come back at all. We have students with no pencils, or other things to do their work. I know times are tough, but, you can't even sign a paper, for you child??? People are just too busy being concerned with themselves.

Anna, I have had this same thing happen to me, where I'll be buying something waiting on something....for instance, for them to get it for me, or help me with it, or whatever. Another customer walks along and asks the clerk helping me , a question. The clerk is off and running showing them something, or calling for help for them, rather than saying "Sir/Ma'am, I'll be right with you, as soon as I get done with this customer." Sadly, too many of us will not say anything, nor bring these things to the attention of the store manager.

Recently we had an incident with an airline. I most certainly brought this to the attention of those in charge. I am not a demanding or pushy person, but, I will not put up with poor service, or no service at all.

The doctor's office......I am understanding, to a degree. A few months ago, we had to take DD to a specialist. Well, we were not seen for over an hour past the scheduled time. We got there 15 minutes early, to fill out any necessary paperwork. They stuck us in what appeared to be the storage room, for over 30 mins. DH opened the door, and I peeked out and down the hall, only to see the doctor sitting at his desk, peering back at me. Not conversing with anyone, just sitting there. He very well may have been doing "something", but, he did not even offer up so much as an apology when he did finally get in the room. Furthermore, the "exam" was not thorough. $300 for that visit.

It's just gotten pathetic, quite honestly. I did, however, have a wonderful cashier help me the other day at the drug store I was in. I promptly emailed their corporate offices telling them how she was so cheerful and helpful, and even managed to answer another customer's question while still attending to my concerns. She didn't veer off with them, telling ME to wait. Um, hello, I was here first!! Truly worth giving her accolades.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

allinaugust-I wrote Walmart after Halloween when I had the nicest, most patience check check me out with the 90% off clearance and half of it had to be manually adjusted and I had two cartfuls. I think it's worth our time to write a company when we have an exceptionally good experience at their store. I'll also write a complaint letter when necessary but try to write good ones too!

LOL -- I just did that today. I called our local VA office and left a message and the accounting department called me right back and I thanked her for calling me back so promptly.

And, yes, many people do NOT return phone calls

Much less return a phone call, you never hardly ever ever get to speak to a real person its all automated too much technology as made things hard as well.I also think or I should say personally feel when you deal with the public its takes a special personality because while there are many many friendly people on both sides of the fence there are many rude nasty people on both sides of the fence.Peace. Catherine

No, I was not rude. I am practically a wall flower until someone does me wrong and even then I don't always say something. I am careful about not cutting in front of anyone in line, even sometimes letting someone go that has less than me.

The forklift incident....I think it's a case of apathy. As in she doesn't pay attention and can only handle what is in front of her at the moment. There was very little to interchange. She asked if she could use a forklift since I had a truck and I said yes. (I was actually happy, I get loaded so much faster with a fork lift).

I have to be provoked to show any sign of disagreement, or degree of supposed rudeness. As in, treat others the way you want to be treated.

I've talked to my friends irl as well, and they concur. I had thought it was 20 and 30 somethings and it's not. It's all over age-wise.

dl

Odd. I can't even remember the last time I received poor service or was treated rudely. I even commented to one of our kids recently I have notice better service and attention lately and attributed it to the economy.

Case in point - I called FedEx this evening because we have been out of town and missed 3 attempts for delivery. I was just calling to find out where we go to pick the box up and the service person kept apologizing as she told me the address. As if 1) she had anything to do with it 2) FedEx should be somehow psychic and know when we would be home. (signature required).

It seems I see lots of poor service and poor attitudes. I have had others mention that so do they. I think that work ethic is low.

I'm not saying it's right but I can understand people not caring so much when they are underpaid and their employers treat them like crap. They have nothing really to lose either they get a simple reprimand or no recourse at all even if someone complains.
There are too many people between the consumer and the person who had the vision about how the consumer should be treated. I honestly believe that the people at the top have no idea how their customers are being treated and would be very mad if they knew.
And I'm not talking about everybody. We've all had crappy jobs and many of us have provided high quality work/service no matter what. And I would not do it however I do understand why someone would be disgruntled and take it out on customers.

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OP~AMEN!!!
I get this from Macy's at Tysons Corner. I now go to the one at the Pentagon where customer service is 110%!! I certainly use the macys.com "How Did We Do" found at the bottom of the recipets to not only complain but to compliment those that are working hard!!
I do not like shopping at stores where I feel like I am a bother or that I am interruption.

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It's been my experience that the rudest ones are the ones who are LUCKY to have a job in the first place. The have a sense of entitlement, and think that customers should be grateful to them for gracing whatever establishment/store they work in.
Few employers are "bad".
Underpaid? Well, if you think, as an employee that your are underpaid perhaps you should strive to better yourself so you don't have to work at Walmart, McDonalds, Target, or where ever it is that you work!

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Well-stated!

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I can't forget the time the lady working at the photo developing dept at our local cvs was RUDE to me. It was a misunderstanding; she didn't realize that I am legally blind, and she said something to me that really hurt my feelings, something about my vision or not being able to see something, or whatever.... I turned red faced and was in tears by the time I made it out to the car to tell my mom. I told my mom, 'she didn't realize she'd hurt my feelings' but it was hard for me to let it go. For a year I hated that woman. Okay, maybe not HATE, but I had horrible thoughts of her, until about a year later, when I went in there and was determined to make myself feel better. I never told that woman she'd said something that hurt my feelings, but instead, I swallowed hard and complimented her, and she smiled and apparently I made her day. Ever since then I have felt better. And it made me realize that on the day she said that comment, she was probably just having a bad day. Turns out, she's a pretty nice lady after all!

Now, I can't even recall exactly WHAT it was she said that hurt me, but I remember it was not her fault-- probably I am just too sensitive. But when I decided to go in there and try a different tactic, it worked. ;-) The Buddha said, "We Are What We Think" and by disliking that woman so much, it made me miserable to even go into her store, dreading it. I thought she was being a b*tch, but it was probably ME that was b*tchy in her store after that. Then I went in there one day and I turned it all around, easy enough, with a nice compliment AND a smile for her AND I meant it. The lady still doesn't know a thing about what really happened, but I sure feel better! We Are What We Think........ so always think good thoughts and remember--it NEVER hurts to give someone, at least ONE person, a compliment every day. Not only will YOU feel better for making their day, but they will feel happier also. ;-) Thinking (and doing) the right thing only makes the world a better place.

Not a customer service complaint....but something to share that irritates me in my work place.

I am a preschool teacher in a small community close to where I live. We teach two classes a day, both 2 1/2 hours long. In between, we have a one hour "lunch break" to clean the room, set it up for the next class, make any copies, fill out any "ouch reports", eat lunch, use the restroom, etc. With it being the holiday season, we are extremely busy with the kids making handmade gifts that we switch out during our lunch break. Each class has 20 kids. OK, now that you have a little picture of our day....

Why do parents continue to come late for their child? Pick up from morning class is 11:30. Our of 20 kids, there are 6 that come late. They are coming later and later. One parent is coming as much as 22 minutes late. Then she complains that we are not spending one on one time with her child since class is over. Um...we only have an hour. We are going to fill out over-time reports starting tomorrow (Monday) that states parents will pay money for being late. It is school policy, but we have not had to use it in years past. We are expecting parents to be very angry and make a scene. Having vented about that, I should say that it is different for the parents that are honestly stuck in traffic or car broke down or something to that affect. They call and say they are running late. These other parents just don't seem to care.

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