Comments on: R.I.P Customer Service?

By: Jenn

Jenn — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:56:34 +0000

Need I share my story about my latest computer purchase?

45 minutes of interrogation as to why “lil’ old me would need a computer like the one I was requesting”. They wouldn’t even entertain the idea of bringing the computer out of storage (let alone out of the box for me to see).

Customer service has definitely gone by the way side. However, the companies that make it a priority come shining through and win me as a customer for life!

By: chris

chris — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:23:52 +0000

Hey Mat!

I agree. I don’t think it’s just Big Business with bad customer service. it’s everywhere. It has a lot to do with the way management treats an employee. You hit a dog too many times and you wonder why it bites the mailman.

Sometimes I feel like a total jerk when I voice my opinion, but when i spend cash I expect to be treated with just a little respect. At least a little. Everyone deserves this and everyone should speak up.

Thanks for reading! Stop into kitestring soon so we can chat! : )

By: Matias

Matias — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:57:37 +0000

I just went to Future Shop today and had a good customer service experience from two seperate employees in one visit. Both of them went out of their way to be extra helpful with zero sales pressure. So what is the difference? Maybe i went to a different store with better management? The point is, customer service is delivered by people, people are hired and motivated by management. It is simplistic and erroneous to say Big Company = Bad Service. Bad Management + bad people = bad service. Sad thing is, it is these same people that provide bad service that will make themselves increasingly irrelevant. I buy my music online, I buy my movies online and rent them right thru my tv box, computer games via steam and impulse and I usually use the self checkout at the supermarket. At the end of the day, the person most responsible for bad service is the one who doesn’t complain about it, so kudos to people like Chris who demand value and service for their money.

By: James

James — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:40:02 +0000

IN other words… I’ll drop a few bucks eating Vietnamese over Mac Donalds anyday… Sure… they might both franchises. But one has a certain pride to it that the other doesn’t have.

By: James

James — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 23:32:13 +0000

I thought having someone come upto you at future shop meant that someone was going to pressure you into a sales situation?

Commission or earning a living is a bad thing these days…

There is no customer or “team player” service because of the policy makers.

Hey… if they could replace humans with robots, they would. Silver City 2110? jmo…

The locals and mom and pops give the best experience because their pride is on the line. There is nothing on the line when you work for policy. jmo…

By: chris

chris — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:43:52 +0000

Keith – I’ll have to check that theatre out. I usually go to Jackson, but they don’t have 3D. Not that Alice in Wonderland needed to be in 3D. Would have been just fine in regularD.

I added a bit to the end to reflect your comment. Thanks!

Thanks everyone! Has anyone been to a Futureshop recently. SWEET MARY! No customer service at all.

By: Brandon

Brandon — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:18:18 +0000

I agree with you Chris, and you too Alistair. If you guys want to see bad service, come on over to Brantford, I think it has Toronto levels of crappy customer service. There are probably two or three places that I can claim actually care about customers anymore, the rest, just don’t give two…

Have you ever tried going into a Canadian Tire and getting honest to goodness help from someone? Those people, for the most part have no clue, or just don’t care enough to help you.

Home Depot has all but eliminated any personal contact or assistance. Their new motto seems to be: Find it yourself, pay for it yourself, and do something else to yourself…

Now, that being said, like Chris mentioned, when you do get good customer service, it makes that much more of an impact these days. For example, if I buy meat or BBQ supplies at anywhere other than Strodes BBQ & Deli(www.strodes.ca) in Brantford, I feel like I’m cheating on my butcher. There was another place in town that I tried, but they are trying to expand and franchise out, and it shows in their customer service. I will never shop at the other place again.

Customer service is definitely a dying art, but people put up with it, because either the prices are lower, or they beat out all the independents.

Great post Chris!

By: Alistair Morton

Alistair Morton — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:01:40 +0000

Since we moved to Hamilton we’ve been amazed at the “extra” customer service we are given. Toronto was rampant with terrible service. From the city to the chain stores, to even the independent bistros.

Large chains think and act like they are a monopoly, because they are. I miss the days of my youth where cinemas had pride in the people they employed and wanted to make the movies exciting for people. Now you can liken them to the massive poultry farms… big business, beholden to the shareholders and not the consumers. They want you in and out as fast as possible, and just spare any extra time simply to play a few car ads at you.

Independent industries will always trump the conglomerates for customer service, but only if they can compete with them. These days it is becoming more and more apparent they can’t.

and it’s a shame.

thanks for the article.

By: Keith Stinson

Keith Stinson — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:59:23 +0000

Hi Chris,

Interesting blog.

You might try the Encore Oakville Mews on Speers Rd.
Better price, 3D, and way better customer service. Worth the drive.

Oh, and by the way, Famous Players was absorbed by Cineplex a few years back.