Customer Service is a Zombieland

I haven't blogged in a LONG time. I've been considering embedding a Blogger account in the site, and also redoing the look and feel but haven't had time.

Things that have happened since the last time I blogged. Well, I'm married. Thanks to eHarmony I met a great girl. We honeymooned in the Western Caribbean, awesome time on a Carnival Cruise on Carnival Valor. We were supposed to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise, but the swine flu put a damper on that when they rerouted Carnival Splendor to Canada (we wanted Sun and Fun!). Carnival did a great job switching us over and their customer service was awesome.

Since then though I've had some customer service experiences which have been nightmares. Things which just won't go away. It's like Zombieland in customer service at some places it seems.

Number 1. American Airlines

They promised me vouchers for the flights to LA we couldn't use due to the changes to our honeymoon related to the swine flu. Well, been six months, I've called back over and over and they haven't helped. I spoke to someone at corporate who seemed competent, and promised to email them to me but they never arrived, and weren't blocked by any Spam filters. Further inquiries, no response, no help. In short, American Airlines doesn't care about their customers, or at least me as a customer.

Number 2. Verizon Wireless

For six months I've been dealing with the fallout from a rep in May telling me they wouldn't charge me an ETF (early termination fee) if I left early. In July when I decided to leave, they told me the rep had misled me, but they would make it right and waive the fee. For three months now they have billed it to me, I call, they correct it, then they re bill me. Each rep is different, some are helpful, some are neutral, but the issue never gets resolved. I get angry, go through stress and anxiety, and they just don't seem to care. Every time they tell me not to worry, it's taken care of and I won't be billed again, I get billed again. There seems to be no way to resolve the issue in a manner which is satisfactory, it's like nobody there cares as well. It's like they don't want there to even be the possibility I might want to be their customer again in the future.

I'm not sure what is happening to customer service in this country. It used to be that the customer was always right, but these days the customer is always wrong. The customer isn't appreciated, the customer is reviled almost. To me, as a customer, it is very sad to see things grow so dim and dire. With the economy in such sad shape, you'd think companies would be working hard to impress and make their customers happy. But it seems every store I go into is short staffed, not anyone to help, or there are only two registers open (Wal-mart) and 8 carts in each line, or equipment is broken (Valero gas pumps anyone?), or something, or something.

Zombieland

There are two places I've been that haven't been that way. One is O'Reilly's Auto parts can you say service? Fast? for an oil filter and oil so I could service one of our vehicles. The other, Regal Cinemas Breckenridge, great customer service and staff, and the funniest movie I've seen in years. Zombieland. That movie has me thinking that Zombie movies appeal to everyone so much because there are no bills to pay, no customer service to deal with. Yeah, you gotta survive the zombies, but it's a self-service world, the customer is always right, and even if the zombies catch you they don't ever charge you an ETF.