Customer Service Is In The Toilet

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I have occasionally written about some of my experiences with customer service at major American companies. The response usually has been poor in terms of actually providing service, but I've never been threatened by a law suit as Giorgio Galante was. I guess this is AT&T's style. Galante's offense was sending two e-mails to the CEO.

I'm beginning to believe that crappy customer service is a hallmark of telephone companies. I've had some experience with Sprint that I've told you about. Then in the past two months I've been harassed by agents for Verizon. Apparently, Verizon has outsourced some of their sales department functions. I have received calls from fairly sleazy people telling me my service is about to expire unless I sign with them within the week. Of course, that was a lie.

The problem with telephone companies seems to be an unwillingness on the part of upper management to get involved. All complaints are routed to a complaint team. (On reflection, this technique is used by other companies, such as American Express.) Is there a need for such a team because the CEO is too busy to talk with a customer? I'll never forget a call I made to Boston Gas 40 years ago. The president answered his phone; there was no gatekeeper. Claude Machen - I even recall his name - knew that I was paying part of his salary. Has the world changed so much in 40 years?