North County Times Opinion Page
Some of us remember when we could drive into a gas station and have the windshield washed, tires checked, our gas pumped by an attendant, receive a big smile and “thank you for your business” as we paid our bill of something less than 50 cents a gallon.
What happened to “service with a smile?” Every day we are reminded how wise the American consumer is, how demanding the baby boomers and futuristic Generation X’rs are. What’s the real story?
Today, we drive into a gas station, pump our own gas, wash our own windshield, check our own tires, pay five times as much for our fuel and never speak to a soul. What’s the real story?
We used to go to a bank and get a smile from the teller, make our deposit or withdrawal without a charge, write a check for no charge, get copies of all of our cancelled checks with no charge and receive a monthly statement without cost. Now we pay for every transaction. Why?
Why is it that when we call our local utility to ask a question, we are greeted by a computerized voice that tells us we must punch in the right key be instructed to punch the right key for the category of our question, then to the right department, then to the right agent, only to be asked for the account number again and it turns out the agent out the agent we got isn’t really the right agent?
What is happening? Are we being lulled into submission by the we sell; you buy; and don’t bother us if you have a problem, megacorporations that pile up profits and cold-shoulder consumers, while they flood our mailboxes with promises of great savings? When we respond to the sales brochure, we find that we must build our kid’s bicycle one bolt at a time, or put the fifteen-piece desk together from plans to enable us to enjoy the advertised savings.
Are we caught up in a wave of dumbing-down the consumer? How long has it been since we could call a department store and speak to a real person on the other end of the line when we have a question about something we bought, without going through the punch-the-key routine, or waiting for several minutes before hanging up in frustration without an answer?
I have found however, where service with a smile does still exist. Helpful, courteous and knowledgeable assistance awaits the frustrated consumer in myriad small stores and repair shops outside the mega malls, tucked away in the forgotten parts of many of our cities. Most of these shops and stores are managed and staffed by the owners. These entrepreneurs are very aware of the culture of disinterest fostered by the major marketers. We can find an oasis of smiles, good humor and honesty by frequenting the mom-and-pop shops and stores in our community.
When you feel like you want to be treated as a human being as well as a valued customer, and you long for an intelligent response delivered with a smile whether you buy anything or not, drop into one of the small shops or stores in your area. The experience will be well worth the trip.
And the next time you see the latest commercial of one of the leading car-rental companies extolling the virtues of serving yourself by going directly to the parking lot, searching for and picking out your car without ever seeing or speaking to an agent, listen to the closing statement, “it’s all about you.” Then ask yourself—is it really? I don’t think so.
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Bill Effinger is a resident of San Marcos. He can be reached at bill@billeffinger.com