Let’s face it customer service really doesn’t exist much in the world anymore. These days companies seem to feel that you are lucky when in fact they wouldn’t have the business they do without the help of the consumer. And this is something that industries need to really become more aware of.
Some believe it is because of computers and automation others believe it is merely because the human spirit is broken. When it comes to industries such as the commercial airline industry for example while most airlines will choose to blame the security issues on the lack of customer service it probably has more to do with the fact that the entire industry degrades its employees by paying them salaries that they can’t even use to support their families unless they are on government assistance or are holding down two or three jobs.
It is sad in a society where those who entertain us make so much money and hold so much by way of esteem in our culture and yet those that are important to us like teachers and pilots hold little esteem and make barely enough to survive. Perhaps if these industries began to put the emphasis on the aspects of the experience that were really important they would quickly realize that they are selling their own industry short by underpaying the valuable employees that they have.
Any employee who is underpaid is not going to provide exemplary customer service, they are not even going to provide reasonable customer service. It can be difficult to be joyful and customer service orientated when you are worried about keeping your head above water and when you are concerned about where your next meal will come from. Of course, these are the realities that airline staff members have to deal with.
And while many passengers will look at the airline pilots and flight attendents and think why are they so abrupt, keep in mind that these individuals are part of the growing working class that put themselves in debt for degrees that they can’t afford. And these degrees don’t even help them to draw a reasonable income. From that standpoint, it is important to realize that these individuals have a lot of responsiblity and little reward for it and unlike their predecessors they can not even make enough money to feed their families on what they are brining in and perhaps this has something to do with why they are not cheerful and friendly?
