Many of us, have simply come to expect poor customer service as the
"new norm". My friend Tom Vander Well for IowaBiz writes that "Businesses are beginning to acknowledge that there is a cost associated with providing good service." And, "...(some) are now asking customers (who are interested in receiving good customer service) to pay for it separately." He goes on to cite several examples such as the airline industry and tech support.
The post ends with a question: "Should the customer have to pay?"
We already do.
We pay extra when we leave places like Wal-Mart and choose to shop at locally owned stores like the shops that dot the East Village. We pay extra when shopping at a local food store because they know and recognize us. We pay extra when we head to the Farmer's Market to buy products directly from the producer...who also knows us. We pay extra when we join a CSA for fresh food. We pay extra when we shop at Von Maur...and pay no interest on our credit cards. But...the quality is top notch.
Who is really "paying" in all of this are the people who continue to shop at places where they don't care...just don't care. And, one by one people are realizing that if you don't care for me...I don't care how low your prices are.
Now the question becomes...as a business...do you...care?
