Customer Service

What is good customer service? Do we all have different opinions of what "good" means? How would you describe a good interaction with an employee someplace? Then, the next question becomes, "Is good "good" enough?" I often talk about the importance of a good teacher for all children. Then, after talking about "good," I end with, "Imagine the difference you can make if you are a great teacher!"

This post really is about customer service, though, and not teaching.

Why do I always go to Tim Hortons for coffee, a bagel, and donut? I don't know. It's a Sunday thing, I guess. I really like the coffee and the Boston Creme donuts are just plain good. But the customer service there is not the best. It ranks someplace around "below average." That's overall. Sometimes, the service is good. Never great.

Meijer seems to be another place with so-so service to customers. Don't you get frustrated when you go to customer service, ask a question, and realize you are dealing with someone clueless about everything in the store? If that's an entry-level position, maybe it should include some serious training ...

How about the Central Michigan University library? If the library opens at noon, shouldn't the employees arrive before noon so the doors can actually open at noon? Apparently, that is not the case. Everyone arrives at noon, the doors open around 12:07, and then all the equipment has to be turned on. If you were, for example, using a room to write your thesis, wouldn't you think you could get started around 11 a.m.?

Well, I arrived at 11 a.m., found out the doors don't open until noon, went to Meijer, thought about Tim Hortons for a Mint Chocolate Cappucino (frozen), and headed back to the library. Which didn't open on time. What would you do to change things?

Happy reading, writing, and writing, and writing ...