Anyone else feel like customer service has seriously gone down the drain?

I just called somewhere and the lady tells me to hold. Then someone else answers and has no idea what’s going on. The first lady didn’t even tell me she was transferring me to someone else.

And this seems to happen everywhere. It’s not just over the phone. Customer service in person has gotten pretty bad too. It just feels like there’s no work ethic anymore, no sense of customer service and sometimes it seems like people don’t even care about doing the job they’re being paid to do.

If I had to point to a specific time when I really started noticing it, I’d say right after COVID. Maybe it’s just me, but it feels like something changed after that and things never really went back to normal.

Anyone else feel the same way? Or am I just getting old? 😂

LeGrotesque · 46-50, F

It's not necessarily the fault of the customer service representative.

I work in customer service and my company has VERY rigid rules about what we can do and say on our phone calls. No small talk. No laughing, no conversation that is not directly related to the service you are providing. In other words, you can't act human. We have 6 sentences we are REQUIRED to use in every call, whether it makes sense or not.

1. I understand that you are calling because....
2. I'd be happy to assist you with....
3. May I ask you a few questions so I can better assist you
4. Are you the applicant?
5. I have provided you with these options, which would you prefer?
6. Is there anything else I can help you with?

No exceptions. Leaving even ONE out results in a low score, which brings your overall average down, and in my company, if you don't at least score an 80% or above, you can be terminated.

It sucks. It's draining. It's toxic. I hate it. I'm actively trying to find another job but I'm not getting any responses from the companies I'm applying to.

So yeah if you're experiencing bad customer service, it's probably because they're sticking to their guidelines and sound like a robot.

ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M

My observation: The more AI/computerization, the poorer the customer service and the more likely I'll try to find another company to deal with.

unsociableAnthony

Yea it happened because we went too far the other way. There were too many people bishing about customers on social media and customers got to the point of ass kissing employees to such a degree that now we are here.