How often am I disappointed by people doing a poor job? It happens everyday.

I recently called Applebees at Grand Avenue to place a to-go order. I pick up food from Applebees every couple of weeks on my way to work. This is not a new experience for me.

I call the restaurant, knowing perfectly well what I want. A woman answers and speaks so fast that Im suddenly unsure whether I called the right place.

I ask her to please repeat herself, and she does, with the same detestable tempo, only this time I manage to make out the avenue part, so I know its the right place. I ask if I can place an order to go. She puts me on hold.

Six minutes pass.

I now have to call my cab to go to work, and Im pissed. I hang up. If my readers have learned anything about me, it is my complete incapacity to keep my mouth shut. I called back after calling my cab. When the quick-speaking girl answered the phone and asked me again to hold, I asked to speak to a manager.

Over three minutes later, the manager came on the phone and I told her my dilemma. She asked if I still wanted to place the order. Absolutely not, I stated, still angry. I tried to find out exactly where the problem was.

She explained to me that the bartender was busy and all three members of the wait staff were busy as well. I explained to her in a less than friendly tone that this is simply bad business and hung up.

Then I started to wonder, where was the manager? Why couldnt the fast-talking girl who answered the phone take my order? Where is the desire to do a good job?

It had been a rough day when this happened, and that is the reason I took the time out to complain, but how often am I disappointed by people doing a poor job? It happens everyday. I go to Walgreens and the cashier has a bad attitude. My bus or cab driver cant seem to follow the rules of the road.

I once had a bus driver that sped through a construction zone as the workers yelled for her to slow down. She then ran over a barrel, and we had to wait while one of the construction workers pulled it out from under the bus.

What does this say about job quality? Dont even get me started on the people at 4-1-1. I think that they are useless just because I could never find them and I have already spent my $1.25 by the time they answer the phone.

I was talking about this problem of customer service being dead when an older lady reminded me of clothing stores. They used to bring clothes to the dressing room, just because they thought you might like them, or you looked good in the color. Now you cant even find a clerk to let you in.

She was right. I had that problem recently while shopping at Bayshore.

What happened to customer service? Why are we so shocked these days when we do get good service? Dont get me wrong, I do get good customer service, but it is definitely outweighed by the bad. I am struggling to think of any exceptionally good service

I have received lately, and honestly, its a challenge.

Good service has long ago become a rarity and I dont like the way this is going. Tips are now expected for damn near any job anyone does, but the service is getting worse by the minute. I am often pleased at getting mediocre service merely because I have become so used to getting the worst.

Something needs to change, or maybe the idea of a robot doing all customer service isnt such a bad idea after all.

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