Customer Service Government Style

Most of my professional life has been in the customer service business, in one aspect or another. I have owned my own business, been a co-owner of a business and worked in sales or the public service sector. In almost all instances, customer service was a huge part of the continuation of that business.

The other day I had cause to visit the local U.S. Post Office, since you have to now take letters weighing over 13oz to the counter clerk.

The customers (paying customers) were lined up almost to outside and there was one slow, solitary clerk. While standing in line, getting more and more frustrated because all I needed were two stamps to mail a letter that barely weighed over 13ozs, I began to reflect on how we Americans had better get use to waiting since it looks like ObamaCare will pass.

I began to reflect on the idea of customer service and just what it meant.

Customer service is the highest form of respect a business owner can show a customer. It is a way of telling the customer, "we appreciate your business, your money, without which, we would not be in business".

Customer service use to include such things as having the air in your tires checked, the fluid levels checked and your windshield washed while the pump-jockey filled your car up with gas.

Or the young lady checking your groceries at the supermarket would actually talk to you, the customer, instead of the checker at the next register or the bag boy, about their latest dating experiences. And revealing more than you wanted to know.

Customer service use to be attention paid to the customer to make them feel important. Now it is a thing of days gone by.

And it never was an important part of doing business with a government agency. Today, if you visit a government run service such as the Post Office or the Drivers License office etc, you are treated as though you are making them have to work. The clerks, representatives for the "company" actually treat you as though you are a pain in their butt and they wish you'd just hurry up and leave.

Now we are going to have government run health care. It won't be long until you are treated just like you are when you go to the Post Office.

It's that a pleasant thought.