Service With or Without a Smile

Why is it so hard to get good customer service today?

It seems that helping someone is painful for many people. Certainly you can find a large percentage of people who are not performing what is required of them let alone going the extra mile. I was recently at an airport and jumped in a very short line for check in. I made it to the counter and the customer service attendant asked if I had my boarding pass, to which I kindly responded no. She rudely stated that I had to visit one of the check-in kiosks to print my boarding pass and then come back to the counter for baggage check in. There were no signs in the area that would indicate this is what I should do, and more importantly there were a mere five people in line. Wouldn't you think taking a whopping minute to check me in at the counter would have been possible? I guess not. The kiosk was across the room and the customer service attendant didn't even tell me where. I guess they're not at the counter to help customers.
 
Another example of a personal experience was at a local pharmacy. I went in to pick up a couple of prescriptions and was greeted by a less-than-thrilled technician who proceeded to tell me they do not have one of the prescriptions I was picking up. I received no phone call to make me aware that this prescription was not stocked and needed to be ordered, and the technician didn't bother to offer a phone call once the prescription arrived. What's wrong with people? Am I asking too much? Do people not understand the meaning of customer service? I'm not a demanding person and am very polite and grateful to those in a service role, yet I consistently receive poor service at different places I go.
 
Don't even get me started on calling someone for help! Four phone trees and six contacts later I may or may not have the answer to the question I was calling about. Why do companies act like their issues are my issues? And why can't they even meet minimum expectations for service? Why can't we speak with a live human?
 

There are some who still like to deliver service with a smile.

My wife and I were at dinner with some friends and when the time came to order drinks my wife ordered a Sprite. The waiter apologized that they did not have Sprite and offered different options for a drink. My wife thanked him and simply stated that she'd just have a glass of water. A few moments later the waiter returned with drinks for the table and the waiter had a Sprite for my wife. He ran across the street to the convenience store and purchased a can of Sprite, poured it in a glass with ice and served it with everyone else's drinks. Now that is customer service! My wife would have been completely fine with water and the waiter already was very polite and helpful in offering alternative options but he definitely went out of his way to provide exceptional service.
 
I've read many stories about great service and know it exists as I've just shared. Why can't great service become the norm? Why can't people put smiles on their faces more often?
 

I'm very proud to work for Health Care Logistics because great service is the norm.

We truly deliver world-class customer service and walk the talk. When you call you will speak with a live person and you can also reach us via live chat on our website. We really are customer service champions.