Customer service isn't dead, but it ain't where you expect it to be either

Random Thought of the Day

After MacKenzie Phillips' incest allegations against her late father, I can't wait to hear somebody come up with a "One Day at a Time" parody song. BTW...here is the theme from that show; late 70's - early 80's-ness at its finest. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M82CUd6isyY

So I go to the store to get fitted for a tux today. It’s the second time I've had to go through the process this year, as another friend got married back in August. That day was painless; today was not. To start off I had a trainee measure me, while his "trainer" sat behind her desk, plunking away on her computer, and snidely correcting him when he missed a step. THAT got me mad. As long as I've been in radio, I've had to train people. I always try to go slow and type out the steps so they can follow. In other words, treat 'em like an idiot until they prove otherwise. Today, I got, “hope you learned something, time to sink or swim, customer be damned”. Now being the patient guy I am I was able to control my anger through most of the session, but by the end, the lady in charge was getting short, terse answers with a raised tone. Lesson...take care of the customer, and train workers when you have time.

To steal a line...I told you that story so I could tell you this one. So within all of that, I’m listening to the local sports talk station "The Fan" discussing comments by Clinton Portis about the booing at Fedex Field on Saturday. Now admittedly I've never been a fan of Portis; I think he's overrated, overpaid, closed to washed up and his lax “I don't practice but I play hard” attitude rubs off on the team and we get sloppy, undisciplined football. BUT, I give CP loads of credit for the following statement.

"We're getting booed coming off the field," Portis said. "So I think everybody in this organization (is) on the hot seat. You know, I think you look at the owner, he (is) on the verge of losing fans. You know, how long before people just give up and stop coming? You look at the players, and people want you out of here. You look at the coach, people want you out of here. So who's not on the hot seat? Until we come out and play to our potential, I think everybody (is) on the hot seat. It's just people growing tired," Portis said. "You come out, you bring a family of four or five to come to a game, that's $500, and then you've got to eat and park. You're spending $700 a week to come there to see some entertainment, and you get there and there's really not a lot of entertainment."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/wire/chi-ap-fbn-redskinsdrama,0,4010803.story

Unlike the Cooley's and the Sellers' of the world that chastized the fans for booing a 1 and 1 football team, Portis actually gets it. Clinton realizes that the "rabid" Redskins rooters are fed up with 18 years of mediocre football...especially at a premium rate. He is trying to take care of the customer – a.k.a US! It takes guts to do what CP did (i.e. stand up to an owner who likes to send folks packing if they don't tow the company line; see Arrington, LaVar and Coles, Laveranues). Of course with a possible uncapped year looming in 2010, it’s possible that the free speaking Portis might just be watching his Snyder bought flat screen in Cincinnati next year.

(if you don't get the flat screen reference, read this http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/jeffri_chadiha/03/08/coles/index.html - 3rd paragraph)