We are shooting ourselves.

[Rich]

I was having a chat with my mother-in-law the other day about a bad experience she had with Home Depot.

Seems to me that customer service has been obliterated by the big chains. Used to be that the person you were dealing with was actually the owner, so they HAD to give a sh*t about your satisfaction. But now, the owner is some schmuck in an ivory tower pulling a 10 figure salary, meanwhile you are dealing with the bored teenager pulling minimum wage who resents you for having the nerve to interrupt his cell-phone conversation with his girlfriend in order to ask him which washer you'd need for your bathroom sink - not that he has a clue.

Thing is, it's the consumer's fault. Like most of us, I shop at the big stores because I like saving money. But I honestly think we do ourselves a disservice when we do that. Probably better to spend more and go somewhere where the people serving you give a sh*t.

Example. There's a store near me that is privately owned and specializes in BBQ's. That's ALL they do. Everything you ever wanted about BBQ's, they have it.

So I needed new burners for my Weber BBQ. They are expensive, but the BBW is 10 years old. I go there, tell the guy which model I have, and he gets the right burners for me. Only I get home and they don't fit. Turns out I don't have the model I thought I had. So I bring the old burners in so he can make sure I get the right ones. He looks at my old ones, says "These are the ones you're replacing? Why?" then proceeds to clean them for me, which was all they needed, and gives me a refund on the new burners. The guy could have made a $100 sale, but instead cleaned my old burners. I immediately went back to his showroom and picked $150 worth of stuff and bought it and told him that it was only because he showed such great service. The guy is the owner.

[mrbeefy]

Good Point.

One reason I prefer to go to the "Mom & Pop" stores around us.

Couple examples:

Chinese Restraunt ~ Owner is the cook. Worked for over a year to bring his wife and son here from China. Now they all work in the place. Best food? Not really, but he is supporting his family and needs the business.

Car Wash ~ Owned by husband and wife. He is bustin' his azz washing the cars and maintaining the equiqpment, she runs the register. And if she isn't busy, she is at the end of the line drying the cars. Hard working, young middle class people. Trying to make a living.

I'll go to them everytime.

I DO get totally upset at POOR customer service and don't give a sh*t attitudes. I tip accordingly.

When given service above and beyond the call of duty, I do ask for the manager and give great accolades at the service I was given. Example:

Young girl waitress, VERY pregnant.
Great service, working hard.
Called the manager over, and poured over the excellant service and great attitude. Our bill was about $15.00. Then I tipped her $ 20.00. I figured she needed it for the baby.

[GerryT]

That's great, Frank. I'm basically the same way. If someone goes out of their way to provide service, I'll tip as generously as possible. There used to be a pride factor in workmanship and business conduct that is not seen as much today.

[CeaAnna Kerr]

I agree, I tip accordingly also. If I get good service I will tip good. I just can't stand poor service, especially in restaurants.

[fit]

Rich,

I've been thinking about your post for a while and considering how to best respond.

I think your basic premise: the demise of customer service, is sound and is really what you are getting at, but I really do not believe you can point at the big-box chains as the fault.

Think about it: chains are not new. My grandparents grew up with Woolworth's Sears and Montgomery Wards being their "local stores". They and their successors have been in many cases the only general stores in many communities for 100 years.

Bad customer service is bad customer service. I've had countless bad experiences the past few years with small local business and contractors. Owners who don't give a sh*t... just in business for themselves because they can't stand working for anybody else but they are lousy at customer service.

On the contrary, I've experienced very good customer service at some chains, Lowes, for example.

I believe it is 1) wholly dependent on the employee, 2) on their manager to instill and manage those values, etc.

Now- would I have gotten the help you got locally at a Lowes? Maybe not exactly- but I did have a salesperson assist me for 20 minutes on a very busy day while walking me through a project and being conscious of my budget.

And then there is my current bathroom remodel: I ended up working through a specialty chain store- it had better selection than the "local" flooring dealers but I really tried to work local- but when I found shops with the products I wanted, the store help wouldn't give me the time of day.

You are right- it's our/the consumers' fault, but not for shopping chain over local, but for tolerating bad customer service. I don't any longer- I make my voice heard, politely and professionally- I make a point of thanking the person at the register for what I feel is good customer service. It felt awkward at first but now it is second nature.

Every employee I hire in my job must, first and foremost, understand, value and exhibit first-class customer service.

Now- on to the point you make indirectly that I think is most important: shopping locally. I've been on a campaign to shop local as much as possible the past two years. Why? Because it feels right. I know the owners by name, and so I get what? BETTER customer service. I get all my suits and shirts made at a little local tailor. They greet me by name when I come in. They throw in a vest or socks for free when I order a new suit. I love the place and recommend it daily to colleagues.

We joined the co-op a while back and do a large percentage of our shopping there. I've met the rancher who grows my buffalo... I've driven right by where my eggs are raised, etc. But the co-op only has "average" customer service. I've considered running for their board just to help them improve that aspect of their business.

Again- as you said: it's up to us to demand and support better- but I don't thing "chain" versus "local" is the real crux of the matter.