The leading cause of tantrums, tears and tirades is Bad Customer Service

[mandy]

The tussle to tame technology is not new. With many tech options, getting gadgets to work together isn't easy. Consumers are fumbling through thick manuals, holding on customer-support phone lines, searching for tech experts or driving themselves mad. They're also losing patience, sleep and tempers, says a survey of 2,551 Americans, released today by Harris Interactive and software firm RightNow Technologies...

About 85% of those polled said they've become so flustered, they've ended up swearing, shouting, experiencing chest pains, crying or smashing things. Slightly more than half said not being able to get a live person on the phone was their greatest frustration, according to the Oct. 9-11 survey. Seven out of 10 people polled said representatives weren't trained adequately.

The findings illustrate the growing anxiety of U.S. consumers as they buy more gadgets for home use and expect them to work out of the box. And they reflect the challenges vendors will face during the holiday shopping season, when they are typically deluged with customer-support phone calls...

full article: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-1...htm?csp=34

[Ms Molly]

[quote author=mandy link=topic=5823.msg31184#msg31184 date=1162898265][/quote]

Slightly more than half said not being able to get a live person on the phone was their greatest frustration....

I sorely miss the "good old days" and dealing with a real live person that knew their product and/or their job.  :'(

Again, this week, a company had a hey-day with my credit card even though I am on net 30 terms. I finally gave up, canceled the order (they shipped anyway), refused delivery and disputed the charge with my cc company. I doubt I ever do business with them again. ($10,000 annually).

I have used the State Attorney General on 2 different occasions and find this works very well. 

Maybe I am just getting too old and it's time to be "put out to pasture". 

[BellisimaJ.]

Molly,

Bad customer service totally sucks. It wastes your time and energy and causes stress. |

And sheesh, it has become SO  bad in recent years, it's totally pathetic!!

You aren't too old. People need to understand that customer service is important if they want to stay in business, IMO!!