Customer from Hell

I will be the first to admit it — I am a customer from Hell. 

That is, when I am given the poorest customer service by whatever establishment, be it a fast food, restaurant, hotel, or boutique. 

Demanding good customer service is something I’ve been accustomed to since childhood because my dad himself makes a living by teaching it, as I am doing now.  Still, with globalization changing the way we do business here in the Philippines, and with the greater consciousness of companies to customer satisfaction, good service is a rare find.  A lot of the store employees don’t even greet customers anymore.  Many employees are simply impolite and don’t pay attention to your needs most of the time.  Many don’t even say thank you, even when you’ve already made a purchase.  Of course, let’s not forget poor service from those who simply do not listen to (repeated) instructions. 

I remember having had to e-mail a fast food chain’s main office when the delivery man did not bring change and impolitely didn’t want to accept my P500-bill, when I explicitly gave instructions for change.  Bumawi naman sila at dapat lang. 

We pay for good service and rightfully so, we should get it.  And going the extra mile, if we seriously want it especially from a place we regularly patronize, I realize too that we may have an “obligation” (for lack of a better term) to call the attention of the establishment when we’re not getting it.  We do want to make our lives easier in the long run.  I mean, there are times when you’d really want to a a restaurant, but you still don’t because no matter how you look at it, you like their food, no matter how much their service makes you want to cringe and curse!  So we call the attention of the superiors.

So when I know I’m in the right, I am not afraid of showing my anger — as long as I’m sure I’m in the right.  Admittedly, kawawa sa akin ang mga fast food employees na bastos at talagang tamad.  I realized just recently one thing about me pa naman — biruin niyo na ako nang bagong gising, huwag lang gutom!

Nevertheless, there are times, when you need to lower your expectations, and just laugh.  Like tonight.

This Easter Sunday evening, I had discovered a small tear on a rear tire of my car.  Rather than be stuck somewhere later on, I had decided to go to a vulcanizing shop.  But who’s open on a Sunday night — Easter Sunday night?  My mom suggests that I try Alabang-Zapote Road.  My expectations weren’t very high, and unlike large establishments, one can’t expect many mechanics to have been trained in Customer Service.

Finally, I find a 24-hour vulcanizing place with lights still on.

Ralph: Bukas pa po kayo?  May vulcanizing kayo?

Employee: Opo.

Ralph: Puwede po bang magpa-vulcanize?

Employee: Hindi po.

Ralph: Bakit hindi?

Employee: Lasing po kasi yung nagvu-vulcanize.

Ralph: A ok.

Well, there’s always Monday morning!  So Happy Easter!  It is after all, something to drink and be merry about.  I just don’t know if that includes actually getting drunk.