Bad Service

When I mention the words “bad service” what industries come to mind?

• The restaurant industry?
• Airline industry?
• The banking industry?

I just had the unpleasant opportunity of booking a flight with American Airlines, and this was by far the worst customer service experience that I've experienced  in well over two years. 

I now remember why I very rarely fly American Airlines.

During my experience making my reservation, I was led through endless computerized voice prompts on a phone system that still is unable to understand half of what I'm saying,and when  I was finally able to speak with a representative, who had little regard for me or my travel plans, I was informed that I now have a boarding pass to a flight that is probably overbooked. 

In short, not only am I dissatisfied with the customer service but I'm not even sure that I will be able to travel in a timely manner in order to meet my obligations.

 So Much for Customer service.

What do all of these industries have in common? Why do they all treat us like cattle? (http://truckfinanceaisi.blogspot.com/2011/08/are-customers-cattle.html)

I am pretty sure I have the answer.

Complacency.

Each one of these industries is considered an evil necessity. 

We need to eat and if there are no restaurants closer we will settle for questionable food and poor service. It is also unsafe to keep cash under our mattresses and it makes it inconvenient to spend it when we need, therefore, we have banks that charge us to use our own money and are rude about. The airline industry has become so overly obese and sluggish that they resemble a governmental agency. We need to travel, and as airlines merge and fewer competitive airlines remain, the level of customer service will degrade.

In every one of these situations, there is a lack of competition, which increases complacency and denigrates the value of each customer. Customers become a commodity. 

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The good point of the story is that several restaurants have begun opening up nearby and due to the lack of service and low-quality provided by the initial restaurant, it is now closing down.

Supply and demand.

There are now better options with better service available, at competitive pricing.

The old restaurant did not realize this and did not adjust their business model, and is therefore they have no business.

Eventually, this trend will occur in the airline industry as well. It must, or else it will become a truly government-subsidized industry as a lack of competition with the corresponding degradation of service will eventually lead customers to find alternative means of travel.

I would say that this is already happened in the banking industry.

Luckily for us, and unlucky for the banking industry; we're seeing an uptick in community banking. These community banks can provide a service level that the larger banks seem to be unable to. As customers, we are drawn to organizations that either provide us value or make us feel valued and these smaller banks seem to be doing this.

How long until this trend hits our leasing industry?

Are we ready to increase our level of the elite service in order to maintain our customer base?

If we continue to treat our customers like cattle, it is us who will end up being hamburger.