The United States has gravitated from an industrial economy, where we produced most of our own goods, to a service economy, where we no longer produce the majority of our own goods. I have been out of college for almost nine years now but always worked throughout college. I have worked since I was fourteen years old. Ever since I can remember, every company has always stressed customer service. In order to be a leader in your industry you need to provide the best service possible to beat out the competition. I am a customer service manager in a busy sales office for an international insurance company. All I hear all day is how we can provide the best service to our customers. (If theyd only listen to their employees we may be able to do it, but that is a different article.) What is ironic about the idea of customer service is that all these major companies are focusing on it but the one organization that should be focusing on it isnt, and that is our government. Our government was designed to work for the people but it did not evolve to be service focused like the economy did. We pay taxes and the taxes go to running the country for us. We elect people to offices to run the country for us. Yet, our governmental agencies, make us feel like we are a thorn in their side when we need something. When was the last time you went to the Department of Motor Vehicles and had a pleasant experience? I am not implying it is not possible to have a pleasant experience when dealing with a government agency, it is very possible. It is just not the norm, it is expected you will be treated rudely. I have been in my house for three years now. I have had several certified mailings delivered over the last two years or so. The last five of those mailings I was actually in my home when the mail was delivered. The postman never even came to the door. I got a little orange card in the mail saying, Sorry we missed you. I got a letter in the mail over this past weekend from the Department of Motor Vehicles saying they cant renew my license because I owe money on my excise taxes and a parking ticket, both of which I paid over six months ago. I am not trying to turn this into a personal complaint session by sharing these examples. What I am trying to do is hopefully get readers of this article to start discussions with friends, co-workers, and family members. If we have to spend our days dealing with customer service issues, regardless of what company or department you are with, why do we accept so much less from our very own government? Why do we allow ourselves to be treated in such a poor manner by the people who are supposed to be working for us. Would you allow your dentist to treat you poorly, or your doctor, or your mechanic? Would you buy a car from a salesman who treated you so poorly? Hopefully you answered all those questions, NO, and will begin to get others to think the same way. Then maybe we can demand better and changes will happen. |
