Whatever happened to customer service?

Yikes! 

That's the best way to describe my customer service experience today.
Lately I've been on this journey to become a better me - which includes more patience and less complaining.  HOWEVER, (haha) I don't think that applies to my blogging.  I promise I won't complain everyday - but geeze - what is happening to customer service?

I have had MANY customer service jobs.  Ok, maybe not many but at least 5!  I know the importance of holding your tongue and your temper or whatever is on your mind that day - being kind and making a sale!  So with that being said my day was a bit frustrating!

I woke up this morning with my normal Saturday morning type routine and got ready for the day.
My dog had a grooming appointment at noon and I arrived a little bit early.
When I walked in a new groomer was working and I could tell right away she was stressed.  She acted annoyed that I showed up with my dog 10 minutes earlier than my appointment but ya know I can understand that if she's on a specific schedule -  so, I brushed her annoyance off.   She asks me how I would like my dog cut today looking at my dogs folder (I always take her here) and said "the usual?" 
The usual is usually a shave down.  I said no actually today I want her just to have a puppy cut done.
"Oh NO NO NO" she says.  "She is a MESS"
"Well actually," I replied "Her hair has no knots or mats and is just a bit longer...the last time I was in they told me to come in at this time to get her hair cut in a puppy cut as opposed to a complete shave down"  The lady literally rolled her eyes - went in the back - grabbed a dog that was shaved down and said "This is a 7 - this is what I can do for your dog" I said "Oh ok, well is someone else working that can do a puppy cut?"  This apparently was the wrong reply because she took my dog said she could do it a little longer and walked her to the back.   When she came back up my passive side had kicked in due to her aggression and my complete avoidance of any sort of confrontation (a horrible trait I need to work on) and I said "Well please try to keep her face longer" and I left.

I was frustrated when I got in the car and voiced it to my boyfriend only making him just as frustrated at the woman because we had talked about the cut before I even dropped her off and knew that was what we had wanted.  Anyway - we proceed to drive to my moms house to take her to lunch since my groomers is near her house.  We were talking about where to take her and I mentioned how she had never been to Joe's Crab Shack and had wanted to try it out.  He agreed that would be a good choice for lunch.  I seconded guessed myself.  I have a hard time making decisions usually and I'm sure that's what the boyfriend was thinking was happening but I've been to Joe's twice and both times was horrible - but on the other hand my mom really wanted to try there.  So for mama - to Joe's we went.

It was empty when we arrived. And literally FREEZING in there. It's summer so ok - the AC was on but I don't think it was necessary to have the air condition on level artic freeze!  So we are seated and our waitress comes to take our drink order and then comes back a couple minutes later for our order - and then she went Houdini on us.  She literally disappeared.  Maybe she's attending magic school and is home for the summer - I'm not sure.  But she didn't "appear" at our table until about 20 minutes later - telling us that the appetizer would be out shortly - 10 more minutes pass and out comes the "steamed mussels"  I put that in quotations because they were the worst things I've ever eaten.  I had to spit it out.  20 more minutes pass and our meal comes out.  I saw a manager giving coupons to another table so apparently they were having the same experience. 

 I'm just gonna hurry this story up because I'm sure you get where I'm going with this.  Expensive meal - horrible service - horrible food - horrible experience.  At one point a manager came over and asked how our experience was - my mom replied "Well I'm not going to lie - our food took a VERY long time coming out" "I'm sorry to hear that" the manager says.  Then my boyfriend commented on his meal "I'm sorry to hear that as well" says the manager.  Haha, seriously?  I got a customer service survey on the receipt that I will be participating in but it definitely will not be to be receiving the free appetizer - because Joe's Crab Shack in Hanover, Maryland is one place I will NEVER return.

So anyway - later on I get the call that Morgan is ready to be picked up at the groomers and I go and pick  her up and - yep - she's shaved down razor 7 level.  Feeling defeated I just paid the $50 didn't leave a tip and walked with my head down to the car.  Haha horrible.  Oh and my dog looks like a real jackass with the way they cut her face.  I'll try to fix it myself so she looks presentable but I'm semi-afraid to because one day I accidentally went Edward Scissorhands on her but it was if Edward had a brother who's fingers were just busted up knives because she ended up looking like she had mange (sp?) so anyway I save that job for the professionals!

So that was my day.  It seems more and more customer service is no longer geared towards customers and more geared to how the employee is feeling that day.  Sad.

Rant over :)

Until next time - which hopefully will be tomorrow - I'd like to be on a roll this week...