For the past few days I have been struggling with something that I have been reluctant to share with anyone. In my struggle there have been many instances where I have wanted to break, wanted to give in to the phantom sources tormenting my brain. Though, thus far, I have stood steadfast and resolute, I am under no delusion that I have conquered my demons.
Yet, I must not speak about it here. Not in detail. Neigh, I must limit myself to speaking in platitudes and ambiguity like that friend of yours who always posts cryptic messages on social media desperately hoping for that sweet sweet attention (a phenomenon called Vaguebooking).
No, I’m not doing it to court attention. It’s because I’m struggling with my addiction to argue with terrible customer service representatives. I’m trying to be vague to spare you the details because I know that customer service complaints are boring. At this point, with the deluge of review sites we’ve become inured to complaints about bad customer service.
Yesterday, I quit cold turkey. But I was trying to dance around the topic because even mentioning it makes me want to rush back to my email and pick apart that representative’s laziness and evasiveness and explain how good customer service works. Oh man, my fingers are twitching with the overwhelming desire to craft an overly verbose missive.
I wasted hours upon hours over the past five days trying to solve a relatively simple problem. I numbered my questions, ensured they were all grammatically clear only to have the response(s) ignore most of the questions and dance around direct answers. Ah, crap, I just did what I said I didn’t want to do, didn’t I?
See, this is my problem, I’m so addicted to bad customer service that I can’t help but be so obsessed that I overlook my well-being and that of those I love (anyone silly enough to read this blog: I love you. Don’t be uncomfortable, embrace it.). There’s just this thrill in being right and righteousness and pointing out the shortcomings of others and their willful ineptitude which I cannot resist.
What’s my ultimate goal? To do their job for them so that I can throw my money at a company obviously too greedy to invest in its workforce through training and incentives? Why am I working so hard to give them my money when the internet, and, ~shudder~ the real world, lays out a smorgasbord of other, healthier options?
So, this is it, one day sober (probably not the right word). How do other people maintain sobriety (yeah, that feels wrong to say)? Do I need to start indulging in road rage as a substitute? Only use Amazon (not an ad) where they don’t even have customer service? This is what they mean by “one day at a time” isn’t it?
Hold on, I just have to check my email…I’m just checking, I swear!
Strangely Naked 
You must love google, then. I had a problem with google and was basically told to post my problem in a troubleshooting community.
AT&T is great, too, because when you talk to them, they will email you a week later and tell you that your prior conversation constituted a contract with AT&T and if you don’t like you, you have unknowingly submitted to binding arbitration.
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The hard part about quitting bad customer service is that they make it so easy to get. Bad customer service is EVERYWHERE here! They’ve got it in all the stores. Every single internet service provider throws it in for free, even when you’re just going in to make a payment. And don’t even get me started on the fast food places!
I’m starting to twitch. Still an entire hour until I get to go out & buy lunch.
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The problem, dear Pickleope, is that you are not cynical enough. You still expect good customer service? Silly, silly boy/girl/pickle! If you expect stupidity, evasiveness and incompetence, then you will not be upset when that is what you get. Good luck with your recovery!
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OY! I feel your pain. No, maybe not. Yes, I really don’t, but, maybe I do. NAH! I don’t.
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I like Debra’s comment….I guess if we expect nothing, we will be totally grateful for what we get?
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Dear Pickleope,
I love you, too. I have found some places where I get good customer service. When I don’t get good service, the company hears about it until they’re so sick of me that they offer me money to go away. I don’t have much of a life, so I have time to fight the good fight.
Love,
Janie
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I’m the opposite. I want to avoid interaction so badly I don’t return things I should. SOMEONE can use this broken power adapter and ill fitting sweater, right??
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No I get it. No one wants to be treated like they’re not important.
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Oh, no. I don’t want to give off the impression that I care if anyone thinks I’m important. I just love to argue. To me, it’s the MMA of verbal grappling.
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A few months ago, my brand new Lenovo laptop had broken right out of the box, so I contacted customer support. They told me that my warranty was expired in 2011 and that I could no longer use it. I informed them that I had bought the laptop about a week before that day, with a full warranty, and the fact that it expired 3 years before I even bought it was impossible. It took 2 more customer service reps, and a manager, just to figure this out. All of which told me firmly that my warranty was expired.
It’s one thing to argue opinions, but it’s just so much fun arguing common sense.
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